The Warrior's Return (A Shrouded Path book 3)

Chapter 1

 The sun shone warm overhead, casting shadows as it began to dip downwards from its highest point in the sky. At the bank of the river, on the soft reed-lined riverbed, stood five weary cats, their pelts torn and bloodied. They watched the distance as two other cats, one a pale gray and the other darker, padded away towards the Twoleg farm that lay just outside the forest territory of RiverClan. The battle was over, and they were going home, without the other two cats who had come to battle with them.

Minnow stared longingly after Jay and Smokey. Saying goodbye to them had been difficult, but necessary. She couldn't thank them enough for all they had done for her and provided for her during the long moons she lived with them in the Twoleg barn, but now her life was taking a turn towards a different course. It seemed like a lifetime ago that Minnow was a RiverClan apprentice, when she had fallen in the river and drowned, only to be saved by StarClan, or so she thought. The moons since had been filled with death and heartache, as the resulting curse brought about by StarClan's division amongst itself had taken the lives of innocent RiverClan cats. When Minnow had fled to protect them, Jay and Smokey had taken her in and helped her to move on and build a new life as a loner. She loved them as much as she had loved any cat in RiverClan, and she would miss them deeply, along with their two kits, Storm and Rose, and the friendly kittypet Oliver.

Minnow felt another cat pressing against her, and a purr rumbled in her throat. She turned to meet Apollo's deep amber eyes. Another loner who had lived at the barn, Apollo had become her greatest friend, and had fought alongside her to save her Clan from the treacherous invasion of ThunderClan and WindClan, led by the deputies Copperfoot and Wasptail. He had almost succumbed to death in the river, but Minnow had risked it all to save the cat she loved. It was then that StarClan met with her again to tell her the truth of the curse, and that it was gone, leaving her safe to return to the Clan she knew she belonged to. And even better, Apollo would be at her side.

A cool breeze blew over the gathered cats, whispering across the top of the now-silent territory of Sunningrocks. Just moments before, the rocks had been filled with the yowling and screeching of battling cats. It was just past sunhigh, but there was much to do before night fell. The joy Minnow had felt after the end of the battle was quickly replaced by weariness and grief as she thought of the cost of winning. After a long period of silence, Birchstar, RiverClan's leader, spoke. "It's time to go."

The other two RiverClan warriors, Cloudsplash and Redblaze, nodded solemnly. None of them knew exactly what was waiting for them back at the battle-torn camp, but Minnow knew it wouldn't be good. When she and the barn cats had arrived at the camp, the battle raged ferociously there, but they came to Sunningrocks to help drive back the enemy forces. There were kits in the camp, and queens and elders, and Minnow prayed none of them had been hurt, or worse. Looking around, she knew the warriors hadn't fared as well. Several fox-lengths away, Sweetstripe's body lay unmoving at the edge of the river, and beneath an overhang on Sunningrocks lay Bristlepelt, Minnow's father. They had won, but not easily.

"I'll get Sweetstripe," Cloudsplash murmured sadly as he headed to retrieve the body of his Clanmate and friend.

Minnow's throat felt tight as she flicked her tail towards the overhang. "My father..." she couldn't finish her sentence.

Silently, Redblaze padded over and disappeared under the rocks, a moment later returning, dragging the dusty, torn white and orange body of Bristlepelt. Minnow watched, awash with grief, and Apollo wrapped his tail comfortingly around her. When the two warriors returned, Birchstar nodded to leave.

"What about them?" Cloudsplash asked, motioning towards the other lifeless cats. Minnow recognized Graytail of ThunderClan and Honeytail of WindClan.

Birchstar's voice was bitter. "Leave them," he meowed. "They knew what they were getting into when they came here. Their Clans will know their dishonor and will come to get them." Minnow couldn't find it within herself to feel any sympathy for the fallen enemy warriors. She could never have imagined that the treachery of her old enemy, Copperfoot, would run this deep; he and Wasptail had rallied an army of loyal Clanmates to try and take over RiverClan. Minnow felt relieved that it was over, then remembered the StarClan warrior Frostfoot's words. You may have won the battle today, Minnow, but it's not over. Even despite hearing that, Minnow knew that the coming moons would be long and uncertain as the Clans sorted out the mess that was left in the wake of this battle.

The patrol of warriors began making their way towards the RiverClan camp, taking a path Minnow remembered all too well. It was almost like she had never left at all, like nothing had changed, but she knew that was far from the truth. In reality, almost nothing was the same, and she wasn't sure how prepared she was to return to her old Clan and face her Clanmates. It felt strange to suddenly be thrust back into her old life, and for a moment Minnow wondered if she should run back to the comfort and familiarity of the barn. But she had done enough running in her life, and no matter what she would always belong in RiverClan.

The forest floor felt lush and soft underpaw as Minnow walked with the other cats. She relished the familiar scents of water and ferns and prey, and the sight of silver birch bark and dangling willow branches. She felt almost relaxed as the patrol moved in silence, but she couldn't feel too at ease. Grief held onto her heart with sharp claws as she watched Redblaze carry her father's body. His long, thick tail dragged the ground, and his legs dangled limply. If we had just gotten here sooner, she thought, wondering if it would have made a difference.

"Hey," Apollo said softly to her. He matched her stride pawstep for pawstep. "We did what we could." It was like he could sense what she was thinking.

"I know," she whispered back, knowing it to be true. There was probably no way she could have saved Bristlepelt, but that didn't ease her heartache. "I can't thank you enough for doing this with me. I never would have asked you to."

"I never would have stayed behind," Apollo replied. "I felt like I owed it to you, and I wouldn't have been able to sleep knowing that your Clan was in danger."

"All of RiverClan thanks you," Birchstar cut in, eyeing the stranger with gratitude. "You and your friends have done a great deal for us, and I don't know if we'll ever be able to repay you." The patrol padded over a small stream; they were almost at camp.

"There's no need," Apollo said to Birchstar, his tone respectful. "Any friends of Minnow's are friends of mine."

Birchstar looked pleased, and a little confused at how Apollo addressed Minnow, but Minnow realized all of RiverClan only knew her by her Clan name, except for Sorrelstream. It was one of the many things that had changed.

As the patrol came to the entrance of the camp, they could hear voices and movement beyond the stream that divided the camp from the forest, and Minnow saw different colored pelts moving back and forth. Her heart thundered in her chest, anxious and uncertain of what was about to happen. She knew the importance of the battle and recovering from it, but she also knew that her sudden, unexpected return would be a topic of interest to the rest of RiverClan, and she didn't know how she would deal with it, but she knew she had to. Taking a deep breath and glancing at Apollo, Minnow followed Birchstar, Cloudsplash, and Redblaze into the camp.