Warriors: Descending Darkness

Chapter 18

Ravenpaw ran through the forest, going back the way Night had led her, hoping she wouldn't come across any wolves on her way back to the moor. She was relieved when she made it to the river safely. Without a moment's hesitation, she darted into the water, swimming as fast as she could for the green grass about a tree length away.

As she hauled herself out of the water, catching her breath, an angry yowl and two sets of paw steps reached her ears, "Where have you been?"

Ravenpaw looked towards the noise, anticipating how the two cats would respond, "I went to help Thunderclan."

"Ravenpaw, we were all worried about you! You don't know how dangerous it is here, especially in the forests!" Wingpaw hissed, her fur bristled and her tail lashing.

Wingpaw's mentor spoke up before Ravenpaw could retort, "Harestar told you not to leave-"

"I will not have this argument with you, Longclaw, I'm going back to camp." Ravenpaw responded, ignoring what the tom said as she walked past the two.

She could feel the shock coming from both cats as they followed her back to camp, slight anger rolling off of Longclaw at her lack of respect for a warrior. Ravenpaw didn't care at that moment, her only thoughts were of how she was going to convince Harestar to help. She hoped that her leader's friendship with Thistlestar, along with confirmation on Thunderclan's status, would be enough to guilt her leader into helping.

When they reached camp, Ravenpaw knew what she was going to say. However, the moment she saw her leader and the anger and irritation on her face, Ravenpaw forgot it all, her belly beginning to churn nervously. She stood quietly, staring fearfully up at her leader as she climbed into the large rock.

"Where did you run off to, Thunderclan?"  Harestar began questioning her apprentice in front of the rest of the gathering clan.

Ravenpaw took a breath, trying to calm down and reassemble her argument, "Y-yes, but-"

"I told you not to leave, did I not?"

"Well, yes..." Ravenpaw could feel her clanmates piercing stares burn into her pelt.

Harestar sighed, sitting down and curling her tail around her, "As a Windclan apprentice, your first priority is to your clan.  On top of that, you disobeyed my direct orders not to run off to Thunderclan.  You've broken two of the Warrior Code rules."

Ravenpaw's pelt bristled and she silently wondered why Starclan would make it difficult if she was supposed to help the clans.  "Is it not also part of the Warrior Code to help other clans in their times of need?  Are we really going to sit by and watch another clan die?"  She looked around at all of her clanmates, meeting Grayspot's encouraging eyes before she looked back up at her leader, thinking, "And what about kits?  Do we not defend kits even if they are from another clan?"

Harestar was taken aback, and her gaze drifted to her deputy who returned the same expression.  "Yes, but I cannot risk sending off warriors or medicine cats.  If something happens to Windclan while they are gone, it will be our clan that dies out."

Ravenpaw forced her pelt to lie flat, trying to calm down as she requested, "Just send Grayspot and myself.  Only Thistlestar and a kit remain well enough to protect the two other Thunderclan cats, and they both are in critical condition.  They need our help, however little we can give."

Harestar studied her apprentice seriously before turning her attention to Grayspot.  The medicine cat nodded at his leader and she sighed, looking back at Ravenpaw.

"Alright, fine.  I'll send you and Grayspot, but I want you both to be careful; your safety is just as important as any other cat's."

Ravenpaw released the breath she had been holding, relieved that she could make Harestar see reason. "Thank you," she meowed gratefully.

Her attention drifted towards Grayspot as he flicked his tail, getting up and going into his den.  She followed him, wondering what he wanted from her.

The moment she stepped in, he asked, "What did you mean by critical condition?  Is it possible for me to save them?"

"I don't know."  She responded, clueless when it came to anything medical, "The warrior had deep claw marks running down her side, and the apprentice had what I think was a bite wound on his shoulder.  Thistlestar was using cobwebs on them...to stop the bleeding, I guess."

Grayspot frowned, his tail flicking as he thought.  After a moment he gathered two leaves, putting herbs into them before picking up one of the bundles.  Ravenpaw frowned, watching as he left the den before she assumed he meant for her to carry the other.  She went over and picked it up, leaving the den to follow Grayspot out of the camp.

The trip back across the moor seemed to go by faster although Ravenpaw didn't think the medicine cat was walking any faster than she had on her way to camp.  They reached the river before sunhigh, and Grayspot stopped for a moment, scowling at the river.

"Try not to let the herbs get wet.  And don't loose any!"  He ordered Ravenpaw before he took a step into the river, visibly shuddering.

Ravenpaw watched him in amusement, following him into and across the river with more ease. Allie had loved to swim, and she had encouraged Ravenpaw to learn until she grew used to the water. She didn't particularly like it, but she tolerated it better than Grayspot who muttered curses under his breath the entire time.

When he made it to the other side, he put down the bundle of herbs to shake out and give a few licks to his fur. Ravenpaw did the same, not wanting to get sick, and knowing that she had already pushed her luck earlier when she didn't dry her fur. After a few short moments, the two were off again, Ravenpaw leading the way through the forest.