A Clan's Tragedy #1

Chapter 17 (COMPLETED)

   Finally the patrol reached the Cloudclan border, and Hazelfur wondered away looking for yarrow. She found a huge clump behind a tree with a twisted branch. She bent down and tugged on a few. 

   Suddenly she head a snapping branch. Instinctivly she crouched down and peered through the dense yarrow. A silver she-cat wove her way through tall grass a few badger-lengths away. The cat turned around to check for cats. It was Feathersong! The medicine cat sat there a few moments and then a second sound of pawsteps broke through. A calico tom pushed his way out of the tall grass. As soon as he saw Feathersong, he broke into a purr and licked her cheek. Hazelfur inwardly gasped. She was right- Feathersong was meeting a tom!

   "How are you?" purred the tom. 

   "I'm fine." Hazelfur accidentally toppled over and moved the yarrow. Feathersong wipped around, checking for signes of cats. Hazelfur sat there, hardly daring to breathe. At last the silver and black she-cat shrugged.

   "That was probably the wind." she mewed. "We have to hurry, okay? My clanmates might be around."

   Yes they are.

   "Okay," the calico tom licked her ears once more. "Meet me tonight by the Fire Forest." The Fire Forest was a small pine forest that started on fire before the clans were even born. Pineclan hadn't chosen that part, and it still sits there burned. But the undergrowth was plentiul, while the trees are black.

   "Bye, Brokenwhisker!" mewed Feathersong. "See you at moonhigh."

   "At moonhigh." echoed Brokenwhisker and he whisked through the grass and leaped over the river. Feathersong sighed and walked back to the camp. As soon as she gone, Hazelfur popped out of the yarrow and collected her clump of yarrow. Tonight she will meet them and hopefully talk to Feathersong.

   Later that sunhigh Hazelfur crossed the clearing. Below her were leaves- it was leaf-ground and the air was just begining to get chilly. Suddenly when she put her paw down, a sharp stabbing pain peirced her pawpad. She sat down and looked at it. There was nothing there. Hazelfur looked under the leaves. There was nothing but sand and dirt.

   Weird... thought the brown she-cat. She looked up to find Frogsplash staring at her from the fresh-kill pile, but as soon as her gaze met his he whisked his yellow eyes away. Hazelfur got up and padded back to her den. Cherrypaw was sitting down with a pained look on her face. 

   "What's the matter?"

   "I slipped off a tree branch in training and my front paw really hurts." squeaked Cherrypaw. "I think it's broken!"

   "Let me see." Hazelfur padded over to her and held her paw in hers. She felt a bone jutting out. Gently she layed it down. "Yes, it's broken. Stay here." She got up and grabbed comfrey and poppy seeds from her store. Cherrypaw let out a gasp of pain as the medicine cat put the comfrey on.

   "Sorry," mewed Hazelfur. "You need to stay off of it until I say so. That means no more training, hunting, or fighting. Or even walking- but only to the dirt-place. Okay?" She licked her daughter's ears.

   "Okay..." repeated the little she-cat. "But can I at least help the elders sometimes?"

   "No. Today and tomorrow stay off of it completely." Hazelfur guieded her daughter to her den and layed her down in her mossy nest. "I will visit you everyday, okay?"

   Cherrypaw nodded and layed her head on the bracken. Her mother licked her muzzle and trotted out of the den. Outside, a gust of wind suddenly knocked her over. In an instant, Frogsplash hurried over and helped her up. His glowing yellow eyes looked worried.

   "Are you okay?" meowed the tom. "That was some wind."

   "Yeah." mewed Hazelfur. "I-um need to get back to my den. Bye!"

   "Wait. I'll see you tonight, won't I?" he leaned in closer. "You did know the Gathering is tonight, right?"

   "Of course..." Hazelfur ducked her head in embarrassment. "I'm just busy." Confusion clouded his eyes and she quickly turned away and walked back to her den. A few moments later Feathersong padded into the empty den. Her eyes glowed. Hazelfur reconised this look- love.

   "Where have you been?" mewed the brown she-cat. "You've been gone for the whole day. And the Gathering is tonight so don't get to tired to come."

   "What?" snapped Feathersong. "I was just visiting Jasminefur to ask for some catmint." Hazelfur noticed she didn't have any. Feathersong must of noticed this too.

   "She didn't have any." sheepishly Feathersong padded into her nest and flopped down. "We have to go to the tall-leg place again." Hazelfur remembered the last time they went there. That was when    Fireclaw stole all of it and when Hazelfur fell in love with Frostail.

   "Tomorrow." declared Hazelfur. "Tonight every cat will be tired." Feathersong nodded and closed her eyes. Hazelfur too fell asleep after a while, snuggling deep in her nest.

   Later that night, Feathersong woke her up. Hazelfur was having a dream about catching a mouse. The clan was already gathered and was waiting for the medicine cats. When they joined them, Rippleclan headed off. Hunterpaw, Echopaw, and Thrushpaw were the only apprentices joining. They ran and jumped over fallen logs. Frogsplash snapped at them to be quiet. Reluctantly the apprentices grumbled into a low whisper. Hazelfur purred slightly. The clan was almost at the meeting place. The other clans were already there. Crystalstar signaled the clan to quickly join them. Hazelfur sat down in between two Pineclan elders. They shifted to make room for her.

   "Welcome, Clans!" called Gorsestar. "We shall begin the meeting." he coughed and then mewed, "Cloudclan has thrived this leaf-ground and we are prepared for winter. Katnissflower has given birth to Littlekit and Greenkit." Cats cheered. "And Whisperpaw is now Whisperbreeze." The clans cheered and the new warrior held his head high. Gorsestar sat down and Shadowclaw stepped in. Cats murmured.

   "Most of you must be wondering why I'm up here." began Shadowclaw.

   "Yeah! Where's Rosestar?" yowled a tom somewhere in the back.

   "I am sad to announce, she is dead. Green-cough took her last life. I am now Shadowstar and my new deputy is Longweed." A tabby and white tom dipped his head. "As for Pineclan. we have thrived all season long and have plently of prey. Hollybranch wished to move to the elders den. But he is not here tonight." He sat down and looked smugly at Crystalstar, as if challenging her to do better.

   "Rippleclan is healthy and strong. Thornpelt has given birth to Dawnkit and Rushingkit." Cats cheered for them. "Prey is plentiful. And we watch our borders. Any cat who tries to cross will be punished." Crystalestar cast a glare at Gorsestar. "The river is stronger than usuall so we try to stay clear of it. This Gathering is over!"

   Cats shuffled to their own clans. Hazelfur looked around rapidly and saw Feathersong pad into a thick bush on the other side of the clearing. Hazelfur quickly made her way towards them and listened to their conversation.

   "... and I love you too. Tonight meet me where we usually do, okay?" mewed Brokenwhisker. "Make sure no cats follow you."

   "I will. I have to go because Hazelfur is keeping an expert eye on me for some reason. Bye!" Feathersong emerged from the bush and headed toward Rippleclan's group.

   Oh I'm keeping an eye on you alright.... and eye indeed.

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like this chapter? okay, its sort of a boring one but i dont want to rush it too much. i got Dawnkit in-- i dont remember who wanted it though. comment if u wanted it in!!

 anyway my naming conest only has one title in, so please send me your idea!! the contest is over as soon as i make the book. and some of u might have seen my new story, Frostail's Battle of Love,but that isn't the second book. Its only a short story. i hope u win!!!     -- Wolfang11