Sunfern trotted through the tunnel into camp as the sky darkened, his mouth full of prey. He set his prey into the fresh-kill pile and went to check on Moonfall in the warriors den. He saw Quickstream's claws unsheathed, hate burning in his eyes as he looked at Sunfern walking in. Moonfall was curled up on the far side of the den, looking small.
"Moonfall," Sunfern mewed gently, his paw prodding the beautiful white and silver she-cat on the shoulder. "I think I know what to do about the cats in Sunclan."
Moonfall's eyes flew open. She leaped up and wagged her tail. Quickstream's eyes narrowed, looking thoughtfully at Sunfern.
"How! How!? Sunfern how!?" she mewed excitedly, her eyes shining brighter than they ever had in the past week. She looked to the side, seeing Quickstream looking at her with narrowed eyes. The light went out and her tail fell flat. "N-nevermind. I-it's not our clan so we shouldn't do a-anything." Moonfall meowed, her voice breaking.
Sunfern drooped, his paws suddenly feeling heavy and clumsy. He walked out of the den to see Treepelt speaking with Goldensky and Featherpool. Her neck fur bristled and she raced out of camp, in the direction of the Sunclan border. What is she doing now? Sunfern thought.
Sunfern raced over to Goldensky and Featherpool, who were eating prey. Sunfern noticed that Featherpool's fur was matted and she looked run down and sick.
"Sunfern! Don't get too much closer. We don't want Featherpool's cold spreading and turning into whitecough...or even greencough." Goldensky said, waving her tail anxiously. Sunfern looked worriedly at Featherpool. It didn't look like a normal cold. He walked to the fresh-kill pile and picked up a squirrel. As he was going back to where Goldensky and Featherpool were, he saw Leapkit, Forestkit, Riverkit, Swiftkit, Honeykit, Willowkit, and Flamekit all gathered around a wad of moss.
"Okay! The goal is to keep it with you the longest! And remember, Swiftkit and I are almost apprentices so that means we will most likely win!" Leapkit's mew rang out. She hooked the moss ball and flung it in the air, catching it and running away from the other's.
"Hey! No fair! We're younger than you and you're faster than us!" Honeykit wailed.
Skystrike came out of the nursery, chuckling. "Honeykit, it's just a game. Go chase her! It doesn't matter if you win but just if you have fun." Skystrike meowed softly to her sister's kit.
The kit smiled happily and chased after Leapkit, who passed the ball to Swiftkit when Riverkit and Forestkit jumped at her. Sunfern turned back to the leaders and started walking to them again.
"I should make those two apprentices now..." Goldensky said, pointing to Leapkit and Swiftkit with her tail. Featherpool nodded, and got up shakily to the Moonrock with Goldensky on her heels.
"May all cats old enough to run in the moonlight gather here beneath the Moonrock." Featherpool and Goldensky's voices rang out in the clearing. Cats came out of dens, and gathered together. Swiftkit and Leapkit peeked out of the nursery, their mother pulling them back in to wash them.
"Swiftkit and Leapkit. Where are you?" Goldensky asked.
Swiftkit and Leapkit came bounding out, their fur and eyes shining. Leapkit sat next to Frostpaw, who glared at her angrily. Leapkit just grinned and beckoned to Swiftkit with her tail.
"Leapkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Leappaw. Your mentor will be Fierceheart. I hope Fierceheart will pass down all she knows on to you." Featherpool meowed, her voice strong despite her sickness.
"Fierceheart, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Oakear, and you have shown yourself to be loyal and strong. You will be the mentor of Leappaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Leappaw." Goldensky finished.
The young she-cat beamed as she touched noses with Fierceheart.
"Swiftkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Swiftpaw. Your mentor will be Darkstorm. I hope Darkstorm will pass down all he knows on to you." Goldensky meowed.
Swiftpaw lowered his head embarrassed as everyone looked at him. He scuffed his paw and glanced at Darkstorm.
"Darkstorm, you are ready to take on another apprentice. You have received great training from Mistpool, and you have shown yourself brave and skilled. You will be the mentor of Swiftpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Swiftpaw." Featherpool finished.
Darkstorm and Swiftpaw touched noses, the older warrior showing pride as he looked down at his new apprentice. Everyone started chanting their names.
"LEAPPAW! SWIFTPAW!" they called.
Darkstorm touched his apprentice's shoulder and meowed at him. Sunfern smiled warmly, remembering mentoring Scarfeather. The cats in the clearing looked up at the leaders, expecting them to end the meeting.
"Tortoisepaw." Featherpool mewed. The oldest apprentice stepped forward, looking proud. He had been waiting for this moment, and he had groomed himself well for it.
"We, Goldensky and Featherpool, leaders of Moonclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn." Goldensky and Featherpool meowed in unison, staring up at the sky.
Tortoisepaw's amber eyes shone, and his tortoiseshell coat gleamed.
"Tortoisepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Goldensky asked.
Tortoisepaw nodded, "I do."
"Then by the powers of Starclan I give you your warrior name. Tortoisepaw, from this moment on you will be known as..." Featherpool meowed, drifting off at the end so that Goldensky could speak with her for the next sentence.
"Tortoiseclaw. Starclan honors your wit and honesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Moonclan." the two leaders said together.
Tortoiseclaw beamed with extreme excitement as Featherpool rested her muzzle on Tortoiseclaw's shoulder, and as Goldensy followed in suit. Runningbrook, Tortoiseclaw's mother, sniffed her way to Tortoiselcaw, her blind eyes dancing with pride and her tail high up with excitement. Sunfern sighed and turned to go to his den, his paws heavy. He closed his eyes for a second as he walked, and felt a pelt brush his. He kept his eyes closed, smelling Moonfall.
"Help me, or he'll kill you too!" Moonfall whispered, her voice petrified and her fur bristling. She quickly walked away, the moment had gone as quickly as it had came. Sunfern opened his eyes, his neck fur rising.
Who is 'he'? Why would he kill me? And Moonfall said 'too' that means he killed someone else, or will... Sunfern suddenly didn't feel tired. This was important. Something was wrong, and he couldn't tell his leaders. Then everyone would find out and whoever 'he' was would strike for sure. Sunfern practically ran to the warriors den, sliding close to Moonfall as he went to his nest.
"Meet me at the entrance tunnel to camp at midnight, but don't leave," Sunfern whispered urgently. If his plan worked they could slip through the slight gap in the bramble and jasmine vines, and go somewhere that whoever 'he' was couldn't hurt them. Who could 'he' be? A Sunclan warrior? Treepelt? But Treepelt is a she-cat... Sunfern struggled to get sleep, constantly puzzling over who the cat could be. Am I in danger right now? As I sleep beside my Clanmates, who are supposed to protect each other?
After a while, Sunfern heard Moonfall try to slip quietly out. She must have been near the entrance to the den when he heard Quickstreams voice sharply to ask where she was going. Moonfall hurriedly replied that she was going to the dirtplace. Quickstream's voice seemed quieter and slightly ashamed when he said "Okay." Some time passed and Moonfall had not returned, so he took it as his queue to meet her at the tunnel. He slipped quietly past his denmates, relieved when he got to the tunnel without anyone seeing him.
"What took you so long?" Moonfall hissed.
Sunfern sighed. She was still annoyed at everyone and everything. Maybe she would calm down someday, but not soon.
"I didn't know if Quickstream had fallen asleep yet!" he hissed back.
Moonfall sighed, and flicked her tail. She started toward the tunnel.
"Actually, we are going through here..." Sunfern meowed, his voice tainted with a laugh.
Moonfall turned around and padded over to Sunfern. Sunfern flicked his tail in the spot beside the tunnel, right next to the apprentice den. He sniffed around until he found the hole, and then he pushed away the vines. There, was a perfect cat-sized hole a little less than a tail length wide. Sunfern wriggled through it, and soon after came Moonfall.
"Ugh, my pelt has leaves all over it!" Sunfern meowed, unhappy.
Moonfall snickered good-naturedly, flicking her tail at a leaf caught in Sunfern's pelt. Her silvery-white fur shone brightly in the moonlight and her eyes looked happy for once in a moon. Sunfern walked into the forest, thinking about where to go to talk. I'll go to the hollow tree. Sunfern thought. Nobody but Rosemist and I know about that!
"Come with me." Sunfern meowed, racing through the forest to the edge of the Nightclan border, where a hollowed out tree trunk was. Moonfall had no struggle keeping up with him. Eventually they reached the tree, and Sunfern beckoned Moonfall in with his tail.
"This is...smaller than I remember," Sunfern mrrowed, thinking about how big it seemed when he was a kit. Moonfall struggled to fit in beside Sunfern, having to squish into the trunk.
"I need to tell you about...Quickstream." Moonfall mewed, her eyes getting round as she spoke his name.
Sunfern nodded, thinking about the time Oakear tried to get his daughter to tell the leaders about Quickstream acting evil. Then he had thought that Oakear had bees in his brain and had laughed at him, but now this wasn't any laughing matter.
"When I got back from Sunclan camp, he threatened to kill you, me, and Frostfall if I didn't become his mate. I...I couldn't lose you or my littermate. Rainkit died when I was young and I couldn't lose anyone else. I agreed with him. But lately, he's been looking at you when you are distracted..."Moonfall paused uncertainly.
Sunfern nodded encouragingly, gently touching his tail tip to Moonfall's shoulder. Moonfall relaxed slightly before beginning.
"He has this look in his eye like he wants to, well, kill...you. Something needs to be done before he does kill you or Frostfall! Please help me, Sunfern!"
Sunfern thought about his sister, Rosemist, who had been avidly ignoring him and realized that even though he hadn't lost her, it still felt like he had. I don't want that to happen to Moonfall, just on a greater scale. Sunfern thought to himself. Moonfall glanced sadly at him before leaving the tree hollow. Sunfern followed after her, pausing a few times to hunt.
"Sunfern...." A small mew whispered from behind a bush. "Sunfern...,"
Sunfern jumped, glancing around for Moonfall. The sparrow he had been chasing had completely distracted him and Moonfall was long gone. Sunfern sniffed, smelling nothing out of the ordinary.
"SUNFERN!" A loud growl bellowed, as a large gray tom came barreling out of the bushes. The tom leaped on Sunfern, but Sunfern quickly moved out of the way. The tom bared his teeth, staring into Sunfern's soul. It was Quickstream.
"You traitor!" Sunfern yowled.
He leaped at Quickstream, reaching his paws out to Quickstream's back legs and hitting the tendon. Quickstream fell and Sunfern jumped on him. Quickstream shredded Sunfern's pelt, leaving huge scratches but Sunfern tore at Quickstreams pelt.
What am I doing?! I can't kill my clanmate! Sunfern thought
Sunfern leaped away, sheathing his claws. Quickstream lunged at Sunfern, limping slightly. Sunfern blinked and dodged, slower than usual.
"Scared? You should be!" Quickstream yowled.
I need backup! Starclan help me! Sunfern ran as fast as he could to camp, Quickstream on his tail. He scrambled through the bramble tunnel, hoping Quickstream still had the evil look in his eye and was chasing him.
"Help! Quickstream is trying to kill me!" Sunfern yowled, hoping everyone would hear. He heard pawsteps behind him and scented Quickstream. He didn't hear me! Quickstream jumped onto Sunfern, shredding his pelt. Sunfern kept his claws sheathed and didn't fight back, not wanting to be blamed for anything. Pain seared through him, the ground beneath him wet with blood.
Goldensky, Featherpool, Darkstorm, Moonfall, Cloverpatch, Tangleshade, Dustleap and a few apprentices came running out, the most senior warriors shoving Quickstream off of Sunfern.
"Quickstream! What are you doing to him!? He is your clanmate!" the two leaders yowled, their claws unsheathed, ready to spring.
"He's a traitor! He's trying to kill Sunfern! He even threatened to kill Frostfall!" Moonfall screeched.
Everyone gasped. Quickstream was a loyal, talented warrior. Oakear came padding out of the den, shaking his head. He gasped and stared at Quickstream, surrounded by warriors, and Sunfern, lying on the ground with blood pooling beneath him. Skystrike, Runningbrook, and Frostfall stood at the entrance to the nursery, their tails wrapped protectively around their kits.
"What's going on, Skystrike?" Honeykit mewed, her voice shaky with fear. "Why is Sunfern all scratched? Why is everyone surrounding Quickstream? I'm scared!"
Skystrike shook her head, nuzzling Honeykit. The other warriors and apprentices came rushing out of their dens. They watched from their den. Rosemist padded up to Sunfern, Scarfeather following her.
"Weakling. You were so weak that you couldn't even defend yourself. This is what happens when a pathetic cat is chosen as a deputy." Rosemist whispered to Sunfern, unsheathing her claw. Scarfeather's eyes widened and his neck fur rose.
"Rosemist no!" Scarfeather screeched, bowling over the red she-cat and leaping back to guard Sunfern.
"Shadowpaw, fetch Poppyleaf. Tell her Sunfern is badly hurt." Featherpool meowed, her voice barely above a whisper.
The dark tom nodded and walked off to the medicine den, returning moments later with herbs in his jaws and Poppyleaf leading him out. Poppyleaf tended to Sunfern, who was on the brink of unconsciousness. Sunfern groaned.
"Quickstream, Rosemist, as part of your treachery you will be banished." Goldensky meowed, her voice ringing out with only a hint of sadness. "My own daughter has betrayed her clan. From this moment on, she is not my daughter."
Rosemist gaped at Goldensky, while Quickstream raced out of camp angrily.
"I did nothing! It was all your fault! You chose that...that...pathetic excuse for a cat as your deputy! It should have been me!" Rosemist hissed, her claws ripping at the ground as she glared at her mother. "I worked hard and proved myself worthy, but you chose him!" she lashed her tail and jerked her head at Sunfern.
Everyone in the clearing growled. Swiftpaw and Leappaw leaped towards Rosemist, baring their teeth. Feircheart and Darkstorm hissed at them annoyedly, beckoning them back. Scarfeather watched Poppyleaf carefully as she tended to Sunfern.
"Leave. Now. Or else you will have to be killed." Goldensky said levely. The golden she-cat looked calm, but Sunfern, even in his subconscious state, could tell that she was distraught.
"That seems extreme, Goldensky. Even for a traitor!" Featherpool gasped. Goldensky dismissed the other leader with a flick of her tail, and all the warriors stared at her strangely.
"I am not leaving. You will make me deputy or I will kill you both." Rosemist meowed.
Darkstorm growled and Tangleshade stepped forward slightly. Goldensky signaled for all of them to attack.
Warmwhisker yowled a battle cry and launched herself at Rosemist, while Oakear tripped her. Bluepaw slashed the she-cats muzzle and Tortoiseclaw nipped at her tail. Cats were chasing Rosemist out, each taking turns to attack her. Some stayed back, former friends of Rosemist while others ruthlessly turned their back on her and slashed at her pelt. Rosemist bounded out of camp, limping.
"Goldensky! Sunfern's trying to talk to you!" Poppyleaf meowed to Sunfern's mother.
Goldensky came bustling over, her eyes clouded. Scarfeather and Poppyleaf walked off to the medicine den and the other warriors and apprentices returned to their dens, looking as if they wouldn't get much sleep that night. Featherpool sat down next to Goldensky, touching her tail tip to the other leader's shoulder.
"We should move him to the medicine den." Featherpool whispered softly to her friend. Goldensky nodded, and Featherpool continued on. "I asked Scarfeather to help Poppyleaf and Frostpaw to make a nest for him."
Goldensky silently lifted up her son by the scruff, careful not to hurt him, but Sunfern winced anyway. Sunfern opened his mouth to speak, wanting to tell his mother everything that happened, but his tongue felt stiff and his throat couldn't make the right sounds. Sunfern felt himself laid down on a soft nest, closed his eyes, and slipped into a dreamless sleep.
Sunfern was in a meadow with lush grass and flowers sprinkling the land around him. I'm in Sunclan territory! He thought, getting ready to race off. Sunfern looked down at himself. His pelt was smooth, clean, and unscarred. It's like the fight never happened...
"Did you collect any information? How weak are they? Is their prey running well?" Sunfern heard the voice of Thrushspeckle. Curiosity burning through him like the Thunderpath on a hot day, he padded forward cautiously.
"Sunfern is a weak mouse-brain who got in a fight with his clanmate, and I think I could pull a few strings to make them weaker." Said a teasing female voice.
Treepelt!
The Sunclan leader nodded, flicking his tail at Treepelt. Treepelt walked towards Sunfern and...right through him? Sunfern leaped up wildly, but Treepelt took no notice. I must be dreaming! Just like last time when I was ordering patrols and nobody saw or heard me.
"Wake up," Said a bored voice. Sunfern felt a prod on his side. "Now that you are recovering you can order patrols again, mouse-brain." Sunfern blinked his eyes open. Frostpaw sat there, staring at Sunfern.
"Who died and made you leader?" Sunfern growled.
Frostpaw sighed and padded away. Sunfern was laying down in the medicine den, his wounds treated. Poppyleaf was sorting herbs and the faint smell of Goldensky hung in the air. Sunfern padded out slowly, wincing occasionally. He saw his clanmates sharing prey and chatting quietly. They all turned to stare at him.
"Tangleshade, Cloverpatch, Warmwhisker, take your apprentices out on a hunting patrol. We need to fill up the pile." Sunfern meowed confidently. "Scarfeather, Dustleap, and Moonfall, take your apprentices and patrol the Nightclan border." The warriors he had called that had apprentices nosed their way into the apprentices' den, and bounded out of camp.
"You're up!" he heard the familiar meow of Goldensky coming from the Highledge. Sunfern nodded a greeting before limping over to the fresh-kill pile. He was taking a bite into his prey when he heard small pawsteps behind him.
"Sunfern...is it allowed to change from warrior apprentice to medicine apprentice?" Swiftpaw mewed, sitting in front of Sunfern shyly. He scuffled his paws, glancing from side to side.
"Well," Sunfern said, gulping down his prey, "I heard that there was once an apprentice who changed from medicine apprentice to warrior apprentice. Why?"
Swiftpaw's eyes shone, and his tail flicked excitedly.
"I want to be Poppyleaf's apprentice!" Swiftpaw meowed loudly. Darkstorm, who was standing nearby, got up and padded over to Swiftpaw.
"What is going on?" Darkstorm said sharply.
Sunfern gulped. Swiftpaw bowed his head and averted his eyes away from Darkstorm.
"I want to be Poppyleaf's apprentice." Swiftpaw mewed hesitantly. "Ever since I was a kit. But then Goldensky and Featherpool made me your apprentice. I thought maybe I had to be chosen by Starclan or something..."
Darkstorm merrowed sadly. He rested his tail on Swiftpaw's flank and they walked to the leader's den. Sunfern stared in amazement. Swiftpaw would have to be very brave to be able to ask to change roles, especially so near to his mentor. Sunfern got up unsteadily and walked to the medicine den, his limbs aching, even after such a short time out of the den.
"Welcome back." Poppyleaf meowed as he walked into the den and sat back down. "Back so soon?"
"Yeah" Sunfern replied, not really wanting to talk.
"How do you feel?" Poppyleaf questioned him, looking slightly concerned. Sunfern sighed.
"Mostly okay, but I'm limping and aching when I stand and walk around for a short while" Sunfern meowed his reply, suddenly feeling tired. Poppyleaf seemed to notice.
"I'll get you some herbs then I'll leave you be." Poppyleaf walked to the back of her den and picked out a few herbs. When the medicine cat came back over, Sunfern obediently licked up the herbs, wincing at their unpleasant taste. After Poppyleaf redressed his wounds, he nodded thanks to her and she walked away to sort her herbs. Just as he was settling into sleep, Goldensky came padding in and rushed up to Sunfern with a loving expression.
"Sunfern." she set her paw on his shoulder and he opened his eyes. "Do you want to go to Flamestorm's grave with me?" Sunfern's eyes shot open. He leaped up, suddenly not tired, and bounded after his mother, despite his wounds. They padded out of camp, side by side, through the rose bush tunnel. Sunfern breathed in the fresh scents of the forest, glad to get some fresh air and be surrounded by undergrowth. As they neared the resting place of his father Goldensky halted and Sunfern stumbled on a stick, nearly falling over as he tried turning around to see why his mother had stopped. "Are you okay Sunfern?" she looked at him with a shocked expression.
"I'm fine," Sunfern replied, regaining his balance. Why is she so worried? He thought. Goldensky relaxed, and her fur lay flat again.
"That's good" she sighed, then licked her chest in embarrassment. She's just being careful after the incident with Rosemist. He tried to dismiss it, like everything else, and forced it to the back of his mind.
"We're here" Goldensky meowed, but Sunfern was still lost in thought. "Be careful!" His mother warned just in time. He hadn't noticed that he almost tripped on the stone that marked his father's burial place. He jumped backwards, his fur bristling, then realized it was just a rock, and smoothed his fur. His fur felt hot with embarrassment. Goldensky sighed with relief, and they sat down next to his father's grave. They sat in silence for a moment, then his mother broke the silence. She turned to Sunfern and said; "Remember when you were a kit and Flamestorm, your father, came to play with you and-" she took a deep breath before continuing, clearly regretting casting out his sister. "...Rosemist" she finished.
"Yeah," Sunfern replied awkwardly. "It was fun. He used to give us badger rides and show us how to hunt and fight." Sunfern scuffled his paws, thinking of Rosemist.
"He also played as a fox one time and swept you off your feet with his tail, he rushed to help you! The panic on his face was just precious!" Goldensky added, letting out a mrrow of amusement. Sunfern lowered his head in longing, he wanted Flamestorm back. It was too bad he died a moon ago. "Anyways, let's head back." Goldensky meowed, giving Sunfern an affectionate glance. He nodded and they started heading back to camp.
Sunfern lay in his nest in the medicine den, extremely weary after his outing with his mother. Goldensky decided to stay for a little bit and ask Poppyleaf about her belly ache that she says she's been having for about a moon. "A moon?" Poppyleaf asked, very confused.
"Yes, a moon." Goldensky flicked her tail in annoyance. Poppyleaf glanced at her storage of herbs.
"Did you eat anything suspicious or weird?" Poppyleaf questioned.
"Just the normal forest prey." she replied.
"Hmmm..." Poppyleaf sniffed Goldensky's flank to search for clues and her eyes flew wide. Her eyes suddenly had a warm, loving, look. "Oh Goldensky..." Poppyleaf breathed. "You're having kits!" Poppyleaf congratulated.
His mother's mouth dropped open in shock, and Sunfern had the same expression. But Flamestorm is dead! "K-kits?" Goldensky stuttered.
"And you're close to having them, less than a moon off!" Poppyleaf mewed happily.
"B-but, Flamestorm..." She looked as if her heart was ready to break.
Poppyleaf's gaze darkened. "I forgot..." she meowed. "But wait!" Poppyleaf looked like she had an idea. "I think that Flamestorm is the father of these kits!" Goldensky looked more hopeful, and her ears pricked happily, yet there was still grief in her eyes.
"But how?" Sunfern asked. "Goldensky said that it's been going on for about a moon, and-" Poppyleaf stopped herself and thought about what to say. "That's when Flamestorm went to hunt happily in Starclan." she finished. Grief struck his heart like a claw, and he dipped his head sadly.
Goldensky immediately let out a sigh of relief, then started asking a ton of questions. "Are they okay? Do I have to be confined to my den? When will they be kitted? Will they look like Flamestorm?" She paced back and forth but she suddenly stopped. "What about the dispute with Sunclan?" her eyes widened with worry. "When I fought..." She turned to Poppyleaf. "Could I have hurt them?" Her eyes were dark with worry. Poppyleaf was still taking in all the questions.
"It may have hurt them a little..." She started examining Goldensky. "They seem fine at the moment" Poppyleaf meowed with relief. His mother relaxed, and her gaze softened. "You will be confined to your den for the time being, and I will come into your den every day to check on you and your unborn kits." As Goldensky was heading out of the den, Poppyleaf called to her "One more thing, you have to stay away from Featherpool until she is completely cured, or your kits will die."
Goldensky whipped around. "But she's my friend! And my fellow leader! Not to mention she's sick with greencough!"
"That's exactly why you have to stay away." The medicine cat meowed calmly.
"Okay..." Goldensky said reluctantly. "Tell Featherpool that you're having kits, and say that you can't be near her until she's better, then tell her that I need her in my den." Poppyleaf called to Goldensky as she padded out of the den.
"I will..." came his mother's sad, disappointed, voice.
"Now," The medicine cat turned to Sunfern, who was watching Goldensky walk out of the den, her head low. "Time to check you." he snapped his attention to Poppyleaf. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired, and my legs are aching." He sighed
"Yet no pain?" Poppyleaf questioned, picking through her herb stock.
"A little, but not much." He replied. Poppyleaf picked out some daisy leaves from her shelf of herbs.
"Eat these" She dropped the leaves in front of Sunfern and he sniffed them, and shifted away. "You have to eat them." she sighed, and prompted him to eat the herb. "Okay, I'll eat them..." as he licked up the bitter herb, Featherpool came into the den.
"Goldensky said-" she coughed "You wanted to see me-" the sick leader let out a spasm of coughs. He looked at Featherpool, her fur was unkept and a sour scent lingered around her.
"I'll get some honey and catmint." The medicine cat meowed hurriedly before turning back to her store and picking out more honey, then catmint. Featherpool choked down the catmint and honey to soothe her throat. She coughed again. "I'll clean your fur." Poppyleaf walked over to the skinny leader and started grooming her fur. She picked out ticks and untangled Featherpool's matted gray fur. Poppyleaf then picked out some moss and soaked it in the pool in the back of her den. "Drink this." She meowed, setting the dripping moss down. Coughing, Featherpool lapped all the water she could from the ball of moss.
"You might have to stay in the back room of the medicine den because you're so sick." Poppyleaf said. "Now go rest, I'll get you some prey." The medicine cat meowed warmly
Featherpool coughed. "Okay." She mewed roughly, slowly walking to the back den with Poppyleaf supporting her. Sunfern left the den and went to check on Goldensky.
"Goldensky?" He meowed as he padded into the hollow next to the Highrock. He heard shuffling,
"Yes?" Goldensky replied. Sunfern walked past the fronds and to where the leader's nests were. Goldensky was laying down, giving her tail a few quick licks before looking up at Sunfern. "Can you find out who's going on the dawn patrol? I'd like to go on it too."
Sunfern shuffled his paws uncomfortably. Sitting down, he thought about who to send on a patrol. "Well...I think that Rosem-sorry, Darkstorm and er..." Sunfern thought for a bit, trying to ignore Goldensky's intense gaze. "Moonfall, Scarfeather, and their apprentices, Springpaw and Frostpaw."
Goldensky glared at him. "Not me." She meowed, not even saying it as a question. "I will be going on patrol, Sunfern." Sunfern was about to dip his head when he realized that he could try to convince her.
"Well, you see, you are about a moon away from having kits so...Poppyleaf doesn't want you to..." Sunfern faltered under his mothers piercing look. "V-very well, you can go on the patrol too."
Sunfern walked out of the den and went to the warriors den, slowly and painfully limping, to tell the three warriors about the dawn patrol. Suddenly he heard quick and urgent pawsteps behind him.
"Sunfern! It's Featherpool! She's close to death! The only way she can get better is if we give her catmint but the Twolegs have taken it all away! We need a patrol to go out and get some or Featherpool will die!" Poppyleaf gasped, her voice edged with worry. Sunfern's heart skipped a beat. Featherpool was still young, as was Goldensky. He couldn't imagine not having the other leader around.
"I'll go," Sunfern meowed. Poppyleaf gasped and began to speak, but Sunfern cut her off. "I'll take Scarfeather, Moonfall, and their apprentices. We'll leave now, and I'll tell Darkstorm to get other warriors to go on the dawn patrol." Poppyleaf jumped in front of him, only to look into Sunfern's eyes and nod quickly. "Alright then. You'll make travelling herbs and we'll head off.