The Clan cats asked the young Dock cats questions, one by one.
"Are the Dockside cats friendly?" Elkleap asked seriously.
"Oh, yes! Everyone is so kind and nice," Drizzle purred.
"Why are you called Dockside cats?" Meadowshine mewed.
"We live on the docks, at the edge of the water," Blue explained, "it's a really great place to live."
"We should probably escort you back. I'm sure those rogues would love a chance to snatch you both up again," Elkleap observed.
"They usually don't ever come past this fish hatchery. But my mother, Juniper, was showing us the field just over there when they attacked us!" Blue exclaimed.
"Did we leave Juniper back with the rogues?" Brokensong gasped.
Drizzle dropped her gaze as Blue continued, "no, the rogues killed her."
"Oh, I am sorry," Brokensong murmured.
"Well we can take you back to your group. I'm sure they'd be happy to know you're both safe," Elkleap meowed kindly.
"Yeah, I'm sure my dad is worried sick," Blue mewed sadly. Brokensong stepped closer, her careful gaze combing over his body.
"I should tend to your paw before we leave. It looks as though you've wrenched out some of your claws," she insisted.
"What are you going to put on my paw?" He asked warily.
"I'll just chew up some marigold to apply and then wrap it in cobweb," she purred, "no big deal."
His eyes widened with curiosity, "what is the marigold for?" he asked.
"The marigold will help keep the infection away," she explained kindly.
"Yeah, Brokensong will fix you up! She's been healing our Clan for as long as I can remember!" Frostfeather purred.
"Oh, we don't have a healer at the docks. We just know basic techniques for if we get sick or injured," Drizzle mewed in awe, "I know one of our group mates died awhile ago from an infection."
"But Brokensong will fix me!" Blue trilled, his tail waving happily behind him.
"I'll need someone to go and find me some marigold and cobwebs," Brokensong meowed, turning to the others.
"I'm sure I can find some," Meadowshine offered, "marigold has the big, poofy yellow flowers, right?"
Brokensong nodded, "and cobweb should be relatively easy to find," she meowed.
"Would you want to come help me, Lionpaw?" Meadowshine asked gently.
The young she-cat shook her head, pressing close to Drizzle, "no I want to stay here with them!" she protested.
"That's fine you can stay here with your new friends," Sootsplash purred, "I'll help your mother with the herbs."
Sootsplash and Meadowshine stood and quickly trotted away towards some bushes along the edge of the wooden structure.
"So which way is the docks?" Elkleap asked as he sat beside Frostfeather and Pineheart.
Blue and Drizzle turned their young faces toward him, "its toward the sunset," the squeaked in unison.
Frostfeather exchanged a glance with Pineheart, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Maybe our paths were destined to cross, she thought excitedly.
~~~~~
After a short while, Meadowshine and Sootsplash reappeared with a thick wad of cobwebs and marigold. Brokensong quickly chewed up the stalks and leaves, hastily applying the poultice to Blue's paw.
After binding it with cobweb, she sat back to admire her handywork. "We should be all set to head out then," she meowed.
Pineheart looked up at the sun, still hanging high in the sky. "Drizzle, you can take the lead with me," Elkleap purred to the white and gray she-cat.
With an excited bounce, she quickly jumped up and hovered at Elkleap's shoulder. Lionpaw passed up to their side, her tail flicking nervously. "Can I walk up here too?" she asked hopefully.
"Of course! I'm sure Drizzle would love your company," Elkleap purred. Lionpaw nuzzled the she-cat happily, her eyes shining. Drizzle returned the gesture, her tail kinking high over her back.
"I'm sure Lionpaw is happy to have some cats around her age to be with," Frostfeather whispered into Pineheart's ear. He nodded, a purr rumbling in his chest.
"It will do her good to have some friends for a bit," he agreed.
Finally, the group set off towards the direction of the sunset. The horizon was completely barren of trees, but a strong tang of salt bathed the air. "It won't be too long before we get there," Drizzle mewed from the front of the group.
"Do you have many other friends back with your group?" Lionpaw asked excitedly as she batted at Drizzle's tailtip.
"Not really. Blue and I are the youngest cats in the group," she meowed as she turned and reared up to knock Lionpaw over.
"If you two are just going to play, I'll have Blue help me lead," Elkleap scolded gently.
Pineheart glanced at the small silver tom, taking note of his hobbling pace. Brokensong hovered at his shoulder, keeping her tail draped over his back.
"No, I'll be good," Drizzle promised as she turned and sped back to Elkleap's flank. With a huff, Lionpaw also raced back to his side but was smart enough to behave herself.
The group travelled slowly across the grassy landscape, keeping watch for any unexpected strangers. Eventually, they neared something Elkleap could recognize.
"This smells like a border marker," he observed as he bent down to sniff a clump of leafy stems.
"Yeah, this is where they mark the boundary, so that Cassius and his goons stay away," Drizzle mewed.
Stepping over the boundary, Drizzle led them onto the Dockside cat's territory. The ground started to lose its coat of grass, replaced by grainy dirt. More wooden structures loomed in the distance.
"Drizzle? Blue?" A wary voice called out from the distance.
"That's Stone!" Drizzle squeaked happily, bounding away towards the source of the voice. The Clan cats followed more slowly with Blue still limping along beside Brokensong.
After a few moments, they approached Drizzle and the solid gray she-cat named Stone. "What are these trespassers doing here?" Stone asked seriously, a trace of hostility in her voice.
"They saved us from Cassius!" Drizzle purred, "they were bringing us back to make sure we'd be safe!"
Stone turned to the Clan cats and dipped her head. Blue hobbled forward to touch noses with Stone. "Thank you, for bringing our young ones home safe," she purred.
"It was no problem. Cassius's group seemed like a troublesome bunch. I would have hated to see him capture them again," Elkleap meowed as he stepped forward to speak.
"Was Juniper with you?" Stone asked, turning to Blue and Drizzle.
"No..." Blue mumbled, "Cassius killed her."
"I see..." Stone echoed, her shoulders sagging, "we should return home so we can tell your father."
"Can they come with us?" Blue asked Stone desperately.
"I'm sure Cairn wouldn't mind some visitors," Stone mewed, "they can come with us."
"We would all appreciate a nice rest before we set off again," Elkleap purred as the rest of his group gathered around him.
"Well follow me!" Stone mewed as she bounded off towards the sound of screeching birds and water crashing against the shore.
"This place seems weird," Pineheart mumbled as they passed more of the strange buildings and trotted over hard stone pathways.
"Yes, it is weird," Frostfeather agreed, "but I think we are almost to our new home!"
Stone led them along numerous walking paths, down alleys and tiny dirt roads. Suddenly, a heavily muscled brown and white tabby stepped out of the shadows to greet her.
"Stone, I can smell that you've brought strangers," he growled, "what are they doing here?"
"You can smell the scent of strangers, but not of your son?" she teased, "these strangers saved Blue and Drizzle from Cassius's bunch!"
Pineheart met the powerful tom's gaze for several heartbeats. "You met Cassius?" he asked hesitantly.
"Yes, he stole our young she-cat, Lionpaw," Elkleap meowed. The brown tabby turned to look at Lionpaw, who shrunk back to cower behind Meadowshine's haunches.
"I am greatful that you were able to rescue Blue and Drizzle," he meowed, "please join me in our camp. I'm sure the others would love to hear what hardships you have faced."
"Thank you," Elkleap purred as the tom turned to lead the way down a dark alley. The Clan cats bunched closer together as they followed. Pineheart took one last glance down the tight passage before the shadows swallowed his black pelt from sight.