Even though Russetfern had passed not long ago, the tension steadily vanished between their numbers. Ashenpaw felt comforted by her sister's words and feel of her fur against hers. She hoped that, whatever happened, that Squirrelpaw and Stoatpaw would stay by her like Squirrelpaw did now. The three of them would be unstoppable, even in the face of a mouse-brained war. Her pawsteps became lighter as they approached the border to MistClan, her ears pricked at her mentor's words. Hopefully MistClan would be just as friendly as always when they told Silverstar what they had planned...
Luckily for them, they didn't have to wait at the border for long. Shadows moved just beyond the stalks, and Ashenpaw blinked when a golden-furred face poked out to look at them. She recognized this cat as Lightningnose, supposedly named for the white streak that arched up from her rather berry pink and curved along her muzzle. Her yellow eyes glimmered at them with surprise, though her expression wasn't a hostile one. "Wolfheart..." she murmured, the glimmer in her eye becoming something else entirely. Though, it faded away when she turned to look at the rest of the BirchClan patrol. "I didn't expect to find you all here. Has something happened?"
Viper's question made her heart churn. Poor thing. She had to be terrified. It didn't take mindreading to figure that out. Dreamseeker smiled as Eclipse answered her, and Aardwolf chimed in next to him. This whole trip to the rainforest suddenly had a lot more potential. She was worried that they'd have to leave empty-clawed. That was something that she wouldn't be able to get over. Leaving a whole tribe to whatever cruel dragons that held their fate in their claws?
"Yes, we're going to see her tomorrow morning. Hummingbird told us to bring something Ardent might like, so we already know what to take with us," Skua told Viper in his typical disconnected way. He seemed much cheerier when she first met him; now, he just seemed sour and bitter. He was probably as tired of this mess, as was Eclispe. She hoped that they could go home soon.
"Well well well, looks like you bunch actually got somewhere," Jaguar sighed from her spot next to Viper. Dreamseeker noticed how tall the RainWing was compared to the other, and she wondered if it was because Jaguar was older or if she was just always that big compared to her kind. "I would totally join you on your visit to Ardent, but I think that's a bad idea. I'll just lurk around in the meantime. Maybe I can find the weird dragons that're bothering everyone."
"Good idea, Viper," Dreamseeker nodded. If they were lucky, they'd get even more information. She turned to Handsome, who still sulked by the water. "Will you be coming with us to see the queen?"
Handsome's eye nervously darted between them, then looked to the ground. His narrow shoulders gave a heave. "I don't know..." he looked up at them. "Maybe it's better if I just stay out of the visit."
Her cheeriness dulled a little. "If you're not comfortable coming with us, you don't have to. But maybe Ardent will be more easily swayed the more dragons that come to see her."
Handsome's claws tore at the lush grass at his feet absentmindedly. His thoughts were a panicked whorl of confusion and worry, and she could see his scales begin to turn into a light green. "I'll just think about it for now..."
Ah, they were finally getting somewhere. Dreamseeker allowed herself to relax before her gaze wavered towards Skua and Handsome. The poor RainWing was still stuck under his claws, though he seemed much more deflated than before. It looked like he had calmed down with Viper's words, and even Jaguar sat off to the side near the very cheery Viper. She glared at Skua, sending him a silent but firm message. He seemed to have understood-- he stepped away from Handsome, who lifted himself up from the ground with wobbling legs. She watched him for a few moments, hoping that he wouldn't leap at Jaguar; it would only cause more problems if he remained hostile. But he simply sat, hanging his long neck low and staring at the ground again.
"I didn't see anything, though. I think only Ardent and Lemur saw anything, and this lot has no hope in getting either one to like them," Jaguar waved her wing towards them, "I was thinking that you should help them talk to Ardent tomorrow, Viper. Handsome, too, if he wants. If she sees that her own tribe wants to do something about the situation, she might be more willing to help."
Dreamseeker perked up. Jaguar's idea could actually work! "I think that's a great idea. We could tell her we could protect the RainWings from whatever's threatening them." she looked back towards Eclipse and Aardwolf. "What do you think?"
Ashenpaw ducked her head in her sister's presence. Stoatpaw hadn't come up to talk, and she wasn't certain if that was a good thing or bad. Maybe her other sister was more than eager to prove herself as an apprentice so she could receive her warrior name. "I just hope Silverstar actually thinks about this," she mumbled to Squirrelpaw. When Finchwing approached, she rose up to her paws. The bird in her stomach weighed as heavy as a stone. "Okay..." she replied to her mentor. Being quiet was difficult, but she was going to try her hardest to bite her tongue when they were in MistClan's camp.
"Al-righhhtt," she caught Greenpool saying, the brown and white she-cat's tail waving in the air behind her. "If you think that's a good idea, I trust you. Let's get moving."
Ashenpaw followed the warriors into the forest, keeping close to Finchwing, but also allowing Squirrelpaw to keep up with her. She had seen MistClan territory form her side of the border, but she couldn't help but feel a little nervous now. What was it like to lurk in the marshes? Were there scary things in the water? She hoped that MistClan wasn't aggressive towards them. They seemed like pretty nice cats at the Gathering.
Whoever it was that was threatening the RainWings, it must be someone very dangerous. With the way that Viper looked up into the trees, Dreamseeker couldn't help but feel bad. She never had to deal with someone threatening her life, as of yet. How did it feel to even go to bed at night for them? She smiled over at Viper, ducking her head gently. "Yes, actually. We came here to find out who you gave your venom to because it was used to assassinate Queen Ember of the SkyWings," she murmured. It was important to keep her voice low, just in case anyone might overhear them. "If you don't know, that's Eclipse's and Skua's queen, so they're really upset. We just want someone to help us before the venom is used on other dragons."
Why did she have to go?! She was totally against this, and Wolfheart was taking her to help convince another Clan to aid them in this war?! Ashenpaw's fur bristled even more, though the look from the cats closest to her made her swallow her pride. If she were leader, she'd be sending a patrol to DuskClan's territory to help figure this all out! With a lash of her tail, she went to the freshkill pile and picked a small bird to eat. The meal was tasteless on her tongue as she chewed.
"Wolfheart, don't you think that taking two apprentices is a bit of a bad idea?" Ashenpaw heard Greenpool's mew behind her. "Especially with DuskClan cats roaming around and killing helpless cats?"
It would be, but DuskClan cats probably aren't even killing anyone to begin with! she grumbled in her mind. After she finished her bird, she pawed at the feathers that she had piled up on the side. Hopefully, their little trip would be a quick one. At least Squirrelpaw was going, too...
Ashenpaw bristled when Wolfheart and Finchwing chastised her as if she didn't have a choice but to comply. It took every ounce of her willpower to lash her tail at her mentor's words, and she settled for glaring at the ground rather than continue to argue. Her claws sheathed and unsheathed as she tried to calm her mind. So, there was going to be a war, but the cats that didn't want to fight had no say in the matter. Why were Jaystar and Wolfheart doing this? They were usually rather calm cats and great leaders, but at the moment they were more like warmongers rather than anything.
"Send a patrol to MistClan. When that's done, we'll send another to ThornClan. The patrols can mark the borders on the way there," Jaystar answered Wolfheart. "I'd like you to lead the patrols, though. It's up to you what cats you decide to take." He then turned to the gathered cats, his eyes unnaturally cold and distant. "The rest of you, prepare Russetfern's body for burial."
These dragons really didn't know how to fight, did they? Other than Jaguar, that was. Handsome scrabbled helplessly underneath of Skua's claws, and all Viper did was beg Jaguar not to fight. Dreamseeker found her wings slouching backwards a little bit. How could the RainWings survive in a war, which at this point seemed inevitable? She found herself shuffling closer to Eclipse and Aardwolf, hoping that there would be some explanation from Handsome. Though, all she could see from his shuddering body was his red scales dying back down to gray, then silvery white.
Tears flooded the male RainWing's one eye. "I can't tell you! I really can't!" he cried out in a panic.
Jaguar stepped closer to Viper, her head dipping low as to calm her down. Dreamseeker was glad that there wouldn't be a fight. But when her mind tapped into the sobbing RainWing's, all she could feel were waves and waves of terror and fear. I can't let them find out... wailed his weakened mind, or they'll come back and kill all of us!
They? Who was they?
"Handsome. Is the reason you can't tell us because of the fact that you're in danger?" Dreamseeker murmured as she glanced back at Viper. "Are the RainWings being threatened?"
Jaguar sighed once Viper greeted her cheerfully. Dreamseeker could tell that the two had some history, and she didn't even need to read their thoughts. She swore that she saw Jaguar's face soften slightly in response to the light blue dragon before she steeled herself to face Handsome. Both of them stared at each other, and both of their scales began to turn more and more red. In fact, Dreamseeker didn't know that RainWing scales could turn such a shade of crimson. They looked like angry tomatoes, or maybe big, seedy pomegranates. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Viper step closer to the male dragons. Was she seriously not going to help them talk this out? Dreamseeker didn't want to be in the middle of two dangerous dragons spitting venom at each other.
When Handsome took a step towards Jaguar, Dreamseeker sprang to her feet. "W-wait, you don't need to fight!"
"Who are you to say?!" Handsome's colors turned even darker. Streaks of black began to mar his scales. "I should put her in the ground for what she did to me--!"
"Oh please. I told you it was a mistake!" Jaguar snarled back. "I even apologized for what I did. You know as well as we all do that RainWings aren't taught how to control their venom. This is what happens with a tribe remains ignorant of their troubles for generations!"
"Shut up! Just... just shut up! I'll stuff a rotten banana down your throat!"
"Three moons, they're annoying." Dreamseeker heard Skua growl in exasperation.
"Somebody better do something before they kill one another, rather than sit and complain and grumble like a flea-bitten cow," Dreamseeker replied, the temper rising from her stomach to her chest. It bothered her to see that Skua was watching the confrontation as if it were a play written by haughty playwrights.
The IceWing groaned and lifted himself up to his feet. Handsome and Jaguar were still spitting insults at one another and turning even more red, though neither of them did anything other than curse and insult one another. It was like watching two lazy cats hiss at each other, really. Skua stretched out his wings and legs before he took on a fighting stance, crouched, and then sprang towards Handsome. Skua threw himself into the very angry dragon's side, drawing out a frantic scream from the poor thing as he pinned him to the ground.
"Get off of me---!" Handsome whimpered as he flared out his wings. They slapped weakly against Skua's thicker hide as he struggled.
Skua pinned his wings and neck to the floor. "Tell us what happened. All of it. Starting from the beginning!"
"I really don't know..." Ashenpaw felt Squirrelpaw's fur brush up against her, but her eyes were focused on the argument in front of the three sisters. Her tail slowly lashed from side to side, her eyes widening as she saw that Finchwing stepped up to confront Wolfheart and Jaystar. Her mentor was against all of this too, then. Were there other BirchClan cats that didn't want to fight DuskClan?
"I'm just as willing to serve DuskClan some due justice as well," rumbled Badgerthorn. "But isn't it difficult to attack DuskClan? We have a whole other territory between us and them, and I'm not sure Silverstar will like it if we send a whole battle patrol across the marshes."
Jaystar whirled his head to face the black and white tom. "That's why we gain their alliance. Silverstar will surely take our side if we explain our plan. And if not, we turn to Emberstar, and it'll be two Clans against two."
"No!" The yowl left her before she could even hold it back. The cats that had arranged themselves in a circle turned to look at her. "Jaystar, we can't do this. So many cats will die!"
"Control your apprentice, Finchwing," Jaystar's voice became several tones lower as he glared darkly at the brown she-cat. His eyes remained on her for a few moments before he turned to the rest of the Clan. "Before we do anything, we must bury Russetfern. But don't weep too many tears for him. Instead, stay strong. We will avenge him soon enough."
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