Alone #4: The Dynasty of Truth

Chapter 6

Yet two moons later, they still hadn't left. Perhaps it was Ebonywind making excuses, or Blackshine's new dejectedness, but they hadn't made any progress. Ravenflight was uneasy, always shifting from paw to paw. She knew something was going to happen, and it would be soon.

Ebonywind was always tired, saying that she was nervous at night and couldn't sleep. Ravenflight agreed with her. Lack of sleep was common for the Clan cats now. She had had so many sleepless nights that Ravenflight had simply given up and taken to planning just in case the rogues attacked them.

Almost every night, Ravenflight would continue her planning with Amberclaw. The light ginger she-cat was suspicious of Ebonywind and would often declare her worries to Ravenflight. Ravenflight dismissed them all, knowing that Ebonywind was loyal. But Amberclaw had a right to worry. Ebonywind had been missing for awhile, almost two days now.

Rustfern and Blackshine weren't fearful at all, fighting each other to train. Johnwatcher, Midnightcall and Lilacblaze would work out new battle strategies to fend off more vicious attacks that Midnightcall had picked up as a loner; the attacks that would kill.

"This is frustrating," Amberclaw commented as Ravenflight realized another one of their escape routes wasn't going to work.

"I know!" Ravenflight growled, shredding the ground with her claws. "This tension is killing me. Literally."

Amberclaw sighed, flopping down on the ground. "We need to leave. We've procrastinated enough. We need to leave."

"I can feel it in my pelt," Ravenflight agreed. "If we don't leave within the next moon, we're crowfood."

A owl hooted in the distance and Ravenflight shivered, shifting closer to Amberclaw. "We're leaving tomorrow."

"If we can find Ebonywind," Amberclaw muttered darkly before she started to snore lightly.

Ravenflight closed her eyes, attempting to sleep, but it didn't work. She lay awake, her eyes open and reflecting the pale moon, and watched the sunrise.

Ravenflight rallied the Clan cats, gathering them into a quiet corner of the camp. "We're leaving tonight. Today, we're going to find Ebonywind. We need her back."

"Found her." Blackshine mewed sullenly. True enough, Ebonywind had just walked into the camp, dragging her paws.

Blackshine's new depression was affecting all of the cats. They didn't know it, but his bubbly and bright personality had kept them positive and happy. Now that he was moody, all the cats were on their toes, waiting for the inevitable to happen.

Ravenflight filled Ebonywind in, careful not to question about where she had been. Amberclaw would do that, very loudly, she knew.

Ravenflight was correct, as while the Clan cats ate some prey together, Amberclaw started growling at Ebonywind. Loudly.

"Where in StarClan have you been?" Amberclaw yowled, her fur bristling. "We've been planning!"

Ravenflight winced. Autumn had noticed and was listening.

"Keep your fur on," Ebonywind mewed boredly. "I've been exploring."

"Exploring?" Amberclaw exploded. "For two whole days?"

Now, Ebonywind looked alarmed. "Two days? I thought it was just one day!"

"How can you not notice?" Amberclaw scoffed.

"In my defence," Ebonywind began, heated.

"Enough!" Autumn commanded. "You are ruining the peace of the Dynasty. Please stop, otherwise I must ask you to leave."