Warriors AU: Forest of Secrets

Chapter 30

"Well, Clan deputy," Brindleface meowed softly in his ear. "What would you like me to do now?"

Sandstorm realized his offer was genuine, and he flashed the great pale tabby warrior a grateful glance. He knew Brindleface could have expected to become deputy himself, and his support would be valuable to Sandstorm in the days to come. "Yes... now..." he began, frantically trying to think what the most urgent priorities would be. With a jolt, he realized that he was trying to imagine what Goldenflower would have done. "Food. We all need to eat. Brightpaw, start taking fresh-kill to the elders. Get the other apprentices to help the queens in the nursery." Brightpaw shot off with a flick of his tail. "Mousefur, Darkstripe, find yourselves two or three warriors each and go out on a hunting patrol. Split the territory between you. We'll need more fresh-kill right away. And keep a lookout for those rogues or Goldenflower while you're at it."

Mousefur moved away with a calm nod, collecting Sorreltail and Willowpelt as he went. But Darkstripe glared at Sandstorm for so long that Sandstorm began to wonder what he would do if the dark warrior really refused to obey him. He met the yellow gaze steadily, and at last Darkstripe turned away, meowing to Longtail and Ferncloud to follow her.

"All Goldenflower's sympathizers," Brindleface observed as he watched them go. "You'll need to keep an eye on them."

"Yes, I know," Sandstorm admitted. "But surely they've shown that they're more loyal to the Clan than to Goldenflower? I hope they'll accept me if I don't tread on their tails."

Brindleface gave a noncommittal grunt.

"Anything for me to do?" asked Silverstream.

"Yes." Sandstorm gave his friend's ear a quick, friendly lick. "Go back to your nest and rest. You were badly wounded yesterday. I'll bring you a piece of fresh-kill."

"Oh, okay. Thanks. Sandstorm." Silverstream returned the lick and vanished into the den.

Sandstorm padded over to the pile of fresh-kill, where he found Cinderpaw clawing a magpie out of the dwindling heap. "I'll take this to Oakstar," he offered. "I need to check her wound. And then I'll take some prey for Raggedpelt."

"Good idea," Sandstorm meowed, beginning to feel more confident as his rapid orders seemed to be restoring things to normal. "Tell her if she needs any help to collect herbs, she can have Brightpaw, once he's seen to the elders."

"Okay." Cinderpaw chuckled. "You certainly know how to make your apprentices work, Sandstorm." He bit down into the magpie and dropped it at once with a retch of disgust. The flesh of the dead bird fell away from the bones to reveal a writhing mass of white maggots. A foul stench hit Sandstorm and he winced.

Cinderpaw backed away, passing his tongue around his mouth over and over again as he stared at the rotting carcass. His dark gray fur was fluffed up and his blue eyes wide. "Crow-food," he whispered. "Crow-food among the fresh-kill. What does it mean?"

Sandstorm couldn't imagine how the rotten magpie had gotten there. No cat would have brought it in; even the youngest apprentice knew better than that.

"What does it mean?" Cinderpaw repeated.

Sandstorm suddenly realized she wasn't thinking about any practical reason for how maggot-ridden prey had ended up in the pile. "Do you think it's an omen?" he croaked. "A message from Starclan?"

"It might be." Cinderpaw shivered, and stared at him with huge blue eyes. "Starclan hasn't spoken to me yet, Sandstorm, not since the ceremony at the Moonstone. I don't know if it's an omen or not, but if it is..."

"It must be for Oakstar," Sandstorm finished. His fur prickled as he realized this was the first sign of Cinderpaw's new powers as an apprentice medicine cat. "You were going to take the magpie to her." He felt a thrill of horror at the thought of what the omen might mean. Was Starclan trying to say that Oakstar's leadership was rotting away from the inside, even though Goldenflower's outer threat had gone? "No," he meowed firmly. "That can't be right. Oakstar's problems are over. Some cat's been careless, that's all, and brought crow-food back by mistake."