The Missing Clan

Chapter 28

❅

When Rabbitflight padded in LeafClan's camp, he was immediately barreled by a certain orange tabby with a white tail. It was his daughter, Amberpaw. "Rabbitflight!" she shrieked. "You're home!"

Badgerclaw ran over, meowing, "Amberpaw, calm down. You shouldn't be this loud, especially when cats are sleeping." He nodded to the elder's den, Smalltail was coming out, grumbling, as Mousespring tried to soothe him. "You're an apprentice now, Amberpaw. You won't be excused for acting like a kit."

Amberpaw ducked her head. "Sorry, Badgerclaw. I didn't mean to." 

As Amberpaw padded away, her tail high in the air, Rabbitflight turned to Badgerclaw. "So, you're her mentor?" he asked. Badgerclaw nodded.

"Yes."

"Is she too energetic for your liking?" he joked. "Amberpaw was always this way, even when she was kitted, the first few days she was always stumbling over herself. She even opened her eyes the first morning she had alive!"

Badgerclaw chuckled. "You're lucky to have two living kits," he meowed. "I don't have any."

"Well. I see that you and Mousespring seem to be getting close," Rabbitflight commented. "I also don't see why I can't point that out, as you did to me before Honeyfur and I were mates." He added the last bit when he saw Badgerclaw's mouth open to protest.

"I guess so," Badgerclaw murmured, defeated. "I guess I'm not ready to take on a mate so soon, or have kits, for StarClan's sake!"

"I guess so," Rabbitflight meowed thoughtfully. "Well, as time goes on, your bond with Mousespring will become stronger, no?"

"Yeah," Badgerclaw's ears perked up. "Oh, look at the moon! It's already so high. I guess we better sleep while we can." He touched Rabbitflight's shoulder with his nose. Rabbitflight let out a snort of laughter, but didn't say any more, he was too tired to.

"We'll continue this conversation tomorrow," Rabbitflight meowed both cheerfully and drowsily. "Don't worry!" Badgerclaw made a face, as if regretting his choice of words that led to this conversation.

"I don't think so," he meowed, "I'll be sure to avoid you tomorrow! Might as well go hunting with Mousespring to make our bond 'stronger'."

Too tired to say any more, Rabbitflight padded over to Honeyfur, and curled up beside her warm sleeping body. I'm glad I have Honeyfur as my mate. I won't be too shy to go up and sleep beside her, like Badgerclaw is.

The next day, Rabbitflight was too excited to be home to stay asleep for long. Yes, he was exhausted, but he was up and going to the dawn patrol before anyone else. As he was patrolling around the IceClan border, he was breathing in the sweet scent of the moor, which he had missed.

Home sweet home. Rabbitflight couldn't believe he had survived this journey, and all the dangers that came their way had been overcome. He remembered the fox, how he got an infection that thankfully Whitestripe healed; the camp of cats who didn't trust each other; how a tree had fallen on Troutstar, leaving the camp full of fear for their leader. Now we've all survived, and gotten stronger. Lotus must've had her kits now, Troutstar's leg must be back to full strength. 

When they'd started the journey back to the lake, Troutstar's leg wasn't fully healed, just enough to journey back to the lake. Rabbitflight remembered all the times they had to stop because Troustar's leg was hurting and sore, and all the times they had to gather herbs for Hawksight to treat the leg.

"Rabbitflight!" A sharp voice pierced through his thoughts swimming in his head, and his mind cleared into focus. "Pay attention!" 

His mother, Minnowflight was staring sternly at him, meeting his eye challengingly. "Sorry." He ducked his head in embarrassment, feeling the whole dawn patrol turn around to stare. Minnowflight sighed, shaking her head, as if to not know or care that her Clanmates were watching them.

"You'll always be my kit, always thinking and not paying attention to what's around you," she flicked her tail over his ear, and stalked off to meet Sorrelpelt, who was talking jokingly with Emberfur. What an embarrassment, being scolded in front of my kit. 

He licked the fur poking out of his chest in quick swipes, trying not to make any more cats turn to stare.

"Rabbitflight..." a whisper sounded in his ear. He flinched, and decided that was the wind, and continued his licking. "Rabbitflight... there are beasts coming... to devour you all." 

He flinched again, knowing this was not a coincidence. It was a coincidence enough that the wind had whispered his name, and had done it a second time. Oh, StarClan, Rabbitflight looked up at the sky, seeing the last of the fading white dots as the sun rose higher and higher. Was that a sign? 

The wind howled around them, sounding like a different voice Rabbitflight could not figure out. Around him, his Clanmates shivered, wondering out loud if they should go back. The leader of the patrol, Waspwind, finally decided to.

They descended the hill they've climbed before, Rabbitflight stumbling to catch up to them. All the way back to camp, he could not shake the thought of the sign from StarClan.