Skyclan, sherlockian style

First day

It was late morning when John woke, his paws felt sore from the ruff cliff floors and the dry sand. But at least this time his fur was dry and he had slept soundly in a warm thick nest of moss, leaves and bird feathers. John blinked and began to wash his side with long soothing strokes.

The sun was rising slowly bathing the sky in pink and orange. And John hauled himself out of the cozy nest and stretched, arching his back. He picked his way slowly out of the den and watched the camp awaken. Ivypaw was being dragged out of a den by a pale grey tom. And shooed up and over the top of the cliff.

There were some elders muttering and picking over the prey pile.

"Petalnose! Cherrytail! Look it's a dove, your favorites!" A dark brown tabby tom said in a raspy voice half tossing a grey bird to a tortoiseshell and white she cat who didn't catch it and had to go after the now dusty bird.

John purred to himself, I missed clan life...all the traveling it was like I had become a rouge.

     He sighed and glanced back at the fresh-kill pile and then made his way along the cliff path towards it. John felt his pelt heat up when he noticed the watchful gazes of the other clan cats, he picked up a small mouse off the pile feeling very self conscious.

     "Hey, you're John right?"

     John looked up at the grey tortoiseshell, with the mouse between his jaws before putting it down, "Yeah."

    
     The she-cat's name turned out to be Mistyspots, she had a friend named Dappledshadow (she was a black tortoiseshell) and they asked him about Thunderclan, his journey, andof course, if he had a mate. John told them he wouldn't of left if he'd had a mate and they shared an excited knowing look before being called for patrol.

     John sighed in relief when they'd gone, I think they were into me. He thought to himself. But, I don't know. I just got here! Do they expect me to fall for them in one day? The thought of seeing them later didn't improve John's mood, but he looked up when his name was called.

     "Hey, John."

     "Oh, what is it, Billystorm?" John asked looking up at Leafstar's ginger mate who had walked over.

     "I thought I should send you to Echosong, how are your paws? I know you've come a long way, plus, these cliffs can be ruff." Billystorm looked knowingly at his own paws, "It takes a while to get used to."

     "Oh, yes, thanks." John said getting up and following the older tom over to the den that the strange black cat had been outside of.
    
     Billystorm stopped at the entrance and called, "Echosong! I've brought a patient."

     The brown she-cat, Molly, peeked out of the den and smiled, "I'll wake her, Billystorm."

     Billystorm nodded to Molly and left, John smiled kindly at the shy brown cat and followed her in the cool den. There were worn holes in the walls that were full of leaves and berries, a small pool of water rippled with droops dripping from the wall. In the back of the den there was a large space for patients, and in a small corner were two nests next to each other. A white she-cat with grey and silver spots was asleep in one, her breath rattling with age and her nest overflowing with moss to cushion her old bones.

     "Echosong." Molly called her gently prodding the old medicine cat awake.
 
     "Whatsit?" The old she cat mumbled and blinked up at Molly then she glanced at John, "Oh, the Thunderclan cat." She heaved herself to her feet and walked over to the pool and stuck her head in it.

     John glanced at Molly in shock and she just shrugged and mumbled something about 'old cats'.

     "So...your paws is it?" Echosong muttered shaking out her fur though not looking at John, and walking over to the wall. She scanned the ranks of herbs before picking a few green leaves and a sky-blue flower. "Mix this would you?"

     Molly rushed over and began chewing up the herbs and mixing them on a piece of bark lying on the floor.

     "Thunderclan..." Echosong said quietly, looking at John and nodding, "Let me see your paws, you don't have any other injuries I should know about?"

     "No," John said and held up each paw in turn. This cat's a bit...odd.

     Echosong nodded barely glancing at his paws and instead staring intently into John's eyes. "Have a safe trip? Did you travel alone?"

     "I went alone, but I accepted help when I needed it." John said unnerved, "I wouldn't say it was safe...but where's the fun in safe?"

     Echosong nodded and glanced at Molly, "Rub that into his paws and seal it with cobweb, I have business to attend to." And with that she padded out of the den.

     Molly glanced at John shyly and gently rubbed the mixture into his paws before wrapping them in cobweb and telling him he was fine to go.

     John walked out of the medicine cat den and examined his paws for a moment, staring at the soon-to-be-ruined bandages. Suddenly a movement flashed by in the corner of John's eye. He turned his head curious of what it was.

     There was a black shape racing around and then halting and sniffing and then hunching down. John let his ears fall back with suspicion, who could that be?

     John crept towards the figure, keeping close to the cliff face and scenting the air. He couldn't smell anything...the figure suddenly shot up the side of the cliff wall and disappearing over the top.

     John narrowed his eyes and raced after them. Whatever is going on I must find out! John followed the sound of the creature over the top of the cliff and into a thin part of the forest. Realizing he was heading towards the deeper woods John stopped for a moment to check his location and for sounds of the figure.

     There was no sound, no birds, no wind just unsettling quiet. Suddenly there was a rustling of leaves near by. John froze and bared his teeth letting his fur rise.

A sharp object rammed into John bawling him over and pinning him down, his belly a clear target and his back pressed to the ground. John growled looking into the wild blazing eyes above him.

"Why were you following me?" A deep voice asked.

"Sherlock!" John gasped, of course!

"Of course it's me, who did you think I was?" Sherlock asked and then seemed shy and gently hopped off letting John up.

"What are you doing racing around and attacking me?" John asked, "it's early in the morning!"

"I don't see what the time of day has got to do with anything." Sherlock said as John got to him feet, "what are you doing racing around and getting attacked in the morning." He added with amusement.

"Investigating." John said.

Sherlock smiled, "Me too. So you know about the murder?" He asked excitedly.

John flicked his ears, "Murder! What are you doing investigating a murder?"

Sherlock say down and flicked his tail in annoyance, "What else should I be doing?"

"I don't know, hunting, boarder patrol. Apprentice training? Helping around, cleaning out dens, passing out fresh kill?" John listed out some duties.

"Boring!" Sherlock said and then scowled, "don't tell me your some die-hard warriorcode follower."

"No...not really, but, hey. While we're out we could go hunting..." John said looking at Sherlock. He was a rather sleek cat, his fur looked so soft, his eyes were so beautiful...wait beautiful? No, no, no.

"Really?" Sherlock asked and John wasn't sure if it was real of sarcastic enthusiasm he heard.

"Sure," John said looking around, "I'm hungry and haven't been assigned anything...so why not?"

"Ok," Sherlock agreed quickly, "where do you want to hunt?"

John shrugged, "I'm new around here remember? I have no idea where we even are right now."

"Right." Sherlock meowed and stood up, "follow me."