Warriors- The Deadly Rowan

Chapter 5

Rowanfall followed behind Garra and Vine. "Are we there yet?" He asked them. Vine flicked his tail. "We just need to reach her nest. She's usually climbing her Twoleg's tree most of the time." He replied.

Garra blinked. "Better hope it's Flor that shows up. Pryor will chase us off. Even more now that we have Rowanfall with us." He warned. Rowanfall simply blinked, feeling slightly disgruntled with the tom's comment.

"Ooh company." Meowed a voice. A head caught his sight and Rowanfall saw a tabby tortoiseshell she-cat.

"Flor." Vine greeted kindly, dipping his head. The she-cat crawled out from a hole in her fence. She had a collar around her neck. "Hello Vine. It's been a while." She meowed kindly. The amber tabby tom purred in response.

Rowanfall watched the exchange between them. "We're looking for even more cats. A big group of them you could say. Do you know of MagnoliaClan and HollowClan?" He asked. Flor's rail swept the grass. "Well I don't really know those names, but I heard Pryor saying that another kittypet a nest away heard of some cats getting herbs from a Housefolk nest." She explained.

"Hey Flor!" Yowled a voice. Suddenly, a chocolate tortoiseshell she-cat leaped down the fence and to where they were. "Who are you," she gasped. "Vine! And trespassers!" She hissed, arching her back, her spine fur spiking up.

"Easy Pryor, they only wanted to know where the forest is, and they won't hurt us. I hope." Flor touched her tail to her companion's shoulder.

"Sure they won't! And I'm not a dog!" Pryor spat. Rowanfall slowly padded up to her. "We do not mean harm. You have a warrior's word." He raised his tail high.

Garra and Vine exchanged a glance with each other. Flor touched her tail to his. "The forest, it's someways away from here, but be careful. There's hardpaths and monsters that move as fast as dogs on them. But the forest is at least two night-falls on the way there." She meowed.

"We'll do well to be careful, don't worry Flor." Garra reassured. Pryor simply twitched her whiskers, not saying a word in return. The fawn tabby tortoiseshell waves her tail. "Good luck." She jumped up and over the other side of her Twoleg fence, followed behind by Pryor who snorted at the three traveling toms.

With their known directions, they began walking. Garra walked beside Rowanfall. "I thought you hated what the Clans stood for." He mewed looking confused.

"Only what MagnoliaClan stands for," he growled. "They rather listen to a star-crazed old she-cat instead of the truth because they're cowering behind grass-stalks and flowers from HollowClan." His nostrils flared.

"That clan of cats. I never understood them. From what you've told us, they sound so loyal, but to do something like that to one of their own..." Vine didn't finish.

"I'm going to start my own Clan. I knew from the start that PetalClan's ideals, as well as HollowClan were heavy. My brother and sister from StarClan told me her reason for exiling me. Her selfish reasons." Rowanfall went on, his mew growing hard with anger.

Garra and Vine both stayed silent, listening to him talk about his former life was a warrior. "We should eat and rest up. We got a long journey ahead of us if the forest is two sunrises." Rowanfall suggested.

"This Petalstar you know convicted you without a shred of proof to back herself up." Garra pointed out in disbelief. The brown and black tabby tom snorted. "She's the Clan leader. Her word was law, meaning she didn't have to prove herself. Plus with HollowClan had defeating us on several occasions, MagnoliaClan was desperate." He explained.

"Come on, let's get some hunting in like you said, we'll have to find good rats though." Vine meowed.

"Rats. No better than crows, but okay." Rowanfall meowed. He plunged forward, crouching, breathing in Vine and Garra's scents as they matched him stride for stride. Hoping they would feast well.

* * * *

Rowanfall opened his eyes to see stars around him. He must have been in StarClan in his dreams again. Looking around, he saw a distinctly recognizable pelt. "Lilypetal..?" He mewed softly.

The she-cat turned and padded over to her brother. "Rowanfall.. did Mintfoot summon you as well?" She asked her littermate. He nodded his head. "It seems he did. But for what I'm unsure." He mewed, looking puzzled.

"Lilypetal's in trouble." A troubled mew sounded beside Mintfoot. Rowanfall blinked in surprise as he saw his dead mentor, Softnose, her fawn tabby pelt free of her past battle scars. Beside her, was Lilypetal's former mentor, Bluepelt, her blue-and-cream fur shimmering.

"What is happening to MagnoliaClan is worse than anycat has ever imagined. She threatened Lilypetal, it's clear she doesn't care who her family is." Bluepelt growled, flexing her sharp claws.

"I'll be fine. StarClan help me that I'm right when I say this." Lilypetal murmured. Rowanfall could see the anguish in his sister's eyes. She was one of her kits. How dare Petalstar threaten do something to her? And yet... this meant that he had to return to the forest even more. Did she do anything else?

"Rowanfall, that kittypet helped thankfully. You're nearly there." Softnose meowed.

But before Rowanfall could say anything more the cats began to fade. He tried to race over to them but his paws were rooted to the grassy ground. Then he woke up and found himself pressed against Garra's spine, while Vine was curdled in a tight ball. Look out Petalstar. I'm coming to make sure you pay for betraying my name and threatening Lilypetal.