𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐰'𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐞 - seasons of revenge - book three

Chapter 46

A familiar herby smell hit Rainpaw as she entered the medicine den, her tail layered with dressings, not face not so much. That had only needed minor treatment to it, thankfully.

"A familiar patient, I see." Softclaw said amusedly as he passed, herbs grasped in his jaws as he placed them in a rock crevice. "I'm guessing you're here to see that Pondmist friend of yours."

"Ironically, yes." She inwardly cringed at the yellow toms joke, but knew it was all in good humour. As quick as a flash, the apprentice rushed to the back of the den, eager to see her friend.

"How you doing Pondmist?" She asked, noting the grey tabby tom wasn't facing towards her at all. Given, he was blind, but usually he would seem just as eager as her.

"Something is wrong." Pondmist said plain and simply. No other words. A silence was left lingering in the air, Rainpaw beginning to feel awkward.

"Like, wrong with you?" She questioned, looking unnerved from the outside, but on the inside she was worrying. "Or medicine cat stuff?"

"The latter." Pondmist responded, meanwhile organising a packet of yarrow onto a shelf. "I had a vision."

That made the den go silent for a second time. This time Softclaw had turned around too, showing a keen interest from the way his blue eyes sparkled with genuine intent. "You never told me this!"

"That's because I didn't know what to think of it - a rowan leaf, in the wind - and then down it went, shoved into the dust."

Rainpaw's mind instantly went to two certain cats. Who else would it be? And she was sure Pondmist had thought the same thing too, from the way he turned around and his ears dropped. She hadn't seen Duststar all morning - which quite frankly, the tortoiseshell thought of as a blessing. But probably the opposite of that now, she observed.

"I haven't seen Rowanface all morning either." Softclaw piped up silently from the corner of the den. The grey tabby tom and calico both eyed eachother uncertainly (Pondmist tried his best), both awakening to horrible realisations.

"We better go." Rainpaw meowed, taking Pondmist's tail in her jaws and dragging him across the den, making him tumble onto the floor, alarmed.

"What did you do that for?!" He groaned, puffing up his fur and standing up. Rainpaw shook her head and headed out the den.

"You weren't exactly going to leave that yarrow anytime soon."

"Fine, fine." The tom followed, his tail laid on her back for guidance as they strolled through camp.

"Ooh! The two lovebirds!" Brackenflower's familiar voice came and Rainpaw suppressed a growl, for Pondmist's sake.

Instead, she went for another option. "At least I have companionship here. Where's Leopardpaw? I haven't seen him with you at all this morning."

Beside her, she could hear Pondmist chuckle, then stop briefly to cough afterwards. Brackenflower simply looked mortified, and shuffled off to sit next to Galewing, who seemed quite satisfied in his own company.

All of a sudden, a cheerful shriek filled the whole camp, making all cats freeze for a good few heartbeats. It didn't sound like anyone in BirchClan.

"They're too happy to be from BirchClan." Pondmist muttered beside her, speaking to no one in particular. She laughed in response, oblivious to the danger that they could possibly be in, despite the stranger being happy.

A strange, silver tabby tom came hurtling through the entrance, no doubt giving the camp guard, Meadowtail the shock of his life.

"Holy StarClan!! Who are you!" Meadowtail panted, turning to face the young tom, who stood up tall and enthusiastically.

"I'm Bluebell, son of Cal and Finch from the rogue place. I came here to give you back one of your Clanmates - well who I believe are yours anyway. There were two, but there's only one now."

"What do you mean, there were two?" The ginger tom asked, exasperated. Great. Meadowtail had been having a good day so far. He organised a hunting patrol that came back successfully, Duststar hadn't been seen all day to critique him again, and his massive secret crush on Darkwing finally seemed to be going somewhere. She spoke to him. She actually spoke. to. him.

"Oh.. uhh, one of em was killed. The small brown tabby did it, not the golden one. I mean I even doubt the golden one could even throw a decent claw strike-"

"Hey!" The offended voice of Leopardpaw shouted through the camp. "It was my first time out of territory, I didn't expect to come across a whole other group."

Inwardly sighing, Rainpaw stepped forward. Her eyes widened when she saw another procession of cats, a black tom with green eyes and a cream and grey pointed she-cat. They looked young, probably about her age. But that wasn't what shocked her. It was their mournful faces and the ginger furred body they carried on their back.

"I am so sorry for your loss." The black tom said as he and the she-cat placed the body on the floor, which was evidently Rowanface.

"Oh gosh. Oh StarClan. No. Not like this. We were so close-" Rainpaw collapsed by the body, sinking her face into nothing but cold fur. Never in her life did she think she'd be grieving for Rowanface, but the deputy had almost cracked, almost pulled away from his schemes. And she'd been defeated. Defeated in the worst way possible.

"This was Duststar, no doubt." Pondmist said firmly, ignoring the clamours in the crowd.

"He was always a strange one, Duststar was." Meadowtail murmured, approaching Rowanface's body. "Someone go tell Brightfoot."

From the side of her eye, Rainpaw could see Galewing dart off quickly into the elders den, she sighed, backing away, falling into unfamiliar fur. She recognised him as the green eyed tom who'd given his condolences.

"It's okay to be upset." The young tom said comfortingly, pressing his nose to her ear. "I hope you avenge her death. She, as well as many others have died in vain because of him."

"Thanks." Rainpaw dipped her head, wincing as a loud cry filled the camp. Brightfoot.

The tom was already heartbroken as it was, losing his two kits on the same day, as well as his kittypet mate and her kit. And now Rowanface, his only surviving daughter was dead.

"We need to do something." Rainpaw pressured, her eyes flaring with hope. With uncertain eyes, she looked up at Meadowtail.

"Me, Pondmist, Mistflower, Cal -"

"And Raven." The black tom piped up, green eyes fiery.

"And Raven." She repeated, giving him an odd glance. "- are teaming up. It's our only chance."

The ginger tom stood up tall, and nodded firmly. "Yes. I'm not standing back to see the downfall of BirchClan."

A/N: Another chapter!! And there's some
Pond x Rain in there, as well as some development of Meadowtail for once. Not gonna lie, I actually quite enjoy writing his character. Thoughts on him and Bluebell?

See ya in the next chapter!
~ Ember <3