Last chapter of the challenge! Please leave all comments and reviews so I know what needs to be changed for the rewrite as I merge this one into it.

Chapter 10: Hello Darkness, My Old Friend

He's back. He's back. He's back. He promised that he would return.

Those words kept repeating over and over in my head as I breathed in his scent on the fresh dawn breeze. "Fern." I mouthed.

"Good morning, Firespirit." I jumped as Squirrelflight walked past me to the freshkill pile. I nodded my head in greeting. The ginger tabby laughed. "Your silent vigil is over. You can speak now."

"Good morning, Squirrelflight. Will I be needed for any patrols today?" I asked as I stretched my sore muscles from sitting so long.

The deputy tilted her head in a moment of thought. "I might have you on Sunhigh patrol with Icecloud, Dewnose, and Poppyfrost." I nodded. She smiled as I tried to contain a yawn. "Go to your nest now. Oakfang, I'm sure has one made up for you in the warrior's den." I dipped my head gratefully and entered the den. I smiled as I saw Oakfang curled up in a freshly made nest. I circled up gratefully next to him and sighed contentedly. Before long, my heavy lids closed and I sank into sleep.

It felt like I was only asleep for a few moments when a paw prodded me awake. "Hey. Sunhigh patrol remember. Wakey Wakey." I opened my eye to see Dewnose grinning at me and I rolled my eye as I shook the moss out of my fur.

"Thanks for getting me up, Dewnose." I mewed. He nodded and exited the den. I followed him outside and we walked in compainable silence over to hte entrance. Poppyfrost and Icecloud were already there. Icepaw was practicing her stalking a few foxlengths away. I dipped my head to the two she-cats. They nodded in return.

Icecloud called over Icepaw and we exited the camp. Icecloud took the lead with Dewnose next to her, Poppyfrost and I behind her with Icepaw bringing up the rear. "How are you?" Poppyfrost murmured as we walked towards the Windclan border.

I shook my head faintly. "I'm okay. How are you and Berrynose?" I mewed.

She blushed slightly and smiled. "He wants more kits, but I'm willing to wait a while."

I nodded. "Cherryfall and Molewhisker are warriors now though."

Poppyfrost mewed. "True, but I don't want to be another Ferncloud. I love her and all and She will always be missed, but I don't think the clan is ready yet for another queen to try to live up to how many litters, she had in the short life she had."

I gently touched my tailtip to the tortoiseshell's shoulder. "I agree. Some wounds take longer to heal especially the ones left from the Great Battle. But surely we can slowly move on to help heal." I saw Poppyfrost tense. "They will never be forgotten, but they wouldn't want us to live in the past either." She relaxed, soothed by my words.

Dewnose fell back, "Icecloud wants the pair of you to stop jabbering so much. Ya'll are acting like a pair of birds."

Poppyfrost and I rolled our eyes but we finished the patrol in silence. I kept smelling Fern's scent. I turned to Icecloud. "Icecloud, I'm going to check something out." The white she-cat looked at me, her blue gaze troubled. "Is there something wrong?"

I cautiously shook my head. "I don't think so, but there's this scent trail, that doesn't belong. I'm just going to see where it leads. It could've been a loner passing through."

She nodded and continued with the patrol. Icepaw lingered behind and stood beside me. "Are you sure you won't need assistance, Firespirit?" I sighed inwardly and turned to the much younger she-cat.

Icepaw gazed up at me with amber eyes filled with concern. "I will be okay, Icepaw. Now run along before Icecloud finds out you're not where you belong and you get stuck cleaning the elders for ticks and their bedding." I wrinkled my nose and she nodded and hurried off to join the others. I shook my head in mild amusement and sniffed the air to follow the trial.

A small sense of dread filled me with every step as the scent trail grew stronger. I took in a deep breath and tried to relax as it lead to a hollow in one of the trees near unmarked territory. Aha! I've found you. I thought as I slowed my walk into stealth. I crept around the tree to still be upwind and sat there. I couldn't see any movements from my position and the scent says that the intruder is still in the area. I pricked my ears and strained to hear any signs of movement. There it was. Breathing. Whoever it was, was still in the den. I growled and crept toward the opening and stood in the middle. "What are you doing in Thunderclan Territory?" I spat.

A gray mound of fur rolled over and I saw all too familiar eyes. Fern. I tensed ready for a fight, but he just laid there. I hissed at him and stalked further into the den. "I will repeat my question, fleabag. What. Are. You. Doing. In. Thunderclan. Territory."

Fern rolled to his paws and shakily heaved himself up. "I'm here to avenge my promise." He feebly snarled. I felt a small spark of compassion for this low life, but I squashed it completely. This was the cat who killed my mother. He swatted the air towards me and I sat there. The blow barely ruffled my fur. "Fight me!" He hissed.

I arched an eyebrow and flicked a paw towards him. My claws caught his ear and I tore it free, leaving a trail of blood trickling down his face. "You are in no condition to fight. You should just leave before I take you to Bramblestar." Fern tried to pounce ontop of me. Growing tired of playing around, I showed him just how strong I really was. His amber eyes held fear and defiance in them. Both emotions battling it out for dominance. "The only reason you are still alive, is because I won't kill someone as weak as you. In fact I won't kill unless there was no other option." I laughed bitterly. "You should be grateful." I let him up and stood there, staring at him coldly. "Now get out of my territory." He crept towards the entrance slowly and I hurried him along with a bite to the flank. Fern screeched in pain and tore loose, running away in the direction of unmarked territory. I watched him for a few moments before leaving to return to camp.

I made my return back as slow as possible so that I could have time to think. That wasn't the Fern of my memories. The cat who had plauged my dreams since apprenticehood. Having no clan must be really hard on him. It was hard not to feel sorry for him. Just being that close in proximity of him allowed me to see how sick he was. Since I didn't kill him, starvation most likely would've and if not that, then disease. If I knew for certain that he had changed, I would've invited him back. I knew how much pain it brought Honeysky and Sorrelberry. Their mother was just as devestated if not more. Lionblaze hardly spoke much if you even mention his son's name. He avoided the elder's den for that specific reason. I hated seeing a family torn apart like that. Especially since they are my kin as well.

I didn't notice that I was back at camp, until I spotted Oakfang walking up to me. Concern clearly glittered in his dark blue eyes. "Hey. I've been so worried about you. Wehn you didn't return with the rest of the patrol, I was about to go out there and look except Icecloud said you were following a scent trail and would be back once you were done. I could barely keep myself occupied until now. At least the clan won't go hungry." He flicked his tail towards the overflowing freshkill pile. I felt ery warm and fuzzy on the inside when he showed me just how much he cared.

I lowered my eye briefly before meeting his. "I'm sorry for causing you so much worry. I smelled Fern last night and again during the patrol. I had to investigate it."

Oakfang's eyes widened. "Why didn't you come back for backup?"

I shook my head sadly. "He could barely raise to his paws when I found him at the outermost border of our territory. Honestly, when he wanted me to fight, it was like fighting a moon old kit. He was that malnourished and sick. I gave him a few marks to remeber me by and told him that the only reason why he wasn't dead yet, was because of my pity. Then I chased him out. I don't think he'll be back. And if he does, I can face him. It turns out, I'm not scared of what lurks in the dark anymore. He can't hurt me."

Oakfang gazed proudly at me when I finished. "I couldn't be more prouder. Now let's go grab us a couple of mice to share and see which apprentice is going to get on Bramblestar's nerves first, shall we?" I giggled.

"Let's go. Though you know, it's mainly Cliffpaw and Fallpaw that do. The she-cats have taken my teachings wisely, they know just how to stay on almost every cat's good side." I mewed as I settled in a comfortable spot in a patch of sun as Oakfang went to grab the mice. I could hear his laugh as he walked away and I focused my attention on the apprentice's den.