Chapter 65:

After being introduced to the rest of the Tribe, Roseleaf had settled down in one of the nests offered to her by Star. Redfeather and Owlflight took the nests on either side of her.

"I'm exhausted." Redfeather huffed.

"Me too. I barely got any sleep last night." Owlflight groaned.

"What do you think is up with the Tribe?" Roseleaf asked. "First Leaf implied that some cats had left, and then Stoneteller told us she couldn't help us because they didn't have time."

"Maybe some of the cats abandoned the Tribe, and we need to help get them back before they'll help us." Owlflight mused.

"Maybe." Roseleaf echoed. She rested her head on the soft nest, made out of moss and feathers. She closed her heavy eyelids and blissfully welcomed sleep.

"We have some caught-prey if you're hungry." Leaf announced, interrupting Roseleaf.

I wonder when these cats sleep, Roseleaf groaned. "I'd love some." She forced herself to say politely, and reluctantly followed Leaf back into the clearing. Redfeather and Owlflight grumpily padded behind her.

Wow, they made hawks into fresh-kill! Roseleaf was amazed. I wonder how they did that without being taken away.

"Help yourselves." Leaf gestured toward the pile. He selected a mouse for himself and carried it over to Sky, the grey striped she-cat they had been introduced to earlier. Roseleaf watched as Leaf took the first bite before passing it to Sky. Sky took a bite of the rabbit that she had chosen to eat and swapped it for the mouse before digging in.

Odd, Roseleaf thought. Maybe they wanted to trade. She picked up another mouse from the fresh-kill pile, and carried it over to her friends, settling in beside Owlflight.

The tom gave her a warm smile as her fur brushed against his, but didn't say a word.

"Um, did no one teach you how to share?" Orange bounded up to them, a confused look on her face.

"I'm sorry?" Roseleaf asked, confused.

"In the Tribe, we share prey. We take a bite and then give it to another Tribe member." Orange tilted her head. "Do your Clans not share?"

"Oh." Roseleaf blinked. So that's what Leaf was doing. "Well, we share prey with our friends if it's too big for us to eat, or if we are not very hungry."

"Weird." Orange looked at Roseleaf and then her mouse expectantly.

"Oh, um, right." Roseleaf took the first bite of her mouse and slid it across the cave floor to Orange. Orange smiled happily, settling down to share.

After they had all eaten, Roseleaf padded up to Leaf. "Leaf, do you think I could talk to you?" She glanced quickly at Sky. "Alone?"

Leaf nodded, and got up to follow Roseleaf out to the waterfall. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Well, I wanted to know if something was happening to your cats, or whatever the reason is that Stoneteller won't help us." Roseleaf confessed. "Did some of your cats leave?"

"Tribe cats would never abandon us willingly." Leaf hissed, bristling. "I'm not sure how strong the loyalties of Clan cats are, but Tribe bonds are stronger than blood." He spat furiously. "How dare you imply that they're not."

"Um, I'm sorry, that's not what I was trying to say!" Roseleaf backpedaled quickly. "I didn't know if they were taken by other cats, like we were on our way to find you, or if there was a dog pack-"

Leaf cut her off. "I'm sorry," he sighed, "that's a bit of a touchy subject at the moment. Yes, some of the Tribe cats have…not come back. But we're not sure where they've gone, and some cats think that they've been taken somewhere. Others think they've left." His eyes darkened. "I am positive that they have not abandoned us. Some danger is out there, and we need to get our Tribemates back before we can help you."

"I understand." Roseleaf nodded. "How can we help?"

Leaf blinked, surprised. "You'd want to help us, even though it might be dangerous? What if one of your cats disappears?"

"We will accept that risk." Roseleaf said. I hope the others agree. "Well, I think we will. I will, and I will ask my friends to do the same." She amended.

"I will inform Stoneteller, and ask what she thinks." Leaf touched Roseleaf's shoulder with his tail. "Thank you." He turned and padded away, leaving Roseleaf to find her friends.

"Owlflight!" She called, running up to her Clanmate. "We need to talk. Can you help me find the others?"

Owlflight licked her on the cheek. "Of course. Is something wrong?"

"No, but we need to have a meeting." Roseleaf looked over his shoulder. "Redfeather!" she took off towards the reddish brown she-cat, and asked her to locate Harefoot and Waterstorm and bring them to the smaller cave they had made their nests in. Redfeather had agreed without question, turning in the opposite direction to find the toms.

Roseleaf did not find Heatherpaw, but spotted Orange instead. "Have you seen Heatherpaw?" she asked.

"No, not since I showed her around the cave." Orange replied, grooming her tail. "I think she might have gone with Snow to see some of our territory."

I wish she had stayed inside the cave, or at least asked permission to leave. Roseleaf twitched her tail, annoyed. I guess she can wait to find out until she comes back. Roseleaf trotted back to where they'd agreed to meet, pleased to see every cat but Heatherpaw was there. "So," she began, "I spoke to Leaf."

"Dawnstar has lost a life to Bloodcough." Sharpeye announced, standing on the Highledge before all of ThunderClan.

Gasps rang out through the Clan. "How many does she have left?" a worried mew echoed through the camp.

Sharpeye did not acknowledge the question. "Snowbelly received a sign from StarClan. We must separate the sick cats further from the rest of the Clan."

"How can we protect and help them if we're not together?" Nightstreak called out.

"We will post guards where the sick cats are, and we will bring them fresh-kill at dawn and dusk." Sharpeye reassured him. "They will be moved to the old abandoned Twoleg nest."

"But that's on the edge of ShadowClan territory!" Jaggedwing protested. "What if they attack? They've stolen that territory before."

"ShadowClan are hurting too." Sharpeye said. "They won't try anything. Nightstreak, Wingfeather, will you help the Sunpaw and Acornpaw gather moss for nests? I need a few cats to help clean the debris out of the den as well "

Nightstreak nodded, and went to find Wingfeather as Sharpeye jumped down from the Highledge. "Let's go." He said when he found her with the apprentices.

Wingfeather nodded, leading the way out of the camp. "I can't believe so many cats have died." Her mew was filled with sorrow. "Voletooth, Lionstripe, Frostwhisker, Leopardshine..."

"And now Dawnstar has lost a life." Nightstreak added sadly. He shivered against the icy breeze of leaf-bare.

"At least if we bring the sick cats to the old Twoleg nest, maybe cats will stop getting sick." Sunpaw sounded hopeful.

"Maybe." Nightstreak nodded.

They spent the rest of the day gathering moss from the forest, and delivering it to the Twoleg nest at the edge of their territory.

"Once the sick cats are here, no warriors will be allowed to enter." Sharpeye was mewing to the warriors that were clearing out the debris from the den when Nightstreak padded in.

"How will we deliver them fresh-kill?" Adderstrike asked.

"You will leave it at the base of the big oak tree in front of the entrance, and Snowbelly will take it from there. She will also have to make new nests once these get dirty. We can't risk more cats getting sick." Sharpeye mewed. "I'm going to go check on Dawnstar."

"Isn't she contagious?" Acornpaw asked.

"Not anymore. Once a leader loses one of their nine lives, they are healed." Sharpeye responded as he left the Twoleg den.

Nightstreak finished helping make the nests, five in total. His mind drifted to thoughts of Ravenshadow. They would be meeting at their special place tonight. I'd better get some rest, Nightstreak thought. He made his way back to camp, his paws feeling lighter at the thought of seeing his favorite she-cat. Curling up in his nest in the warriors den, he drifted off to sleep, wishing for dreams of her.

If you liked this chapter or have any questions/comments please write a review!

KuraiTamashii: Thanks for your comments! I was hoping to invoke a bit of déjà vu with Ash's cats and the Tribe cats – two similar situations but they turn out completely differently