Chapter Five

The next morning, after Dustytail had returned to the nursery with her remaining kits, the camp was still cloaked in the silence of shock. Bramblepaw and Sootypaw sat together in Sunningferns, the warmth of the early sun doing little to ease the chill that lingered from the night's events. They had returned from their morning patrol with a mouthful of prey, but their spirits were heavy with the weight of the queen's loss.

"We need to find out more about this dog," Sootypaw murmured, his eyes dark with worry. "It can't be allowed to threaten us again."

Bramblepaw nodded in agreement, her thoughts racing. "Or kill other cats," she adds solemnly. The gravity of their words hangs in the air, a stark reminder of the dangers that lurk just beyond the safety of the camp.

Sootypaw's eyes are filled with a steely resolve as he speaks. "Perhaps Palestar could organize a patrol to hunt it down," he suggests, his voice low and determined. "Or at least to find where it came from."

Bramblepaw nods, her fur bristling at the thought of a creature that could so easily infiltrate their camp and harm one of their own. "We should tell her," she says, getting to her paws. "We can't just sit here and do nothing."

They pad through the camp, their steps quick and determined. The clan's eyes follow them, filled with a mix of hope and dread. They know the gravity of their mission and the responsibility that rests on their shoulders. As they reach the leader's den, they find it empty. A quick glance around reveals no sign of Palestar. Fernclaw emerges from the shadows, his bulk casting a large shadow over them. His scarred face is a mask of stoicism, his eyes unreadable. "Palestar isn't here," he says, his voice a low rumble. "She's out with a border patrol."

Bramblepaw's heart sinks, but she straightens her shoulders, pushing aside the disappointment. "We need to speak with her," she says, her voice firm. "It's urgent."

Fernclaw's gaze sharpens, his scarred muzzle twitching. "If it's important enough to pull her from the patrol, it's important enough for me to know," he states, his deep voice leaving no room for argument.

The two apprentices exchange glances, then Bramblepaw takes a deep breath. "Dustytail was attacked by a dog," she says, her voice steady despite the tremor in her paws. "It killed Reedkit and left her in bad shape. We need to find out where it came from before it harms anyone else."

Fernclaw's eyes narrow, his whiskers bristling. "A bad loss, indeed." He nods slowly, his expression unreadable. "I'll speak to Palestar about it when she returns," he promises. "But for now, you two should rest. Your paws are still tender from the hunt."

Bramblepaw and Sootypaw exchange a look, understanding the unspoken message in Fernclaw's words. The gravity of the situation wasn't lost on them, and they knew the clan needed strong warriors. With a murmur of thanks, they turn away from the leader's den and pad towards the nursery.

The nursery was unusually quiet, the only sound the faint rustling of the ferns that surrounded it. Dustytail lay with her two remaining kits, her eyes closed in exhaustion. Goldkit and Gorsekit were curled up beside her, their tiny bodies a stark reminder of the one who was no longer there. The sight of the grieving family brought a lump to Bramblepaw's throat, and she swallowed hard to push down the sadness.

"Dustytail," she mewed softly, not wanting to disturb them. The queen's eyes fluttered open, and she lifted her head with a visible effort. "We're here to help," Bramblepaw offered, gesturing to Sootypaw who held a vole in his jaws.

Dustytail's gaze fell to the vole, then to her kits, and she gave a weak nod. "For them," she rasped, her voice hoarse from the night's trauma.

Sensing her pain, Bramblepaw and Sootypaw placed the vole before Goldkit and Gorsekit, who sniffed tentatively at the offering. Their eyes, still red-rimmed from crying, searched their mother for reassurance. Dustytail's tail twitched slightly in what could have been a gesture of comfort or hunger, but she remained silent.

The kits took small, weary bites, their tiny jaws working over the fresh-kill. The sight of them eating brought a flicker of relief to Bramblepaw's heart, but it was tainted with the heaviness of their loss. "You should eat, too," she urged Dustytail gently. "You need your strength."

Dustytail didn't respond, her gaze distant, lost in the memories of the night before. Her silence was a stark reminder of the pain that hung over them all, a pain so deep that words seemed inadequate. Sootypaw laid a comforting paw on Bramblepaw's shoulder, his eyes filled with a shared grief.

Suddenly Dustytail got up slightly. "I want to find him" she says softly, looking to her kits. "Reedkit deserves to have a true farewell." the apprentices nod softly, understanding her pain. 

"We'll leave at sunhigh," Bramblepaw mews, giving her shoulder a gentle lick. "We'll find him."