Chapt 34

Lionblaze woke, dazed. He couldn't remember where he was until a familiar voice pierced his ears.
"He's up! Echosong! He's awake!" Woody stood above his friend. Lionblaze groggily got to his feet, placing his paws heavily on the ground.
"Lionblaze! Thank Starclan your awake," Echosong had relief in her eyes, "Do you know how this happened, this deep slumber?"
"H-Hawkfrost and his gang. They fed me, seeds, p-poppy seeds," Lionblaze stuttered. He felt like he'd been asleep for days. His eyes began to droop again, but cold water made him wake once again.
"Good thinking Woody, that soaked moss will quench his thirst," Echosong mrrrowed in amusement at the soaking golden warrior.
"How long was I asleep?" Lionblaze yawned.
"Since the battle started yesterday," Woody answered. Lionblaze looked around and saw he was in the medicine den, with a few other warriors.
"Did we win?" Lionblaze rasped, he was parched. Then he remembered the meeting with Hollyleaf and the other cats, she said the Dark Forest had lost.
"Yes, but we lost a lot of cats, Leafstar lost a life," Echosong murmured, "Creamfur, Honeypetal, Hawkwing, and Fernleaf died. Plus Sparrowpelt, Sharpclaw, and Tinyfoot are injured. I think they'll make it though," As she finished, Leafstar padded into the den, she had deep scratches all over her, one was still bleeding.
"Echosong, I'm going to share dreams with Starclan tonight," She added noticing Lionblaze," I see your up. You and Sagewhisker will escort us to the Whispering Cave, we don't know if any Place of No Star cats are still here." Lionblaze nodded. It was unusual that he should be chosen, he wasn't apart of Skyclan, but he was not injured, so she would choose him.
"How are my clanmates?" Lionblaze murmured to Echosong.
"They're fine, Heathertail and Gingerstep are on patrol and Woody was here to help me, he knows some useful herbs," Echosong purred.
"When you're alone most of the time, and your injured, you got to figure something out," Woody said sheepishly.
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lionblaze, Echosong, Sagewhisker, and Leafstar padded carefully to the Whispering Cave.
"How many lives do you have left," Sagewhisker mewed to Leafstar quietly.
"That was my fifth," She mewed curtly as they approached the cave," Echosong and Lionblaze will come in with me, Sagewhisker you stay out here." The other cats nodded. The chosen cats walked into the cave, silently. Echosong broke the silence.
"Lionblaze, we have chosen you to come in with us because Starclan wishes to speak to you tonight," She added quickly, "We know your special." Lionblaze was stunned, he didn't know how they knew.
"Come, we must get to the shining moss before moonhigh," Leafstar urged them onward. Quickly they made their way to a place that was glowing. A river was flowing next to them illuminating the walls around them.
"Make a nest of the moss and drink from the river, you will fall asleep," Echosong whispered. Leafstar was already making her nest.  Lionblaze grabbed some moss off the walls and floor and made a semi-comfortable nest on the hard stone. When he was done, he bent over to take a drink of the refreshing liquid. He almost cried out in pain as the coldness of the water sent shovers down his spine, chilling hi to the bone. He was in darkness for a few moments before waking on the island, back at the forest.
"Lionblaze, it's good to see you again," The golden warrior whipped around to see Firestar behind him.
"Why am I here?" He murmured.
"I bring news, the Tribe is back at Thunderclan. Also, Starclan knows of the dream you had in the Dark Forest last night," He added with a twinge of grief, " Whitestorm told us about Hollyleaf."
"She killed Ashfur, that's why she went to the Dark Forest." Lionblaze explained. Firestar didn't look surprised.
"I found that out when I joined Starclan, Ashfur is here," A gray tom padded out of the bushes.
"What? He tried to kill me and my littermates, havn't you forgotten that?" Lionblaze hissed at his former mentor.
"Ashfur went mad in the last moons of his life, losing Squirrelflight. Starclan had to think carefully about accepting him." Firestar looked on towards the lake.
"I am sorry for what I did Lionblaze. When you were an apprentice I never treated you right. I'm sorry, could you please tell Jayfeather that too, and Squirrelflight? I'll never forgive myself for what I did, I'm sorry," Ashfur's tail drooped. Lionblaze couldn't bring himself to say anything to this cat that tried to murder him. Ashfur looked at his former apprenttice with sorrow and regret in his eyes, before padding back into the bushes. Lionblaze padded towards his leader, and a question popped out of his mouth.
"Do you ever miss it?" Lionblaze padded so he was on the shore, looking towards Thunderclan.
"Miss what?" Firestar sat down next to him.
"Thunderclan, hunting, fighting, training apprentices." He explained.
"Yes, all the time. I don't miss the fighting, there's enough of that right now, but the worst thing is not being able to help the clans," He murmured quietly.
"What do you mean 'not help the clans,'. You can help them more than ever in Starclan," He asked, bewildered.
"No, that is not Starclan's job. We watch out for you, but Starclan does not control your destinies or your actions. We know that whatever trouble you may face, the Warrior Code will defeat all opponents," Firestar looked deeply into Lionblaze's eyes. Mysterious knowledge lie deep within them, Lionblaze knew it.
"Lionblaze, trouble is coming to the Forest. Whatever troubles you face, look deep within yourself, you will find what you need there. Starclan is on your side, but we can do only so much to help you. If clans, and the tribe don't believe in themselves and others, the Dark Forest will win. You alone hold the power of strength, use it to hold cats together, in peace." Firestar faded away as his last words echoed in Lionblaze's ears.
Lionblaze got up as the other cats awoke. Echosong was looking at her leader expectantly, Leafstar was thinking.
"Lionblaze, I hold you in great respect, do you know that?" Leafstar's words were a surprise to Lionblaze.
"Thank-you Leafstar," He dipped his head respectfully.
"You alone from your patrol showed leadership and strength, these are good traits for a leader of a clan. Tomorrow, Skyclan is going to journey back with you. No one in my clan has ever been that far down stream. All cats will join you, even the injured ones. The journey will be slow, but I know you will see that others are taken care of. Sharpclaw will help you whenever, but you will not command my clan. That is my job," She spoke with calm authority.
"Yes, Leafstar," Lionblaze dipped his head again. The cats trotted back to opening of the cave. The sun was rising over the gorge, leaving streaks of pinks and oranges on the brown and gray rocks. Soon they were back at camp, and Leafstar announced her decision.
"Starclan has told me that this is the only way to survive. We will go back home as soon as this war is over," The clan was silent, as if thinking about this.
"What about the injured cats! They can't be left behind!" Cherrytail yowled.
"They will come with us, Echosong, could you please prepare some herbs? I want everyone full on freshkill. Everyone have a good night sleep, we leave at dawn," Leafstar stepped down from the Sky rock and the cats dispersed. It was now sunhigh and Sharpclaw was organising patrols. His shoulder wound was wrapped in cobwebs, but he wasn't limping as badly.
"Lionblaze, you can lead a hunting patrol, take Tinyfoot, Patchfoot, and Heathertail." Lionblaze nodded. Sharpclaw seemed to trust the clans from the lake now. Lionblaze gathered his patrol.
The patrol was back before sun down, each carrying pitiful amounts of prey, Leafbare was on it's way, faster than Lionblaze realized. A cold wind sent shivers down his spine. He ate a small share of the fresh kill, Skyclan needed it more than he did. He went to the warriors' cave and slept soundly.
"Lionblaze, come on. Leafstar wants everyone up, now," A pale brown paw prodded his side. Lionblaze rolled over to see Heathertail standing over him. Groggily, he got to his paws and joined Leafstar by the fresh kill pile. Every cat was there, yawning and barely awake.
"Lionblaze, could you go help Echosong help pass out traveling herbs? Then you can get some food to eat,"  Leafstar padded up to the younger warrior. Lionblaze nodded and walked towards the delicate medicine cat, who was carefully sorting herbs into piles. She turned to greet Lionblaze with a curt nod.
"What do you need me to do?" Lionblaze sighed, he didn't like herbs.
"Take these herbs to the queens and kits, the little piles are for the kits.Then if you could, could you take these to the elders, these have chamomile to help soothe their minds and bodies. Then I want everyone to eat some fresh kill, but don't stuff themselves," Lionblaze nodded and took the bundle of herbs. He carefully picked them up over the rocks. He didn't let them drag, he didn't want to break the leaves and let their juices seep.
"Here," He muffled as he pushed the herbs towards the queens and kits. The queens ate them quickly while the kits made faces. Lionblaze padded away, hoping the queens could handle it. He grabbed the elders' herbs, and trotted away. He couldn't see the elders, but he could hear their voices coming from behind a large boulder.
"When I was a kit, we didn't have all these problems with other clans," Thistlefur spat.
"You didn't know of the clans when you were a kit, mousebrain," Crowheart chuckled. Leopardspot laughed too, then it stopped as Lionblaze came up from behind them.
"Hello, Lionblaze. What can we do for you?" Leopardspot mewed warmly. She was always the nicest of the elders and Lionblaze got along well with her.
"Traveling herbs. Once you're done, Echosong said you could have some fresh kill," He expplained to the older cats. Thistlefur eyed him nervously, as if he wasn't sure he could trust Lionblaze yet, Crowheart didn't look up from the herbs, while Leopardspot chattered like a kit to Lionblaze.
"Who is your leader? Do you have a mate?" Lionblaze was not shocked by her questions, she was always very curious about the clans by the lake. She was also very forgetful, she asked a lot of the same questions.
"Thunderclan's leader is Bramblestar. My mate's name is Cinderheart, also our deputy. We have two kits, Mountainkit, and Leopardkit." He saw Leopardspot purr when Leopardkit was mentioned.
"Who are the other clans? I know Shadowclan, but the other two are Wetclan and Moorclan, or something like that?" She looked utterly confused.
"Close, it's Riverclan and Windclan," He needed to get going," I have to go now, but I'll see you soon," The elders said good-bye and Lionblaze went to eat his herbs and fresh kill.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Soon it was sun high, all the cats were fed and had their herbs. Leafstar jumped onto the Skyrock to call the clan together.
"Cats of Skyclan, and of the clans by the lake, it is time for us to leave. But we shall return, stronger, and wiser. The Dark Forest will fall, the warrior code will rule our hearts and the gorge once again." Yowls of agreement rose from the cats, Lionblaze included.
"We have a long journey ahead of us, is everyone ready to leave?" She looked around the clearing seeing every cat nod their head.
"Right, let's leave then," She hopped off the Skyrock, and padded to the front of the clan, next to Lionblaze and his patrol.
"I think we should have cats in the back to make sure no cat falls behind," Heathertail suggested. The patrol nodded, along with Leafstar. Gingerstep fell back behind the clan.
"And the sides, we want to make sure nothing tries to attack us," Woody reminded them. Heathertail went to the left of the clan, keeping a few fox lengths between her to make sure she could see everything. Lionblaze was about the go to the other side when Leafstar stopped him.
"No, you will show us which way to go," He gave Woody a look and the brown tom went to the other side instead. Lionblaze took the lead, Leafstar and Sharpclaw were just behind him.
"Which way are we going?" Sharpclaw grunted.
"Follow the river, it leads straight to the lake." Lionblaze explained. He hoped it would be a quick and easy journey.