The medicine cats returned to a panicked Clan. They were too late to help defend the Clan from the attack; the dog had already been driven off by the time they arrived.
"Beetail! Duskpearl!" Privetstar galloped up to them. "There's no time to lose—we have injured cats! A coyote attacked the camp while you were at the Moon Spring!"
Two bloodied cats were at the center of everyone's attention. One was lying on the ground, and the other sat heaving for breath nearby. Around them were older warriors, bleeding from nicks and minor wounds. Beetail immediately ran to the two injured apprentices.
"I couldn't save her," Tallowfur moaned. "I was her mentor, and I couldn't save her."
Bonepaw lay bleeding into the pine needles from a dozen injuries. Puddlepaw was covered in blood, but Beetail could tell from the smell that it was Bonepaw's. He had a broad gash sweeping around one eye that rendered him temporarily half-blind.
"Beetail, you help Bonepaw. She needs you," said Duskpearl gruffly, beginning to nose Puddlepaw.
"Right. Bonepaw, can you hear me?" She inspected the apprentice. Her chest rose and fell in slow intervals, but she didn't respond.
"I brought cobwebs from your den," said Lilypaw.
"Here. I'll show you how to put them on." It was a struggle for Beetail to keep her voice steady. She had to treat the wound, not think about whose body was under her shaking snout. She and Lilypaw applied the cobwebs, then Longfern volunteered to help too.
"Keep putting those cobwebs on," Beetail ordered the warrior. "I have to make sure she's breathing."
"There's blood in her mouth," Longfern reported.
"Let me see." Beetail shoved the other cat aside. Bonepaw's mouth was full of bubbling clots. Beetail forced the apprentice's jaws open and began licking the slimy mess out. When she pulled back for a breath, she noticed the wound on her neck.
"There's no chance," she said between ragged breaths. "There's no way she can..."
"She's not breathing!" squealed Lilypaw. "Beetail, you have to do something! You have to push on her ribs, make her breathe again!"
"She's lost too much blood."
"Then come help me with Puddlepaw," Duskpearl cut in coldly.
Beetail swallowed and took one last sorrowful look at the young cat. "I'm sorry." She hurried over to Puddlepaw's side.
++++
Puddlepaw spent the fitful night in the medicine den with Beetail and Robinbelly. The warrior had taken a blunt injury to her abdomen, and while there was no external bleeding, Beetail wanted to keep her close in case her condition worsened.
Many other warriors had received poultices and been sent back to their regular dens, as there wasn't enough room in the medicine den for half the Clan. However, the cats were too spooked to sleep, and they insisted to stand vigil for Bonepaw, against Beetail's advice to rest.
Bluegrass was missing. No cat had seen her during the fight, and the next morning, blood was found mingled with her stale scent that trailed off into the woods toward the farm. Cypressheart set out with a patrol at once to look for his mate, but no cat in the Clan had more than a grim hope that he'd find the senior warrior alive.
The morning's routine was thoroughly disrupted between the search party and the high number of casualties, making it difficult for Privetstar to assign patrols. Once she was done, Beetail requested a meeting with her and Duskpearl.
"What exactly happened last night?" Beetail asked. "Duskpearl, this was your doing, wasn't it?"
Duskpearl scoffed. "I can hardly control a wild animal. It was a tragic accident and nothing more."
"This is what happens when you try to control others with that—that sorcery!" said Beetail desperately. "StarClan did not approve of it! And they've taken Bonepaw as punishment." She hung her head.
"I never realized the prophecy would be fulfilled like this," said Duskpearl. "Bones will reveal the true evil of the forest. I thought it just meant her name..."
"Perhaps the true evil the prophecy speaks of is that coyote!" said Privetstar. "Once we've recovered, we should sent a patrol to kill it. As long as it's living here, this could happen again at any time."
"Or perhaps it's Duskpearl," Beetail growled.
"You mean my power?" the elder challenged. "I've never used it for anything but good! StarClan showed me how the coyote devastated the SaltClan camp! They're in even worse shape than us right now."
"We don't have any proof of that," Privetstar pointed out. "All I see are my wounded Clanmates, a missing warrior, and a dead apprentice!" She was trembling as her voice gained volume.
"Calm down." Duskpearl aimed it at both of them. "We're all shocked and saddened that such a thing could happen to the apprentice we've all grown to like. I agree that the coyote should be exterminated at the next opportunity."
"You're supposed to be an elder now," Beetail argued. "You shouldn't be practicing anymore. It's fine if you want to contact StarClan at the half moon ceremony, but there's no need to cast enchantments and sort out prophecies!"
"You sure didn't turn down my help when I was stuffing Puddlepaw's cuts with dock last night!"
All three suddenly fell quiet, aware that other cats could hear their conversation.
"Duskpearl," said Privetstar seriously, "Are you absolutely sure that the coyote attacked SaltClan too?"
"Yes," she said. "I killed Buckstar and his deputy."
"You admit it then," said Beetail in disbelief. "You were controlling it! You were the one who made the coyote attack us!"
"I lost control when it crossed the border. After that, it was acting on its own instincts."
Beetail bit back whatever retort she was considering. "I don't like it, Duskpearl. That is not the role of a medicine cat. We heal. We speak to StarClan. But we don't fight. We have warriors to fight for us!"
"And furthermore, you didn't inform me of your plan," said Privetstar. "Something as grave as an attack on another Clan is a decision the leader and her deputy need to be involved in. Perhaps you could use some time to think about what you've done," Privetstar said.
"What, are you going to banish me like you did Cottoneye?" she sneered.
"I think it might do you some good." Her brilliant green eyes flashed. "Duskpearl, tonight you do not sleep with the rest of our elders. You must leave before sunhigh, and don't return until the next half moon."
Beetail trembled as if she had something to say, but nothing made it out. Duskpearl looked from one to the other, then snorted. "Banishing an elder. You're just as cruel as Buckstar. Don't you want to get Cypressheart's opinion first? You can't do anything without h—"
Privetstar struck her across the nose. Her claws were sheathed, but the very audacity of the action was stunning enough. Duskpearl blinked.
"Don't insult my leadership," hissed Privetstar. "I'm not the kit you think I am. Bonepaw is dead because of your immoral and selfish actions. If I'm making the wrong decision, StarClan will make it known. But for now, you are not welcome in the SetClan camp. Find some other place in the territory to make your nest, and don't talk to any of our warriors until the next half moon."
Duskpearl's tail lashed. She stood. "Very well. I see you're a cat who has neither respect for her elders nor for a grieving cat. I liked Bonepaw just as well as any of you. I never would've wished this on her, even if it was StarClan's will!"
With that, she stormed off into the thick morning fog. Everyone heard her.
I made this for WOTW on Twitter. Stormfur telling his kids about the Great Journey and all the shenanigans that went down on the way to the Sundrown Place. ;w;
Also known as another reminder that I hate drawing backgrounds and they generally turn out like garbage. QwQ
Drew sommore Quietstar stuff a week or so ago, still just randomly generating cats for plot purposes u o u
1. Quietstar and Greystar’s biological Isleclan father, Perchclaw and his friend Carpwhisker had to bring the kits to Spruceclan to find a suitable queen to nurse them as Carp’s mate died giving birth and their clan had no more suitable queens due to famine.
2. Cricketwhisper was their adoptive mama, and she loved them as if they were her own! She kept the secret about their parentage from the kits til they were older and found out on their own.
