| abstract | - Gustfoot padded outside and sat next to the entrance to the clans’ nursery den. She quietly groomed herself, the silence of the warm Greenleaf night calming her nervous feelings about the litter she had just delivered. She let out a heavy sigh, and Mistystar padded up to her, her sleep-deprived eyes bloodshot as she greeted Gustfoot. “Hello, Gustfoot, how is Hollyleaf doing? Are the kits healthy?” “Yes, she just gave birth to two toms.” Mistystar waved her tail in excitement. “That’s great news!” But then she hung her head, and let out a heavy sigh. “It’s a shame their father isn’t here anymore.” Gustfoot nodded. “That’s true. Hopefully he’ll return again. He only left a moon ago.” She remembered why he had left, and a shiver of fear ran down her spine. “Has a patrol gone out yet to protect the border today?” She asked Mistystar. The gray she-cat shook her head in response. “Those filthy cats better not step foot in our borders today. After what they did to the clans… what they did to Skyclan… they deserve to die.” Gustfoot looked over and saw Cherrytail sitting a few tail lengths away, chewing on a thrush. “Cherrytail… Don’t tell me you’re still…” “Mad at those mangy twolegs? Yes, I am!” She tore the head of the thrush off its body as she finished her statement, angrily tossing it away. “You can’t blame them for Skyclan’s destruction… John was doing his best to…” “Stop talking about that piece of crow-food!” She spat, flinging herself at Gustfoot. “He goes and saves Skyclan from those rogues, which we could have defeated, if Leafstar hadn’t had that stupid vision telling us to go meet that twoleg! And then he puts himself first and surrenders to Falconstar as if we didn’t matter!” She was about to strike the mild-mannered medicine cat, when Mistystar scraped her claws across her face. “Stop that! You should have more respect for your elders!” Mistystar growled. Cherrytail spat once again, padding off to the warriors den, and Gustfoot sighed. “Do you want to talk to Hollyleaf, Mistystar?” Gustfoot offered her, knowing that Hollyleaf heard every single word that had been spoken. Gustfoot added under earshot of the nursing she-cat, “She’ll need the company of a good friend.” Mistystar nodded understandingly, and padded though the moss-covered entrance. What are we coming to? Gustfoot thought, if the clans disband now out of frustration of each other, we’ll be easy pickings for Doomclan. Even though Cherrytail might not know it, she needs us as much as we need her. She saw a dim light in the distance, where the twoleg camp was situated. She silently padded towards the dim light, the light growing into a large fire as she padded into the camp, the twolegs sitting around it wordlessly. Most of them were stuck in their cat forms, the only one that was not was Drew, who was quietly tracing her brother’s name in the dirt next to Logan. “Good evening, Drew.” Gustfoot greeted her, and the sorrowful eyes of the girl met the medicine cat’s. “Hello, Gustfoot. Here to check on Logan?” She said in a quiet, sorrowful voice. “Yes. Is the comfrey I put on him still on?” “Yeah. He hasn’t moved much since this morning.” “Good, then I need to replace it. It won’t do its job well if it gets stale.” Drew nodded, and she shifted on the ground so the medicine cat could have better access. Gustfoot sighed as she saw Logan had barely moved an inch. “Logan.” She prodded him with her paw, and he stirred in his sleep, and rolled over, covering his wound with the other side of his body. Gustfoot sighed and sat down, trying to find a way to wake him up without being rude and unpleasant. “I’ve got it, Gustfoot.” Andrew perked up from his spot next to the fire and padded over to lean over Logan to whisper in his ear. “Oh no, I’ve gone out to hunt and I brought so many rabbits back, but Logan isn’t up to eat any of them!” “What’s that about rabbits?” Logan sat straight up, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. He then moaned in pain and irritation as he realized he had been tricked. “My job here is done. Good luck, Gustfoot.” Andrew padded off to his spot again, and settled down to stare at the bright flames. Gustfoot rolled her eyes as Logan moaned something about rabbits, and she got to work, using the stash of herbs she had stashed at the twoleg camp. After she had finished, Logan laid down again, and he shifted so he was against Drew’s leg. “Thank you, Gustfoot.” He murmured and he let out a yawn, eyes closing as he drifted off to sleep. As Gustfoot padded back to camp, she saw the number of cats gathered around the nursery den. It’s good that the clans are accepting of this litter. As long as they forget who the father is. Gustfoot sighed. Maybe it’s for the best if we just forget about the threat for a while as well. It’s not going to help stressing about those cats. Gustfoot padded into her den, and curled up in her bed. A wave of sleep crashed over her, the conflicting feelings washing away like sand.
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