Chapter 35: Help Her! (Youngtails POV)

I shivered... The wind sure was cold at this time of the year. It was about the only thing that I did not like all too much about being in Windclan. I loved just about everything else about it. This time of the year however, I wished that I could go live in a place like Thunderclan, or Shadowclan.

Well... Maybe not Shadowclan, I dont think that place would be safe at any time in the year. I really did not trust that cat Dust, but it was not my decision to make. It really was not Moons either, he was just here to bring the clans back, and nothing much else.

I am sure that he had another destiny, but I was fairly sure that he had achieved what the prophecy had said. The clans were back, but the only thing that was holding them back, was the fact that hardly any of the cats believed in Starclan.

I knew it was the same for many of the cats in Windclan, though there were a few that did trust in the cats of the stars. One of them being my good friend Venom, as Moon had told me that he had been a witness to the Starclan cats saving his life.

I shook my head, as that had been moons ago now, I was sure that many of them might have even forgotten about that at this point, or maybe it was just some vivid memory of it to them now, that they might even think of it to be a dream.

Maybe I should ask for some advice from Venom, as not only was he my friend, but he was also a part of that happening. I nodded to myself, as I began to walk over to the Elders den. That was, until I suddenly felt the most cold blast of wind that I had ever felt in my life.

I really could not stand the leaf bare, as I then shook my head to try not to worry about it, as I then began to walk over to the den. My bones felt fragile though, and my whole body was aching right now. It had been like that last leaf bare as well, though not quite as bad as it was at the exact moment.

I quickly began to go over to the elders den, to get into it as soon as I possibly could. As I was going there however, I heard voices coming from the leaders cave, that also seemed to interest me quite a bit as well. I then turned my head over to the cave, to try to catch a few words.

It was too hard to however, as it seemed like the cats were trying to be quiet on purpose. I began to get a bit worried, as I then forgot what it was that I had just been planning on doing a few moments ago. I then started to walk over to the den.

As I was heading over to it, suddenly 2 young kits ran past me, nearly tripping me over as they got right in my way. I looked at them for a few moments, giving them a bit of an angry look, as I then began to yell at the 2 kits to get their attention.

"Hey! You should not be running around camp like that, Nutmeg and Baron!" I said to the 2 kits a bit loudly, hoping that Shilo and her kits could hear what it was that I had just said, so that they would learn to know better just as I was about to teach these kits.

The kits lowered their heads to the ground, as they knew that I was being loud on purpose, so that other cats could hear what it was that I had to say. They looked quite a bit embarrassed, as well as having a bit of a guilty look on their faces as well.

Both of them sat there for a bit of time, as I was about to let them go ahead and walk away, just making sure that they had learned their lesson, as the young she kit, Nutmeg, began to speak back to me, to my surprise, as they usually were a bit scared to talk to me.

I really did not mind if I was going to be completely honest with myself, as I was used to being alone, as well as being happy when I was to myself. Though when the young she kit began to speak to me for the first time, it kind of lit up my day, as I listened to what it was that she had to say to me.

"We are sorry Youngtail, we promise not to do it again... We are just so excited..." She said back to me. I looked at her for a few moments, as I was a bit confused as to why that could be so. They must be playing some sort of game with each other, surely right?

I shook my head, as I tried not to worry about it. I was about to walk away, until I saw that they were both still standing there for some reason. So I turned my head to them, and I squinted my eyes at the both of them. I could tell that it scared the both of them a bit.

It had not been my intent, as I shook my head at myself. I then looked at the both of them, figuring that I should say something to them, to calm them down a bit. I nodded to the both of them, as it seemed to relax them just a bit, and then I began to speak.

"Why is that? You guys playing a bit of a little game?" I asked the both of them. To my surprise however, both of them shook their heads at me. I was now beginning to get a bit confused, which I did not like, as it kind of hurt my head when I thought about things a bit too deeply.

Luckily it did not take long for Baron, the young tom cat the respond back to what it was that I had just asked the both of them. I turned my head over to him, and then I nodded to him, as I then began to listened to what it was that he had to say back to me.

"No... Did you not hear? We are going to start our training as apprentices soon!" He said back to me. I looked a him for a few moments, as I was a bit surprised that they were starting their training so soon. I shook my head as I began to think about it for quite some time.

It then began to make sense as well, as I then began to realize that time had really gone by fast these last few seasons. They had just been born by the time that Flame and Rabbit had come over to camp to join the clan, I then began to realize that we were coming up on 6 moons sense then.

I could tell that the kits were a bit excited, just as they had said as well, and I was about to make a bit of a smart comment, until I decided not to. As I then remembered when I was their age, and I had been with my brother and my sister, and we had been acting the same way.

I sat there, as me, my brother, and my sister awaited patiently for our father to arrive back from his little patrol that he had been leading. We were all so excited to find out who it was that was going to be our mentor. I sure hoped that I would get a good one.

I could not wait til the day that I was the leader of Windclan... I knew that I would be just as good as my own father was. A lot of the cats in my clan looked up to him. I then shook my head, as I looked over, seeing that my brother, and my sister had been in a bit of a scuffle.

They had been thinking the same thing that I had been, and I knew it. We all knew that some day, one of us 3 were going to be the leader of the clan. I was sure that it was going to be me though, as I had been a bit more mature than my brother and sister were.

They were rolling around the camp, flopping past a few angry cats on the way that hissed at them when they rolled past them. I watched as I waited to see who it was that was going to win this time. After a few moments longer, my sister held on to my brother.

"Riskkit, do you give up now? Admit that I am the most superior out of our litter." My sister said over to my brother. My brother looked at her for a few moments, as my sister held him down a bit harder since he had not responded to her just yet.

I then saw I bit of my sisters claws dig in to him a little bit. Making my brother feel a bit of pain. That was why I never really got into the fights with them, as I always knew that they would actually begin to tussle a bit harder than normal kin should.

My brother sat there for a bit longer, as it was clear that he was trying to hold off on giving up for as long as he possibly could. It was usually my sister that did win these fights as well. Though we could never tell who would be the better fighter until our training actually started.

That was a lot of the reason that I never really joined either of them either. We never truly would know, until we got to that point. My mother would always tell me that I would be the best hunter, and that was all that really mattered in the end.

I was not so sure if that was true however... It seemed as though the fighting aspect to all of this, seemed to be a lot more important. The clans had been getting into a lot of fights recently and maybe I needed to defend my clan, and my territory.

I shook my head though, as I did not really need to be thinking about all of that quite yet, as I then looked back at my brother, and my sister. My sister dug her claws a bit deeper into Riskkit until he yelped, and then finally spoke back to her.

Well... That might be so Hollykit, but at least I am not as weak as Youngkit is." He said back to my sister. I looked at my brother a bit angrily for a few moments, as I knew that he was just trying to get under my fur, and get me to join them.

Though it did upset me quite a bit, that he had said that, I was not going to fall for his trick, and I was not going to join them in their little fights. We should be fighting back against other clans, rather than fighting each other. I then began to speak back to my brother.

"I think we should resort to fighting last if we do not agree on something." I said back to my brother, trying my best to hold in the anger. I then began to relax myself, as I realized what it was that I had just said, and I knew that I was right as well.

Our mother would be proud of me, as I lifted my head up high, as I was proud of myself as well. Both Riskkit and Hollykit looked at me a bit confused for just a few moments. It was clear that they were just not smart enough to understand what I had just said.

It made me feel a bit stronger, as I once again thought of being the next leader of Windclan. I smiled at myself, but then my thoughts that I had been thinking to myself about, then got interrupted, as Hollykit responded to what it was that I had said.

"Sounds like you are a coward to me." She said back to me. I looked at her for just a few moments, until I put my claws out. I did my best to not let it get the best of me, though it was so hard. Both my sister and my brother could tell as well, as they began to laugh to each other.

They were just trying to push me to the last claw, and I was not going to let it happen. I turned my head away from them, as I saw both of them just shrugged from the corner of my eye. Then I watched as both of them began to roll around, more in a playing way this time.

I looked over at the camp entrance, as I just stared at it, for no reason what so ever for a short period of time. That was when I saw my father, and his patrol poke their heads into camp. Once I saw them, I hopped up, excited, as I could not wait!

I shook my head, as I shook away those sad memories of being a kit just as they had been. That had to have been nearly 240 moons ago. As I had only been 6 moons old at the time. It was crazy how fast time could fly by so fast. As it began to make me feel very old.

My bones began to feel even weaker than they had a few moments ago, as I realized in fact that I was old. I knew that I did not have very many moons left in me. I was not sure when it was going to be my time, but I hoped that it would be soon.

I then heard a familiar voice begin to step up, and then speak to me, and the kits that I was with. As I remembered that they had been in fact still beside me, as they were not quite sure when would be a good time for them to leave. I turned my head over to the cat, as I saw that it was Moon.

"Yes... I plan on it being tomorrow night in fact, so you kits get ready! Don't get into any trouble, because if you do, than it might not be tomorrow!" He said over to the kits. The kits looked at each other for a few moments, as they then turned their heads back over to Moon.

I could tell that they were very excited as well, as Nutmeg was hopping up and down, so excited to finally find out the news that they were going to be apprentices. I smiled at the kits for a bit of some time, and then I spoke back to them as well, adding in my own piece.

"Alright you 2! You heard what he said! Don't go getting yourselves into any trouble! Now scurry off!" I said over to the kits. The kits looked at me for a few moments, as they then nodded, quickly running away from me and Moon.

I shook my head, as it seemed as though they had not heard what I had told then a few moments ago, about not running through camp. I looked away from them, and then I turned my head over to Moon, shaking off the thoughts of the kits.

I had remembered that I had heard him talking to some cats, though I was not sure who it was, as they were quiet when they had spoken to each other. I was not sure as to why, and I kind of wish I had seen the cat that he had spoken to walk out of the den.

Or potentially more than one cat. I hated to be a bug as well, as it could have been private business between 2 mates, but I could not help it. As for some reason something was telling me that it was important, and that I needed to know what it was.

Moon could see the look that was in my eyes as well, as he looked through there for just a few moments, almost as if he was reading my soul, but he then finally nodded, as he could tell that I had a question to ask him. I nodded back to him thankfully, as I then began to speak to him.

"Who were you talking to in your den a while ago, if you do not mind me asking? It seemed as though it were private, as you guys were speaking quietly." I asked him. He looked at me for a few moments, a bit confused as to what it was that I had meant.

I looked at him, as I was now a bit confused as well. Had he not been in the den? Or was it really just not important at all, that I might have just missed it. Or maybe he had forgotten, as I knew his memory had not been the best after those rocks had fallen on to his head.

I closed his eyes for just a few moments, as it was clear that he was trying to think on what it was that I was talking about. Maybe I had been wrong, maybe he had not been in there... I then shook my head, as I saw him open his eyes, and then I listened to him, as he then responded to me.

"Oh... It was just Shilo and Mint... Shilo thinks she found some herbs for the medicine den, so they told me that they were going to look for them..." He said to me. I looked at him for a few moments, as I then began to wonder why I had thought that it might have been so important.

He had a bit of a blank look on his face, as I was sure that I had one on mine as well. As it had really been nothing for me to worry about at all. I looked at him for just a few more moments, as I then began to close my eyes, was there something I had missed?

Had he been lying to me? Was there something that seemed to be more important? Why would Shilo leave her kits all alone in the nursery? Surely he could not be lying to me right? He was never a cat that hid things from me, so I was not so sure what it was that felt so wrong in my head.

Thats when, all of the sudden, it hit me at the sane time. Like a fall from a very tall cliff, that you could not gather yourself in time for. It all began to hit me, as it suddenly seemed as though I was going into another dimension, or I was having a vision like a medicine cat would.

I opened my eyes, as I saw 2 cats standing beside each other. But they cats did not look happy at all. I could not tell though, as it seemed as though there was something wrong that was going on with my vision. I then realized what it was at the same time.

I was under the water... Or under the ice rather, and the cats were above me. That was why it was so hard for me to see who it was that they were. I could hear the cats yelling at each other, and one of them was hissing as well.

I could not tell who it was, or what was going on at all however. As I then suddenly saw 1 of the cats then lunge at the other 1. The cat dodged it, clearly, as though the cat had seen it coming. The cat that had ran at the first cat, then fell over, as she had not been expecting that clearly.

The ice must have been hard for her to move correctly as well, as she then fell on to the ice with a bit of a thump. As she landed, the ice then cracked, as it then broke apart from the main ice that the both of them had been standing on a few moments ago.

Not too long after the ice part had broken off, it then began to fall on one side, as the other side could not hold the weight of the cat. I heard a shreak yell for help, and then I saw her fall under the ice. That was the last that I saw as well, as I then was back to normal.

I opened my eyes for real this time, as I looked over at Moon. I could see him walking away, as he had seen me just standing there with my eyes closed for who knows how long, and he had just given up on any sort of response from me.

I blinked a few times, as the vision was beginning to get a bit blurry to me. But I was not sure why it seemed as to how it could be any sort of importance to me at the moment. It did not matter though, as it was a vision, and they were always important.

I then yelled a bit loudly for Moon to stop, as I then felt like I had to say something, or at least warn him about the vision that I had just seen. He turned his head over to me, as I could see that he was a bit annoyed, but he nodded to me anyways, as he listened to what it was that I had to say to him, as I then began to speak.

"Moon wait! I had a vision... I don't know quite what it was, but I was under ice and there were cats fighting. I think it might have something to do with the ice in that prophecy." I said to him. He looked at me for a few moments, as he kept his eyes squinted at me.

I was fairly sure that it had something to do with the prophecy, though it had been a while ago. I knew that it had to happen at some point though, as all prophecies always had to. I looked at Moon, as I hoped that he would give me some sort of advice.

He just stared at my however, with the same exact blank look that I had seen from him a few moments ago as well. I looked down, a bit disappointed, as I felt like I had to give up. It seemed as if he did not care at all. He finally did decide to respond though, thankfully.

"If you really think that is the case, go follow them... I don't have time for it though, I've got things to do at camp. Im sorry to tell you Youngtail, but if the prophecy went to you, than maybe it was meant towards you." He said back to me. I looked at him for a few moments, as I began to get a bit angry.

I then remembered what it was that I had always done when I was a kit, to hold in my anger. I dug my claws deep into the soil, and then I looked back at Moon. I was not sure what it was that I should say back to him though.

I realized that maybe he was right, maybe it was a prophecy meant towards me, as that was why I had been told the prophecy, and not Moon, surely right? I always knew that all things had an answer to it, as I then nodded to him and began to speak back.

"If you do not want to go and help me, than so be it, and maybe you are right, but at least I let you know." I said back to him. He looked at me for a few short moments, squinting his eyes at me once again, but he then eventually nodded back to me.

I nodded back to the young leader as well, as he lowered his head to the ground. I could tell that he was starting to get a bit guilty, but he also knew that what he had said was in fact correct as well. He then spoke back to me, before he then began to walk back over to his den.

"Well... Whatever it is Youngtail, I wish you the best of luck..." He said to me. I looked at him for a few moments, and then I nodded back to him. I then watched as he began to head back over to his den. I shivered, and then gulped.

I was a bit scared, as I was not sure what it was that was going to happen, or what it was that I had seen in that vision as well. I wish that I could ask Limp, as I knew that she more than likely would be the best cat to ask, but I also knew that she was not at camp at the moment either.

She was out in Shadowclan, trying to help that cat, Heart, learn to be a medicine cat. I shook my head, as I then realized that I was beginning to waste my time. I then turned my head over to the exit of the camp, and began to run over to it.

I ran past to kits, who were playing around, and it scared them a bit when they had seen me run by. It was not my intent, but I knew that I could not tell them sorry, as every moment was precious to me right now. I then got out of the camp.

Just as I was out of the camp, I then spotted 3 cats coming back from their own patrol, which had been a hunting patrol clearly. I saw a few rabbits, and my stomach began to rumble, as I was just about to stop myself, but I did not do so.

I then ran past them, as I saw them look at me a bit surprised, that a cat my age could be running out of the camp as fast as I was. I heard one of the cats, which was also a new cat of the clan, along with her brother and sister, Violet, and Daisy.

"Are you alright Youngtail? What is going on?" The young cat, Rose said to me. I did not hesitate however, as I quickly ran past them. I knew that I did not have time to respond to them, as I felt a bit bad for not doing so, but I knew that the circumstances were in fact quite dire.

I kept on running almost as fast as it had seemed that I had ever run before, though I knew that it was only the case because I was in fact so old. As I got past all of the scents of all of the other Windclan cats, I did my best to focus on some newer scents.

I kept on running, as it was too hard with all the scents that were in the air at the moment. I then stopped myself, as I then smelt the smell of Mint very recent as well, as I could tell that they were heading over to the Riverclan territory.

I wondered why that might be the case, but I shook my head, knowing that if I thought about it, it might slow me down, as I kept on sprinting, following the scent of the 2 cats, as far as I possibly could. It then seemed to stop for a short period of time.

I then remembered how long I had been running for as well, as I realized why it had stopped, as I realized that I was in Riverclan territory now. I then smelt the scent, begin to go further down the river, across to the lake. I then hopped back into Windclan territory before I was caught, and then questioned.

I knew that no matter what they would understand, because all of the cats knew who I was at this point, but either way, I knew that every moment mattered, and I could not let anything stop me now. I then kept on following the scent, as I then smelt in once again stop.

This time it was for a reason however, as I saw 2 cats as they were walking across the frozen lake, quite a ways away from where I was. I then saw the cats stop, and I then began to realize what was going on. The vision was now beginning to make a lot more sense to me.

I then hopped on to the frozen lake as well, as I quickly, but also slowly began to head over to them, to make sure that I did not break the ice below me at the same time as well. As I began to draw a bit closer, I heard what the 2 cats were saying to each other.

"I know that you have had your eyes on my mate for quite some time Mint... You have no chance against him, and now it is time to make sure you don't." Shilo said to Mint. I looked at her, a bit confused, but also a bit surprised at the same time as well.

The vision was beginning to make more and more sense by every passing moment now. I realized what was going on, as I quickly began to head over to it, before it started, hoping to stop what I had seen in the vision. As I drew closer to them, I heard the ice below me begin to crack.

I then stopped myself, not even daring to move any further, as I was afraid that it might fall beneath my paws. I then began to freak out a bit, as I was not sure what to do now. I shook my head though, as my ears focused in on the voice of Mint, as she responded to Shilo.

"Are you crazy? I love my mate! He is the leader of Windclan... If anything, it would be you, with the eyes on my mate... You try to hide it, and pretend that you don't like him... But really, you are in love with him." Mint said back to Shilo, almost as if she were trying to make Shilo even more angry on purpose.

I could tell that it was getting in to the head of Shilo as well, as I could see quite the angry look on her face. But the angry look did not last long to my surprise, as it then seemed to turn into almost a bit of an evil grin, as she then grinned at Mint, before beginning to speak to her.

"Good job Mint... You got me... But he is mine now, imagine how lonely he will be when he finds out that you 'fell into the ice.' " She said back to Mint. I looked at her a bit confused, and a bit surprised for just a few moments, as I could tell that Mint was as well.

I was more just surprised that she had in fact been in love with Moon all this time. I knew that they had a bit of a weird, and a bit of a heated relationship, as it seemed as though Shilo never agreed with any of Moons decisions, and she was always angry at him as well.

I was so lost right now, and I had no clue as to what it was that was going on at the moment. I did not dare move though nor try to stop what was going on, as I was afraid that the ice below me was going to fall on me, as I then shook my head.

I heard Shilo then hiss at Mint, and I turned my eyes and my ears back over to them, as it all of the sudden hit me, as to what was going on right now. As I had remembered from the vision that I had, that I had heard one of the cats hiss at the other one.

I then remembered what it was that had happened after that as well. Though it had been through ice, it seemed as though it all was starting to get a lot more clear. Thats when it happened, as suddenly I saw Shilo then run at Mint.

Mint had seen it coming though, as she knew that Shilo was going to attack her, just based off of what she had just said to Mint. Mint easily dodged it, and Shilo tried to stop herself, as she had noticed that Mint had done so. But the ice was uncontrollable.

Shilo then slipped, and she fell awkwardly on the ice. It was a bit of a hard fall as well, as I heard the loud crack on the ice on the lake. That is when it had began to happen so fast, as I saw her fall into the lake. Mint looked a bit surprised, but then she began to freak out, as she began to yell.

"Somebody, shes in the water! Please help her!"