"So.. how do you know of Brindlesong?" asked Quail. His amber eyes sharpened with interest as Heather shifted on her paws. 

"She's been visiting me in my dreams for nearly 3 moons," murmured the she-cat, hoping it was the right thing to say. Quail's eyes swiveled, and his tail flicked in alarm. "What did she say? We've been waiting for so many moons..." Quail paced around his nest, his eyes full of distress. Livvy pushed through the vines sheltering Quail's nest, her eyes questioning. Quail ignored her, and the deputy looked annoyed, her bushy tail lashing. Heather squirmed under the pressure. Now the group's two most important cats were waiting for her answer. "She said follow the trail of leaves... and it led us here," rasped Heather. She needed a long drink of water when all of this was over. Quail had burrowed himself under a pile of moss, unmoving. Heather could hear him grunting. "You should get you and your friend checked by Umber," mewed Livvy apologetically, her eyes glinting with worry and amusement. "Don't be scared, Quail's been under lots of stress lately. Go on, get a drink and have some prey." The deputy's warm voice relaxed Heather as she stumbled out into the sunshine. 

Scab and a red orange tom were chatting together, Treekit and Harekit still battling on their bellies. The kits look so absurdly cute, thought Heather, as Treekit fell off of Scab's belly after a miscalculated swipe towards Harekit's muzzle. Harekit squeaked in victory.

"Hey, Heather!" Scab's familiar voice broke through her thoughts. "Come and join us! Winkie is great," her friend's purr sounded deep in her throat. "We agreed to take care of the kits - Minkpelt's gone hunting with Peck. She hasn't been out of camp for nearly 5 moons!" As Heather reluctantly curled up next to her friend, she could see why Scab was so fascinated with Winkie. Hard muscles rippled under his shimmering golden pelt, and his whiskers were combed neatly. "Nice to meet you, friend of Scab," rumbled Winkie in his deep voice. Heather was about to tell him her name with great annoyance when Quail stepped out of his nest. His eyes looked more determined, as though he had made a decision.

 "All cats living in this camp!" he yowled, "Gather around here so I can make an important announcement!" The leader's loud yowls made every cat's heads turn, and they slowly padded towards their leader. "Peck and Minkpelt have gone hunting," reported Umber, her smooth black pelt smelling of herbs. 

"They'll have to catch up later, then," Livvy shrugged.
Quail let out a deep breath and opened his jaws. "We're going to find Brindlesong," he mewed. In an instant murmurs and yowls erupted from every cat, including Harekit and Treekit. "We're going on an adventure!" yelped Treekit, bouncing up and down. Harekit was silent, but her long tail couldn't contain her excitement. 

"Does that mean Scab and Heather are the two cats you saw in your dream?" asked Lightwillow skeptically. The she-cat's eyes glinted with suspicion. Quail nodded at the she-cat, his eyes firm and blazing with confidence. "Two loners? Who have never heard of the StarTree members?" added Wavestorm, his tail wrapping protectively over Lightwillow's shoulders as more yowls erupted from the crowd. "That's not why we took warrior names! We want to be in a real Clan, with our ancestors supporting us!" protested Lightwillow, her tail lashing. Quail closed his eyes. "That's exactly the reason why we're going," he meowed. "Yes, that's the reason why we're going!" announced Pear, though her eyes were clouded with confusion.

 Heather felt warmed that a young apprentice would stand up to every cat to support her father. However Scab couldn't hold in her purr, and the apprentice lowered her head, embarrased. "I have told you many times over. Brindlesong will return, and she will lead this group, and change it into a Clan. However my fears were confirmed, and it seems that Brindlesong can't return. And now these cats are here with a dream of Brindlesong. It can't be any clearer to me to go and find our former and future leader," Quail murmured. Lightwillow and Wavestorm looked reluctant, their eyes flashing in anger. But to Heather's surprise, Quail took no notice. "We will be leaving at sunhigh. Make sure to get plenty of rest-"

"What's going on?" Minkpelt and Peck padded into the clearing laden with prey, confusion showing in their eyes. 

"We're leaving," answered Wavestorm grimly.