Greywhisker's Nightmare

Greywhisker was having a nightmare. He was being chased through the barbed undergrowth by a Thunderpath monster. Fear pricked at his heart just like the briars pricked his pelt.

He woke up with a start to see the Clan medicine cat, Mintcloud, pawing at his side, trying to wake him. He could hear his mate Nightstorm's wails coming from the nursery. Nightstorm had just given birth to three kits, Larkkit, Stormkit, and Sneezekit. Because of the desolate leafbare, Larkkit was born very sickly. She couldn't stop coughing, and Mintcloud couldn't find any remedy.

Greywhisker looked up at Mintcloud in confusion, "What's wrong? Why is Nightstorm making such a fuss?" His den mate, Moonstripe, gave him a sorry look. Greywhisker suddenly realized what had happened.

He jumped up, his heart racing. "Larkkit!"

"I'm so sorry, there was nothing I could do for her," Mintcloud whispered sorrowfully, but Greywhisker didn't hear her. He had already rushed to the nursery.

Lying limply on the nursery floor, he saw his precious Larkkit. Her blue eyes were glazed over, in an endless gaze toward the sky, her fur a dull grey.

Nightstorm hung her head mournfully, "My precious, precious kit! Why has this happened?"

Greywhisker tried to comfort her, but he really needed comfort himself.