Painkiller

Frostkit

Frostkit shuddered, the pain engulfing him. "C-cold… so c-cold…"

His mother, Feathernose, ran a ragged tail down his spine. "It's a-a-alright," she soothed, sounding not soothing at all, "I've… I have you."

He didn't feel assured. If everything was alright, why was everyone so sick? Even the medicine cat, Sunshade, couldn't help him. He was feeling worse by the minute.

Snowkit whimpered beside him. She was shaking like mad, blue eyes squeezed tight as she let out a thin wail. "Cold!"

Feathernose looked at Frostkit's sister in pain. "Hush, l-little ones."

Frostkit wouldn't be quiet, joining his sister in her yowling. Nothing was right. Sickness, pain, death... It hurts everywhere!

His tiny gray body was shivering, his head was throbbing, and no one could do anything! He screeched in anger, his throat dry and scratchy, making his noises sound like bird calls.

Frostkit wanted to curl up and die. Anything to make it stop. "S-stop, s-stop, stop!"

Just as he wanted, it stopped. The pain had disappeared. A soft white color surrounded his view. In a flash, the white was gone, being replaced by the nursery. But he wasn't in his body.

"Frostkit," murmured a voice behind him, "Frostkit, come here."

He turned around, spotting a black and white tom with a starry pelt. "Who are you?" His words weren't raspy anymore, it was just his normal, clear voice.

"I am Nightpool," answered the tom. "We will be heading to StarClan soon."

"So I'm dead?"

Nightpool nodded sadly. "The illness has taken many lives, including yours. It is a shame you couldn't live longer. But it is for the best."

"What's good about dying?" Frostkit wondered, tilting his tiny head.

"You were in immense pain. Your sister must suffer longer. She will be joining you soon." the starry-pelted tom replied honestly.

The kit sat down. "Is it nice here? Will Snowkit like it?"

"Yes. Everyone enjoys StarClan, where there is plentiful prey, beautiful plants, and many friends to share it with. But that does not stop anyone from missing their lives down in the living world."

"Will you take me to StarClan?"

"Of course." Nightpool dipped his head, but allowed Frostkit a final glance at his family before disappearing.

—x—

Painkiller

Sunshade

Sunshade didn't know what to do. His whole Clan, even himself, sick with an unknown disease, except Fluffpaw. Most were unable to even move, and the ones that could were too weak to hunt. No one was strong enough to search for a cure, besides the bouncy apprentice. Some wanted him to search, and at that time, it seemed like a good idea.

The medicine cat dragged himself to his shelves of herbs. Could it be a form of whitecough? Catmint, maybe, and chickweed… no, I've tried that.

"Sunshade," a voice croaked.

Sunshade slowly turned around to see the deputy, Mistfall. The once-proud deputy looked ragged, her normally sleek silver pelt clumped together and the stench of sickness rolling off of her in waves. "G-greetings, Mistfall."

"Have… have you found—" she paused to cough, "—a cure? Anything c-close to one?"

The tabby shook his head sadly.

"Frostkit is d-dead. Snowkit is… is close. Feathernose doesn't have the s-strength to go on after her… h-h-her kit's death."

Sunshade looked up at the sky. "We're d-d-doomed," he whispered. "Doomed unless we-we find a cure."

"We w-will," assured the sick deputy, paws shaking as she tried to pull herself forward. "Give it t-t-time."

Time. The one thing they didn't have. Cats were dying, and even the medicine cat, blessed by StarClan, couldn't cure them. Yet, Mistfall still had hope?

"I… suppose you're r-right." He dipped his head slightly. "Time. W-we'll give it time."

Mistfall nodded back, and very slowly, with all the strength she could muster, crawled away.

Terrible things are happening. I cannot do anything about them, but it is my duty to protect my Clan from these horrors. Am I a true medicine cat if I cannot cure my Clan?

Sunshade let out a heavy sigh. Questions whirling through his head, he continued to sort through his herbs.

—x—

Painkiller

Fluffpaw

Fluffpaw groaned. He had to sleep outside of camp in order not to catch the illness, and he was tired of it. Almost everyone wanted him to find a cure.

"Fluffpaw…" someone rasped. "Food!"

The apprentice felt a moment of sympathy for his Clan. All of them are in so much pain. StarClan, why is this sickness so cruel?

As his Clanmate had ordered, he went out for a hunt. The day was beautiful, a light breeze weaving through the trees, and the sun gleaming in the sky, casting dapples of sunlight onto the light green grass. He would've enjoyed it if it weren't for his Clan's current situation.

A quiet rustle in the bushes caught his attention, and he pressed down in a crouch. The mouse wasn't aware of Fluffpaw's presence, and continued to nibble on a small seed in its paws.

You have no idea what my Clan is going through. Your death will help them survive. He leaped forward, sliding into an opening in the bush, and pinned the rodent with a paw. He killed the animal with a swift bite to its neck, and buried it in the soft earth.

He hunted the entire half leftover of the day, determined to catch enough for his Clan. The energetic apprentice had caught two mice, a rabbit, and two voles from sunhigh to sundown, and he was exhausted.

"Food!" he called into the entrance and threw in his catch, which took two trips to do.

A few thank you's were tossed to him, but the rest of the Clan was just digging into the prey. Most had lost their appetites, Fluffpaw noted as he watched from the entrance, and hardly ate a bite, while others forced themselves to eat in order to survive.

Fluffpaw turned around and gazed at the stars beginning to show, praying once again that his Clan would be safe. With a soft sigh, he flopped down into his nest and dreamed, not even realizing he hadn't eaten that day.

A/N: What's this? A new story? Why yes, it is. I didn't have any ideas for my other stories, though Warped Between Worlds has a chapter in progress. So, go, me!

The reason I typed up this story is because I wondered what it would be like to live in a Clan incurable, and live through it. Fluffpaw will have a part in almost every chapter, I've decided, but the others will be POV's of random cats, living or dead, watching ThunderClan push through.

So, that's it for this chapter! Hope you enjoyed :)