"No, Cougarpaw!" Gravelstar watched unhappily as Asternose cried over her son's dead body. Swamppelt, Asternose's mate, looked out from the elder's den, where him and the rest of the sick cats were staying. He gazed at his son, his eyes dead with grief. Cougarpaw had been apprenticed not long ago. His mentor Robinspots groomed Asternose, her tail drooped.
"Why Starclan, why?" Asternose yowled at the sky, tears spilling out of her eyes like a river. Skysong, the Riverclan medicine cat, stared at them, looking guilty. Gravelstar walked over to her, "Skysong-"
"I must go care for the other cats," Skysong cut him off, heading back into the medicine den. Gravelstar sighed, but understood; Skysong had just lost her first cat to this greencough outbreak, and with leafbare around the corner, she didn't have much time or more herbs to get.
*A half moon later
Gravelstar grieved again. In the middle of the camp was Blackheart, his father. He had been an elder, too weak to fight the sickness. Gravelstar buried his nose in Blackheart's fur, grieving in silence. Beside him, his mate Brightflame and brother Nightshade both whispered goodbyes. His three kits were looking out from the nursery, the other queen Squirrelleap, her belly heavy with unborn kits, her bushy tail curled around them.
"Why is Blackheart sleeping?" one of the kits, a light brown tom, asked Squirrelleap. She didn't respond, just licked his head sadly.
*A quarter moon later
Gravelstar pressed against Brightflame, who was crying. Two of his kits, Lightkit, a white she-cat, and Honeykit, a ginger she-cat, were now in the clearing, unmoving. Treekit, their only son, was huddled against Brightflame, staring at his sisters in disbelief. Gravelstar looked up as an orange tom snarled at Skysong.
"Why aren't you doing anything?" Thunderstorm said angrily, "Cats are dying, and all you can say is 'I'm sorry; I'm trying my best.' Help them! My brother could be next." His brother Weedfurry had just gotten greencough, so Gravelstar understood his worry, but didn't like how he was expressing it. Everyone could tell Skysong was doing all she could. Rainstorm stepped in front of his sister, who was staring at her paws, her eyes teary.
"How dare you!" Rainstorm growled, "Skysong is doing everything in her power to help them! I don't see you collecting herbs to give them! All you do is sit around the camp!" Gravelstar looked at the elders' den, where the sick cats were clinging to life. Windpaw, Swamppelt, Oceanpaw, Hailstorm, Lakewater, Pinepaw, Foxclaw, how many more could he name? He watched Redwing try to calm down the fighting toms, feeling empty. He was losing control of his clan.
"How many more will die before this all stops?" Gravelstar thought miserably, gazing again at his daughters, feeling his hope for the sickness to leave start to fade.
*3 moons later
The sun was shining on a beautiful newleaf day. Gravelstar watched Lakewater leave with Windpaw and Marigoldheart on a border patrol. Squirrelleap's kits Antkit and Gingerkit were playing with the elder Shadowleaf's tail. Seapaw and Treepaw were sharing a fish by the apprentices den. Redwing was leaving with Pinepaw for a training session. Swamppelt was sharing tongues with his mate Robinspots, who was expecting kits. Gravelstar smiled, his heart lifting. The greencough attack had been stifled a moon ago. They had lost three more cats, but Riverclan was still strong. The fights had stopped, and the medicine den was empty. As Gravelstar went to go hunting, he thought back to when Lightkit and Honeykit had died. He had almost lost hope, thought Starclan had given up on them, and that his clan was falling apart. But now, as he looked around the sunny, warm camp, he knew that Riverclan would never die. They would always be here to fight sickness for another day.