"Firestar," Leafpool greeted her leader, "may we come in?"
"yes."
Willowpaw stepped into the dark den. It was warm and cozy. She saw Firestar lying in the back of his den. A piece of fresh-kill lay beside him.
He blinked a greeting to the cats. "So? What is it?"
"Firestar, we bring bad news." Sleekstripe started.
"Yes. Do you remember any of the elders tales about a disease called the Circle of Death?" Leafpool mewed. Firestar nodded his head. Once again, Leafpool explained the horrors of this disease, and how it took you life so slowly, that you would try to kill yourself.
Firestar looked at Leafpool in amazement and fear after he heard that the starling had had this disease.
"Are you sure it wasn't a different disease?" the fiery tom asked. Leafpool nodded.
"I remember Cinderpelt say that you could never tell if an animal had this disease until you tasted it. All the other diseases you can almost immediately notice." Firestar stared at something only he could see, unblinking.
"I see." He licked his paw casually and drew it over his ears. "is it easily catch able?" Leafpool nodded, "Even if you haven't tasted the animal, and another cat has, you can catch it from the cat. You can never catch it from the first animal that has had the disease unless you have tasted it, you can only catch it from the animal that has caught the disease from the original animal." (does that make sense?)
"ok." Firestar nodded, "we must get rid of this animal."
"how?" Willowpaw had kept silent until this moment.
"How? Push it out with your paws. Do not! I repeat…Do not! Put it in your mouths. After you have thrown it out, far away, go clean off you paws in the ravine." Firestar answered.
All three cats nodded there heads.
"Wait! Leafpool, I need you to stay here, since Hazelleaf is out collecting herbs. But, Sleekstripe, Willowpaw, go find another warrior or apprentice. After you have taken care of the job, I will announce to the Clan that there may be a serious disease spreading through." He flicked his tail to end the session.
"Brambleclaw, can you help us get this away from the camp?" Willowpaw asked, and then added, "as quickly as possible?"
"Sure. Why?"
"it has a very serious disease. Don't ask. Firestar will explain when we get back." Sleekstripe answered.
"What ever you say." Brambleclaw sheathed his claws and took hold of the starling. Willowpaw took hold to, and all three took it out of the camp. They dragged it till they reached the Thunderpath, near ShadowClan border. Sleekstripe quickly placed it on the path before any monsters could approach. She blinked at her two friends and headed for the ravine.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, come for a Clan meeting!" Willowpaw heard her clan leader yowl as soon as they walked into camp. She sat next to her brother and sister.
"there is something very serious going on in the Clan that you all need to know about." Firestar began. "the disease, Circle of Death, has taken place again. We must be very careful! I know this must sound weird, but you must not share tongues for the next few moons. You shall only clean yourself."
"but what about our kits?!" Sorreltail asked, "how are we supposed to wash our kits?!"
"Teach them." Their leader replied.
"What is the Circle of Death? I have never heard of that before!" Lightfur called.
Firestar glanced at Leafpool to explain.
"the Circle of Death is a disease we all need to take seriously. The disease starts a few days before you even know you have it. After a few days, your legs start to get all stiff, and gradually your whole body does. Soon, since you can't move, or even scratch yourself, you go crazy. No matter what you do, can't control yourself. You start to turn against every one you ever loved. You feel like you need to run and scream, but you can't. You're as helpless as a new born kit. Sometimes the cat that has the disease kills themselves because they can't bare the pain. Otherwise, they just let the disease slowly, kill you."
Shocked mews passed through the ThunderClan cats.
"how do you know that ThunderClan even has the disease?" Cloudtail called.
"We don't." Sleekstripe spoke up. " we just want you to be extra careful, because me, Willowpaw, Leafpool, and Rustpaw have tasted it."
"Me! How did I catch this Circle of…whatever….I never even touched the thing!" Rustpaw cried.
"Rustpaw. You are the one who caught it." Willowpaw mewed quietly.
"oh…" he mewed.
"Every one understand?" Firestar asked. "Good." Firestar leaped down from the Highrock and spoke to Graystripe, and his senior warriors about the conflict.
"So are we training to day?" Willowpaw asked Sleekstripe.
"yep. I though we'd do some scenting."
