Authors note: Okay, so maybe two more chapters going on here until I start Unknown Future 3 (Still working on the title), which, alas, would be the ending of Skypaw's and Dirtpaw's journey. Thank you Irisheart8, Bramblelegs, Ottersong, and AwynSparrowflight for reviewing!
Chapter Ten: Deathberries
Dirtpaw shuffled through the fresh-kill pile, unsure of what she was going to eat. With Leaf-bare in their mist, the prey had been down, and it made Dirtpaw think on how great hunter Skypaw was. She missed him so much, was he truly evil now, would he go to Starclan? Or that horrible Dark Forest.
He would've fed the clan. "Oh Starclan, please let him be okay." Dirtpaw whispered, before picking out an older, silver fish. Quickly scrapping its scales off she looked up to see Ashpaw approaching.
"Hello Ashpaw." she mewed, taking a bite into the cold meat of the fish. Oh yes, this fish was old.
"Hello Dirtpaw!" Ashpaw purred, plopping down next to her and started to eat his water vole.
"Shouldn't you be saving the plumped prey for the elders?" Dirtpaw asked, eyeing the plump belly of the vole, it could feed both elders, but Ashpaw devoured it like it was only a scrawny mouse.
"Do you see all that prey up there?" Ashpaw mewed, flicking his tail. "Look, it could feed all the apprentices!"
Dirtpaw looked at the two fish caught that morning, and an old jay bird that was lying off to the side. She just nodded, and finished her fish quickly. She would have to go hunting later with Littlestep so they could re-fill what Ashpaw selfishly took.
"Dirtpaw, would you want to go hunting with me and Greypaw?" Ashpaw asked suddenly. "Were taking our hunting assignment today, and I would like some help scouting it out."
"Are your brother's getting help?" Dirtpaw asked.
Ashpaw nodded. "Yes, Greypaw is taking Emeraldpaw. It you ask me, I think he likes her." Ashpaw laughed.
"I can't see that, seeing how Emeraldpaw looks at no one else other than Tanglepaw." Dirtpaw giggled, picking up the fish bones and taking them to the edge of camp to be buried.
"You know," Dirtpaw heard Ashpaw behind her. "Dirtpaw, I like you."
Dirtpaw spun around, her tail hitting the back of the bushes that covered the camp in safety. She looked at Ashpaw with wide brown eyes, unsure. "W-what do you mean? I like you too Ashpaw, as a friend."
Ashpaw's face fell. "I know I hurt you a while ago, but that doesn't mean you have to hold it against me, Dirtpaw. I am sorry, and I would too have a chance to know you better..."
Dirtpaw sighed, this wasn't happening, not after her and Spottedpaw! The one tom she tritely had feelings for... Dirtpaw looked around camp for the spotted tom. He went to meet with Starclan last night remember? A voice told her. Great, she wouldn't see him until the sun is high.
"I-I'm sorry, Ashpaw, I can't. Not right now." she mewed, and raced off towards the medicine cat's den. If she couldn't see Spottedpaw, at least she could stay somewhere where his scent was, where she felt comfortable.
Padding through the small entrance of the den, Dirtpaw was shocked to see Hazelnose tending to two coughing figures curled up next to her.
Hazelnose looked up. "Oh! Dirtpaw, is anything wrong?"
Dirtpaw shook her head. "No, I thought you would still walking back from the Moonpool."
Hazelnose let out a low chuckle. "Starclan was not that giving last night, and we ended early. I come back to find that Greypaw and Thistlepaw have gotten a horrible case of Greencough." she mewed, going to get some thin, soft looking leaves. "Eat these." she coaxed to Greypaw.
Hazelnose then looked up. "You're gone for one night and the whole clan falls apart."
"Um, do you know where Spottedpaw is?"
Hazelnose's head snapped up. "What do you what from him that I can't do?"
Dirtpaw took a step back. "N-nothing. I figured you were busy, so I thought he could help me."
Hazelnose's face relaxed, and she went back to work. Thistlepaw let out a wet, loud cough before shivering and going still, his breathing quickly and raspy. Dirtpaw saw fear flash through Hazelnose's eyes. It must hard, having the whole clan depend on you to keep them healthy, and how it had to hurt to fail them. Dirtpaw felt for Hazelnose, on how much she loved Riverclan.
"He was going to take his hunting assignment today." Dirtpaw said.
"Well Greypaw won't be leaving this den to go on any hunting." Hazelnose mewed. "Now Dirtpaw, I am busy, do you need something?"
Dirtpaw shook her head, and padded out of the den, the sound of coughs trailing behind her.
-x-
Spottedpaw was slinking through the entrance when Dirtpaw had walked out of the medicine cat's den.
"Spottedpaw!" Dirtpaw called and raced towards him. Spottedpaw laughed, curling his tail around her in a friendly greeting. Anything more, and it would lead on what their relationship was really like.
"Actually, Dirtpaw, I have some news to tell you." Spottedpaw laughed. "Hazelnose gave me my full medicine cat name. You may now call me, Spottedcloud."
Dirtpaw purred, but then her face fell. "So its official, you're a medicine cat now?"
Spottedcloud nodded. "It's true, but it doesn't change anything Dirtpaw, remember that." he mewed, nudging her face lightly with his nose.
"Spottedcloud!"
Both cats looked up to see Hazelnose standing in the entrance of the medicine cat's den. Spottedcloud sighed. "I have to go." he mewed, licking Dirtpaw's cheek before racing off.
-x-
"Are you sure we can attack?" Mystic growled. He had been watching the clan for many moons, and knew the time was coming close.
The brown tom nodded. "Yes, I should know, Hazelnose told me that the clan is getting weaker, and that she had a opportunity to make their rank's smaller."
"We are going to attack?" a she-cat's voice mewed, padding out from the bramble bushes.
"Revenge!" the brown tom yowled. "Why were you listening in?"
"Well if we are going to attack my clan, I think I should know." the she-cat hissed. "They left me here, and they deserve their punishment."
Mystic chuckled lowly, something he rarely did. "Save your anger for the battle, Revenge, you will be needing it greatly."
"But they are a weak clan!" Revenge growled.
"Yes, but once we take over Riverclan, Shadowclan is next." Mystic growled, it's sound trailing through the small clearing. "Soon this lake will be mine, and then we will go on to find other clans!"
The cats around him yowled their agreement, as they walked into MysticMoon's camp.
Mystic turned to the brown tom that had been following them. "Go inform Hazelnose when we will attack." the tom nodded and sprinted off towards Riverclan' territory.
"Rouges! Fighters!" Mystic mewed, jumping onto the lower branch of a tree. "It is time to attack Riverclan!"
Cheers and hisses of agreement sounded from the group of cat below. "Yin and Death, make sure everyone knows the quickest way to kill. Hearth, Crow, Jagged and Rock, go hunting. We need full bellies. And Bark,"
Mystic's new second in command stepped forward. "Yes Mystic?"
"Get the rest of the clan ready we will attack tonight."
-x-
"Hazelnose, I found more Catnip." Spottedcloud mewed, padding through the back way of the medicine cat's den.
Hazelnose nodded and picked the herbs up from Spottedcloud. The tom went over to Thistlepaw and Greypaw, who looked like they were in worse shape than before.
"Should we give them some of the catnip? And some juniper berries so they'll stop coughing." Spottedcloud suggested.
"Yes Spottedcloud, you will be a great medicine cat." Hazelnose mewed, going back and picking up some berries and wrapping them in the tasty catnip leaves. "Feed them these, I need some fresh air."
Watching Hazelnose leave Spottedcloud nudged the herb wraps towards the two apprentices, the smell of catnip was overwhelming.
Thistlepaw and Greypaw eagerly ate up the herbs, sighing as the juice from the berries eased their throats. Then, they started coughing again. Loud, hacking as they arched their backs and tried to spit out what they had just eaten.
"What in Starclan!" Spottedcloud yowled, seeing the two cat's becoming weaker, their coughing bodies falling to the ground. Were they choking?! He went over to the herbs and got some yew. "Eat this, please!" she mewed, stuffing the yew to the two apprentices. They looked up at him in confusion with wide, scared eyes.
"Eat them!" Spottedcloud said again. He crouched down to the toms, as Thistlepaw shuttered before lying still. Greypaw looked at his brother, then up towards the darkening sky, before drawing one last shaky breath.
"Oh dear Starclan, no!" Spottedcloud yowled, memories on how he couldn't save Krestlestar swept into his mind. What went wrong?
Spottedcloud looked at the herb wraps that Hazelnose had given him. Spreading one open he saw a bundle of bright juniper berries, and three small dark black berries. Spottedcloud checked the other one, and found the same thing.
"Hazelnose, why?" Spottedcloud gasped, looking down at the death berries that Hazelnose had put into the herb wraps. Spottedcloud knew it wasn't an accident, the juniper berries were on the other side of the herb pile, far away from the death berries. No, Hazelnose did this on purpose.
"Why would you kill two innocent apprentices?"
Authors note: Oh exciting endings! This wasn;t my best, but once again nessecary to the plot. So please review, if you guys don;t review faster I won't update as much!