Chapter 17


BushClan/Icepaw

The medicine den was busy the moment Icepaw woke from her nap. She was working hard to get control over the greencough of the medicine den. Flamepaw hadn't caught it, thankfully, but with four cases in the den, it was already crowded. So much so, Icepaw had to relocate her den to the apprentice's den with Flamepaw. Poppyclaw was working double time and was now getting rest in the apprentice's den as well. Twitching her whiskers, Icepaw was positive that they needed to tunnel deeper into the walls so they could make more chambers for their patients.

On tired paws, she felt her way around and gathered whatever she could. Using her senses of smell and touch to find each herb that could help fight it off. Catmint was a rare find, thus she had to make use of whatever was left and available. Flaring her nostrils, she picked up the scent of chickweed, the next best thing for greencough, and plucked it from it's hiding place. With careful claws she brought the leaves close enough for her to pick up with her jaws. Gently, she took it to her work area, placing it beside the feverfew, poppyseeds, bright-eye and lovage.

Just before the sun began to set they ran out of tansy and even now Icepaw was positive that their stores were running low. Dividing up the leaves, she froze, realizing that she only had enough until morning. Her heart began to pound as her mind began to race. Where else could the rare herb grow? They would need it, especially when even Tangletooth had the sickness. She mentally searched her mind for the information, flicking her tail from side to side. Snapping her attention back into the present, she got back to work, placing a poppyseed on each leaf with some feverfew before mixing the bright-eye and lovage in preparation for when Poppyclaw took the next watch over the patients.

Gently, she urged her patients to take their medicine before Tangletooth finally padded in with weary steps. "I thought it would be time." he rasped.

Icepaw purred warmly as she carefully brought over his medicine. "You are right on time, now get plenty of rest. Morningstar will keep an eye for the dusk patrol's return. There is a poppyseed in there to make sure you sleep through the night. I only put one since we might need every cat in a moments notice."

Tangletooh nodded, his copper eyes seeming to brighten for a moment. "You have learned a lot, haven't you?"

Pigeonstream coughed before speaking up proudly. "I won't be surprised if Poppyclaw will have her a full medicine cat before we know it."

"That's enough," Icepaw scolded, "I won't be a medicine cat for many more moons I'm sure. There is much more to learn."

"Come and think of it," Tangletooth mewed as he sniffed the medicine. "Flamepaw and Turtlepaw should have been warriors by now."

Icepaw blinked, looking to her deputy. "Perhaps, but it's best to wait as long as Morningstar and the mentors think. Twilightsky and Jaggedcloud have to be certain their both big enough to be warriors and ready to defend the Clan with their very lives."

"That is true, but it's something I've been meaning to ask Morningstar." the deputy admitted, licking up the leaves and crunching through them.

She listened, twitching her ears before going back to her duties. If her father had spoken, she didn't hear him as she distracted herself in making sure even Bubblekit and Blazekit took their medicine. They were pickier and weren't accustomed to the bitter tang of herbs. So she had to be careful and give them time to work through their doses at their pace.

.

As the air began to cool down considerably, she knew the sun had fully set. With a stretch for her aching joints and muscles, she carefully picked her way between her patients and back into the outside world. In her jaws a leaf wrap full of the herbs and poultices that Flamepaw's stubby tail would need. She made her way to the apprentice's den to fix up his tail and check on it once more. With sickness already around, she had to make sure infection couldn't set in and add to the work load, or worse that her own brother would die.

Worry coiled its way into her stomach. Flamepaw was her only living brother left, he had to survive after all her hard work for him. Or at least, that's what she hoped. After all, infection can easily worm its way into places it shouldn't and cause pain, fever, and a horrible smell. Hunger gnawed at her belly, taking her out of her worried thoughts. After seeing to Flamepaw and waking Poppyclaw, she would get something to eat, if there was anything left to eat. Steadying herself, she pushed her way into the apprentice's den. taking in the scent of her sister, Turtlepaw, which soothed her.

Turtlepaw had survived a dusk patrol and was fast asleep in the warmth of the den. Carefully, she followed her sister's scent trail before veering off to find Flamepaw. So far he wasn't running a fever nor did his scent become musty or even close to death. Satisfied, she placed her leaf wrap to the side and began revealing the stump of a tail. A slight rancid scent reached her nostrils. She winced slightly, before licking the wound clean. Once it was, she began to work on applying the herb mixture all over again.

Her paws working carefully as she wrapped it back up and finished up. As though summoned by the scent of herbs, Poppyclaw's nest rustled as he moved. The medicine cat was taking his time to wake up, running his rough tongue through his fur. Quickly, she turned to his direction and padded over to his side of the den. A gentle tail brushed against her nose, helping her stop before she got too close.

"I'll head to the medicine den, you get some more rest." Poppyclaw told her.

Icepaw nodded, "I will, after I check the fresh-kill pile for a bite to eat."

"Alright, but if there isn't much, leave it be. The night patrol will hopefully bring in prey if they get the chance to." Poppyclaw reminded her as he slipped past her and out of the den.

Memories of the moonstone trickled back into her mind. Swiftly, she followed Poppyclaw, following his scent trail until her nose touched his tail. She heard his paw-steps falter, so she spoke. "Everything had been so busy, I hadn't had the chance to speak to you about what StarClan shared with me."

"Have they said something to help with this problem?" he inquired.

"Bushstar visited me," she started, sensing the faint agitation her mentor had for heartbeat before she continued, "he said: Fear and blood will rise, so will the noble, fearless, and wise. Then he added in: Fear will destroy the moors, blood will follow them and the hope of the stars will be lost forever."

Poppyclaw lashed his tail against the snowy ground. "Of course, typical of him. We need to find catmint that is thriving not think about prophecies that mean nothing until they happen."

"Something is going on though." she pressed.

"I'm not deaf, I know that." Poppyclaw reassured her, his sharp tone turning weary. "Icepaw, you have to understand that not even StarClan knows everything or can tell you everything. They can only try to help. The hope of the stars, it speaks volumes, but alas that is none of our concern right now. We have patients, cats, who need to be saved from joining StarClan's ranks."

The apprentice nodded meekly, her tail drooping in disappointment. "What if it's all connected?"

"Sickness could never be connected to StarClan." he reminded her, "What is connected is the feud we have with FearClan. If 'fear' is FearClan, then 'blood' is another piece of the past we have to discover."

"And the rest?"

"It's not worth getting worked up about. In time, all will become clear. That is the way things are done. So please, head to the prey-pile. I have work to do."

Icepaw dipped her head before turning away. Worries still plagued her. She couldn't wrap her head around how Poppyclaw could just be so indifferent about a prophecy like this. Was his faith shaken by the sickness or was it something deeper? She wished she would know and understand. She shook out her pelt as she found her way to the prey-pile and felt around a bit, finding only a single scrawny mouse.

Hunger wanted her to take it, but logically she had to leave it. With a heavy sigh, she turned and made her way back to the apprentice's den. Mentally counting the steps as she approached, the rustle of leaves made her heart lift a little as she was ready to slip into the den, before freezing up. A scent bathed over her nose. Parting her jaws, she could take in the familiar scent, her heart skipped a beat as she turned her head to the camp's entrance. They had been worked so thin that she was surprised to pick up the scent of a cat considered dead.

"Icepaw!" a familiar meow exclaimed in the quiet.

"Tumbleheart!" she called back, scrambling to make her way over. "You're alive!"

"Of course, I had some help. I met some cats and they're going to help get rid of the foxes."

"Who's this?" an unfamiliar mew graced Icepaw's ears.

"This is Icepaw, she's my friend and a medicine cat apprentice."

"A what?" another chimed in.

"Medicine cats help look after the sick or wounded and even expecting mothers."

"So like a Kit-Watcher?" another questioned.

Icepaw blinked, confused. "How many did you bring?"

"I brought Ruby, he helped me find help. The help is Jasmine, who was able to bring Maggot, Rat, and Stone."

Icepaw nodded numbly, her head seeming to spin from the various scents, some smelling like the acrid thunderpath and others like strange prey-like scents. "Right, you should see to Morningstar about this."

"Morningstar?" a new voice inquired.

"Oh, and that is... well... Timmy, he wanted to come along. I'll explain everything after I speak to Morningstar." Tumbleheart mewed, her voice dropping into a whisper.

"Please do, I'll see what I can do to help them feel at home."

"Right, I'll be right back everyone." Tumbleheart vowed before dashing into the direction of the leader's den.

Slowly Icepaw tried to focus, there wasn't enough leftover prey for the newcomers. She wouldn't be able to hunt since all she saw was strange blobs in the darkness that plagued her more and more. Her tail twitched as she padded over to the apprentice's den. It was the only available place as she tried to remember if it would have enough space for them.

At last she spoke aloud, "There won't be enough space in the apprentice's den. We might have to have you stay with the warriors and they won't be too pleased."

"Do you really think we would feel safe in there? We're covered in scars and don't smell as musky as this star-burned forest." a mew grumbled.

Icepaw blinked, looking into their direction. "Very well, then we can wait in the open until Morningstar thinks of something."

"You're just a Kit-Watcher, you hold no power here." came a growl.

Her fur began to stand on end as she felt agitation fill her. She sent them a glare. "How dare you, I am an important part of the Clan."

"So is every cat." a calmer mew broke in, before sharply turning on the offending tom. "Show her respect, we don't know everything about Clans."

"I bet they're so flea-brained they don't even scavenge properly." sniffed the same tom.

"Maggot, behave." the other scolded.

Before Icepaw could try to reign in control an astonished mew broke through the night air. "Jasmine, is that you?"


Author Note:

So, who is the astonished kitty in this cliff hanger? Find out in the next update!

Thank you for reading, have a great day/night! - NightSky