Chapter 27
BushClan/Icepaw
"I lost a life, Icepaw." Morningstar had confessed, "Don't tell anyone, please. Just tell them you helped me get better. They don't have to know how many lives I have left."
It shattered her perspective on everything. Icepaw was curled up in her nest, unable to sleep from the horrible news. When she had gone to get the precious herb with Jasmine, Morningstar lost a life without anyone knowing. He had been sick, but refused to let anyone even know it. He acted as though he only had whitecough, but it was greencough all along as he tried to keep up. He had only came clean that busy morning and now she could only lay there in defeat.
She needed rest, but she couldn't. She wasn't very comfortable in her nest, it felt as though every thorn in the forest was within it. Or even not enough moss was protecting her from the bramble and gorse. Glancing around blindly, she wished, desperately to see. Flamepaw and Turtlepaw were going to have an assessment in the following morning to ensure they could be of perfect help for the battle against the foxes. She was anxious for them, no longer jealous of their sight and confidence.
Turtlepaw moved beside her, half-asleep as she muttered. "Stop wiggling."
Flamepaw soon chimed in with a soft trill. "She's just anxious for us."
With a nod to herself, she snuggled closer to her siblings, seeking comfort in their scents. The assessment was dangerous with the foxes still roaming about. Not to mention how quiet the deadly FearClan-cats were being. They could easily overpower a couple of apprentices, even with their mentors watching over them. Her heart was fluttering inside her chest as she focused on her breathing. She listened to their hearts, finding comfort in those.
They were strong hearts, bringing the comfort that they could handle it. After a long night of wriggling, she dozed off. Her body completely relaxed against her siblings while Crowpaw and Rubypaw were curled up together by Tumbleheart. Soon, they would be free from the foxes and be able to learn in a much more peaceful forest. The darkness beneath her eye lids seemed to be comforting until she felt the warm greenleaf breeze running through her stark white pelt.
She opened her eyes instantly, surrounded by heather and moorland grass that waved in the wind all around her. A place untouched by the Twolegs that had attacked many moons before her birth. A familiar place that she slowly began to call her hearts home. She slowly got to her paws, looking around as she took a step forward. This place far more beautiful then the spindly tree-forest she had in the waking world.
"Worry seems to trouble you often, don't they?" a calm meow spoke behind her.
She turned to see the reddish-brown tom with the bushy tail. "Bushstar, you have brought me here?"
"For good reason." he replied softly as the familiar night-black she-cat stepped into her view. "Nightstar and I have things we wish to say to try and help."
"Help? We're under attack of foxes and FearClan has been silent." Icepaw blurted out, unable to stop herself from voicing the worries that filled her from within. "Not to mention Flamepaw is missing his tail and is half a moon behind in training! I'm blind and have no real fighting skills anymore. It's like we are not meant to be."
"That's enough." Nightstar snapped. "You are a full-grown she-cat now. Stop being a kit."
"Nightstar is right, although I would never speak with a thorn-tongue of a tone." Bushstar pointed out, his eyes glittering. "Your anxieties are warranted, young Icepaw. Danger looms at all times in leafbare and it is bound to become worse. A blind cat is only as blind as they are when they focus on that alone. You are much stronger and braver then you give yourself credit for. Even if it is a farce on the surface, it does wonders to make others truly believe in your skill."
"I understand what you are saying, but it's not helping anyone." Icepaw whispered. "Why is FearClan so silent?"
"We cannot say." Nightstar admitted, "It's difficult for us to see them and our only contacts are Hawksight and that... kit of theirs."
"A kit?" she perked up. "How can a kit be a contact?"
Bushstar blinked slowly. "Leader's are never born, they are made Icepaw. They can only become a true leader like us if they listen. We don't know if the kit would ever listen, but he is younger then even you. We will do what we can from here, but remember: it's not the end of BushClan under every conflict. It is only another lesson for the whole Clan to learn from."
"Wait! Whose the kit!?" she tried to yowl, but it seemed to get caught in her throat as her dream began to fade.
Darkness crashed over her as she woke up. The warm bodies of her siblings gone, leaving her all alone in the den. She blinked a few times, wondering how long she had been asleep. Carefully she got to her paws and made her way out of the apprentice's den. Looking around, the glare of the snow hardly reached the darkness she knew all to well. Sometimes she missed seeing things, but she had to leave it all behind. With a heavy sigh, she began her duties.
Worries were still in the back of her mind, but not as much as before. With a glance around she listened carefully. Blackdapple was still organizing the patrols while taking care of her kits. It wouldn't be long until the no-moon now. Their camp would soon be ready and she would have to be even more certain about her abilities. After all, everything was bound to change before she knew it.
You may have put my feelings first, Bushstar and Nightstar; but you should have told me if there was anything we should look out for. She thought as she made her way to the medicine den. I can't see, so there is no omen that would be useful as far as I know.
She checked on Bubblekit, who was curled into a tight ball and snoring lightly. Satisfied that the blue-gray and white tom would be ready to head back to the nursery soon, she moved onto Pigeonstream. For the first time in days, his breathing was strong in his sleep, brightening her up as she listened. He was still warm to the touch with fever, but she was confident that he would be well soon enough.
In a happier mood, she moved onto Tangletooth, only to halt. A scent that she hadn't picked up before was wafting through the den. Terror gripped her as she hurried forward, Tangletooth was becoming worse, the scent of blood was in the air. Her mood had been shattered as she attempted to try and figure out what was wrong. She used a paw to feel for fever, only to find out that he was practically a flame beneath his pelt.
"Catmint, I need catmint and feverfew." she whispered to herself, rushing to the herb store and sticking a paw into it to find the leaves she needed. "Snow would help most of all to break the fever." she told herself to keep a level head.
Tangeltooth coughed, hacking behind her with gasping breaths. She hurried back to him, letting him lick up the leaves she left him before going to get some snow. She didn't go too far to get a big enough clump to roll into the den. She broke it into smaller clumps to place along his body, anything to bring his fever down. She could hear him lapping at the snow weakly. She felt him over and cursed to herself.
He was thin and his fur was matted. She could feel his bones. No matter how much they tried to get him to eat, he would only take a bite or two before putting his head back down. She felt she was loosing him, before letting her shoulders droop. If it wasn't enough and he died, she at least attempted everything. Would she be accused on saving her father rather then the deputy? Fear held fast inside her heart.
If she gave up and let him rest, he might never wake up. Yet, if she kept treating his symptoms he may recover, but she wasn't sure how much damage a fever this bad could give. Would he be the same or would it be all for nothing? She wasn't sure, she twitched her tail and whiskers in uncertainty. Just how far could she treat him before the store ran out, or before he passed away?
"StarClan, please." she prayed softly. "Help me make the right decision soon."
There wasn't enough time, Tangletooth would either survive another night, or die. Only one option she didn't want, but she understood it would be the nature of things. Focusing once more, she gave Pigeonstream and Bubblekit their medicine. Slowly, she left the den to check on the elders before moving to the kits and the prey-pile. It was all along her way, making it easy for her to get things done while on her errand. Then she could bring prey to the sick before checking on Morningstar to make sure he stayed well.
The day seemed to move too fast for her liking, leaving her to find that nothing worse was happening. Her siblings assessments went well as she finished checking on Morningstar while he trained Crowpaw himself. Everything outside of the den was cheerful and alive. Even the news of her siblings were great, but she felt she couldn't get into it. The deputy wasn't going to make it and she knew she had to admit this to Morningstar above all else.
She waited her turn before hearing the paw-steps of Jaggedcloud and Twilightsky pad away from the leader's den. At last, she padded to the leader's den where Morningstar would be resting and keeping warm to prevent another attack of greencough. She slipped in, her head low as she crept up to him on nervous paws.
"Morningstar, I needed to speak with you on regards of Tangletooth." she began.
The pale cream tom shifted in his nest. "What is it?"
"He seems to be getting worse." Icepaw explained, "I believe you should begin considering a new deputy just in case. I don't want him to die, but it is in the best interest of the Clan's survival if you begin thinking about it before it's too late."
Silence met her words, she could easily imagine his golden eyes searching her for it to be a lie. Perhaps even silently begging it was only a precaution. Yet, she remained stoic and logical. The only way she knew to make it come across as the truth of her worries. She desperately wanted it to be a lie herself, but she knew it is as true as it could ever be.
"I understand." he murmured, his mew soft and almost reserved. "Leave me be, I need time to think."
"Understood." she meowed, dipping her head. "My apologies for not having any better news." she stood up and left her leader in peace.
She did what she could and now it was up to Morningstar to make his decision for the future. Most importantly it was up to StarClan to allow Tangletooth to survive or die in his fight for survival. Soothing herself, she padded back to the medicine den, knowing she should be sleeping there. However, she wasn't sure she was ready to sleep alone with the sick so soon. After all, she was only doing her best until the end of this horrible half-moon.
Author Note:
This was a little difficult, but I made it work I think. I just wanted to write so I did and when I thought it was done, I pushed myself further to make it longer. :)
2,000 words and above is a nice challenge. I love it since it makes me attempt to bring order to my seat-of-the-pants story writing.
Thank you for reading; have a great day/night! - NightSky
