Flower Foot's whitecough had developed into greencough.
Star Flower had died the night prior to her own bought, and Acorn Fur was pretty sure the severity of Flower Foot's was half-dependant on the loss of her mother.
Birchpelt, with a bit of convincing from Rainsplash, had stepped up as leader while the deputy and leader were sick.
"Who died and made you leader?" Quick Water snapped as Birchpelt sat on the Highbranch organizing patrols. Birchpelt flattened her ears to her head, callousness and anger suddenly rising from her stomach to her throat, burning a bit as it came out.
"I don't see you taking control of our clan, Quick Water," she snapped back, "You're the oldest cat in SkyClan, you lived with Skystar in the mountains. One would think you'd be the one to step up."
Quick Water's eyes widened, and her mouth, with was hanging open, snapped shut.
"Ha!" exclaimed Thorn, "Dream on, Quick Water, you wish this was QuickClan!"
Nettle smiled, "Birchpelt's Skystar's next of kin anyway. Maybe she should be our leader."
"No," Birchpelt mewed, gaining the clan's attention again, "I'm only serving until both Sparrowstar and Flower Foot get better. Now, Honey Pelt, Peppermint and Blossom, I want you to lead a hunting patrol along the ThunderClan border. Meeting dismissed."
Rainsplash, who was on a patrol with Thorn and Alder, ran his head under Birchpelt's chin before he left.
"You know," he mewed, "I think you would make a good leader."
Birchpelt just shrugged, certain she wasn't cut out for leadership, despite her clanmates claims.
(...)
Only serving as leader for the time being was the plan, anyway.
Another day had passed and night had fallen. Flower Foot was dying. Acorn Fur had informed them after they'd returned from a moonrise hunting patrol that chances were she wouldn't see the next morning.
Rainsplash was very upset. Birchpelt was pretty conflicted. Flower Foot was the cat who'd led her mother to her grave, but Flower Foot was her aunt. Rainsplash sobbed into her pelt, the only thing he could think to do, while Birchpelt watched on.
Flower Foot cracked open a dull, blue eye and stared vaguely into Birchpelt's direction.
"Birchpelt…?" she wheezed.
Birchpelt took a step forward and, reluctantly, pressed her muzzle into her neck fur. It felt so much like Dew Petal's, but not as plumey. Birchpelt needed to apologize, she had to, but she couldn't find the words.
She didn't hardly get the chance to think about her words before Flower Foot let out a sigh, and her shallow breaths stopped moving Birchpelt's chest fur. Birchpelt let out her own deep sigh. Rainsplash looked up.
"Is she…?"
Birchpelt nodded and sat up. "Help me bury her."
"Right away?"
Birchpelt shrugged, looking to Acorn Fur for guidance. Her amber eyes were dull, saddened. She suddenly seemed so old. Casting another glance at her aunt's mangled body, Birchpelt nodded; half to herself and half to Rainsplash.
They bundled her body over their shoulders, carrying her out into the forest. After they stopped and buried her, Birchpelt sat at the edge of her grave.
"...are you coming back?" Rainsplash asked quietly. Birchpelt shook her head, not taking her gaze from the snowless dirt. Rainsplash didn't saw anything, but Birchpelt heard the grass and snow crunch under his paws as he headed away. Birchpelt laid down on top of the grave, curling her tail over her nose.
(...)
"...rchpelt…. Birchpelt!"
Birchpelt grunted, batting at the paw prodding her with her tail.
"Hey!" Rainsplash exclaimed, "Don't hit me!"
Birchpelt stood and opened her eyes, stretching out.
"You've been out here all night," Rainsplash informed.
"I'd hope so," Birchpelt mewed, "I don't remember waking up to go anywhere."
Rainsplash let out a mrrow of laughter and rolled his eyes. "I was worried sick about you all night, you know. The sunrise was pink. Do you remember what our dad used to say?"
"That a pink dawn in leafbare means newleaf is coming?"
Rainsplash nodded, "We'll get more food soon! How neat is that?"
Birchpelt nodded, letting Rainsplash chatter on as he led her back to camp. Was that good enough for an apology, Birchpelt wondered, or did she have to say it?
She hoped she didn't.
(...)
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highbranch for a clan meeting."
It was a very warm, nice newleaf. Greencough had gone and Sparrowstar was once again healthy.
"Clanmates," Sparrowstar went on, "You all know what happened leafbare. Both Flower Foot and I came down with a sickness and Flower Foot, unfortunately, passed. This means SkyClan is deputyless."
Rainsplash cast a warm glance to his sister, sitting beside her. Birchpelt shook her head and frowned.
"Acorn Fur told me that one of our cats stepped up for leadership while I was unfit, and I believe this cat is worthy of deputyship if they step up as leader when they weren't required to. I say these words before the spirit of Flower Foot, so that she may hear and above of my choice," Sparrowstar turned her gaze to Birchpelt, "Birchpelt will be the new deputy of SkyClan."
"Birchpelt!" Rainsplash exclaimed, "Birchpelt! Birchpelt!"
Honey Pelt and Peppermint also joined in the cry. Even Quick Water, reluctantly, and only for a few words, joined. Birchpelt smiled and purred, ducking her head under Rainsplash's chin in embarrassment.
It wasn't a position she was trying for, she just felt like SkyClan needed a leader while both of theirs were sick… for a moment her heart sank in guilt. Was she stealing this position from Flower Foot? Then she pulled back once the cheering stopped and looked into his pale yellow eyes, bright in such pride and enthusiasm, and figured Flower Foot wouldn't mind too much.
(...)
Four moons later, in the starting weeks of leaf-fall, a yowl of pain rang out in camp. Immediately, the hunters all awoke, groggy. Acorn Fur, herbs hanging from her jaws, emerged from her den and into the bush beside the hunter's den. Honey Pelt was soon to follow.
Thorn sighed and shook their pelt, pawing up their moss before standing and heading out of the den.
"Where are you going?" yawned Nettle.
"That bigger den on the other side of this one. It's further away from the nursery and I'm not keen on being woken up by a screaming queen and screaming kit again.
Blossom and Alder were the next on their feet, following the brown cat. Quick Water tilted her head and followed once Peppermint yowled again.
"A bit disrespectful, don't you think?" Birchpelt mewed, "To just move to a new den?"
Rainsplash shrugged, "They're right, I don't want to be kept up all night and then have to do things in the morning."
Birchpelt hummed and, after a moment, followed him to the new den.
It wasn't very long before it was quiet again, and everycat was awake anyway, so after several seconds everyone stood and sat outside the nursery, tumbling over eachother to try and look inside at SkyClan's newest member.
At Peppermint's belly squirmed a black kitten with a white tail-tip. Honey Pelt, eyes watery, laid behind his mate and looked on with the utmost love in his eyes. Acorn Fur hissed and pushed her way through the cats.
"Go to bed, all of you!" she mewed, "You look like you've never seen a kitten."
"We've never seen a kitten," Rainsplash replied smugly.
Acorn Fur rolled her eyes and let out a beep of amusement. "Fine. Don't think I didn't overhear you complaining about sleeplessness, though. Take your look and get to bed, Peppermint and kit need rest too."
The hunters nodded, but Birchpelt and Rainsplash stayed, their heads on their paws, quietly watching. Peppermint purred.
"I was thinking Dashkit," she mewed quietly, "Nearly dashed out of me, has those dashes of white…" Honey Pelt purred and closed his eyes in acceptance.