Chapter Five: Dream's Warning

"Seednose was complaining about feeling ill the night before," Snowpaw overheard Featherwhisker tell Greenclaw as Sunleaf tended to her nettle stings. "The sickness that struck Birdpelt caused a seizure in her sleep and she seemed perfectly healthy before, so rest assured. Even though Birdpelt and Seednose were close, there are no similarities between their illness besides the jerking. Even so, we will keep a close eye on Frogleap as she continues along her pregnancy."

"I just wanted to make sure," Greenclaw mewed gruffly. "Three pregnant queens in a row is just unusual."

Snowpaw briefly remembered Fernwish. She was a queen who was about to kit when Snowpaw was a newborn. Frenwish went for a walk and a rogue cat attacked and killed her near the abandoned two-leg place. ThunderClan sent a patrol to find the rouge but there was no trace. Some cats believed Sootheart, ThunderClan's exiled warrior, killed her.

"There!" Sunleaf purred, bringing Snowpaw's attention back to him. "Your face will feel numb but the swelling should go down by sunrise. You should sleep here tonight though just in-"

"No need Sunleaf," Featherwhisker interrupted without turning away from Greenclaw. "They're just nettle stings. If she ate the nettles then I would be worried about her breathing but these little stings will be fine enough for her to sleep in her own nest."

"If you say so." Sunleaf sounded concerned and muttered to Snowpaw, "I wouldn't be so worried if the stings weren't right on your eyelids. The sight would be a terrible thing to lose so check in with me before you do any apprenticeship duties. If you have any trouble sleeping tonight stop by and we can help with that."

"Ok," Snowpaw muttered. "Thank you."

Together Snowpaw and Greenclaw left the medicine cat den. Greenclaw's tail twitched irritably when he saw Willowdrift sitting outside waiting. Willowdrift ignored Greenclaw and turned to Snowpaw, "Well?"

"Sunleaf said I will be better by sunrise," Snowpaw mewed looking at her paws.

"That's good news," Willowdrift sighed. "Tomorrow morning, after you check the barrier, we'll hunt in honor of Seednose. We would do that now, but under your current swollenness, it will have to wait. In the meantime, check on the elders, they will be upset about Seednose and might like help or company preparing the vigil tonight."

Snowpaw lowered her head shamefully and turned away from the two warriors towards the elders' den. "Good afternoon Bigheart and Ambernose," Snowpaw mewed walking in.

Ambernose grunted, "You look like you ran face first into a nettle bush."

"I did."

"Silly she-cat," Bigheart purred. "You've had a rough day then."

"First Seednose, then nettles," Ambernose added sympathetically.

Snowpaw suddenly remembered her dream last night, and Slatepaw's experiences, which had her lying awake all night. "Actually, it started before that," Snowpaw mewed sourly. "I slept horribly too."

"How come little one," Bigheart asked.

"I had a bad dream. It felt so real that I couldn't go back to sleep."

Ambernose and Bigheart looked at each other briefly before Ambernose meowed, "A bad dream the night before Seednose's death?"

"Did you tell the medicine cats while you were getting your nettle stings treated?" Bigheart asked.

Snowpaw answered hesitantly, "No. It was just a bad dream."

"Dearie, cats usually do not have vivid bad dreams without reason," Ambernose spoke with an unusually soft tone.

Bigheart chimed in, "Usually just missed prey or skirmishes. Nothing worth remembering the next day or keeping us up at night."

"Come with us," Ambernose stood shakily to her paws. Snowpaw could see Ambernose's hips tremor with the effort and remembered Willowdrift's instructions.

"But I was told to come help you will the vigil," Snowpaw mewed as Bigheart struggled to his paws too.

"There's nothing to do at the moment for that. We have already cleaned her pelt. In the morning, Bigheart and I will bury her alone. It is an honor for us to help the young ones by letting them go back to their duties and try to regain some normalcies."

"We always pray we never have to though," Bigheart muttered sadly. "And it has been such a long time since we have had new kits come to the clan."

Snowpaw realized she was the youngest cat in the clan as they walked towards Foxstar's den. No other she-cat had gotten pregnant during the rough leaf-bare.

Foxstar was over watching the cats that sat in mourning with Seednose when he noticed the elders and Snowpaw approaching him. He jumped down to greet them. "Ambernose, Bigheart, Snowpaw," Foxstar purred at each of them even though his eyes swam with sadness. "Is there something I can help with?"

Snowpaw studied him, unaware of why the elders brought her to him. Foxstar was a big tom with a dark gray pelt and white paws and arms with deep amber eyes. He had a white patch right in the middle of his muzzle that stretched out to his right ear and his entire tail was white. Snowpaw briefly remembered Breezecreek comparing Foxstar to a fox he had seen on a patrol once except the fox was orange instead of gray and had a white chest and black tipped ears and forearms.

"Snowpaw had a vivid dream last night," Bigheart announced making Snowpaw suddenly self-conscious. "We thought the timing was off and that you should hear about it."

Foxstar nodded at Bigheart while meowing respectfully, "I always appreciate advice from my wise elders. Snowpaw, come with me."

Snowpaw followed Foxstar to his den. Inside was warm and welcoming. Foxstar sat down and wrapped his bushy tail around his paws, the white tail curled in welcome. Snowpaw felt very secure in her leader's presence. "So, tell me about this dream of yours, Snowpaw."

Snowpaw began by telling him of her vision being blurred to the two soft moving boulders to the thunder that clashed in front of her while the hollow echoed in cries from unseen cats. She explained how the boulders were then struck by lightning and right before she was hit she awoke in her nest.

Foxstar listened intently and narrowed his eyes deeper as she continued further into her dream. When Snowpaw finished, he rose his head to the entrance and meowed, "That is very coincidental. Snowpaw, tell me. Did you know how many siblings were born with you?"

Snowpaw felt suddenly uncomfortable as she couldn't remember, "I know it was one or two. Maybe three?"

Foxstar merely nodded, "It could mean nothing and I do not want you to be distracted by it just because of the situations that unfolded the next day. Tell me if you have that dream again though. Even if it wakes you up in the middle of the night. come to me."

Snowpaw nodded.

"You may go back to your nest and rest," Foxstar instructed. Standing to his paws he guided Snowpaw out of his den. Before leaping down from HighLedge to join Seednose's vigil he instructed Snowpaw, to her greatest embarrassment yet, "No more running into nettle bushes."

I will be updating more often! That also means I may have some typos though. Please ignore them, I am only a human without an editor :)