Chapter Fifteen
Thanks Banana Llama for reviewing! :)
DISCLAIMER
If I owned warriors, Feathertail would've survived the fall, the three would belong to Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw, and Spottedleaf and Firestar would never have loved each other
Lighteningclaw burst into the camp and sighed. He had been on another boring border patrol. He no longer felt a thrill at running side by side his clanmates through the forest. Clearmist suddenly bumped into him, her normally groomed fur sticking out in all directions. Hyperactive brat. He thought.
"Clearmist! What is it?" Lighteningclaw barred her way with his tail. His sister had barely slept since they became warriors, and she had passed on most of her meals to the sick cats. Silverdapple and Blossomfall had done the same, and they had been out hunting more frequently. Where do she-cats store all this energy? His sister's voice jolted him out of his thoughts.
"Lighteningclaw! Help! Greencough is spreading faster then ever, and because Amberkit is confined to the nursery and Jayfeather's busy with patients I have to go get catmint -" Lighteningclaw cut her off there.
"So? Just go to the abandoned twoleg nest."
"You didn't let me finish! The supply there is running low! The stupid badger that killed Ashfur killed the catmint! So now, Jayfeather told me that I have to find somebody to come with me to ShadowClan to ask for catmint! I could ask Firestar, but that wouldn't look to good, so I said that I'll look less threatening by myself, so now I can only hope if Tawnypelt or Flametail or Dawnpelt or Tigerheart is there!" She broke off because Lighteningclaw had just slapped his tail over her mouth.
"Don't worry Clearmist," he said reassuringly, "I'm sure they'll let you borrow catmint."
"Oh yeah?" Now she sounded defiant. "You just wait. I can almost guarantee that ShadowClan needs all their catmint too!" She whipped away and stumbled outside camp. He suddenly had a dizzying thirst for power, feeling as though he could battle off any ShadowClan warrior that dared to let his clan suffer with no catmint. He shook his head, and it was gone. He padded outside once more, his head spinning with confusion. He wasn't paying much attention as he blundered blindly through the forest. Eyes closed, he ignored the brambles that scratched at his face, but his eyes snapped open as he tripped over a lump of gray fluff. It yowled in pain at the same time the Lighteningclaw screamed.
"OW!" Clearmist sat up, licking her tail. She looked up at Lighteningclaw. "Ha, ha! You screamed!" Though filled with laughter, Clearmist sounded very tired and exhausted.
"Clearmist, what are you doing out here? Aren't you meant to be in the ShadowClan camp by now?"
"…No?" She guessed. Growling in exasperation, he padded off toward ShadowClan territory.
"Wait! Where are you going?"
"To get catmint!" Suddenly, a fat drop of rain landed on his nose.
"No hope of that now, Lighteningclaw!" She called cheerfully. Growling in frustration, Lighteningclaw turned and towered over his sister.
"A real warrior wouldn't mind getting wet for their clanmates!" Clearmist looked appalled.
"You're only thinking of now, aren't you? If we catch a cold, then that is two less warriors to spread the duties around, and two more patients in need of catmint. Now come on." Scared by the in-charge tone of his usually-absentminded sister, he obeyed and followed.
Lighteningclaw lay sprawled in his mossy bed. A million thoughts were running through his confused head, questions he couldn't answer and sentiments that frightened even him. Why do I have a sudden hate for Firestar? I want to kill him! I'll kill them all, if they dare defy the great Ti-Lighteningclaw! He gasped. The sudden urge for cat fur and blood beneath his sharp claws disintegrated leaving behind a mere shell of Lighteningclaw. Feeling dizzy and weak, he sunk back into his mossy nest and closed his eyes. Moments later, he felt a soft tail brush gently over his back. He opened his eyes and looked up. Blossomfall was sitting beside him, her tail brushing over his back.
"Oh, you're awake, at last!" She exclaimed.
"What?"
"It's nearly sundown!" Indeed it was. Yawning and stretching, he padded outside feeling as though he hadn't even slept.
"Thanks, Blossomfall." The dappled she-cat had brought him a juicy bit of prey.
"Have you eaten today?" He asked. She shook her head. "Here, have some." He offered, pushing some of the mouse toward her. Gratefully, she bent her head and took small neat bites. Pushing the rest toward him, she sat down and gave herself a thorough wash.
"Hey… Is that Spiderleg and Daisy? Together? And the nursery isn't exploding?" Lighteningclaw jerked his head in the direction of the deputy and the sick queen.
"Lighteningclaw!" Blossomfall gave him a sharp nudge of disapproval, but she too looked in their direction.
"Spiderleg… How're Rosepetal… And Toadstep?" Daisy's mew was pitiful, broken with coughs and sneezes.
"They're ok, Daisy." He looked down at her. "How are you?"
"I'm fine!" She protested, but her glazed eyes and streaming nose proved her wrong.
"No, you are not," he said sternly, "You have Greencough and you should be resting!"
"Spiderleg, I don't think resting is going to cure Greencough."
"Exactly. You need catmint!"
"Not as much as the warriors! I don't even do anything important to the clan. A loss of one warrior would be worth the loss of several cats like myself." Spiderleg looked at the gentle queen.
"No, Daisy. You are worth much more then that. Maybe not to the clan, but you are too me."
"Wh-what?" Daisy looked lost for words, and Lighteningclaw did not blame her. Spiderleg usually avoided her and their kits, so this sudden show of affection was clearly surprising to her.
"You mean so much to me Daisy. I know I'm clumsy and a bad example around our kits, but I love them almost as much as I love you."
"Then why do you never visit me or talk to them?" She asked savagely.
"I was afraid. Afraid of messing up. But I don't want to lose you, Daisy."
"Awwww, look Lighteningclaw. They've finally made up!" Lighteningclaw nodded agreement.
The next morning, Lighteningclaw was woken by a rough sound of coughing. He opened his eyes and saw Thornclaw coughing and mumbling something incoherently. Lighteningclaw raised his head and stared at the ginger warrior.
"Great StarClan, Thornclaw, I bet even RiverClan can hear you! Would you just go to the medicine den already?"
"No!" Thornclaw said determinedly. "The clan needs their warriors now!"
"Thornclaw, you are just going to make all the other warriors sick. Then who is going to take care of the clan?" As Lighteningclaw stared at the older warrior, a dizzying thirst for power came over him once more. All the warriors who are sick and weak are worthless. They should stay behind like kits! The ground lurched sickeningly beneath Lighteningclaw, and he jumped up with a start. Thornclaw was looking slightly surprised.
"Thanks Lighteningclaw."
"No prob- wait, what?" But Thornclaw had gone. Stepping outside and stretching in the warm sunlight, Lighteningclaw was shocked at how shabby his clan looked. Amberkit rushed up to Lighteningclaw and bumped into him.
"Hi, Lighteningclaw!" Mangy kittypet's offspring, thought Lighteningclaw.
"Hi, Amberkit." He said less enthusiastically.
"Thornclaw was meant to help me clean out the elder's den, because there are not enough apprentices. With Sunpaw and Snowpaw sick, Dapplepaw on patrol, and Peachpaw hunting, the warriors have been doing this stuff. I wouldn't have offered if I knew how bad mouse-bile smells!" She wrinkled her tiny nose disgustedly.
"Oh… So? What does that have to do with me?"
"Thornclaw said that you were gonna do it instead cause he's sick and needs to go to the medicine den." She looked wistfully over at Jayfeather, her father's brother, who was treating Daisy with some borage. "I wish Hazeltail would let me help the sick cats!"
"You are helping them, Amberkit." Lighteningclaw turned around. Blossomfall had appeared behind them, and with the rising sun behind her casting a glow around her, Lighteningclaw thought he had never seen anyone more beautiful. "You're making sure it doesn't spread by bringing in clean bedding. That's the most you can do as a kit; remember you're not an apprentice yet."
"I know," Amberkit replied grumpily, "But Lionblaze is mad because I would rather be in the medicine den!" Blossomfall rested her tail comfortingly on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Amberkit. Lionblaze loves you. Here, I'll help you and Lighteningclaw." Blossomfall flicked Lighteningclaw's tail playfully. "We'll collect the moss and you start bringing out the bedding. I bet Mousefur and Longtail have some nice stories to tell you. About the last Greencough breakout." Blossomfall winced slightly as she said this, because the last breakout had nearly taken her sister and mother from her. Amberkit, oblivious to this, nodded vigorously and raced over to the elder's den. Blossomfall looked at Lighteningclaw and walked quickly out of the forest. He followed her to the moss place. I shouldn't have to do this! I was, am and will be the best warrior the forest has ever seen!
It was five sundowns since Thornclaw had gone to the medicine den. Thankfully, he only had whitecough, and Jayfeather managed to cure him before it got worse. Poppyfrost was fast on the mend, and many of the patients had, for some unknown reason, a recollection of having a dream where Jayfeather could see. Many cats had been cured, though Snowpaw had caught fatal blackcough and died. Jayfeather in particular seemed to blame himself, but luckily, Lionblaze had managed to find some more catmint somewhere. Daisy, so soon after making up with Spiderleg, had passed away the night before as well. In the night, Lighteningclaw had seen Spiderleg, Toadstep and Rosepetal, Berrynose, Hazeltail and Mousewhisker huddled together in front of the creamy she-cat. Earlier that day, Spiderleg had led a patrol to the horse-place, and returned with Floss and Smoky, both sobbing sadly. They had sat vigil for Daisy and then returned to their homes later.
"Hey, Lighteningclaw." Blossomfall had settled down next to him, a small mouse in her jaws.
"I see you're eating again." Lighteningclaw replied, flicking her ear.
"Not really. Well yeah, I'm eating, but only because Mousefur threatened to put mouse-bile in our nests if we didn't eat. Clearmist and Silverdapple thought she meant it." Lighteningclaw chuckled at the half-scared expression on his friends' face. "Do you?"
"Yes." He said without hesitation. Before Blossomfall could reply, a sad yowl filled the air. Poppyfrost came out of the medicine cat den, holding a limp body in her jaws. It was Sunpaw.
"Why StarClan, why?" Poppyfrost sobbed. Mousewhisker bounded up and licked his daughter's cheek as though to wake up.
"Sunpaw. Sunpaw. This isn't funny. Sunpaw." Mousewhisker continued muttering her name. Jayfeather came out of the den. Mournful murmurs filled the camp. It's the stupid kits own fault for being too weak to handle it! Startled, Lighteningclaw gaped and blundered into the warriors den ignoring Blossomfall's concerned gasp and collapsed exhaustedly on his bed. A black tidal wave of dreamless sleep washed soothingly over him, and he had the best rest he had had in a long time.