Galefire: Thanks! And well… you'll find out more about Stonepaw in this chapter…

Pengirl: Thank you!

No-name: Thanks! Please leave a name when you review though!

Zestia240: Haha, doesn't she?

Starbomb: Yep, she is in some trouble here!

Chapter 15: The Sickness Worsens

Shinepaw's POV

Shinepaw's eyes darted open at the sound of a screech. She groggily got to her paws and walked out of her den. It was still night. The half-moon shown willingly in the cold black sky. There was a slight breeze.

"It's alright Swanwhisker, it will all be okay!" Shinepaw's eyes pinned on Forestclaw who ran frantically around the nursery entrance.

Swanwhisker must be kitting! Shinepaw felt a twinge of envy at the queen. She had liked Forestclaw since she was five moons old. And here he was having kits of his own already. With another she-cat.

Shinepaw padded up to the nursery entrance to see Stormwhisper inside, trying to soothe the queen. She saw her own mother, Morningfeather sitting in there as well, lecturing Swanwhisker on kitting. Shinepaw pushed her way inside quietly, taking place beside her mother.

Morningfeather gave a stressed sigh. "I sure hope those medicine cats get back soon." She murmured. "What could be holding them up for so long?"

Rosepaw. Shinepaw thought. She knew her trouble-making sister had always wished to see the Moonpool. And this time she took action in doing so, taking Dawnpaw with her. Both apprentices were gone from the nursery. They had to be there.

But instead, Shinepaw just shook her head. "I don't know Morningfeather. But don't you know some herbs that would help her out?" Morningfeather sat, thoughtful for a moment before nodding.

"Oh yes, I do Shinepaw. Will you go get some borage for after the kitting? They are star shaped flowers, they shouldn't be hard to find." Shinepaw nodded, slipping out of the nursery. Forestclaw saw her exiting and rushed over to her.

"Is Swanwhisker okay?" he asked quickly, twitching his tail tip back and forth with impatience. Shinepaw felt her heart drop. This was the first time he had spoken to her since he chose Swanwhisker as his mate.

"Yeah… she is okay." She murmured, pushing her way past him and into the medicine cat den. She looked through all the stocks in the den. It didn't take long to find the star shaped leaves of borage. She picked them up in her jaws when she heard a loud cough.

Shinepaw whipped around to see Stonepaw hacking. "It's alright Stonepaw." She mumbled around the edges of the leaf. "Hold in there. The medicine cats will be back soon, maybe they'll have catmint with them." Stonepaw just glanced at her, his eyes shiny.

Shinepaw turned around and padded back to the nursery. Hailwhisker, Rockheart, Forestclaw, Leafsparrow and Darkfoot sat around Swanwhisker. Who was now nursing three kits? Shinepaw padded over to her mother who was sitting a ways back and dropped the borage at her paws.

"What should their names be?" Forestclaw asked, gazing at his kits in adoration. "Let's call that one Leafkit." He murmured, resting his head on a brown tabby and white she-kit. Swanwhisker nodded in agreement.

"How about his name will be Ravenkit." Swanwhisker mewed, indicating to a black tom with white paws. Forestclaw nodded eagerly.

"And the last one Redkit." Forestclaw meowed. The last kit was a reddish tabby tom with a white chest.

"Perfect." Hailwhisker purred at her Grandkits. Forestclaw had a huge smile on his face, making Shinepaw's heart ache. She tried not to feel so envious, but she couldn't help it. First she lost her sister, now she lost the cat she had liked so dearly.

Morningfeather nudged the borage leaves towards Swanwhisker. "Eat these." She instructed. "It will bring you some more milk." Swanwhisker nodded in thanks and licked up the leaves. Shinepaw left the nursery with a sigh. She trudged back to the Apprentice's Den.

She was surprised to see the ginger and cream coat of Dawnpaw. But her sister wasn't there. "Dawnpaw?" she mewed. Dawnpaw's eyes met hers. "Where is Rosepaw?"

"They found her. She was sharing tongues with StarClan, but they awoke before she did."

"Oh no…"

Rosepaw's POV

"Rosepaw! What in the name of StarClan do you think you are doing?" Rosepaw cringed at Iceblossom's harsh voice, her eyes flashing in anger.

"I… well…" Rosepaw stuttered. What would they think if she told them she had snuck out of camp at night just to see the Moonpool? She had just wanted to taste the water, not share tongues with StarClan… but what would she tell them?

"Speak up Rosepaw," Minnowbreath meowed, disapproval in her eyes. Rosepaw flicked her tail in thought.

"I had a dream with StarClan!" She blurted, trying to look as innocent as possible.

"A dream?" Goldwhisker padded up to her, tilting her head curiously. "What was this dream of?" she mewed, sitting down and wrapping her tail around her paws.

"This could just be ThunderClan's business Goldwhisker." Petalwind mewed, looking to her mentor for supported.

Iceblossom nodded thoughtfully. "It very well could." She meowed. "Come with us Rosepaw; tell us of your dream." Iceblossom flicked her tail for Rosepaw to follow her out of the den. Rosepaw followed hesitantly.

Petalwind and Iceblossom sat beside eachother in the snow, facing Rosepaw. "Okay, Rosepaw." Petalwind meowed. "Tell us about your dream?"

"Leopardheart was there." Rosepaw began, thinking back to the former WindClan warrior.

Petalwind glanced at her unsurely. "Who's Leopardheart?" she mewed.

"You'd don't remember her?" Rosepaw demanded, feeling venom on her tongue in protection of her friend.

Iceblossom nudge Petalwind for her to be quiet. "Continue Rosepaw." She meowed, turning her gaze expectantly on the apprentice.

"Well, she gave me a prophecy… I think." She mewed, thinking back to the ominous words Leopardheart had spoken. "She said: Like a thorn from a rose, she will stop the cold breeze from blowing farther into darkness." Rosepaw shuffled her paws in embarrassment, looking up at the medicine cats expectantly.

Iceblossom was silent for a moment, but then slowly nodded. "That is a prophecy." She meowed. Rosepaw's fur shook with excitement. But why would they give it to her? Did she have something to do with the prophecy?

Iceblossom gave her head a vigorous shake. "We must report this to Oakstar immediately." She meowed, rising to her paws.

Rosepaw's whiskers twitched. She remembered back when she was a kit… She had snuck up on Oakstar, Stormwhisper, and Morningfeather speaking of something… Then it struck her. That's why Oakstar had wanted to keep an eye on her. He knew she was part of the prophecy.

"He already knows!" Rosepaw blurted.

Iceblossom looked at her with uncertainty in her gaze. "How do you know." She meowed, it wasn't a question.

"I…" Rosepaw shuffled her paws. "When I was a kit I snuck up on Stormwhisper and Oakstar talking about it." She admitted her ears down.

Iceblossom sighed. "What I expected… we should be going anyways." She meowed.

"Wait," Rosepaw meowed.

Iceblossom flicked her tail crossly. "What is it?" she asked.

"We need catmint don't we?" she asked.

Petalwind nodded. "We do." She meowed.

"Why don't we just ask the other medicine cats if they have catmint?" Rosepaw asked.

"It will let them know that we are weak." Iceblossom meowed gently.

Rosepaw lashed her tail angrily. But we wouldn't be if we just asked if they had any." She pointed out with a sharp mew.

"We can't let them know our weakness Rosepaw," Petalwind meowed, her fur starting to prickle with irritation.

Rosepaw sighed. "Alright them." She meowed. "Don't we have to be heading out then?" she asked.

Iceblossom nodded. "Of course, Oakstar must be informed."

"Yeah, let's go." Rosepaw meowed.

Petalwind led the way, padding with Iceblossom nearby. Rosepaw reluctantly followed them. I have to go back to camp and face my consequences. She thought sadly. She felt her paws drag on the ground below. Her heart fluttered with worry at Stonepaw. What if it's really bad? She thought glumly.

They walked in silence. Rosepaw noticed that the sun was already rising by the time they reached camp entrance. Rosepaw felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. Why did I have to go see the Moonpool? She wondered.

Iceblossom and Petalwind crawled inside, followed by Rosepaw. Most cats were awake by now. She noticed Dawnpaw and Shinepaw sharing a thrush. Their eyes flashed up as Rosepaw walked inside. Dawnpaw's eyes flew in alarm.

Rosepaw hung her head in shame as she followed Iceblossom and Petalwind to the medicine cat den. "Stay here." Iceblossom meowed. "I'm going to go speak with Oakstar." With that, the white she-cat slipped away.

Petalwind padded inside the medicine cat deeper, walking over to check on her mother who was having a coughing fit.

"Oh Lilyfrost, hold in there." Petalwind pleaded quietly, crouching beside her. The cream she-cat continued coughing, looking up at her daughter with hurt and pain in her eyes.

Rosepaw felt her fur quiver. How was Stonepaw? She padded inside, brushing past Petalwind to where the gray tom laid in his nest, asleep. Rosepaw cast a sad glance at his sleeping form. "I'll get you a cure." She whispered. "I promise."

She turned away from her friend to pad over to where Petalwind and Lilyfrost were. Lilyfrost had finally finished her bought of coughing. The she-cat smiled. "Did you hear?" she asked. "Swanwhisker's kits were born. Redkit, Leafkit, and Ravenkit."

Petalwind smiled. "I am sure they will be a great addition to the Clan." She meowed.

"Rosepaw!" Rosepaw froze when her name was called by Iceblossom. She looked over at the she-cat and nodded solemnly. She padded over to her and they exited to Oakstar's den.

Oakstar sat inside, his eyes looking over her skeptically.

"Rosepaw." He meowed, his voice low. "I heard what you've done."

Rosepaw ducked her head. "I'm sorry!" she squeaked. "I just wanted to see the Moonpool!"

"That doesn't cut it!" Oakstar snapped. "I want you only cleaning the dens for seven sunrises." He meowed.

Rosepaw lowered her head even more so. "Of course Oakstar." She mumbled.

Hey hope you liked it, I know this was like my shortest chapter… sorry about that, but, the next one is pretty exciting. Also, I have some ideas for Rosepaw's warrior name (even though she won't be a warrior too soon), but I wanted to see what you guys think of them, here they are:

Roseblossom

Rosefrost

Rosefire

Rosefeather

Rosewater

Rosewing

Tell me what you think!