Warriors New Rivals
Chapter 10
Four moons had passed since Dapplecoat had given birth to two beautiful kits; Splashheart had visited Birchpelt every night just as she had promised but unfortunately she had missed Dapplecoat's kitting, yet she still got to see them the next day. Hollowkit, Larchkit and Jaykit had become apprentices but unfortunately Fernkit had died of greencough in her sleep.
"Jaypaw get back here!" Jaypaw had become the biggest trouble maker always causing trouble with the elders by nipping their tails in their sleep.
"Sorry, my paws tend to run away when they sense cranky elders," Jaypaw joked.
"Right…" Stumpyleg grunted, stomping back to her den.
"Splashheart I think I need some chamomile for the shock of seeing Stumpyleg run," Jaypaw called, ending with a mroww of laughter.
"I'll make sure I get you some," She chuckled back in reply.
"Who wants to come on a hunting patrol with me?" Brindlestar called from highcliff.
"I do I do!" Jaypaw called to his leader.
"I guess I will too," Honeypelt had moved back to her warrior duties when her kits had become apprentices.
"Me too!" Bearpelt called.
"Alright you three, meet me at the thorn tunnel," Brindlestar jumped down from highcliff and padded toward the entrance.
"Lilysnow, I'm going to go with them to collect some herbs," Splashheart called to Lilysnow who was sitting beside the fresh-kill pile eating a vole.
"Alright," she muttered through a mouthful of vole.
Splashheart quickly caught up with the patrol that seemed to be heading to the great larch.
"We want to try and get two bits of prey each," Brindlestar advised.
"Me and Jaypaw will head off this way and you two can go together if you wish," Honeypelt added.
"I'll come with you," Splashheart told Honeypelt.
"Yay!" Jaypaw exclaimed.
"Splashheart, you go find your herbs, Jaypaw and I will go up there a bit." Honeypelt signalled her tail toward a low hill further in front of them.
"Ok," Splashheart replied, moving downward in the opposite direction.
Splashheart found Chamomile, Burdock root and Dock leaves. She looked for a little longer and eventually stopped to hunt.
"Splashheart!" Brindlestar's grief filled meow split the air.
"I'm coming!" Splashheart sprinted toward her as fast as her paws could carry her.
"Hurry!" Brindlestar called. Splashheart finally arrived to find Bearpelt lying motionless on the ground with Brindlestar sitting beside him.
"What happened?" Splashheart fretted.
"We were hunting and he said he smelt something weird so he went to check it out, when I came to look for him I found him like this," Brindlestar's meow sounded full of grief.
Is this cat really that important to her? Splashheart thought.
"Please you have to help him; I can't lose another kit…" Brindlestar added.
"I won't let him go…" Splashheart couldn't promise anything but she would try.
I won't let him die easily…
"It's…alright…Splashheart, I'm not afraid of…death…" Bearpelt whispered.
"But I care about losing you…" Brindlestar grieved.
"What happened to you?" Splashheart asked.
"I…got bitten by an adder," Bearpelt quickly replied in gasps of pain.
"Bearpelt!" Brindlestar shouted trying to wake him up.
"I'm sorry but he hunts with Starclan now…" Splashheart grieved.
"You did nothing!" Brindlestar retaliated.
"There's nothing I could have done," Splashheart didn't meet her burning gaze, just simply faced the ground staring at Bearpelt's motionless body.
"You could have given him something!" Brindlestar spat.
"No, there's nothing for an adder bite," Splashheart replied filled with grief.
"Let's get back to camp!" Brindlestar swooped up her grown kit in her jaws and dragged him back leaving Splashheart alone in the clearing.
Splashheart heard a rustling from the bushes behind her.
"We saw everything…" Honeypelt soothed Splashheart.
"I guess I really need that Chamomile now," Jaypaw tried to cheer her up but it didn't do anything.
"You'll be fine, just go back to camp…" Splashheart advised.
"Are you going to be ok?" Honeypelt asked shoving Jaypaw in front of her.
"I'll be fine, I just need to sit for a little," Splashheart pleaded.
"Alright, just come back to camp when you're ready," Honeypelt replied giving her a lick in between the ears.
Once her and Jaypaw had left, Splashheart looked up at the sky.
"I'm sorry Bearpelt…" Splashheart whispered.