Warriors New Rivals
Chapter 20
"Moonblaze!" Lightwhisker's meow split the night silent clearing. Chestfall woke and wandered out to see what was wrong.
"What's wrong my love?" Moonblaze asked Lightwhisker who was sitting beside the leaders den beside the highcliff.
"My stomach…it hurts…" Lightwhisker gasped.
"How much?" Moonblaze asked.
"A lot!" She retaliated; Moonblaze was surprised by her tone but seemed sympathetic.
"Is it the kits?" Chestfall asked moving toward his mother.
"No!" Lightwhisker had, had kits before so she knew what they felt like.
I was the worst apparently… Chestfall remembered sitting in the nursery beside his mother and being told about how painful it was to have kits.
"Well what is it?" Moonblaze fretted.
I don't know," Lightwhisker replied, a slight edge to her tone.
"Would you like me to get Splashheart?" Chestfall asked.
"I'm already here," Splashheart's grim meow sounded behind them.
"Well?" Lightwhisker groaned.
"Eat these," Splashheart pushed a few herbs toward Lightwhisker with her paw and padded back to the medicine den.
"Thanks," Lightwhisker replied but Splashheart was already back in the medicine den.
I'll talk to her later. Chestfall had to figure out a way to cheer his sister up, Lilysnow's death had taken the life out of her as if she had died as well.
"So, how do you feel?" Moonblaze asked Lightwhisker.
"A lot-" Lightwhisker's meow was cut off as she threw up all over the ground in front of her.
What is that? Is that blood?
"Splashheart!" Chestfall rushed over to the medicine den and told Splashheart that there was blood in Lightwhisker's puke.
"What do you expect me to do?" Splashheart retaliated.
"She's your mother!" Chestfall growled.
"That doesn't mean I have to help her," Splashheart turned her around and flopped her head to the ground.
"You're also a medicine cat," Chestfall reminded her.
"Well maybe I don't want to be a medicine cat anymore!" Splashheart shot up and landed squarely on Chestfall's shoulders slamming him to the ground.
"But…you have to…" Chestfall pleaded.
"I don't care, the only thing that was ever important to me is gone," Splashheart whispered, instantly letting go and dashing out into the clearing.
Was she in love with Lilysnow or something? Or was there something else, or something? Chestfall queried to himself.
"Chestfall!" Moonblaze's terrified meow split the clearing.
"What is it?" Chestfall dashed out of the medicine den toward his father, he quickly looked around the clearing for his sister but all he saw was the tip of her tail leaving the camp
"It wasn't blood, it was just some of the berry I had eaten," Lightwhisker meowed.
"I don't care, Splashheart doesn't want to be a medicine cat anymore," Chestfall hissed at his mother, she looked taken back by his anger.
"What do you-" Chestfall didn't listen to his father's question, he simply ran after his sister through the thorn tunnel.
"Birchpelt, I miss you so much, why did you have to go?" Splashheart's meow sounded from further in front of him.
Who's Birchpelt? Chestfall wondered. He slowly padded as if he was stalking prey until he could see her. He eventually got close enough so that he could see her, she was sitting by herself in the middle of a clearing.
"Splashheart?" Chestfall carefully approached his sister. Splashheart's neck fur rose as she heard her brother's voice.
"What do you want?" Splashheart hissed without turning around.
"I just wanted to know if you were ok. Who's Birchpelt?" Chestfall queried.
"He is nobody," Splashheart replied turning her head slightly so Chestfall could see half her face.
"Are you coming back to camp?" Chestfall asked, padding a little closer toward her.
"No Chestfall, I'm not," Splashheart meowed facing the ground.
"Where are you going then?" Chestfall asked his sister, sitting beside her and pressing himself against her.
"I'm going to be rogue from now on," Splashheart replied, giving his head a soothing lick.
"But the clan needs you," Chestfall pleaded.
"I'm sorry but I can't be a medicine cat anymore, it just doesn't feel right without Lilysnow," Splashheart grieved.
"Let me tell you something Splashheart, every cat dies at some point, even you and I will die sometime but that doesn't mean we give up everything we believe in," Chestfall preached.
"I suppose you're right…" Splashheart stood up and gestured with her tail for Chestfall to follow her.
"Are we going back to camp?" Chestfall meowed cheerfully.
"Yes, yes we are, and that is where we are staying," Splashheart replied cheerfully.