Beechpaw laid in the nest I had made her, the only thing moving was her chest as she slowly breathed in and out. She had been unconscious for two days now, her body ready to give up. Her weakness had made it impossible to stop her from getting white cough, which had turned to greencough as rapidly as it had come. I had done all I could. The only cats who could help her were StarClan. I sighed. Would I fail her again? Even with the power of the stars in my paws, as it was in my brother and sister's, I couldn't save her leg before. Or her mother. Would I be able to save her this time?
I could imagine her small body curled up awkwardly in her nest. I had seen her once in a dream, soon after her first injury. She was pure snow white, except for black patches dotted across her pelt. She had a black tail with a white tip. All paws were black but one, her injured one, and her ears were both black. One eye had a black patch and her muzzle tip was black on top.
I padded quietly up to her, sniffing her pelt quietly. Her leg was warm and swollen, and I could feel her fever, increasing suddenly as she let out what seemed like a painful cough. I sighed and chewed up more catmint, pushing the juices into her mouth and rubbing her neck so she swallowed.
"Please, Beechpaw, be okay." I murmured. I felt fur brushing my side. I blinked at Brightheart, not wishing to speak. The silence hung in the air, thicker then the snow outside.
"She will be." Brightheart mewed determinedly. I sighed.
"What if she isn't? It will be all my fault." I turned my head away from her.
"It is not your fault!" She hissed suddenly, batting my ear angrily with a paw.
"I sent her on her own. I should have gone myself, or sent a warrior with her!" I hissed, shoving her back.
"You know she wouldn't have wanted that. She enjoys the freedom." Brightheart pointed out, seemingly calming down. I could feel sympathy flowing off her in waves. She pressed her muzzle to my fur, but I shrugged her away.
"So does everyone." I mumbled. "If she wakes, give her some catmint. If she is conscious long enough, bring her fresh-kill. If she starts to cough or her fever rises, give her catmint or feverfew. Rub her throat so she swallows it." I mewed more loudly. She mewed an agreement and I padded out of the den. Brightheart was one of the few who knew the herbs well enough to trust Beechpaw in her care. I slipped out the camp entrance, flicking my tail at Mousewhisker, who was standing guard. It was a rare thing for the deputy to do, but I shrugged it off. The Clan was growing weaker day by day. With leafbare at its peak, prey was scarce and almost nonexistent, and I was on my toes caring for cats with a cold or whitecough. Luckily, there had only been two or three cases of greencough, Beechpaw one of them. I was already running low on catmint. I could only hope another medicine cat would be able to spare me some.
It wasn't long before I reached the border, the light sound of the stream signaling it was almost frozen over. I could hear tails twitching nearby, signaling the presence of the other medicine cats. Littlecloud and Flamepaw still hadn't arrived.
"There you are." Willowshine mewed impatiently.
"Sorry." I mewed half-heartedly.
"Where is that apprentice of yours? She change her mind about being a medicine cat?" Kestrelwing asked. I ruffled my fur.
"Beechpaw was attacked by a fox. Now she has greencough and still hasn't woken up. You are lucky I even came tonight." I hissed. Kestrelwing took a surprised step back, embarrassment, surprise and sympathy flowing off him in waves. I growled. I didn't need his pity, or Willowshine's! Echopaw seemed more worried then anything.
"Is she okay?" She asked. I could understand her worry. Even though they had only met once, they had become pretty good friends. They were the closest aged medicine cat apprentices. Flamepaw wasn't much younger then myself. It was surprising he didn't get his name yet. Echopaw and Beechpaw were no doubt the youngest, Echopaw only two moons older then Beechpaw.
"She hasn't died yet." My reply was simple. I could feel Echopaw's thirst for more information flowing off her in waves, but I said nothing else. Kestrelwing seemed anxious to change the subject.
"Didn't you say there were queens ready to kit any day now?" He asked cheerfully. I nodded.
"Yeah. Honeyfern and Millie. After her kits are apprenticed, Millie is joining Graystripe and them in the elders' den." I meowed, starting up the rise with the others following behind.
"Sounds crowded!" Flamepaw mewed.
"Whitewing's kits are soon to be apprentices, and Sorrletail's are eating fresh-kill now." I pointed out. It wouldn't be long before Cloverkit, Jaykit and Pantherkit were apprentices. They only had a couple days. When Beechpaw was apprenticed, they were still very young, no more then a moon old. Now, they were ready to be apprentices. They would be by the next gathering. I led the way towards the Moonpool, the familiar imprints of the cats before us dimpling the path. I heard rustling of fur as the other medicine cats laid down and touched their noses to the water. I concentrated on my own mind, hoping to have a dream of my own instead of trespassing into another cat's, and touched my own nose to the Moonpool. I drifted into sleep.
I awoke in a small clearing, full of grass. Trees surrounded us and a small cliff watched over the forest below. A shadowy figure appeared, followed by a ginger tom and two gray she-cats. I recognized then immediately. It was Bluestar, Cinderheart, Cinderpelt, and Firestar.
"Is Beechpaw going to be okay?" I blurted. Firestar purred in amusement.
"Of course she is." Cinderheart mewed. I let out a sigh of relief. Cinderpelt became serious.
"At the foxes paws one lives and one dies. Together, they can stop the spreading darkness. Only then will the dead cats live. The prophecy is becoming more important by the day. Times of peace are ending, Jayfeather. Half of the prophecy has been fulfilled. Unless the rest is, the forest Clans, and StarClan, will die. Soon, the Clans will have to follow Sol's words, to an extent. Never, ever, lose your faith in StarClan. You have been warned, Jayfeather." Bluestar began to disappear as shivers went down my spine. The others disappeared more slowly.
"Times of Peace are ending."
"Follow your heart."
"Listen to your friends and Clanmates." The world around me began to swirl as the voices chanted the same things on and on.
Finally, I blinked open my eyes into darkness again. The words remained in my mind, swirling around. You have been warned…
Liked the ominous ending. The rest of the chapter; not so much. anyway, we are back to Beechpaw next chapter. I'm not very good at writing about Erin's cats. Oh, and keep a lookout for a new book, the sequel to this. As you may have already guessed, the Clans are all leaving the lake. You shall find out where they are going. Keep a lookout for book 2, even though this one isn't nearly finished. I actually have started book 3 too, but I won't post that until after I finish both of these ones.