Chapter 8: Healing and working

Rougefoot walked out of the nursery. Flamestone followed him. "Pretty good fight?" Flamestone asked.

"Oh yes," Rougefoot meowed. "He was a tough opponent."

"I suppose. He's the most violent of all EarthClan and he took my mate." Flamestone's eyes burned with unimaginable fury and pain.

"Not really… Crowflight still loves you. Always remember that Flamestone."

"I suppose you are correct. Thank you Rougefoot. You have got my brother's cleverness in you."

"Thank you Flamestone." Rougefoot meowed.

"No, no. Thank you." He pushed his way back in the nursery.

Rougefoot wobbled over towards Shortleg's den. He heard Cindertail and Shortleg talking inside.

"Please hold on Cindertail." Shortleg pleaded.

"It is time for me to join my mother and my sister in the ranks of our ancestors young one." Cindertail rasped.

"Cindertail you are too young to die. Please hold on. You're going to live. I promise."

"I want to die with the love of my life… She is about to die as well… I feel her agonized misery. I need to be with her. I am old, broken and dying anyway."

"Please… Cindertail… No!" Shortleg wailed.

Cindertail heaved one more gasping breath and lay still. In EarthClan Hollyheart had said the same thing, and died the exact same time as Cindertail had said. They were in Shinepelt… together.

Rougefoot stepped in the medicine cat den sadly. He bowed his head to the old elder. "May you rest in peace with Hollyheart," Rougefoot whispered.

Shortleg looked defeated. "I lost him Rougefoot…"

"He was old anyway… at least he is a happier place now." Rougefoot meowed.

"Yes… You have a point. I'll miss him. He was a great uncle. Want to help me carry him out?"

"I suppose so." Rougefoot meowed. He picked up the old tom's gray scruff in his mouth. Shortleg picked up his flank and laid him over his back. They walked outside and set him down in front of Snapstar's rock. Several warriors came out to pay respects to the fallen elder. Blackwhisker buried his head into his father's matted fur. Rougefoot settled down beside Blackwhisker.

"I didn't even really get to know him." Blackwhisker meowed softly.

"It's ok Blackwhisker. You didn't really know until a little while ago."

"Well… I suppose but I miss him already. I think I need to tell my sisters… but I don't know how to put it…"

"Hmm… I can go with you if you want. Like at the next Meeting perhaps?" Rougefoot offered.

"Thanks Rougefoot. Do you mind?" Blackwhisker meowed.

"It would be my pleasure." Rougefoot meowed.

"Thanks a lot Rougefoot. You should go be checked out by Shortleg. Those scratches look pretty deep. I heard you did well in the fight though."

"I thought I could do better but I suppose it was ok."

"Well you still need to be checked out."

"I suppose so," Rougefoot meowed as he walked towards Shortleg's den.

The old medicine cat was sitting hunched over with his head bowed. "You did your best Shortleg. Everyone knows that."

Shortleg growled. "But it wasn't good enough. If I was better I could have saved Cindertail." He took his claws and slashed at his cheek. A slow line of blood trickled down his dark brown fur onto the ground. He turned on Rougefoot with sad eyes.

Rougefoot walked up to comfort the old cat. "You did your best Shortleg. Don't hurt yourself over it. Cats die. It's the way of life. Cindertail was old and about to die anyway. You couldn't save him. He's in a better place and I'm sure he's happy where he is."

"I hope so…" Shortleg meowed. "Well I suppose you came here so I could check out your wounds?"

"Yes please." Rougefoot meowed. He flopped down on the soft moss that lined Shortleg's den.

Shortleg sniffed at the scratches and pawed a poultice of marigold and some other things on his scratches. It stung, but it felt a lot better after he was done.

"Better?" Shortleg meowed. "You got pretty beat up. I wouldn't take on Cornfoot for my life. You did a brave thing."

"It wasn't really like I had a choice. He attacked me!"

"Well you still were brave. And you protected Cindertail and Hollyheart from him. You're a great cat Rougefoot."

"Thanks Shortleg." Rougefoot meowed.

"Well get plenty of rest and no major running and stuff. Don't push yourself too hard or your scratches will reopen."

"Thanks Shortleg." Rougefoot yawned.

He walked out of Shortleg's den and into his own nest. He curled up and fell asleep.

He woke up around Peak Sun the next day. He stiffly walked into Shortleg's den. "Hi Shortleg," he yawned. "Do you need anything today?"

"I need a new supply of marigold. I used the rest on you, but I can get it with Slashpaw."

"I want to come!" Rougefoot complained.

"Take it easy Rougefoot." Shortleg meowed sternly. He sniffed Rougefoot's scratches. "I suppose you can come if you take it easy."

"Will do." Rougefoot meowed. He walked off to fetch Slashpaw, who was hungrily munching on a magpie. After the apprentice was done he joined Rougefoot and Shortleg on a quest for the last few buds of marigold.

They walked to the MoonClan border. There were very few of the yellow-orange flowers left. Rougefoot took as much as he could carry, 7. Shortleg took 5 and Slashpaw took the remaining 4. They walked back to camp and placed them all in Shortleg's den. He placed them in a little dip in the rock.

Slashpaw walked back to the apprentice den, while Rougefoot walked into the nursery to visit Crowflight and her two kits. Crowflight was awake but the kits were asleep.

"Did you think of names yet?" Rougefoot asked quietly.

"Yes. The yellow one is Brackenkit and the black one is Littlekit." As she named her kits she rested her tail delicately on their small heads. Brackenkit whimpered and buried himself deeper in his mother's warm fur.

"Do you need anything?" Rougefoot asked.

"Well not exactly. The milk is coming well and Flamestone just brought me a piece of prey so thanks anyway."

"It's quite alright." Rougefoot meowed. "Your kits are beautiful."

"Thanks, I think so too."

"Well I will leave you to rest, you defiantly need it."

"Thank you for your concern Rougefoot." She lay her head on the side of her nest and fell asleep.

It was Low Sun now. Rougefoot's stomach was hollow with hunger and the prospect of hunting didn't excite him much. He took a piece of prey from the pile. It was a thin mouse. He finished it off in a few famished gulps. He was still hungry but he didn't dare take anything else from the pile.

He sat down sadly in his nest. He wanted to talk to Cindertail, but he had joined the ancestors. He didn't notice Tinyflight walking over.

"Hey Rouge…" Tinyflight meowed quietly.

Rougefoot looked down at the small cat. "Hello Tiny."

"What's wrong Rougefoot?" Tinyflight asked. His bright eyes shone up at him.

"I miss listening to Cindertail's stories already." Rougefoot meowed.

"I understand. He was an amazing cat." Tinyflight meowed.

Rougefoot licked Tinyflight's small tabby head. "He sure was, and so are you."

"Thanks Rougefoot. So when are you going to meet that Icechest cat again?"

Rougefoot whipped his tail over his friend's mouth. "Shhh not so loud."

Tinyflight coughed out Rougefoot's dark gray tail. "Sheesh! Sorry."

"Sorry for snapping and I'm going tonight." Rougefoot whispered.

"Can I come?" Tinyflight asked.

"I don't see why not." Rougefoot meowed.

"When are we going?"

"High Moon. You better get some rest now." Rougefoot meowed at his little friend.

"I suppose so Rouge." Tinyflight meowed. He climbed up to the very top of the Warrior's Tree.

Rougefoot looked on in the distance. Alone and scared he had no one to turn to. Every bush, every tree could have an enemy behind it. The shadows were creeping closer. Closer and closer and closer until they could strike.