Random trivia: did you know Ivypaw is based on me? :3
Ivypaw bounded along the snowy forest, pausing every few steps to scent the air. Nothing stirred except for the occasional gentle shaking of branches as the wind pushed them.
"I'm not sure Ivypaw should be hunting for prey," growled a voice suddenly. "She's supposed to be a medicine cat."
Ivypaw turned to see Blackbird talking to Duskwatcher. The golden tom responded, "Medicine cats don't just heal, you know. We have to learn the basic skills of a warrior to defend ourselves in an emergency. And besides, let her have some fun. It's not often we get to hunt."
Blackbird snorted. But his eyes immediately shone with concern, as though he had thought of something.
"When are Wolfheart's kits due?" he asked worriedly.
Duskwatcher remained calm. "They're due soon, probably any day now. She's carrying at least two kits," he added as he saw Blackbird open his mouth once more. The black cat immediately closed his jaws.
"When she begins kitting," Duskwatcher went on, "I'll bring Ivypaw with me. It'll be good experience for her."
Ivypaw continued to try to catch some prey, but it seemed that all of the animals the Clan were used to eating had gone to hide.
"Ivypaw, the others have long gone," Duskwatcher called from his sitting place. "Let's go back. I need to take care of those sick cats. "Remember them?"
Ivypaw's fur began to bristle. Her heart clenched as she thought of those poor, heaving scraps of fur, coughing uncontrollably. Her sleep that night had been disturbed by their painful-sounding coughs.
Her tail drooping, Ivypaw followed Duskwatcher back to their den. The ill scent of sickness greeted them, followed by a chorus of racking coughs and sneezes.
An apprentice sat up. "Hi," she mewed weakly.
"Bluepaw…"
The blue-gray apprentice coughed and then lay down in her nest. Ivypaw felt a surge of pity overtaking her, threatening to sweep her away.
The two cats had become friends quickly, on Ivypaw's first night in this den.
"I'll get the catnip," Ivypaw promised, scared for her friend. Any of the warriors in the den could lose their life now, and Bluepaw was no exception. All of them were suffering from greencough, according to Duskwatcher. Ivypaw was sure it was the cat equivalent of chest infection.
Catnip was the only known cure in this strange world. Back in the human world, doctors would help to get rid of the problem, but now, no technology was available. It made Ivypaw miss her world even more. She couldn't bear to see people, or cats, like this.
Bluepaw's mentor, Mintleaf, raised her head wearily. "Is that catnip?" she asked. "Good."
Mintleaf had stopped coughing: the catnip from the nights before had helped, including the nights before Ivypaw had even seen this den.
A grey-and-white tabby rose and stretched. "I feel better after a long rest in this den," he murmured. "I hope I get to go back to the warriors' den soon."
"You're not fit until I tell you so, Yarrowstem," Duskwatcher told the tabby. "But you should be fine."
Ivypaw picked up some catnip and headed in the direction of the cat she thought needed it most: Cherryleaf. Her eyes were bright with fever-too bright.
With so much snow, it was hard to find much of the cough-healing herb. Ivypaw always gave it to Cherryleaf first. She was the sickest out of all the cats, and might lose her life soon.
The young brown cat could barely breathe; the den was full of the sounds of the rasping of her uneven breaths. Ivypaw felt deeply sorry for her, but at this point she didn't think anything could save the brown cat.
She helped the rest of the cats in the clearing swallow their medicine. Then, feeling exhausted, Ivypaw curled up in her mossy nest and fell asleep.
She was awoken by a loud yowl. As she stood staring around in her confusion and sleepiness, Blackbird sped inside. "Duskwatcher!" he wailed. "Wolfheart's kitting!"