CHAPTER 38-The Cure

Onestar's eyes widened as the realization struck him. He turned and yowled, "Intruders! Ashfoot, Heathertail, guard the entrance!"

He glared at me, his teeth bared. "What are you doing here?" he hissed.

He lifted up a paw, preparing to strike me. I braced myself for the impact.

All of a sudden, a white blur flashed past me and launched itself at the WindClan leader.

With his claws unsheathed and his ears flat against his head, Snowstorm called, "Run, Shadefrost! I'll hold him back!" He leaped onto the leader's back and tried to pin him down.

Onestar growled and began clawing at the warrior. The white tom hissed and dodged his blows, but I could tell that he was no match for the leader. They quickly became a yowling and snarling flurry of claws rolling across the floor.

Larksong nudged me firmly. "Go!" she whispered. "Leave while you still can!"

Even though my heart was racing, I didn't budge. "I can't leave him!" I hissed.

Snowstorm grunted as Onestar pinned him down one a paw. The white tom twisted his head to look at me and meowed, "Shadefrost, you have to run. I'll be fine!"

I gazed at the scene uncertainly with my ears flat against my head. Part of my brain was telling me to flee, but the other half was urging me to help Snowstorm.

Four WindClan warriors streamed into the den, their claws unsheathed and ready for battle.

The sight of the rage in their eyes sent shivers up my spine. They looked like a pack of badgers, all mad and full of spite even though they were little more than skeletons.

Without looking back, I flung myself out of the den and wiggled through the hole in the wall, ignoring the cries of anger and surprise from the Clan.

My feet pounded heavily on the grass. My breath came in sharp gasps. It was only when I had sprinted to the farthest reaches of the territory that I paused to catch my breath. My sides heaved as I thought about what I had done.

I had abandoned Snowstorm. I winced. I left him there because I was too much of a coward to save him. If only I had been stronger...

Was he alright? Was he lying on the floor, bleeding his life out as the warriors crouched over his limp body? I shook my head frantically.

No, he was stronger than that. Much, much stronger. A Clan that was already weakened by disease couldn't kill him.

I raised my head and looked around. Endless, pale moorland grass billowed in the breeze. I could go back to ThunderClan and give up on helping WindClan. Bramblestar could send a patrol out to get Snowstorm back. I would be in a lot of trouble, but at least I would be safe.

I shook my head again, trying to clear my brain of all of the irrational thoughts. If I gave up now, then WindClan would be doomed. The illness would take them over completely, and there would be no one there to help them. Besides, I promised Aspenpaw. I could still see the pained look of her bright green eyes in my mind.

I have to be brave.

What did Larksong say about the prophecy? Something about a trail of tears and an herb that was "the opposite of flame, not quite water, and was close to the sky and back"?

I tipped my head to one side. The opposite of flame? What did that mean?

It was close to the sky and back, so it probably grew on trees or cliffs. Well. At least that was one step further to solving the riddle.

I looked around, trying to find any tall trees or crags. There was nothing here except for a few scraggly birches and boundless rolling hills.

I wrinkled my brow, thinking hard. Where should I look first? The sun glimmering on the Lake caught my attention. The rays bouncing off of the waves looked like a cluster of stars set against a dark blue background.

I looked around quickly, making sure that no one saw me, and then bounded off towards the direction of the body of water. The rays of sunlight sank deep into its murky blue depths, warming it for spring.

I dipped a paw into it, remembering how I once saved Petalpaw from her watery grave.

The waves were quiet now. I set off for my search around the Lake. It was an herb that was the opposite of flame, so perhaps it grew around the water?

I spotted billowing stalks of reeds, lily pads, and tufts of marshland, but none of the plants seemed particularly striking to me. It had to be something else...

My fur itched uncomfortably. I scratched myself with a hind leg and hissed in annoyance.

Lousy fleas. I'll have to ask Kestrelflight to help me get rid of them.

I continued searching with no results. I began to grow desperate. Where was that herb? Turning over pebbles and stones, I waded into the shallow end of the Lake. Still no luck.

I was so absorbed in the task that I almost didn't hear the soft crackling of grass behind me, a sound so quiet that it was little more than a whisper. I didn't notice his presence until it was too late.

Needle-sharp claws sank into my shoulder and pushed my head into the water. I closed my eyes and held my breath as bubbles swam up from my nose. The paw held me down with an iron grip as I thrashed around, trying to pull free, trying to breathe.

The water rushed past me and tugged at my whiskers with their invisible claws. I could hear them whisper in my ears. They seemed to be murmuring.

After a few minutes, I began to tire myself out. My limbs grew still. I could still hear the rapid beating of my heart, amplified louder by being underwater. In a while it would be over. I couldn't hold my breath forever, and I could feel the air vanishing from my lungs.

The paw on my back loosened and pulled away. Immediately, I sat up, making countless water droplets fly everywhere. I inhaled deep breaths of fresh air, filling my lungs with nothing but the clean, white atmosphere. I was still alive!

"So I found you," a cold voice said. My relief quickly vanished and was replaced with a sinking feeling.

Crowfeather glowered down at me, his lips pulling back into a snarl.

I shrank back in fear.

He growled, "You were in the medicine cat's den. Probably trying to spy on us."

I stammered, "N-no! I was only trying to-!"

The tom took a step forward and meowed, "Silence! I don't care what Aspenpaw or Kestrelflight said. You are a trespasser, you broke the warrior code, and you saw my Clan's weakness."

He turned and beckoned me with his tail. "I'm taking you back to camp."

I felt a glimmer of hope. "Back to the ThunderClan camp?"

"Of course not. WindClan is going to keep you prisoner until we decide what to do with you. Perhaps Onestar can talk to Bramblestar and trade you for prey or herbs."

What? But I can't go back right now! Not until I found the cure!

My eyes suddenly narrowed. Crowfeather should be weakened by the illness. I could fight my way out!

I swung a claw at him, but he easily dodged out of the way.

"What are you doing?" he hissed. He sounded more annoyed than scared, like he knew for a fact that I was no match for him.

I gazed at him with confusion. He should be weak! Why was he stronger than ever?

He sniffed indignantly. "So you know about the sickness then. I was one of the few who were immune to it."

I hesitated, wondering if there was I chance if I could outrun him.

The dark gray tom's eyes flashed warningly as he unsheathed his claws.

"Start walking!" he commanded.

I hung my head and let him lead me back to the camp.

OoOOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOOoOooOooOOoOoOoOooOoOoOoOOOoOoO

Hostile gazes prickled my fur as I was led through the unfamiliar clearing. Hushed voices and whispers filled my ears. They sounded cold, unfriendly. I raised my head and looked around. Most of the cats were scared and bone-thin, with ragged pelts and sunken eyes.

He guided me over to a hollowed out tree trunk. It was so small that I wasn't sure if it could even fit a mole inside.

"This is where you'll be staying for now," he meowed. I paused, pondering if I could somehow escape, but then shook my head and squeezed inside.

Something shifted in the darkness. I jumped in surprise, hitting my head on the tight ceiling.

"Shadefrost?" a voice rasped. My ears perked up.

"Snowstorm?" I whispered. As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I could see his white pelt and his amber pupils staring at me.

He licked my forehead. "I was hoping that you'd escaped," he murmured.

"Sorry," I mumbled. I placed my paw on his, pressing it gently. "But at least we're still together."

I tried to get comfortable in the tiny, cramped space, shifting my limbs and waving my tail. In the end, I only managed to get myself tangled up with him. Despite our situation, we laughed softly.

Outside, I could hear Crowfeather mew, "Whitetail, guard them. Make sure they don't try anything suspicious." I could hear the patter of pawsteps and the clatter of loose stones.

Here in the musty dimness of our prison, I smelled roots and dust and the dry remnants of the quickly disappearing winter. But most of all, I could scent Snowstorm's aroma wrapping around me. He smelled like ferns.

"We'll get out soon," he said reassuringly.

"Yeah." My skin began to itch again. Stupid fleas.

In a while, my eyes drooped sleepily. I felt so safe, huddled up against the fluffy tom. He draped his tail around me. I pressed closer against him, imagining ourselves inside a warm cave, in a place far away from here.

OoOoooOooOoOooOoOoOooOooOoOooOoOOoOooOOoOoOoOoOo

I awoke with my head feeling full and dizzy, like water was swimming inside it. For a moment, I wondered if a part of the Lake had somehow seeped into my ears and into my brain, but then I dismissed the thought. It hurt too much to think right now.

"Shadefrost..."

"Huh?" Was I still dreaming? I must be. My eyes are closed. The hazy, see-through image of Feathertail appeared in front of me. She was so transparent that I could hardly see her, only the faint outline of her body.

"I don't have a lot of time," she mewed urgently. "Come quickly."

She led me past the camp, through the moorland. She guided me farther and farther away from where I used to be.

Time seemed to fly so quickly. For a second, we were still in the WindClan clearing, and after another, we were somewhere else. I was dreaming, then.

"Over there," she whispered. She pointed with her nose. We were standing at the foot of a very tall cliff, almost as tall as a mountain.

She nodded at me. "There's a huge pine tree standing right next to it. Remember it, Shadefrost."

Remember, remember. I felt sick. My head hurt too much to remember.

And then I was instantly transported back into the gloom of the tree trunk. I opened my eyes slowly. Snowstorm was standing over me, looking concerned.

"You feel a lot warmer than usual. Are you okay?" he asked.

I closed my eyes, saying nothing. Even in the blackness of the prison, it was somehow too bright.

An internal alarm in my brain suddenly went off. Was I really ill? Sick with what?

It was just a fever. I tried to calm myself down. Just a fever.

"Ashley?" Snowstorm whispered. He sounded urgent now, scared even, so scared that he accidently used my old name. I shut my eyes. Stop. Don't think. It hurts.

My thoughts were running like a train in my head, around and around my brain like an old wind-up mouse. This was what fevers did to me.

"Just a fever," I whispered.

Snowstorm nuzzled me. "It's alright," he murmured gently. "Should I call for Kestrelflight?"

"It's fine." Kestrelflight wouldn't be able to do anything. He didn't have the herb.

I thought about Feathertail through the throbbing of my sickness. She showed me a cliff as tall as a mountain. It was so high up, it almost touched the sky. Was that where the herb was? It must be.

I heaved myself to my paws, my breath coming in gasps. Snowstorm tried to make me lie down again. "What are you doing?" he asked. "Just rest here."

I ignored him and looked outside.

Larksong was coming this way.

She smiled at Whitetail and mewed kindly, "Darling, you look tired. I think you should go rest for a bit."

Whitetail nodded. "Thank you. But I have to guard the prisoners."

"You can leave them with me. I'll make sure they don't escape."

The white warrior dipped her head in respect and wandered off.

Larksong gazed at me. "Are you alright?" she asked, with a glimmer of surprise in her voice. "You look...ill."

I ignored her question and wiggled my way out of the den.

"I have to...go," I wheezed. Every step made my head throb.

Snowstorm squeezed out after me and blocked my way.

He hissed, "What are you doing?"

Larksong peered at me worriedly.

The elder murmured quietly, "It's not just a fever. You look like the cats in Kestrelflight's den."

Snowstorm's voice rose to a wail. "But-!"

She interrupted him harshly. "Be quiet! You'll attract attention from the others!"

I continued to plod my way to the hole in the wall, making sure to crouch down so that the tall grass hid me from view.

"Shadefrost..." Snowstorm mewed.

The elder rasped, "She knows where the herb is. Snowstorm, go with her." I left them behind as I squeezed through the gorse barrier.

I didn't wait for him. I had to find the herb to save WindClan.

If I thought hard enough, I could remember where Feathertail took me.

I stood up slowly, gazing at the land. It was somewhere here, in WindClan territory.

Snowstorm padded up next to me. "Are you sure about this?" he breathed.

I nodded against the pain.

I leaned on his shoulder as we walked. We plodded slowly through the moor like a pair of turtles, slow and ponderous and quiet.

I wanted to lie down, but I knew that I couldn't. In the dream, Feathertail took me north. It was past the gurgling stream dividing the ThunderClan and WindClan borders.

It seemed to take ages even though I knew that it couldn't have been thirty minutes. Time slowed down until it matched my sluggish pace.

"You okay?" Snowstorm asked.

"Yeah."

I was panting slightly. I imagined the sick cats lining the walls of the medicine cat's den. The disease raged through the Clan, sparing almost no one. Aspenpaw's parents died from it. Half of the others perished from it as well.

I remembered the words of the prophecy haunting me. The chosen cat must die in order to save the Clans.

Maybe this day will be my last. Luckily, the sickness had boggled up my thoughts so that it was hard to concentrate on it.

We were past the river. The camp was far behind us now. I could see a brown smudge in the distance. It was the cliff!

I tried to hurry toward it.

After what seemed like seasons, we finally arrived.

It loomed up in front of us just like it had in the dream, standing straight and regal like a statue.

Snowstorm stared up at it, squinting his eyes in order to see the very top.

"I never noticed this here before," he mewed. "It's so far away from the Lake."

He turned to me. "What should we do now?"

"I have to climb it."

"What?"

I tried to sit up straighter. "I have to climb it to the very top. That's where the herb is."

He padded closer to it. "I'll do it," he said. "You stay here."

He bunched up his muscles and leaped, latching his claws into the cliff's crevices. Stones rained down. He tried to pull himself up, but didn't go far.

In the end, he gave up and jumped down.

"We should go back for help," he said. I shook my head. "We can't."

I knew why he couldn't climb. His paws were much too big to hold onto the tiny gaps in the rock. He was too heavy.

I was a lot smaller than him, though.

I placed a claw on the cliff's rough surface and dug it firmly into a crack. Grunting, I slowly hauled myself up inch by inch. My legs trembled from the strain.

Snowstorm warned, "Shadefrost, get down! You can't do this! What if you fall and break your neck?"

I shook my head and continued to climb. I had to climb.

I was about two fox-lengths from the ground when I began to slip. My claws scrabbled frantically for a secure hold, but I panicked. The sky rushed up from under me as I fell.

The wind tore the breath from my lungs as my eyes opened wide. I expected to feel the sharp, jarring thud of landing on the ground, but I fell on something soft instead.

"Oof!" Snowstorm yelped. I carefully slid off of him. He sniffed me frantically.

The tom growled, "I can't let you do this. It's dangerous."

I wasn't listening. The fever didn't let me. It roared in my ears and made my head throb. I winced.

Something caught my eye as I remembered the vision Feathertail gave me. There was a pine tree standing next to the cliff, just like it did in the dream. It was enormous, almost as huge as the cliff.

Through the hazy red fog, I managed to think of an idea. I sniffed the tree's trunk and saw that its roots were partly rotten. It was barely holding itself up.

"Help me push this over," I murmured.

Snowstorm was confused, but he didn't question me. Together, we panted and heaved the splintery trunk with all of our might. It didn't work at first, but eventually, we heard a soft crreaaaakkk, like a door squeaking open. The roots began to crumble.

The tree stood still for a second. Then it swayed to and fro like a twig against the breeze and I held my breath, hoping that it won't suddenly fall the wrong way and collapse on top of Snowstorm and I.

Luckily, it fell as easily as a domino and with a loud, splintering crash, knocked its side onto the cliff. Leaves and stones rained down like hail.

After a strong billow of dust, the air cleared and I saw my work clearly against the sun. The old pine tree lay propped up against the tall cliff. If I climbed on top of the tree like a bridge, I would be able to leap onto the top of the precipice.

I nodded my thanks to the tom and continued my way up the tree. My claws dug its way firmly into the bark.

I was dizzy and light-headed, and stumbled about like a drunk. The fever was beginning to grow stronger. I could barely hold my head up.

I was half way up. Looking back, I saw the distance I had covered. Snowstorm's white pelt was only a medium-sized speck.

A couple of times, I slipped, but I quickly hung on tight. If I fell now, it would be the end of me.

I looked down and saw how far away everything looked. So this was what it felt like to fly.

The sharp splinters dug their way into my paw pads until they were sore. The wind grew colder.

The top of the cliff slowly came into view. It was covered in a few sparse stalks of grass, but another mass of plants stood wedged between the cracks. The leaves were tender and wrinkled, and they glowed like a green jewel.

I reached the top of the fallen tree and leaped off onto the cliff. I leaned down and sniffed the herb, and nibbled a few of the leaves. A fresh, icy taste exploded in my mouth. It tasted like frost and remained in my breath long after I had swallowed it.

Mint. Peppermint. I found it!

I quickly wolfed down a stalk and felt its leaves tickle my cheek.

Oh, Larksong, and WindClan, and Aspenpaw will be so happy.