Chapter 10

Moon 36 | Crow

After many long moons, Slopecall finally left the medicine den, Gingerleaf was relieved and happily greeted her. The dark ginger she-cat was happy that nothing terrible had happened like she had been fretting about. However, Slopecall held the evidence on her pelt as a scar. She even spoke up about something she had overheard. Her bright gray eyes shining with concern.

"Sleetcrash was muttering something about Haillaurel, I'm certain her body isn't doing too good after having Splashkit and Sunsetkit." Slopecall whispered to Gingerleaf.

She frowned, feeling a little uneasy. "Maybe we should help Sleetcrash find the herbs she needs?"

"It wouldn't be any good, we don't know where herbs are for that kind of infection." The long-furred brown she-cat pointed out, adding in, "It would be better to just get to regular patrols."

"She's my mother, I have to do something to help Haillaurel." Gingerleaf pleaded.

"Then ask Sleetcrash if there is anything you can do." Slopecall told her, "Asking me anything isn't going to help. I'm not the healer."

She knew her Clan-mate was right and looked to the medicine den with uncertainty bubbling up in her chest. What if there was nothing she could do? What if all she did was slow down Sleetcrash? With a rough shake of her pelt, she made her choice. She had to ask, even if it was fruitless. Anything was better than doing nothing.

Gingerleaf padded over to the medicine den and slipped inside to see Sleetcrash looking at her store carefully, her mind racing in how to help Haillaurel. The pale gray and white tabby glanced her way, curiosity in her pale green eyes.

"Gingerleaf, may I help you?" She asked curiously.

The young warrior blinked slowly as she spoke. "I wanted to ask if I could help looking for herbs until Haillaurel is better."

"Are you sure, I don't think I've ever taken any cat with me since Hazelstar." Sleetcrash asked, her gaze dark with memory.

"I'm sure, I'll try really hard to help." She promised weakly, "I just want to help as much as I can."

"Very well, I'll leave in a moment, so wait for me." She relented, much to Gingerleaf's relief.

.

It was quite a while later when Sleetcrash finally came out of her den and padded up to Gingerleaf, warmth in her eyes. "Just follow me, okay? Newleaf is an iffy season for me to find herbs sometimes, especially this early. So, no promises, we will find anything helpful for your mother."

"I know, I just want to help in some way." Gingerleaf lifted her head proudly. "A pair of extra paws help, do they not?"

"True." Sleetcrash purred warmly as she took the lead and led the way out of the rocky barrier of their camp and towards the sandy incline to the inland forest.

Gingerleaf followed close behind as they neared a small delta area of the forest, it was marshland and perfect for collecting many kinds of herbs. She wasn't sure what, but she attempted to pay attention as though she were an apprentice. Although, she could tell that the healer had a lot on her mind as she searched between the small creeks among the flat and vast river that ran into the sea.

An idea entered her mind as she playfully splashed some water at Sleetcrash, who shook it off before splashing her back. As the sun slowly descended, they managed to stop their water-battle and were giggling amongst themselves about how Sleetcrash had made the biggest splash Gingerleaf had ever seen, and how the dark ginger warrior looked like a frightened soaked kit before it struck its mark.

In the end, Sleetcrash seemed to be much happier and collected some lungwort, which would help ensure anyone who got sick with any sort of cough could get better sooner. Gingerleaf felt happier and decided to make it a point to join Sleetcrash in herb collecting more often since she figured it must be very hard for the healer to care for a whole Clan on her own.

.

Gingerleaf glanced at Miyun, curiosity in her heart as she saw the older she-cat caring for the kits carefully. She had been on kit-duty days after the dark ginger she-cat had been with the healer. At the moment, Gingerleaf was guarding the camp with Peakstreak, who was towards the northern beach.

Rainstar had gone on a border patrol with quite a lot of cats to ensure it was marked. So, when her leader returned with a new face amongst her patrol; it was bound to be quite curious. Gingerleaf didn't apply herself to the conversation, but she listened in on them as she kept her eyes trained on the horizon of the southern beach and the sky to ensure her younger sisters would be safe to keep playing.

"Pansyspeck, this is our camp." Rainstar was saying, "It may not look like much, but it's been our home for many long moons now. You're welcome to stay here as long as you wish, just let me know when you want to leave."

"I will, I promise." The new cat, a tom, answered.

Gingerleaf managed to take a peek and noticed that the new tom was an unusually dappled pale gray tom with pale yellow eyes. His gaze looked over the camp with wonder as he began to make himself comfortable. Weevildusk, who had been on Rainstar's patrol, was quick to show Pansyspeck around the camp and to the warriors' den to make his own nest. It was suspicious, but Gingerleaf supposed her old mentor was doing whatever Rainstar told him to.

Moon 37 | Fish

At first, the moon held promise as her mother showed no further sign of infection and focused all her strength on keeping an eye on her younger sisters. It changed, drastically, when a patrol was out and from the inland forest came a badger. Gingerleaf stood her ground in front of the nursery, ready to defend her mother and sisters until her last breath. The badger managed to lumber over the tall stones with a bellow.

Rainstar had raced in the way and, before their eyes she had attacked the badger with every ounce of her rage. A desire to protect the Clan she had been sworn to protect. The badger's claws raked through Rainstar, blood dripping as it slowly poured out of her wounds as she lashed her own claws over and over until the badger finally turned and left with scores of claw wounds. Its eyes were small and dark; and Gingerleaf did nothing to help.

[Rainstar lost a life.]

Rainstar died. The wounds were so awful that the dark ginger tabby swore that there was no way their leader would return to life. Yet, the will of the Sea of Stars had healed those wounds, leaving the scars beneath her pelt and life flowing back into her limbs. Gingerleaf didn't feel brave. She felt like a coward and a failure.

Rainstar was shaken and, for the time being, had remained in the camp to rest and regather herself. Sleetcrash encouraged it to ensure the wounds did no lasting damage outside of the scarring hidden beneath her long fur. For the next few days Gingerleaf's guilt grew as she guarded the camp. Rainstar had appointed three lookouts, one to face the inland forest to ensure that no danger came from there.

Miyun, with all her affection, had tried to talk to Gingerleaf about what was troubling her. After all, it wasn't like her to look so down during her turn of guarding the camp. Even the dark ginger she-cat knew this.

"It couldn't have been too awful. How could you know that a badger was coming? Do you even know what one looked like until now?" Miyun asked plainly. "If I had been watching, I would have alerted them, but would any StormClan-cat know what a badger actually looked like?"

Gingerleaf turned to face her, her anger sparking in every hair of her pelt as she snapped at Miyun. "I've only seen their sets and smelled their stink, I have NEVER seen one! I never thought they would come here, either! There are still a lot of cats here no matter how strong a badger is!"

The pale long-furred she-cat's warm gray eyes widened as the young warrior swept on. "Why did it come here? How could I miss something that horrible? I'm supposed to guard the camp and I failed, Miyun! I failed... and it cost a cat their life. Rainstar may have many lives, but the rest of us don't. If it wasn't her, it could have been anyone else and it would be all my fault."

The rage deep within Gingerleaf petered out as she looked away solemnly. Miyun, with great care, slipped up beside her, a newfound understanding glittering in her gray eyes.

"I'm so sorry." She told her. "I should have known how hard you were taking it. Life's not easy out here, I know. It seems so sheltered here in StormClan, even I forget that none of us are truly sheltered from the darkness of that forest."

Gingerleaf spared a glance at her fellow Clan-mate, seeing what she could only describe as genuine sadness and regret. "It's alright." She whispered back, looking back to the horizon. "Life happens, even when it's bad... right?"

Miyun was silent for a moment, then with a single breath she spoke so softly. "I'm so very sorry that you must suffer."

The young dark ginger warrior froze at those words, feeling as though it was a confession of sorts as she turned her head and saw the pale spotted tabby already gone. What did she mean? The dogs and badger had been nothing but vile coincidences, right?

If they were, then why is Miyun so sorry?

A few days later, Gingerleaf took part in a hunting patrol to catch fish. Caveswoop was the leader of their small patrol as they hunted fish in the shallows. They were all patient and each came home with a pair of fish to bring home. The successful hunting trip served to lift Gingerleaf's spirits after the recent tragedy.

Moon 38 | Flower

With the new moon came new opportunities. Her mother, Haillaurel, had recovered from kitting; much to Gingerleaf's relief. Rainstar regained her strength and began to patrol again whenever she could. Pansyspeck even found a snake in camp and managed to toss it out of camp before anyone could get bit.

It was as though the Clan had recovered as a whole.

Until, it no longer was.

Peakstreak had seen a rogue in the distance and left his post to chase them down. They fought valiantly until the rogue raced back the way they came. Peakstreak was wounded and was now inside the medicine den for the time being. She fought hard to protect StormClan, now she had to rest up and heal.

Gingerleaf felt bad for Peakstreak, but she held faith that the older warrior would pull through. Somehow, someway, StormClan would pull through as a whole.

As the moons slowly passed and Gingerleaf worked hard on her patrols to bring back prey with Caveswoop, she found the camp with a new face being ushered into the medicine den by Miyun and Pansyspeck. The new cat was being cared for instantly by Sleetcrash. Rainstar quickly investigates with a flick of her tail.

"What's going on?" She asked.

Pansyspeck answered. "We found a Twoleg abandoning this poor she-cat all because she got sick."

"Those heartless creatures." Miyun spat crossly. "I've always known it was best to keep away from them like a fox."

"I'm glad that you have." Rainstar told Miyun, before turning her attention to Pansyspeck. "Did she have a name?"

"Her Twoleg called her Zambia." He answered strongly, "You won't change her name, will you?"

"Hazelstar never forced me to change my name." Miyun pointed out.

Rainstar shook her head. "It's up to her. Hazelstar and I have long since decided that it is a cat's right to choose whether to keep their name, add on to it, or change it entirely. Miyun was happy with her name so we never pressed for it to be changed. If Zambia is happy with her name as well, then there is no need to do anything with it. It's her choice and I'm not going to press for it."

Pansyspeck nodded, "Right. But we don't know what she's sick with."

"Sleetcrash will find out, go and rest and bring prey to them both." Rainstar advised, "She will give us the report soon enough."

As time passed and the sun began its descent toward twilight, the healer stood before the Clan to give her report. It was revealed that Zambia had whitecough and she already had Darkwhisker and Rustyfeather move Peakstreak to the apprentice's den to keep it from spreading.

However, only time will tell if it would or wouldn't.

Moon 39 | Meadow

The heat of greenleaf struck hard as Gingerleaf had to remain in the apprentice's den to cool down with some moss. Her flanks rose and fell as she struggled against the burning heat through her pelt. She had been on guard duty again and the rising heat on the beach had left her unable to do any of her duties. As a result, she had to wait until her temperature fell and she was no longer suffering from heat exhaustion.

.

Sadly, a storm was brewing one day. While Rainstar's patrol was able to complete their rounds, Slopecall's wasn't as lucky. Grief struck the Clan, even Gingerleaf at the terrible news. They were crossing a stream when the storm suddenly hit and a deluge of rain pelted their territory. The rush of river water roared to life and swept over the small patrol. Slopecall and Seedblur survived. Lowshard wasn't as lucky. She was swept into the sea, tumbling with the debris of driftwood and sticks. By the time she finally washed up on the beach shore, it was too late. Lowshard wasn't even complete.

Gingerleaf never got the chance to see her or what the body looked like. None of them, except Slopecall and Seedblur with Haillaurel and Sleetcrash. They let the body be taken by the sea. Their eyes hollowed with horror and grief. Never once able to save her from the rushing torrent. Gingerleaf lowered her head and held a silent vigil in her temporary nest. She could only wish that Lowshard understood how much Gingerleaf appreciated her even if they hadn't hung out as much as they used to.

Allegiances (as of Moon 39)

Leader: Rainstar - long-furred dark gray tabby she-cat with gray eyes

Deputy: Haillaurel - pale cream ticked tabby she-cat with hazel eyes

Healer: Sleetcrash - long-furred pale gray and white tabby she-cat with pale green eyes

Warriors:

Pansyspeck - unusually dappled pale gray tom with pale yellow eyes

Miyun - long-furred unusually spotted pale silver she-cat with warm gray eyes

Weevildusk - long-furred gray and white tabby tom with pale yellow eyes

Peakstreak - long-furred speckled black and white she-cat with heather blue eyes

Seedblur - long-furred gray ticked and white tom with slate gray eyes

Slopecall - long-furred brown ticked and white she-cat with bright gray eyes

Caveswoop - long-furred white and black tabby tom with heterochromia eyes (one cobalt, the other emerald)

Gingerleaf - dark ginger tabby she-cat with pale green eyes

Zambia - long furred pale lavender marbled-tabby and white she-cat with pale green eyes

Queens and Kits:

Haillaurel - pale cream ticked tabby she-cat with hazel eyes (Mother of: Splashkit, a tortie she-kit; Sunsetkit, a ginger tabby she-kit)

Elders:

Darkwhisper - long-furred dark gray and white tabby tom with yellow eyes

Rustyfeather - dark ginger tabby she-cat with pale blue eyes

Cats Outside the Clan

Sweet Leon - medium-furred unusually spotted dark brown and white loner she-cat with pale blue eyes

New Resident in the Sea of Stars

Lowshard - long-furred golden tabby she-cat with bronze-colored eyes

Author's Note:

Happy three years among StormClan! My goal of 100 years is still a long ways away, but at least it is looking really good now!

Although, what will come in the coming moons, only time will tell!
[Edit 10/6/2024: I got sick, so I forgot to update. I'm still sick, but I'm doing my best for everything anyway. ]

Thank you for reading, have a fantastic morning, day, evening, or night~! - NightSky