Hope ✓

Chapter Nineteen

I shivered as I walked back into camp, carrying a piece of prey behind Flick. Leaf-bare should be ending, so why was it still cold?

It had been three days since Lightstar became sick, but the leader still hadn't recovered; if anything, she had gotten worse. She had been moved to the medicine den so Bella and Poppypaw could look over her through the night. Bella said Lightstar now had a fever and couldn't keep even a bite of freshkill down.

I dropped the small mouse I had been carrying on the freshkill pile and Flick added his raven to the pile. He turned his head to look at me but my gaze was fixed on the medicine den. What was happening to Lightstar? How did she get so sick all of a sudden? I hoped the leader would heal soon so they could just get going.

Flick followed my gaze. "I hope Bella knows enough about herbs to help Lightstar fully recover. Poppypaw can't do it on his own when he's only half-trained."

I nodded. "Yeah, me too. I'm sure Bella can help her, but I want to get going soon. How are we going to find Shadeclan just sitting around here?"

Flick's ear flicked but he didn't respond. I guessed he just wanted to get out of here too. Maybe he just wasn't comfortable being in a clan.

"Let's go check on her." I said and started towards the medicine den. I heard Flick's pawsteps behind me.

When we entered the den, the stench of sickness mixed with herbs surrounded us. I wrinkled my nose and my eyes widened at the look of Lightstar. She had herbs plastered on her fur covering what seemed to be wounds. She was laying down in her temporary nest, her fur matted.

"What happened? How did she get all those wounds?" I asked.

Bella shook her head. "I don't know, but this one got infected." She gestured to the biggest one along the leader's side. "It doesn't help that she still hasn't fully recovered from getting sick. She still has a fever and won't eat."

Poppypaw came over with a bundle of herbs and began to replace the herbs plastered on Lightstar with new ones. Even though he was young, he seemed completely sure of himself as he applied the herbs.

While Poppypaw was applying the herbs, Lightstar lightly stirred and her eyes opened. Her eyes were slightly foggy, and she couldn't seem to look directly at one thing. "Cloudfrost, my love. It's been so long."

I tilted my head in confusion. "Lightstar, who are you talking to?" I asked her.

The leader looked up at me, her gaze still unfocused. "All apprentices deserve to become warriors one day." She said.

Bella gently pressed the leader's head down. "You need to rest." She said.

"I will receive my warrior name when I return to Shadeclan." I told Lightstar.

Lightstar didn't take her unfocused gaze off me. "Shadeclan? You are a Mistclan apprentice, now. Your mentor will be Cloudfrost, he will teach you well." She smiled and closed her eyes again.

I shook my head. "Lightstar, I'm sorry but I still have to return to Shadeclan. As soon as Bella is okay to leave, we're going. I can't join Mistclan when I'm part of another clan."

Poppypaw was looking at Lightstar, confused. "Cloudfrost can't train Lavenderpaw when he's dead."

Bella glanced at the medicine cat apprentice. "She must be hallucinating, at least halfway. We need to get her fever down." The cream and white she-cat darted to the back of the den.

Flick looked at me like he was going to say something, but didn't. What was he thinking about? Nevermind that, when would Lightstar get better? Would she lose one of her lives? How many did she have left?

Poppypaw looked up at me. "Fogbreeze is the Mistclan deputy. Find him and tell him Lightstar will take a while longer to recover and he will have to step in as leader until she has recovered."

I nodded and glanced at Flick before exiting the den. The sandy tom didn't follow me this time. I looked back and sighed. I hoped he was okay. I then shook out my pelt and looked around the camp. Luckily, I spotted Amberblaze. Smiling, I padded towards her.

"Hey, do you know where Fogbreeze is?" I asked. I didn't ask what he looked like, although I guessed he was grey or white based on his name.

The long-haired ginger and white she-cat narrowed her eyes as she picked up the squirrel I had caught but flicked her tail towards the camp entrance and a patrol emerged. The cat at the head of the patrol was a light grey tom with darker stripes and blue eyes. I padded up to him, hoping this was Fogbreeze.

"You're Fogbreeze, right?" I asked the tom.

The striped grey tom nodded. "I am."

I sighed with relief. "Good, I have something to tell you but it might be better said somewhere more private." I didn't want the clan getting too worried if they overheard how Lightstar was doing.

Fogbreeze nodded. "Let's go into the leader's den. It's empty now that Lightstar is in the medicine den." He then started for the den.

I followed him into the tree. The tom hadn't even flinched when he mentioned Lightstar in the medicine den. When we entered it, we walked over to one of the back corners and sat down. "Lightstar is getting worse." I began.

Pain flickered across Fogbreeze's face. "Hasn't she recovered from her sudden sickness?" He asked.

I slowly shook my head. "No, and she has wounds covering her flank. One of them is infected, and she still has a fever. She was hallucinating when I went in to check on her."

Fogbreeze looked surprised and a bit angry when I mentioned her wounds but he then sighed. "Is she going to make it?"

I hesitated, not knowing how to answer his question. "I . . . don't know." Was Lightstar going to survive this? "Poppypaw sent me to tell you that you should take over as leader, though. Just until she recovers."

Fogbreeze looked down at the ground. I couldn't depict all the emotions on his face. I did catch one of them though: sadness. It must be hard, was Lightstar on her last life and Fogbreeze knew? It would make sense for her deputy to know.

After a moment, Fogbreeze raised his head. "Thank you for telling me, Lavenderpaw." He said with a small smile.

I smiled back. "I wish she would get better, too. Not just so I can continue my journey, but because Mistclan needs their leader."

Fogbreeze nodded. "Thank you. I know your heart lays with Shadeclan, but you would be a great Mistclan warrior."

"Lightstar thought so too, but I'm afraid I can't stay. I still have friends and family back in Shadeclan which I'm trying to return to. It wouldn't feel right to join another clan." I told the deputy.

Fogbreeze smiled. "I understand. Still, thank you for caring about Lightstar and helping the clan by hunting. You and your friends are welcome to stay here for as long as you want."

I stood up. "Thank you, Fogbreeze." I dipped my head respectively and padded out of the hollow tree.

I looked up at the darkening sky. I would return to Shadeclan, right? I had to, for my littermates and Pinepaw. Pinepaw.  I smiled as I remembered our times together. I realized now that my crush on him had been silly, we were perfectly fine as friends. Besides, if I did return, who's to say he wouldn't have a mate already?

Flick emerged from the medicine den and padded towards me. I tilted my head, wondering what he wanted to talk about.

"Lavenderpaw, we have to stay in Mistclan."

Kind of a shorter chapter, sorry.

I have so many ideas for this I just have to write them down.

I'm trying not for this to go by too quickly now that I have basically the rest planned out.

Any thoughts on any Mistclan characters or what's happening?

Thank you for all your support!

//Word count: 1316//