Clans of the Forest:1: Stone and Silver (COMPLETE)

Chapter 16

Silverpelt stretched, arching his back. The sun glinted overhead. It was early morning and coughing had been in the camp since dawn. The other warriors were still asleep, SilvHerpelt had woken up early. 

The sun was pale against the branches as another bout of coughing broke out. A groan sounded from somewhere in the Warrior's den. Who is making this?

He stretched again, yawning. The coughing was a fit now. Silverpelt gazed around worriedly. Who was making it? He watched Powersnow stumble out of the medicine cat's den. She was squinting into the bright sunlight. 

"Up since dawn?" She asked him.

"Yeah," Silverpelt mewed. "Couldn't sleep with the coughing. Who's making it? Are they okay?"

"I'll check the dens," Powersnow murmured.

"I'll help," Silverpelt told her. He headed to the elder's den, praying that it wasn't Waterfall. The frail old she cat could barely survive whitecough, let alone greencough. Or the deadly blackcough.

He shook his head clearing his thoughts. He didn't want to think about that right now. Taking a deep breath, he strode into the elder's den.

Waterfall was lying peacefully with her nose tucked under her tail. Silverpelt decided not to disturb her, and slipped out. He walked up to Powersnow, who was picking through the fresh-kill pile. "Find the source?" He asked.

Powersnow looked up at him, her blue eyes weary. "It's Bluestar," She mewed quietly. "She's coughing in her sleep. I gave her some tansy, but . . . ."

"But what?" Silverpelt demanded.

"It's greencough," Powersnow murmured.

Silverpelt knew not to snap at her, she was doing her best, but let himself freely start to whimper.

"What's all that noise?" Rainstorm stalked out of the nursery. Silverpelt turned to her, his eyes dull.

"Bluestar has greencough," He mewed. 

"What?" Rainstorm choked, her eyes flashing in pain. "Not now! I can't lose anyone else!" She ran back into the nursery, sobbing. Silverpelt felt her pain as if it was his own. He couldn't lose his grandmother, especially since she was Clan leader. ForestClan can't be seen as weak.

Bluestar was not going to die! He ran up to Powersnow. "What can I do?"

Powersnow sighed. "We're going to need catmint," She mewed sorrowfully. "The thing is, all of the catmint in our territory is either dead or dying. We'll need to get dome from the Twolegplace behind Long Lake."

Silverpelt's heart shattered. "Not BlizzardClan territory!" He hissed angrily. "We've had enough trouble with them recently!"

Powersnow sighed again. "I know," She didn't bother to say anything else. Silverpelt could tell she was as hopeless as he was.

Rivereye appeared from the dirtplace tunnel. "Should I send a patrol?" He asked. "To get the catmint, I mean."

Powersnow sighed(for the third time, Silverpelt noted), and mewed, "I suppose we have to. What other choice do we have? I'll go speak to Bluestar," She turned and disappeared under the Highstone.

Silverpelt met Rivereye's worried gaze. They stared like that for a little while, until shuffling sounded from beneath the Highstone.

Bluestar emerged with Powersnow right behind her. She leapt onto the Highstone and let out a yowl. 

"Let call cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highstone for a Clan meeting!"

Sleepy faces emerged from the dens around them. Stonevoice padded over to sit by Silverpelt. "What is it?" She asked, blue eyes tense.