[OLD AND OUTDATED] Warriors: Ravenflight's Wish

Chapter 11

Ravenpaw felt a cat entering the medicine den. His eyes grew round as he scented Fernleaf, and the smell of some. . . sour thing? Fernleaf's panted as she mewed.

"Crookednose is worse."

"With the coughing?" Ravenpaw meowed.

Fernleaf didn't reply after a while. "Yes. And, his bones ache, he has a fever, and he's carrying this sour scent."

"Maybe because he's old," he shrugged. These weren' t his proper Clanmates. Why should he care about them? Fernleaf just ran to the storage room, desperately picking for herbs. Ravenpaw heaved himself to his paws, they were running low on coltsfoot. Maybe he could collect some?

He scrambled over to the entrance of the den and mewed. "I'm going to collect coltsfoot. We're running low."

Fernleaf appeared. "No! I need your help." She nudged him a leaf bundle with herbs in it. "It's for Crookednose. Give it to him."

Ravenpaw just sighed. He picked up the bundle and stumbled into camp. The bright light pushed against his face, making the darkness shine. He trotted over to the elders' den, newleaf was here!

As he scrambled inside, he dropped the bundle in front of Crookednose. The old elder lifted his graying head, coughing and wheezing. A rancid sour scent lingered in the air as he coughed.

Ravenpaw wrinkled his nose. He stunk! Hadn't the old elder drank water?

Crookednose munch the herbs desperately.

"If that won't make him better, I don't know what will." Bumbletail mewed.

Ravenpaw just shrugged, padding out the den. As he entered the medicine den, he mewed. "I don't think Crookednose is drinking water."

"Oh?" Fernleaf lifted her head where she was making a new herb bundle.

"Yeah. His breath stinks," Ravenpaw mewed, giving his paw a lick. "I know because Foxpaw would wake up like that when she didn't drink water."

Fernleaf nodded, rolling a moss ball towards him. Ravenpaw had an urge to throw it back, playing with it. But he knew he couldn't, he wasn't a kit. Ravenpaw picked up the moss ball, he already knew what to do with it.

"Foxpaw!" Ravenpaw called through the moss.

"Foxpaw is on dawn patrol." A new voice mewed. It was Snowpaw's. "I can help."

Ravenpaw narrowed his green eyes. "Okay. Soak this moss. And quickly."

He heard the rustling of the moss brushing Snowpaw's fur. Ravenpaw heard more

coughing from the elders' den. Out of curiosity, he peered through it. Crookednose wheezed.

"Ravenpaw please heal this old fox!" Bumbletail snarled. "I can't get any sleep."

"Oh, shush, Bumbletail. He's very sick," Berryheart meowed.

Ravenpaw lifted his muzzle. "It's best you get out. You don't want to get sick too."

The two elders' scrambled out the den, Bumbletail mewing crossly. Crookednose spat out a bit of mucus, wheezing.

Ravenpaw gritted his teeth. "Here!"

His fur lifted as someone meowed. But he noticed it was Snowpaw. Ravenpaw quickly picked up the moss, bringing it to Crookednose.

Crookednose pushed it away. With a loud cough.

"Drink it, old furball!" Ravenpaw snapped. "Don't you want to get better?"

"Don't . . . tell. . . me what . . . to do." Crookednose managed to gasp out.

Reluctantly, he quickly lapped the water-soaked moss. Ravenpaw felt his shoulder tense, would the old elder ever heal? Every day he grew weaker and weaker, and a tiny worm inside Ravenpaw's belly told him that he would die. Crookednose coughed, he seemed as if he wanted to vomit something out. Stomach tightening.

Ravenpaw found himself scampering out the elders' den. Fernleaf padded up to Ravenpaw, eyes round.

"Well?" Fernleaf meowed.

"Sick as usual." Ravenpaw muttered. "He kept retching."

Ravenpaw felt his mentor stiffening. Ravenpaw sighed. "There's no hope for him."

Fernleaf didn't reply. She kept quiet and padded into the medicine den.

Ravenpaw raced beside Fernleaf. His paws thumping on the dirt ground, panting. He scrambled into the elders' den beside Fernleaf. Crookednose was wheezing and coughing uncontrollably on his nest. Bumbletail and Berryheart outside, eyes narrowed. Ravenpaw pressed against Fernleaf, eyes round.

"He's not okay!" Fernleaf yelped.

Ravenpaw growled under his breath. Crookednose was coughing, tears filled his old eyes. Ravenpaw felt unwanted pity for him. He pressed his muzzle on Crookednose's neck. Crookednose hissed him away, claw slashing for his throat. Ravenpaw winced as the old elder shuddered and then fell cold.

Ravenpaw pressed his muzzle on Crookednose's cold body. He didn't move. Fernleaf's eyes fill with sorrow.

"StarClan wanted him." He mewed to his mentor. Fernleaf did not reply, he scrambled out the den. Meowing loudly to the camp, he said: "Crookednose is dead!"

The cats yowled in alarm. Ravenpaw sighed. Fernleaf dragged Crookednose's graying

body out of the den. Bumbletail watched in sorrow with Berryheart at his side. Goldentail gasping, Bramblenose staring beside her. Talonclaw and Icefrost stared as Fernleaf took him to the middle of camp. And all four apprentices mewing.

Ravenpaw narrowed his eyes. "Crookednose are you watching? The Clan grieves for you."

Fernleaf padded to the medicine den, coming back with herbs to decorate Crookednose's surroundings. The scent of death was hidden with the herbs. Ravenpaw felt the aura of the old elder here, somewhere, watching.

"Ignore him!" A cat yowled in his ears, "the old elder was nothing to you! Remember that! Focus on leaving this camp!" Ravenpaw felt Mistleheart's words graze his pelt. "I'll keep my promise." He muttered.