Warriors #6: A Kittypet's Destiny

Chapter 38

Goldenshine's POV

All I could do is stand, frozen in complete terror as I watched Snowstorm collapse onto the hard ground, the heavy thump of her body seeming to echo throughout the camp.

No...

I felt so dizzy that I was almost sure that I'd be the next to fall soon enough, and my head felt as if I had dunked into in the wildest, most violently-flowing river. Things couldn't have gone any worse... I thought with dismay as yowls and gasps of surprise began to spread throughout the camp.

I felt myself quickly becoming overwhelmed with panic as continued to stare at Snowstorm's still figure - her pelt that seemed to be covered with more wounds than blood, how tired and dull her closing eyes were. What have we done? I thought, my breaths coming in uncontrollable, quick and shallow huffs. What have we done?

I was practically trying to hold back a whimper as I burst ahead to meet Swiftflight, who was looking down at his friend and gently shaking her. "Snowstorm?" he cried out, his gray-blue eyes wide with horror. "Snowstorm, can you hear me? Say something!"

I ran up to stand just by my son, but my eyes stayed on the she-cat below him. "Swiftflight, is she alright?" Was the only thing that I could think to ask through my spiraling mind, even though I didn't want to accept the fact that I already knew that answer.

Swiftflight whipped his head towards me, his eyes suddenly blazing like flame. "Am I suddenly ThunderClan's medicine cat?" he hissed. And while his gaze was sharp and hostile, the immense worry beneath it was clear. "I have no idea if she's alright!"

I took a step back, my head beginning to shake slowly. "Oh my StarClan, oh my StarClan..." I breathed, my panic further continuing to consume me.

I then broke into a run once again, racing past Swiftflight and Snowstorm. "Jayfeather!"

I made a break for the medicine den, my fast pawsteps seeming to match in pace with my heartbeat, and I practically had to skid to a halt by the time that I made it to the bramble screen.

I nearly ran straight into Jayfeather, who seemed to have been on his way out. He luckily also seemed to have sensed my presence quickly, and hopped back as I burst into the den. "What's the matter now?" he muttered, and quite frankly, I wasn't sure if it was exasperation or dread that I could see in his blind eyes.

But I didn't have much time to analyze his emotions, especially when mine of alarm and distress were driving me up the den walls. "Snowstorm collapsed, Jayfeather!" I nearly cried out. "She's not moving. She's not responding!"

All I could do was stand and wait, trying to catch my breath when Jayfeather simply stared back at me, saying nothing. But I followed behind him when he suddenly turned around and padded to the back of his den, not a single word still escaping his jaws. "She seemed fine - well, as fine as she could be... just heartbeats ago!" I explained, my voice trembling.

I then sat down just a few fox-lengths behind the medicine cat as he began to dig through his stocks of herbs. "Swiftflight was keeping her upright while we waited for you to treat her," I went on, my eyelids then lowering shut, "but then she just... fell. Like a cat had just given her a sharp blow to the neck. It all happened so fast..."

I then trailed off of my own words as I began to relive the horrifying, bone-chilling experience all over again, and it all became too much to bear all over again. I held back another whimper as I took a step forward. "Jayfeather-"

Suddenly, the gray tabby tom whipped himself around, dropping the herbs he'd been carrying in his mouth. "Goldenshine, be quiet!" he growled back at me. "I'm trying to get what I need!"