Brambleberry's Path

Chapter 23:

Heatherfoot was coughing endlessly, her body shuddering and shaking from the force of most of them. She was thin and her fur was matted, her eyes hollow. It would be a miracle if she survived another night. Brambleberry was sitting right next to her, trying to get her to eat a mouse he caught. She wouldn't even look at her son.

"I'm sorry Brambleberry. She most likely won't survive the night." Pondfrost mewed sadly, looking at the dark tabby tom. He glared at the medicine cat angrily and stood.

"Can't you do anything about it?!" He asked. Pondfrost shook his head and stared down at Heatherfoot with sad eyes.

"I've done all I can. Now she is in Starclan's paws." He mewed. Brambleberry felt his eyes prick and whipped around before he sprinted out of camp. He didn't stop running until he reached the stream at Cloudclan's border. He sat down and bowed his head, trying to keep the tears from falling.

His claws unsheathed and he glared up at the night sky with angry amber eyes.

"Why do you have to take all my loved ones away?! First you take my brother, and now my mother?! Why?! Why her and not me?!" He said, his voice cracking and wavering. The stars glittered silently as Brambleberry stared up at them. He started to shake and hung his head, claws digging into the ground.

"Fine." He muttered. He turned his back on the stars and padded sullenly back to camp.

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When he woke up, he could see most of the clan gathered around something in the center of the camp. He stood up and shook his pelt before he padded up to the group. He was right behind Hawkwing when she turned around and her eyes were filled with tears. She looked at him with sad emerald eyes and shook her head before padding away towards the camp entrance. Confused and a bit startled, Brambleberry took another step forward and stared down at something he wished he hadn't seen.

Pebbleheart, Adderfang, and Heatherfoot lay at the paws of their clanmates, and as Brambleberry stared at his mother with horror, he felt a presence beside him and stared into the sad ice blue eyes of Blacktalon.

"I'm sorry." He mewed. But all Brambleberry could hear was a soft ringing in his ears. He turned towards the Warriors' den and padded back. As soon as he got to his nest, he curled up and rested his head on his paws. He stared at the wall silently and didn't make a sound or move.

He was left alone for the whole day.