Bloodshed (Zombie Warrior Cats)

Chapter Eight

Dawnflower's POV

It had been a half-moon since Troutriver was buried. StreamClan was starving to death. All the prey had either died and was now poisonous, or had ran away. Now we were prey to the heat. Even the water looked poisonous. We prayed for rain and at least a mouse or a pigeon to be found.

The sun was already up fully; the sky was clear and there was only the hot wind that blew sand into our fur as we made it our mission to find prey. "I'm never going to get this sand out of my ear fur!" Sootpaw complained, shaking out his fluffy grey fur for the third time.

"Stop complaining, Sootpaw." Spottedfire growled. We padded around behind the Gathering Place, around the singular willow tree, but we couldn't smell anything due to the wind. I sighed and sniffed around anyway. The wind was blowing from RockClan's territory, making it easier to sniff something from the singular tree.

"I think I smell a mouse," I murmured, stalking toward the willow tree. My heart fluttered with hope. This mouse will be fed to Flamepaw and Amberpaw. No one else. Flamepaw needs to eat... He didn't have an appetite. Flamepaw's coughing had gone from bad to worse in only a few days. When he coughed, he coughed up blood, and I feared for my sons life.

I lashed my tail for the patrol to stay put as I crept toward the dying willow tree. I could see a hole under the trees' trunk; a perfect home for creatures to hide out. A mouse was chewing on a seed from a flower beside the trunk. I stalked over from the side. Leaping at the small brown mouse, I pinned it and killed it with a swift bite.

"Finally, something with meat inside it!" Sootpaw gasped, rushing over. Lilypaw, Nightshade, and Spottedfire took their time to come over. "Good catch," Spottedfire praised, bowing her head.

I dipped my head as Spottedfire turned around and lead the patrol away. As we padded away from the singular tree, Lilypaw got into the stalking position. She started to creep up on what looked to be a snake. It hissed at her.

We can give that to the elders or the queens. I thought as Nightshade surrounded it. The wind picked up just as Lilypaw leaped. The snake tried to attack her but she pounced on it before it could latch onto her fore-paw. "Nice one!" Nightshade praised as she examined it.

We hurried back to camp to share our catches with our Clanmates. Lilypaw's chin was raised high and her tail was straight up, proud of her kill. The snakes tail made a trail it's long body scrapped on the ground.

The wind went against us as if it was trying to keep us away from going home. Nothing was going to keep me away from nurturing my son.

I left the patrol with the mouse hanging in my jaws, speed walking into the camp. Without greeting anyone, I entered the medicine cat den and dropped the mouse at Amberpaw's feet. She sat beside Flamepaw, stroking his shoulders with drowsy eyes as he slept. He's so cute when he sleeps. I thought.

"Make sure when he wakes that he eats at least two bites from that mouse!" I ordered softly. Amberpaw nodded as I left.

Lilypaw stood in the center of the clearing with the snake at her paws with an anxious and puzzled look on her face. "What's wrong?" I asked as I halted in front of her.

"I can't decide if I should give this to Mistfire or the queens..." she muttered. "The queens can take herbs to eat, but Mistfire needs it more." I suggested. She hurried off to give the elderly she-cat a snake.

Lightfeather was surrounded by warriors, all asking for herbs so they wouldn't be hungry anymore. "Please, Lightfeather... I can barely walk because my chest and stomach hurt so much..." Crescentmoon begged, her stomach sunken in. Wolftail shoved by the warriors, his eyes hollow. "Lightfeather, please. You have to have something for Loudbird! Chipkit can't take another day without her milk!" Wolftail whimpered.

"There isn't enough for all of you! Please, back up so I can-" Lightfeather mewed, her voice shaky. StreamClan was hungry and the last thing they wanted to hear was no.

"You guys are pathetic." A sigh came from the back of the clearing. Skullsong. I felt a growl creep up my throat from hatred. "Eating herbs for a living? What a stupid and idiotic move!" She snarled, fur spiked up as she headed for the camp entrance. I flicked my ear as I watched her every move through narrowed eyes.

"I won't stand to live in a Clan who eats like sheep and mice!" Skullsong yowled, and no one protested as she bolted out of the camp. Nightshade nor Wolftail seemed to care as she left a cloud of dirt as she raced away.

"She won't last long." Seastar mumbled. The Clan sat in silence for a few heartbeats.

"Okay," Lightfeather whispered, breathing in and out slowly. "Wolftail, feed Loudbird sorrel. Crescentmoon, take some juniper berries. You sound like you can't breathe all too well,"

"What can you do for Flamepaw?" I meowed quietly. "I have given him most of the juniper berries. It should've healed his cough and bellyaches already, but..." The medicine cat trailed away.

Oh my kit... My poor, poor kit...

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I'm sorry for the very slow updates guys :(
Hope you enjoyed!
P_A83 out!