Brambleberry's Path

Chapter 24:

Waterclan was getting desperate. More cats had gotten sick, and there was even less prey than there was before. Brambleberry padded back into camp with a couple of mice and a squirrel in his jaws. He spotted Hawkwing and Birdpaw talking to each other across camp, and set down the prey on the small fresh-kill pile. He padded over to them and stood beside Hawkwing.

"Is Ripplewave doing any better? Or Mistcloud?" He asked, looking at Birdpaw. She stared at Hawkwing before looking at Brambleberry with a troubled look.

"No. Mistcloud is getting worse, and Ripplewave is giving his all to not let the sickness send him to Starclan." She mewed. Brambleberry looked over at Hawkwing and she glared at her paws.

"Not only Ripplewave and our deputy, but Petalfur too." She mewed softly. Birdpaw looked down at the ground sadly. Brambleberry's eyes widened and he stared at Hawkwing with shock.

"Petalfur has greencough?!" He asked. Hawkwing looked over at Birdpaw. The white and ginger she-cat nodded her head and stared at Hawkwing sadly.

"When did this happen?!" He asked.

"She got it last night." Birdpaw mewed sadly. Her mother was stuck in the medicine cat den, and any breath could be her last, Birdpaw knew it.

Of course, Fernpaw and Gingerpaw didn't understand their mother was in a life-death situation. They were still young and still we're learning about the world. Brambleberry shook his head and looked at Hawkwing. She was staring at Brightface as the queen stared at her kits with dull eyes.

"She's already lost her kit... I don't think she can handle losing her father." She mewed sadly. Brambleberry looked over at the silver tabby she-cat before glaring at her.

"So? We all lose loved ones. Sure, she's lost her kit, but other queens lose their kits too." He mewed. Hawkwing stared at him with wide emerald eyes before she glared at him.

"That doesn't mean that we shouldn't feel sympathy for her!" She hissed. Brambleberry glared at the brown she-cat angrily.

"Have you forgotten all those you've lost?! You've lost two brothers, a mother, and your father! And me? I lost my brother and mother too! And my father wasn't even mine to lose." He hissed, his dark tabby fur bristling. Hawkwing's eyes widened slightly before they glared back at him. Brambleberry could see the tears collecting in them.

"That still doesn't mean..." She trailed off, glaring at the ground. She shook her head and dashed off. Birdpaw watched her with sad amber eyes before she glared at Brambleberry.

"Can't you ever be considerate to her feelings?!" She asked before turning away and padding back towards her den to treat the sick cats in it. Brambleberry sighed and stared over at Brightface. Her sapphire eyes were trained on him, and they held a bit of anger in them. He glared back before he padded away to the Warriors' den.

He had messed up again.