Hope ✓

Chapter Twenty-four

I thanked Blizzardrain and stood up to leave. I was barely out of the den when I heard coughing and wheezing coming from the elder. I turned back around and rushed to his side.

"What is it? Are you okay? Should I get Bella and Poppypaw?"

The blind elder shook his head. "No . . . I'm - fine." He said between coughs that shook his frail body.

I looked him over. "You stay there, I'm going to get some help," before Blizzardrain could say any more, I rushed out of the den.

I was surprised to see the light already dying away through the misty camp. How had the day passed so quickly? No time to dwell on the time, Blizzardrain needed medical attention.

Rushing into the medicine den, Bella's head shot up in alarm at my hurry.

"It's Blizzardrain, come quick." I said urgently before darting out again, I didn't want to leave the frail elder alone for too long.

A cool breeze ruffled my fur before I reached the elder's den. Looking up, I watched as a single flame of snow drifted to the ground. Great.

I hurried to the old white and grey tom. "Bella will be here soon, don't worry."

Another cough shook him. "No . . ."

My eyes widened in alarm and confusion. "What do you mean, no? Do you want to stay in pain?"

I hadn't noticed before, but the elder looked pretty weak, and shivered after another cough. His fur was sticking up in clumps, and I could just see the ribs underneath his fur. Was this how the elders were treated in Mistclan? What about the apprentices helping to care for him? The warrior hunting for him?

Before I could voice any of these questions, Bella burst through the entrance with a bundle of herbs in her jaws. She took one look at the frail tom and shook her head. The cream and white she-cat sniffed his pelt and breath and winced. She then snatched up two leaves of an unfamiliar plant and pushed it to Blizzardrain's muzzle.

"Here, eat these. They'll help build your strength."

The blind elder shook his head. "Don't waste your herbs on me."

"No, Blizzardrain just eat them." I pleaded. What was he playing at? "These herbs will help you feel better.

The old tom turned his blind gaze in my direction. "I've told my story, and now-" he broke off into another coughing fit. When he finished, his words were weaker than before. "-it's time for me to go."

My eyes widened. "What? No, you can't! What about Fogbreeze? Who's going to help me? I can't keep your memory alive by myself! What if I get myself killed? Then no one would know the truth and Mistclan will be destroyed!" I said desperately.

Blizzardrain put his paw on mine to stop me talking. "Lavenderbreeze . . ." He wheezed. "You already . . . have everything you need."

I shook my head as he lowered himself to lay limply in his nest. "No . . ."

It felt strange. I had never experienced death, but I felt a pain watching this elder take his final breaths when I had just barely met him. He had only just told me the story of his past when this started to happen. I didn't know how to react, I wasn't bawling but I certainly wasn't overjoyed. It was strange, really. All I could think of was to bend my head to touch my muzzle to his head.

"Rest well. May you find peace and endless in Starclan." I whispered and stepped back as the old tom sighed and didn't move again.

"I . . . can't believe I couldn't help him." Bella said quietly.