A Misty Path (A Warrior Cats Fanfiction)

Chapter 34

"What do you mean there's only enough for one?" asked Palestar, sounding confused. "Surely that's not possible?"

Mistlefrost sighed. "Well, we currently only have enough to effectively treat one cat. I don't know if it'll work, but it's our best bet."

"What is it?" Iceshine's ears pricked with interest.

"A specific selection of herbs - it's pretty complicated. While yes, it's possible to replicate, we need a lot of catnip, which doesn't grow around here. We'll have to make the journey to the Twolegplace if we want more." She shook her head. "We don't have time for that. The sick cats don't have time for that."

"And we can't split the treatment?" Palestar queried.

"I'm not entirely sure, but the bare minimum for effectiveness is... well, it's all we have, really. I haven't been able to get in contact with the other medicine cats, of course."

Iceshine's ears pricked. "Bare minimum? Where'd you get this information?" Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Mistlefrost twitched an ear. "Does it matter?" At Iceshine's pointed look, she continued: "But if you must know, Wilt told me. The sick rogue."

Iceshine wrinkled her nose, but merely nodded. "Alright then." She turned away and flicked her tail. "Tawnytail, Beetleshell, Frostspike. I'm sending you to the Twolegplace to -"

Palestar started. "What? No, absolutely not, not with the Gathering upon us -"

The white-furred deputy bristled. "If we're quick enough, we could save more cats. But we need this catnip."

Palestar drew himself up to his full height. "The Gathering is our top priority," he snarled. "It's our only chance to -"

"No, this cure is our only chance!"

"We're not getting our camp back, our land back, our pride back, with catnip -"

"We need this catnip! We need this cure!"

"We don't know for sure that the sick cats will die if -"

"Do you want to take that risk?" Iceshine asked, her voice edging into a snarl. "You realise your son is in that medicine den, right? Your kit could die if we don't do this." She took a breath to compose herself, flattening her fur and relaxing her muscles. When she spoke again, her voice was soft. "It won't be very many cats. Tawnytail and Beetleshell can take their new apprentices, it's not like we were going to bring them to the Gathering anyways, with their rogue background."

Palestar seemed to consider this, before finally he dipped his head. "Fine," he meowed before turning away. "I have to prepare for the Gathering. You are all dismissed."

Mistlefrost, who'd been off to the side listening peacefully to the conversation prior to this, perked up. "Wait, what about the actual cure? Who're we going to treat?"

Palestar shook his head. "The sickest cat, then. Now don't disturb me again. If I do not manage to convince the other Clan leaders to let us back..." He shook his head, eyes narrowed with sorrow, and padded away.

Mistlefrost sighed. "Sickest cat... that's hard to choose. They're all exhibiting different symptoms. Cloudpool hardly moves, Minnowfall's mood changes on a dime, Willowheart's straight-up delirious, and Jayclaw hasn't eaten or had any water in a day."

Iceshine's eyes flickered around, where some cats were still lingering about after the meeting. She sighed. "I don't know. It's up to you, Mistlefrost. Choose a cat. For all of us."