Poolstar's Destiny

Chapter 24

"We drove them off," Icefrost announced to the waiting Clan as soon as the patrol filed into camp through the stone tunnel.

Briarfang padded forward. "No other DawnClan activity in the area," he reported. "We've searched throughly."
"Thank you." Icefrost dipped her head.

Poolpelt only half heard the exchange.
Her eyes were drawn to Icepaw's small, bony body lying in the center of the clearing.

Briarpool and Bladewing had smoothed her fur and arranged her paws under her, just as the Clan had done with Whiteclaw and Raindapple.

The exhilaration of the battle was instantly swallowed up by grief.
Poolpelt stood and watched numbly as Blackfrost walked stiffly over and gave Icepaw a final lick between her ears. "I'll help bury her after the vigil," he murmured to Briarpool.

Owlpaw padded from the medicine den carrying a bundle of herbs, with Flowertail following behind her.
Owlpaw placed the herbs at Flowertail's paws. "Will you chew these into a pulp while I check for wounds?" She addressed her mentor gently.
Flowertail dipped her head. "Of course, we'll definitely need lots of comfrey pulp," she glanced at the returning patrol. "It looks like there are plenty of scratches."
Flowertail bended down, and began chew at the leaves.

Owlpaw strolled briskly among the wounded.
She inspected Blackfrost first. "That's a deep scratch."
"It's nothing," Blackfrost shrugged. "I don't feel pain."

"You'll feel it if it gets infected."
She turned to Flowertail. "Did we bring tansy?"
Flowertail sniffed through the leaves and nodded.

"Go to Flowertail," Owlpaw told Blackfrost. "Ask her to rub some tansy in your wound."
When Blackfrost hesitated, Owlpaw glanced down at Icepaw's body. "You'll need it treated if you want to be able to help bury your sister."
Blackfrost dipped his head and padded over to the medicine cat.

Owlpaw checked Feathershine. "Go wash in the stream," she advised. "It smells like DawnClan blood, and licking it off will make you queasy."
"Yuck." Feathershine shuddered and hurried out of camp.

Poolpelt lifted her wretched claw as Owlpaw approached, and held it out for her to inspect.
Owlpaw wrinkled her nose. "Painful," she sympathized. "But it'll heal quickly if you rest it."
It stung like fury, but Poolpelt wanted to prove she could handle some pain.
"Get comfrey pulp from Flowertail," Owlpaw instructed. "It'll ease the pain."
"Thanks." Poolpelt limped to the medicine cat.

She wondered if she was thinking of the prophecy, measuring it against her role in the battle.
She hadn't exactly blazed like fire through the forest, but she'd done all right.

Flowertail eyed her strangely and pushed a wad of pulp toward her.
"Is that comfrey?" Poolpelt checked.
"What else would I give you for a wretched claw?"
Poolpelt smeared the ointment onto her claw.

Flowertail's eyes started glowing white for a brief moment before screeching in fear like all of ShadowClan was going to attack IceClan. "SILVERSTAR!"
Flowertail grabbed a bundle of herbs and fled past Poolpelt in a flash, heading into Silverstar's den.
Owlpaw lifted her head from Hawkflame and gasped and grabbed a bundle of herbs and joined in with Flowertail.

Feathershine came back from the stone tunnel and looked at the Clan staring in shock at the leader's den. "What's happening?"
Poolpelt couldn't understand but she did know this. "Something's wrong with Silverstar."
Springleaf gulped. "Flowertail and Owlpaw will fix her.."
Hawkflame paced. "But this is all of a sudden! How?" He then shouted to the leader's den. "Flowertail! Tell us what's wrong!"

There was shuffling noise in the leader's den and Flowertail came out, sighing. "I got Owlpaw to work while I'm out here. What is it?"
"What's wrong with Silverstar!?" Springleaf yowled in fear.

Flowertail sighed. "Silverstar is sick. She has been sick for moons, ever since Poolpelt and Feathershine became warriors. This sickness.. it muddled her mind.. made her forget things.. such as not hunting in Twolegplace."
The cats gasped in shock.
Flowertail sat down. "Her sickness got worst.. her eyes became blood-shot, and she had become bonier. But, her sickness is taking it's turn now."
She whipped her head to Hawkflame with a fierce glare. "Does that answer your question, Hawkflame?"
Hawkflame, for once, was speechless.
Flowertail let out a huff and padded back inside.

They waited, silently.

Thornpaw padded over to join them, staring at his paws. Was he sulking because he'd missed the battle?
No.
Thornpaw didn't sulk.
If he had something he wanted to say, he'd say it.

A shiver ran down Poolpelt's spine.
He knew Silverstar was sick, and didn't say anything!
Anger pulsed through her claws.
She tried to hold her anger down as hard as she could, she couldn't lash at him in front of the whole Clan.

Flowertail and Owlpaw stepped out. "Icefrost, Silverstar wants to speak with you.." Flowertail mewed.
Icefrost took a deep breath, and dipped her head, padding inside the den.
Poolpelt peaked in.

Silverstar was bonier than ever, her ribs showing out and her blood-shot eyes shoving through her eyes, she laying down on her moss.
"Icefrost.." she purred weakly.
Icefrost took a deep breath, "Silverstar.."

Silverstar let out a weak smile. "I know you'll make IceClan as it ever was, Icefrost. My last act as leader is to entrust my Clan to you, and I do with confidence."
Icefrost dipped her head. "I am honored, Silverstar. I will do my best. You have led us well."
"Thank you," Silverstar murmured.
She let out a purr. "Serve your Clan well."

She then slowly closed her eyes.
The breathing of Silverstar suddenly stopped.

Icefrost had a tear drop onto Silverstar's pelt as she dragged her out of the den by the scruff.
As she dropped Silverstar's body in the middle of the clearing, she announced, "Silverstar's dead."
Mourns of mews passed through the cats.

As the vigil had passed, the cats had stepped away from grooming Silverstar's fur.

"Icefrost is our leader now," Rainpelt observed.

Icefrost jumped onto the Highrock. "I will travel to the Moonstone tonight," she called.
In the center of the clearing, Flowertail stepped forward. "I will come with you to the Moonstone, Icefrost."
Icefrost nodded to the medicine cat. "IceClan needs a leader. And I will give them one."