Willowbounce's Tale

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

As the clan padded out of the forest and to the WindClan border, Willowkits paws ached from last night's travels. She could tell Icekits paws ached too, for he was slightly limping. Soon the clan came to the WindClan border, where WindClan and RiverClan were already waiting. Willowkit lifted her nose in the air to take in the scents of the cats. She saw the medicine cats gather together to make strengthening herbs for what she assumed to be for all the cats. Soon ShadowClan and SkyClan joined the group.
"Willowkit, look! It's all of the leaders like a gathering!" Icekit whispered to her. Willowkit saw what Icekit saw. There was Bravestar, Lizardstar, Jumpstar, Scalestar and Pebblestar. All of the clan leaders were gathered in the middle of all the cats.
"Everyone, please be silenced!" Lizardstar raised his voice above the crowd and he waited for the cats to fall quiet.
"Our medicine cats will be coming around and giving out strengthening herbs. Please give them to our weakest. This includes kits, queens, apprentices and elders!" Jumpstars booming voice called out. And just like that, all the queens gathered their kits, including Willowkits mother, closer to the center so they were easier to reach. Then the elders came forward. Then the apprentices. The medicine cats came around and made sure all the cats that needed the herbs got their fair share. When it was Willowkits turn to eat her herbs, she sniffed them cautiously before putting them in her mouth. They tasted a little sour but a little sweet too. Willowkit made sure to eat every last scrap she was given.
"Ok, is everyone done?" Bravestar asked. Yowls of agreement roared from the crowd of cats.
"Then we'll be leaving now." Scalestar said. And with that, the leaders and deputies at the front, the clans started in the direction of high stones.

Soon the clans reached the thunderpath. There were much more monsters on it now than there were previously.
"Ok, we are going to cross one clan at a time! WindClan, we will go first. Warriors pick up all kits." Jumpstar announced. The WindClan cats stepped to the front of the crowd. She saw a few warriors holding kits.
"On my signal, run as fast as you can!" Jumpstar said. He waited a few heartbeats, waiting for the monsters to clear.
"Go!" He yowled. Suddenly all of the WindClan cats dashed across the thunderpath hard on their leaders' paws. WindClan crossed safely. RiverClan then SkyClan then ShadowClan. They dashed across the path, one clan at a time. Willowkit was amazed by how all the warriors kept up with each other. Now it was ThunderClans turn. Like all the other clans had, all the cats stepped forward to the edge of the thunderpath. Rainstripe had picked up Splashkit. Spottedclaw picked up Icekit. The other queens picked up their kits and some warriors picked up ones the queens couldn't carry. But wait, aren't I supposed to be carried?! Willowkit thought, starting to panic. But no one came to pick her up. Soon Bravestar gave the signal.
"Go!" He yowled. All at once the clan rushed forward like a surge of water. Willowkit tried to run but was trampled down in the middle of the thunderpath. No one seemed to notice her! She felt a sharp pain on her nose. She sat up and touched her nose with her paw and drew back immediately. A stone had cut her nose and it was bleeding a little. She looked to the other side. Her clan was still running across the wide path. She noticed one of the cats fell.
"C-Cedarleaf!" Willowkit yowled. As the rest of the clan reached the other side, Cedarleaf still remained on the ground, his heavy-set body unable to get up. Willowkit yowled with alarm as she saw a monster heading straight towards Cedarleaf. The yowl caused all of the clan cats' heads to turn towards her and all at once it seemed their ears flattened in alarm.
"Willowkit!!" Rainstripe yowled in a somewhat panicky, yet scolding voice. Willowkit was in the middle of the thunderpath, where no monsters seemed to go. The monster was growing closer with every heartbeat to Cedarleaf. Willowkit decided a decision that could possibly be the end of her young life, to stay where she was. Suddenly it seemed time slowed down. The monster was less than a tail length away from Cedarleaf. She saw Icekit at the edge of the crowd of cats. His mouth was open wide in a scream that was drowned out by the monster. Tears were streaming down his face. Her mother's face also seemed to be yowling. In fact, most of the cats seemed to have their jaws open in a yowl or otherwise.

Then time sped up again and Willowkit shut her eyes tight as the monster went past. She felt a strong wind pass her face and she heard a terrible crunch in front of her, followed by an ear splitting yowl. For a moment she thought it was her paws being crushed, but she felt no pain. When she opened her eyes, she gasped and covered her mouth with her paw. In front of her lay a broken, bloody and mangled Cedarleaf. A pool of blood was coming from him and it was seeping towards her. She heard more blood curdling screeching coming from the crowd of cats. Willowkit stood to edge away from the pool of blood seeping closer to her. Her eyes were wide in horror and her mouth gaped. Small jewels of tears formed in the corner of her eyes. Rainstripe bolted toward her after checking the pathway. She went around Cedarleaf's mangled body. Once she got to Willowkit she snatched her up by her scruff and ran back towards the crowd of cats. Once her and her mother reached the other side, her clan mates started swarming her and asking if she was ok. Icekit was the first one to reach her. He wrapped his tail around her as he nuzzled her. He licked her nose cut clean. Her other clan mates started to move back as Nestleberry pushed through the crowd to reach her. Icekit still stayed with her though, licking her ears and face fiercely. Tears were still streaming down both of their faces.
"I'll..never....leave...your side...again..never!" He said in between licks.
"Icekit please move back I need to examine her.." Nestleberry said as she finally reached Willowkit. Icekit begrudgingly listened and stepped back at least a tail length.

Nestleberry checked Willowkit all over, checking if she had any injuries.
"She's ok everyone! She just has a scratch on her nose!" Nestleberry announced a few heartbeats later. Willowkit heard sighs of relief from every clan cat. Icekit was sitting on his paws with his muscles tense like he was ready to run. Nestleberry softly chuckled then said,
"Yes Icekit, you can see her again." As soon as she said that, Icekit bounded over to Willowkit. The other queens kept their kits back and brought them deeper into the crowd.
"Ok...Lightwing, Stormcloud and Bloodclaw. Come over here and help move Cedarleaf's body off the thunderpath.." Bravestar said, his voice cracking a little with grief. Willowkit noticed a wave of grief sweep over the crowd as they began to give condolences to her clan mates. The cats called over began to pick up Cedarleaf's mangled body, their paws becoming bloodied in his pool of blood. Icekits licking drew her gaze away from them. She turned her head only to come muzzle to muzzle with Icekit. Her pelt grew hot, and suddenly she didn't even seem to feel the cold. Icekit grew hot too, she could feel heat coming off of his pelt. He scooted back.
"W-Willowkit I-I'm sorry!" He said in a stuttered voice.
"I-It's ok!" Willowkit mewed.
A few heartbeats later Birdkit came trotting over to Icekit.
"C-Can I speak with you alone, Icekit?" He said with a slightly tight voice.
Icekit stood and looked Birdkit in the eyes. The air seemed to stand still as the toms glared at each other.
"Fine. Willowkit, why don't you go see Nestleberry for that cut." Icekit broke the silence. His voice was tight as well when he spoke to Birdkit, but soft and normal when he spoke to her. He and Birdkit padded off into the crowd, out of Willowkits view. What is with those two? They always seemed to be hostile around each other..Willowkit thought, getting to her paws. She looked around for Nestleberry. She soon located her.
"Nestleberry, can I have some marigold for my scratch?" Willowkit asked. Nestleberry turned her face to her with tears streaming down her face.
"O-Of course Willowkit.." She murmured, flashing a painful smile.
"Nestleberry, what's wrong!?" Willowkit said, seeing the younger medicine cat weeping made her concerned. Grabbing marigold from her portable store, she padded back to Willowkit.
"Well you see...Cedarleaf was my brother.." She said in between chews.
"Oh..I'm very sorry Nestleberry.." Willowkit murmured. It's so hard to lose a littermate.. She thought.
A painful memory flashed of Dappledkit when Willowkit had first opened her eyes. She remembered seeing Dappledkit smile at her for the first time. The memory faded and she looked up at Nestleberry.
"Ok, this might sting.." Nestleberry said as she began to apply the poultice to her nose cut. It did sting a little, but Willowkit stayed still. After the juices seeped in, her cut began to feel no pain.
"Thanks Nestleberry!" Willowkit said getting to her paws. Nestleberry gave her a long look then said,
"Your welcome Willowkit."