Lost Hope: Book 3: Flame and Snow

Chapter 16

Burrowpelt and Dandelionpaw walked side-by-side through the forest. They had been tasked with taking some sunflower seeds to FernClan to heal their sick cats.

"I feel like we haven't had one-on-one time for awhile," Burrowpelt mused, flicking her tail over her brothers ears.

He smiled at her, leaning away from her flying tail. "Well, we have our own lives now," he said. "But we really should hang out more."

They dove into all sorts of conversations as they trekked to the FernClan border, laughing as they passed large trees laden with snow and frozen streams.

Upon reaching the border, the littermates waited for a patrol to come by.

"I don't think they'd mind if we just walked into their territory," Burrowpelt said. FernClan tended to be the most friendly out of all the Clans.

"Yes, but it's common curtesy," Dandelionpaw responded.

"But you're a medicine cat, you're allowed to walk anywhere," Burrowpelt protested, shivering a little.

"Still." Dandelionpaw wouldn't budge on the matter. But they needn't wait much longer, since a border patrol consisting of three warriors approached them.

"Greetings, Burrowpelt, Dandelionpaw," Lashclaw said, smiling at them as he approached. "What brings you here?"

"We've brought the sunflower seeds for Dawnlight," Dandelionpaw said, shuffling his paws to show the seeds that lay there.

Lashclaw's eyes lit up. "Thank you so much!" He reached for them, but Dandelionpaw said, "We'll just come with you, that way I can give Dawnlight the instructions."

"Oh, sure," Lashclaw agreed. "Mothstripe, Lavenderfur," continue the patrol without me. "I'll take these two back to camp."

"Of course, Lashclaw." Mothstripe nodded and her and Lavnderfur made their way along the border. Lashclaw beckoned Burrowpelt and Dandelionpaw forward and together, they set off toward the FernClan camp.

When they arrived, they were greeted by the deputy, Beetleflight, who happily directed them toward Dawnlight's den. They thanked him and padded over. It was smaller than the one in EchoClan with a thinner frame of moss and brambles. Burrowpelt supposed they didn't have many supplies to build it up when it was leaf-bare.

"Dawnlight?" Dandelionpaw stood at the entrance. "We've brought the cure for flamecough for you."

"Oh!" Dawnlight said with a sigh of relief, peering out. "Thank StarClan! Come in."

Stepping in, Dandelionpaw placed the seeds at her paws and Dawnlight inspected them curiously. "How many should I give them?" she asked.

"One a day until their symptoms go away," Dandelionpaw told her. "I hope I've brought enough?"

"Oh, yes," Dawnlight said. "This should be plenty, thank you."

Dandelionpaw smiled. "If you don't mind, could I look at your patients? Just to check?"

"Sure." Dawnlight led them to the back corner of her den where several cats were laying in mossy beds. One queen raised her head and eyed them sleepily.

Dandelionpaw gave her breath a small sniff and recoiled. "Yep, that's definitely the smell of firenettle."

"Firenettle?" Dawnlight echoed.

"Firenettle leaves caused the flamecough," Dandelionpaw explained. "Prey would eat them and become poisoned, but the don't smell bad once ingested."

Dawnlight nodded. Burrowpelt felt bored of the nerdy medicine cat talk and let her gaze travel over Dawnlight's den; built with interweaving tree branches and moss with some boulders for support. A small stream flowed through a corner that hadn't yet frozen and Dawnlight's herb store was piled neatly in a misshapen corner that provided shelter to the leaves.

When the two medicine cats had finished their conversation, Burrowpelt and Dandelionpaw went outside. It was now just past sunhigh. They needed to get back soon.

Burrowpelt was about to walk out of camp when Dandelionpaw caught her tail in his teeth. She glanced back at him with a questioning look.

"Let's just stay and catch up with everyone for a bit," he said. "Look, go talk to Barkstar."

I'm talking to all the Clan leaders these days, she thought, but she walked over to him and started up conversation about flamecough. Dandelionpaw was by her side for all of about five seconds before flitting away to see a black and white apprentice.

"Well, I'm sure you have to get back to your Clan now," Barkstar said after awhile. "I wont keep you any longer."

"Of course, bye, Barkstar." She dipped her head respectfully and made her way over to her brother.

"Look, I still want to be your friend but we can't—" he was saying.

"Dandelionpaw!" she called. "It's time to go!"

Dandelionpaw twitched his ear, showing he'd heard, and said a hasty goodbye to the apprentice before bounding over to join Burrowpelt. "Alright, I'm here."

As they walked out, Burrowpelt said, "Is she why you wanted to stay a little longer?" she asked casually.

Dandelionpaw didn't seem flustered at all by the jab. "Not at all."

"What's her name?" Burrowpelt asked.

"Dahliapaw," he said.

"Your names are cute together," Burrowpelt commented.

"Hey!"

"Just saying. . . ." Burrowpelt laughed. Remembering Fogbreeze she said, "Although just because medicine kits can have kits now, don't go off having a mate in another Clan, alright?"

Dandelionpaw scowled at her. "It's nothing like that," he murmured grumpily.

She gave him a little shove. "If you say so."

"I do say so," he said. "Come on, race you to camp!" And he bounded away, making paw prints in the sparkling snow behind him

"You know I'm going to win!" Burrowpelt called after him, speeding up her own pace to catch up with her brother. But maybe I'll let him win, just this once.