Hidden Mysteries (A Warriors Fanfiction)

Chapter 18

"Come on, Nettlestripe, eat something," Maplepaw coaxed. Ever since Lionpaw and Mothpaw moved to the apprentice's den one moon ago, the grieving she-cat had refused to leave the nursery. Nettlestripe was now sprawled on her stomach, a distant look clouding her eyes. She hadn't eaten in days, and her ribs were beginning to show.

Maplepaw nudged the rabbit closer to the queen's muzzle. "You're starving, Nettlestripe. You need to eat."

Nettlestripe gave a moan. "I can't, not without Twigkit." She rolled onto her side. "It's... It's too much."

A muffled cry sounded from the other side of the den.

Yelloweye wrapped her tail around Speckledkit, who was burying her muzzle into her mother's fur. "Hush, little one," she whispered soothingly. "Everything's alright." The tortoiseshell queen turned to Nettlestripe. "She can sense your distress."

Nettlestripe rested her gaze on the pair. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

She gave a heavy sigh. "Be so happy, after all you've lost."

Yelloweye looked down on her remaining kit, grief flashing briefly in her eyes. "You don't think I'm still grieving?" she snapped softly. She gave Speckledkit a lick between the ears. "I'm just glad the rat didn't get Speckledkit as well."

Nettlestripe frowned and glanced at Maplepaw with sorrowful eyes. "What about you?" she asked. "How did you cope with Dustclaw's death?"

Maplepaw flinched at the name of her father. She looked at her paws. "I-it was hard," she murmured. "But I got over it."

Nettlestripe looked her in the eye. "Did you, though?"

Maplepaw's eyes widened in shock. A pang struck her chest.

Did you, though?

Those three words hit harder than she expected. The grief from losing her father crept up on her more often than she realized. Am I really over it?

Her tail swished over the ground. "P-please just eat t-t-this, N-Nettlestripe." Maplepaw pushed the rabbit closer to the queen, ignoring the question. Feeling confused and uncertain of herself, she turned around and padded out of the nursery, tail dragging along the ground.

She screwed up her face as she stared up at the sky. The thin clouds drifted across the blue, casting dark shadows over the camp. A cool breeze blew toward her, ruffling her fur. Greenleaf is on its way, Maplepaw thought as she breathed in the warm greenleaf smells, trying to push down her feelings.

As she stood there, a new scent hit her. A familiar scent.

Fear.

"Crowfur! Crowfur!"

Maplepaw jumped to her paws as Mothpaw burst through the camp entrance. She rushed over to the black apprentice as Crowfur appeared from the medicine den.

"Is something wrong?" the medicine cat inquired.

Mothpaw's chest heaved from her run. "It's Brambleflame!" she gasped.

"What's wrong with Brambleflame?" Dapplestream raced over to them, fur on end.

As she was still speaking, a rustle came from the vine tunnel and two cats stepped into camp. Maplepaw winced as the scent of fresh blood hit her nose. She ran after Crowfur and met the patrol at the entrance.

Mottlebranch and Riverheart stood side by side. They didn't seem badly hurt. But draped over their shoulders was Brambleflame. The tom's whole hind leg was smothered in blood and dangled awkwardly in the air.