Alone #2: The Ebony's Roots

Chapter 4

Ebonywind shivered as she lay in her nest. Leaf-bare was affecting her clan greatly. Her belly growled and she recalled she hadn't eaten at all that day.

Beside her, Flamefall lay, her eyes twitching in her sleep. She was thin as well, although not as thin as Ebonywind.

She tried her best to sleep, but hunger kept her sleep away. She opened her eyes once sunlight started streaming into the den and padded out wearily.

If I can't sleep, I might as well hunt.

Ebonywind left the camp, still shivering. She sniffed the cold air. Nothing came to her.

"No prey, huh?" A mew said behind her.

"Rosedusk! You scared me!" Ebonywind replied.

"Sorry," Rosedusk replied cheerfully.

"How are you so happy?" Ebonywind said, cocking her head.

"Don't tell anyone," Rosedusk lowered her voice quickly. "But Jaggedstrike and I have been mates for a while and I'm going to be having his kits!"

"Finally!" Ebonywind exclaimed. "I thought it'd never happen!"

"What do you mean?" the she-cat asked.

"Well, everyone can see you two are deeply in love!" Ebonywind purred.

"Is it that obvious?" Rosedusk's ears flattened.

"Yes!"

"Oh, wow," Rosedusk swished her tail, happy again. "Thanks for telling me."

The two parted ways, Ebonywind back to camp and Rosedusk to find Jaggedstrike.

"Let all cats gather before me!" Rowanstar yowled.

Ebonywind perked up, interested. He hadn't been specific, so the kits in the nursery were bounding out eagerly.

"We are shutting off all connection with other Clans!" he called, his voice ringing with irritation. "Leaf-bare is affecting us badly, and we cannot manage to go to Gatherings. We cannot let other cats onto our land, or they will steal prey!"

"What?" Ebonywind mewed in shock.

We can't cut off the Clans! StarClan doesn't want that!

But looking at her Clanmates, she had to admit that his words had some truth.

He's right. We can't manage the journey to the Gathering.

A few days passed, a full moon being one of them. They had ThunderClan cats at the border, asking why they didn't come, but Ebonywind's Clanmates had just ignored them. RiverClan hadn't been as nosy yet had still tried to talk to them.

Ebonywind glanced at her chest, licking down a stray piece of fur. Her ribs were visible, as were her Clanmates. She was distracted from her grooming by a loud yowl.

"What is it?" she sprang out of the den, bristling.

A body lay in the center of the camp, dead.

"Gingerstorm..." Ebonywind breathed. "Oh, StarClan!"

The ginger tom's brown spots had already dulled, and his eyes were blank.

"He was too hungry," Rowanstar announced, his voice sobered. "We will have our vigil for him tonight."

The next morning, Ebonywind woke to see Gingerstorm's family still sitting there sadly. She shook her head and looked for Flamefall.

The deputy usually woke up earlier than all the other cats, but today, she wasn't anywhere to be seen. Ebonywind checked inside the warriors' den and saw her old mentor's gray fur in the back of the den.