The Harsh Leaf-bare

Chapter 6

"Dewnose!" Grapefur's wail rang around the camp. Lemondust rushed into the Elder's den. Dewnose was laying there; his breathing was shallow. You could see all his bones. Grapefur placed her paws on Dewnose's side and could feel his ribs. Dewnose lifted his head up and stared at Grapefur. He smiled.
"Grapefur." Dewnose meowed while he panted.
"Please don't die!" Grapefur wailed and Dewnose started to pant. Grapefur stared at Lemondust.
"What would you like me to do?" Lemondust sighed; panicked.
"Get the medicine ca-" Grapefur was cut off by Dewnose.
"There's no point Grapefur, I'm starving; starving to death." Dewnose meowed quitely. Lemondust stepped forwards. Snakefang stepped forwards.
"Dewnose." Snakefang whispered.
"Yes?" Dewnose asked her.
"When you see Whiskerbreeze can you tell him that I love him?" Snakefang asked and Dewnose nodded.
"Ok." Dewnose shuddered and Grapefur wailed.
"Dewnose please!" Grapefur begged.
"I want my kits near me!" He panted.
"Get Berrycloud and Whitewhisper!" Grapefur turned around and stared at Lemondust.
Lemondust stepped out.
"Berrycloud! Whitewhisper!" Lemondust shouted and the two rushed towards him. Lemondust turned around and looked at Dewnose. The two rushed in.
"I just wish that Beewing could be here." Dewnose took a deep, shuddering breath.
"He loves you alot." Berrycloud meowed and Dewnose shuddered again. He shuddered again and he fell still. The cats stared at him. Dewnose's breathing slowed.
"Dewnose, please." Snakefang whispered. Dewnose opened an eye and looked at everyone.
"I-I love you..." Dewnose fell still after he spoke and his eyes closed. The others stared at him, silent. Grapefur's wail broke the silence and she fell down onto his body. Tears rolled down her face and they landed on his fur. Snakefang was the next to cry and she fell down next to her sister. The cat was not only related to her but he was her best friend since they were aprentices. The others then fell down on them and they all cried and wailed. The snow started to fall again and the top of the elder's den started to dip down. Snow fell through and onto their pelts. Lemondust heard Pebblestar call a clan meeting but he didn't move.

Pebblestar had waited long enough for them. She knew that they were in the elder's den. She padded in and Lemondust turned around; tears rolling down his face.
"What's the meaning of thi-" Pebblestar cut herself off when she saw what happened. Pebblestar sighed.
"He's dead! Pebblestar he's-" Grapefur was cut off by Pebblestar.
"I'm not blind; but can you please come to this meeting at least?" Pebblestar snarled she always hated the she-cat.
"Pebblestar he wanted to die with all his kits around him and because you gave Minnowscale away Beewing left! He didn't die with everyone he hoped would be with him!" Grapefur wailed and tears poured down her face. Pebblestar took a step back.
"He was stupid to leave!" Pebblestar growled and she padded out. The cats sighed and padded out the den.

"Lemondust you come to the gathering umm Sanddollarpelt you come Uhh and umm Fernwhisper, Berrycloud and Whitewhisper you come and one more," she scanned the clearing she kept glancing away from Grapefur. "Uh, y'know what umm Snakefang." Pebblestar meowed and she left.

She sat on the root where the deputies would of sat. The cats promised that their deputies wouldn't join them. Pebblestar glanced around the clearing. Minnowscale was sitting there, her eyes were watering and her nose was dry. Minnowscale went into a bought of coughing and Pebblestar jumped off of the root.
"Minnowscale, are you feeling ok?" Pebblestar asked her.
"Yeah, my head hurts a bit but-" Minnowscale was cut off with a bought of coughing.
"Do you have green-cough?" Pebblestar asked Minnowscale, she was worried now. Lemondust watched the leader worry about her daughter. She had said that her mate was stupid to leave.
"No just a tiny bit of white-cough." Minnowscale meowed before she started coughing again. Lemondust sighed and he stared up at Cherryshard.