The Looming Darkness (A WARRIOR CATS FANFICTION)

Chapter 8

Dovewing moved  lightly on her paws in the medicine den, trying to quietly pad over to Tigerstar without Jayfeather noticing. She had just passed the entrance when she was interrupted.

"I may be blind, but I'm certainly not deaf," Jayfeather mewed sarcastically. His mouth was full of herbs he was chewing down to bits. He didn't glance in her direction as he worked.

Dovewing sighed. "I know you have the hearing of a bat, Jayfeather. I was just checking on Tigerstar."

"He's not very stable now," Jayfeather meowed bluntly, "But even if he loses a life, he's still got plenty more. There's no reason for you to be so upset."

Dovewing blinked anxiously at Jayfeather. Her worry was swelling in waves. "You really think it might come to that?" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "He really might lose a life?"

The dim lighting of the medicine den seemed to flash as Dovewing asked the question.

"I just said that. Why aren't you listening to me?" Jayfeather retorted impatiently, his tail-tip twitching to and fro in agitation. 

Sensing the nervous she-cat wasn't going to leave soon, Jayfeather tried to calm the situation. "Shadowsight is getting better now. He was able to move about the camp today. He said he felt much better after getting fresh air."

Dovewing's ears twitched, and she sounded relieved as she spoke. "That's good. Is he back to his medicine cat duties?"

Jayfeather nudged her to the exit. "He is outside getting some prey from the fresh kill pile. Why don't you go ask him about everything you want to know and leave me to work in peace? We don't need more sick cats, and I have a lot of work I need to finish."

Dovewing looked at where Tigerstar was crumpled up in his nest. His sides were hardly moving without much breath in his body.  She hesitated. "But Jayfeather, I haven't checked on Tigerstar. I just need to see him for a moment-"

Jayfeather glared at her with sightless blue eyes and interrupted her coldly. "I'm watching him."

Dovewing nodded slowly as she took a step outside. "Well, tell him to get better soon, and I-"

Jayfeather padded back inside the medicine den, his ears flicking irritably, not bothering to hear the rest of her words. "Mates!" He muttered to himself. 

For a brief instance, he remembered Half-Moon- the way her bright eyes and shiny pelt glowed under the light of the moon. How would I feel it was Half-Moon?  A sharp longing tugged at the blind tom.

I would be worried too, and I wouldn't leave her side, Jayfeather realized. I can't blame Dovewing after all. He sighed, suddenly lost in the memories of the beautiful she-cat, and the dreams they shared together.

A blast of cold air hit Jayfeather, startling him and disrupting his memories. There was something wrong in the medicine den. Sniffing the air, he realized it wasn't the shadow cat. Something solemn, heartbreaking, and more tender than the shadow cat. It was suddenly crushed.

 His head turned quickly to glance over at Creamkit and Skykit where they were snuggled together.  Their pelts mixed together as one in their embrace.

He could feel Creamkit's sour sick-tainted breath heaving, but Skykit was silent. Too silent.

Jayfeather nudged him, just to be sure, but he could feel it already.

Skykit was dead. 

Jayfeather gently picked up the small kit by his scruff, then tried to pad quietly past Cinderheart's nest without waking her up.