Windclan's Hope

Chapter 19

"The mallow isn't working either, Turtleheart!" Ivypaw whispered. She turned as Turtleheart rushed past to the herb shelf. She grabbed watermint, more yarrow and some sorrel. "If this doesn't work I know one more herb that hasn't been used since Windstar was around." Turtleheart mewed. "I should go gather some, she just told me where they are." Her mentor mewed, feeding Whitepaw the herbs. "What is the herb we need?" Ivypaw asked. "The Blazing Star." Turtleheart replied, rushing out of the medicine den. Ivypaw laid down, watching Whitepaw writhing in his nest. She rushed over, calming him. "Ivypaw.." Whitepaw gasped. "I'm here." She soothed. "I see cats." He struggled for breath. "It's okay, they are friends. Turtleheart is almost here." She whispered. She had met up with the tom not long before he'd eaten the deathberries, he'd said she was worried about Ratfur and that he was making them do things to complete their promise. She sighed, he had admitted to wanting to come back to camp for her. Ivypaw felt tears in her eyes. Whitepaw looked at her, eyes clouded. "Theres a cat, she is speaking to me." He whispered. "Her name is Turtlepaw." Ivypaw blinked, tears falling down her muzzle. "She was friends with Bramblestar. Mumblejaw was her brother." She mewed, voice wavering. Whitepaw nodded. "She said she is taking me somewhere." He sighed. "Goodbye, Ivypaw." Ivypaw's eyes widened. "Whitepaw wait!" She yowled. Brairfang rushed into the den. Ivypaw crouched over Whitepaw as he rolled over, closing his eyes. "No!" Ivypaw wailed. She felt Brairfang's tail along her spine. "You did what you could." She whispered.
Turtleheart laid next to Ivypaw. "I should have given him more watermint." Ivypaw shuddered. "There was nothing you could have done but comfort him." Turtleheart replied. Briarfang nodded. "I heard you talking to him, I couldn't ask for anything more." The she-cat purred. Ivypaw shook her head, laying her head on Whitepaw's fur.
After the vigil, Ivypaw sat in the den quietly shifting herbs around into their spots. She felt a presence behind her but didn't care to look. "It's not your fault, Ivypaw." Squirrelfoot's voice sounded. "How do you know? You weren't the one to hold Whitepaw in the nest while he died." She mewed sourly. "You're right. But Ivypaw its apart of the job, Turtleheart has watched countless cats die she isnt sulking like this." Squirrelfoot mewed. Ivypaw shrugged and sighed, looking down. "Why dont we hunt?" Squirrelfoot suggested. "It's dark and cold." She replied. "Then I can teach you some basic fighting skills in the morning?" Ivypaw nodded. "Fine, since I need to learn sometime."