Call to the Wild

[28]

"My kits are missing!" Rosemary jumped to her paws at Snowflake's panicked wail. She ran out of her den, seeing that most of the clan was already out in the clearing. "Tell me what happened." Rosemary meowed. "I woke up," Snowflake sobbed, "And they were gone! I searched everywhere, but they're not in camp!" She wailed. Rosemary froze, "Then they're outside camp." She replied sadly. Snowflake's eyes widened. "Cherry, Lavender, and Willow!" Rosemary called, "Follow me and help me find the kits!" 

Her patrol raced out of camp. "I think I smell them.." Willow meowed, sniffing the ground. "Good job!" Lavender praised her apprentice, and Willow's eyes lighted up. "You're right." Cherry meowed, "They went that way." They followed Cherry and eventually found Meadow and Feather, but there was no sign of Thunder. "There you are!" Willow exclaimed, "Where's-" She was interrupted by coughing. "I'm okay." Willow rasped as Lavender nudged her, worry in her gaze. "Thunder went hunting!" Meadow chirped. 

"Thunder said us she-cats were too scared to hunt so he was going to be a tom and hunt!" Feather informed them. Rosemary could feel anger rising in her body. "Why did you leave camp?!" She snapped, feeling guilty as she the kits flinched. "W-we wanted to explore.." Feather mumbled. "We're sorry!" Meadow exclaimded sadly. And then the anger faded, "Very well. Cherry, please escort them home." She ordered. Cherry obeyed, guiding the guilty kits back to their mother.

And then they heard pawsteps and Thunder approached them with a frail mouse in his jaws. "Thunder!" Lavender exclaimed. "I caught a mouse!" Thunder squeaked, puffing out his chest  and dropping the mouse at Rosemary's paws, "Aren't you happy?" Rosemary took a deep breath, "We are, but promise me you will never go outside camp until you're an apprentice, okay?" She meowed, an edge to her tone. Thunder's ears flattened, "But-" Rosemary's claws dug into the ground, "No 'buts'!" She snapped. Thunder's head and tail drooped, "Okay.." Rosemary nodded and escorted him home.

She reunited him with Snowflake and put his mouse in the food-stump. "Don't ever scare me again!" Snowflake had scolded. And then there was a surprise, a snowflake landed on her nose. A snowflake, when it was only Fall! Winter was starting. She was also concerned about Willow, who started coughing again when they got to camp. Snowflake left her kits to Brook's care and checked on Willow, confirming she had greencough. Willow's cough only got worse after that, and she had gotten a bad fever and she coughed blood from time to time.

Mist was worrying about Willow, and costantly fretted over her. Snowflake had assured the warrior that she would take care of the sick apprentice. I hope. She thought. I hope Willow makes it.