Heart Of The Storm (A Warriors AU)

Chapter 13

The scent of sickness hung thick in the ThunderClan camp, so pervasive that Sunwhisker could taste it on the air. The once-vibrant clearing now felt stifling, as though the forest itself had turned against them. Warriors moved sluggishly, their eyes hollow, and Sunwhisker could see the weight of their worry in every step they took.

She padded softly toward the medicine den, where the worst of the sick lay. As she entered, her heart clenched at the sight of Bluekit, curled up beside her brother Cloudkit, both kits' fur matted with sweat. Reedkit, their other littermate was one of the first ones to fall ill, and one of the first cats to die. Their small bodies shivered despite the herbs she'd been giving them. Featherstar had stopped by earlier, her normally sharp gaze dulled by the heavy burden of leading the clan through this crisis. She had said little, but Sunwhisker could feel the unspoken question in her leader's eyes: When will it end?

Sunwhisker wasn't sure if it would.

"Sunwhisker?" The voice of another cat, Spottedpaw, broke through her thoughts. The tortoiseshell she-cat stood at the entrance, her eyes wide with fear. "Dovepaw—she's worse."

Sunwhisker's heart dropped. Dovepaw, one of the brightest and most promising young cats, had been fighting the sickness for days. Each day, Sunwhisker hoped for some sign of improvement, but it was clear now that the sickness was moving faster than she could keep up with. She was losing control.

"Stay with the kits," Sunwhisker instructed Spottedpaw as she brushed past the apprentice, forcing her paws to stay steady. Spottedpaw had volunteered to help Sunwhisker when the sickness became worse. Watching the sick cats, and learning which herbs will help them. Sunwhisker was grateful for the relief.

As she reached the warriors' den, Sunwhisker spotted Lionstripe and Oakstep standing nearby, their eyes heavy with worry as they glanced toward the den. Inside, Dovepaw's labored breathing filled the air.

"Dovepaw," Sunwhisker whispered as she approached the cream-furred apprentice. Dovepaw lay on her side, her chest heaving with every breath. Her eyes were glassy, barely focusing as Sunwhisker nosed her way closer. "I'm here."

Dovepaw's eyes flickered open, but they seemed distant, like she was already slipping away. Sunwhisker felt a painful twist in her chest, the same twist she'd felt when she had realized the elders were beyond saving. She refused to let this apprentice join them.

"Stay strong," she murmured, more to herself than to Dovepaw. Her paws worked quickly, grabbing a mixture of herbs that might soothe the fever. But it felt pointless. The sickness was ruthless, and none of the remedies she knew were strong enough.

"Sunwhisker?" A voice called softly from behind her.

She turned to see Mousewhisker, the brown she-cat's face drawn tight with concern. "How bad is it?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

Sunwhisker swallowed hard. "It's spreading faster than I can keep up. The herbs... they're not enough." Her voice trembled. "I don't know how to stop this."

Mousewhisker sighed, looking at Dovepaw's frail form. "Maybe..." She hesitated, her gaze flickering to the medicine den, where Monarchleap lay with her kits. "Maybe we should send some of the healthy cats to WindClan. They could take in a few cats, at least until the sickness passes. They've got plenty of herbs."

Sunwhisker shook her head. "We can't risk it. If it's this deadly here, we could start something far worse if we send it to WindClan." Her voice hardened. "No, we have to contain it."

A tense silence followed, broken only by Dovepaw's labored breathing.

Sunwhisker fought back the surge of hopelessness threatening to overtake her. There must be something else I can do. She thought of the herbs, the countless remedies she had been trying. None of them were working. And then, she thought of her dream—the one that had shaken her to the core.