Ghosts of the Clans

Chapter 19

"Brokenstar, Tigerstar and Hawkfrost are dead! Retreat!" Clawface wailed, looking distraught. The remaining Dark Forest warriors halted, stumbling as their attacks wavered. Then, as one, they all fled, screeching in horror.

Minnowtail and her Clanmates stared at each other in surprise. Was the battle over at last? Then Mistystar began to yowl in not just jubilation, but also grief for her fallen Clanmates. One by one, the warriors joined, even the injured ones, until their yowls resonated throughout the camp.

Minnowtail lifted her voice, joy and grief thrilling through her. Joy for winning the battle- and grief for Dapplenose, Hollowflight and Troutstream. Perhaps more, but she didn't want to think of that.

"I can't stop the bleeding!" Mothwing yowled, desperately pressing cobwebs on Robinwing's flank. Nearby, Mossyfoot lay, her body racked with fever from infection. It had been a half-moon since the victory over the Dark Forest, but loss awaited the RiverClan cats. Rushtail was also dead, catching greencough to add to his broken hind leg.

But good news was also there. Copperdusk was expecting kits with Rainstorm, and they would be due in two moons' time. The dark ginger she-cat was growing bigger each day, and was also recovering from her wounds quickly. Minnowtail couldn't say the same for her mate, Rainstorm, who was still recovering from a particularly deep gash on his belly.

When she looked up again, Mothwing was slumped next to Robinwing's body, Willowshine running her tail along the medicine cat's flank. The tortoiseshell tom was lying very still, blood no longer gushing out. His light green eyes, once full with life, were dull and unseeing, and the sweetish smell of death rose from him.

"I couldn't help him," Mothwing breathed, her amber eyes shadowed with anguish. Reedwhisker and Pouncetail carried the dead warrior to the clearing, where they were greeted with howls of grief. "Robinwing!" Mallownose hurried over to touch his nose to his lost friend's blood-stained flank, his amber eyes full of grief.

Minnowtail felt sick to her stomach. Can this get any worse?

Evidently, it could.

"Good-bye, Mossyfoot. You were the best apprentice a cat could have asked for," Minnowtail murmured, pushing her nose into the brown-and-white she-cat's fur one last time, then stepping back to watch her former apprentice's body get buried beneath a mountain of soil and rocks.

Her brother, Pebblefoot, pressed his mottled gray pelt against hers. He had also lost his former apprentice, Rushtail, in the Great Battle. Only three days had passed since Robinwing's death, and here was another one. On top of it all, Pouncetail had also become sick, and Rainstorm was no better, not even able to see how Copperdusk was getting along. Even though the mates hadn't seen each other for a long time, Mothwing and Willowshine suspected that she had also caught the disease, as the queen was coughing quite a lot.

Suppressing the urge to howl out her grief to the skies, MInnowtail sat by Mossyfoot's grave, unmoving. She was sure that there would be more bodies lying beside her former apprentice's grave soon.

And she was proved right by one fateful morning a moon later.

 "Rainstorm! He's gone...and Copperdusk has started kitting." Mothwing emerged from the nursery, her amber eyes wide with shock and apprehension. Pinefur, sitting nearby, let out a mew of shock and tried to enter, but was blocked by the golden tabby she-cat. "Don't go in," Mothwing warned.

They were all forced to listen to Copperdusk's agonised wailing, and finally Willowshine popped her head out, looking weary. "Copperdusk had one kit, and it survived. Copperdusk, however...did not." 

Shrieks of grief split the air as cats blundered their way forward. The commotion went on until Mistystar broke in. The pale blue-gray she-cat's eyes were shadowed, but her voice was clear. "Every cat, calm down. No matter what happens, RiverClan will stand firm. But these deaths... I wish both of them happiness in StarClan. As for Copperdusk's kit- a she-kit by the way- I plan to name it Havenkit, as it will always be in the refuge and safety of RiverClan."

No cat protested, but Minnowtail could sense the doubt in their glances.