Foxgaze's Haunting

Chapter 23

(Cat above is Sara)
Foxgaze felt her stomach growl. She winced and looked at the fresh-kill pile. It was empty, but the most of the cats were too tired from patrolling to hunt.

She sighed and looked at her belly. It was nearly noticeable that it has grown from her kits that were due in less than half a moon. Foxgaze made her fur stand on end and fluffed it. It made her look like a pinecone but at least it worked. For now.

Sara, the black rougue that Leafshade had found had healed well. Foxgaze watched the rather spunky but also talented she-cat walk through the thorn barrier with a dirty mole in her jaws. Her paws were caked with mud and so was the mole but her eyes shone with pride.

Foxgaze turned away from Sara and looked at the nurserey. Glazepool had recently moved in it after announcing she was having kits. Agileclaw seems proud enough she chuckled to herself.

"Foxgaze, right?" a mew snapped Foxgaze out of her thoughts. Sara was standing nearby, her long tail kinked over one ear.

"You must be Sara" Foxgaze purred "yeah you got my name right".

Sara looked at the scar on Foxgaze's neck "Woah! What happened to your neck. That scar is wicked".

"Err, I got attacked by a fox around when I was your age. The leader, being the rat that he was, changed my name to Foxpaw to punish me" Foxgaze snorted. The blood soaked memories were fuzzy after trying to forget about them for so long. She decided not to mention that her brother had been killed.

"That seems harsh" Sara wrinkled her nose "Eh, Raspberry doesn't seem that bad next to Foxpaw. Those little red berries are so much better than foxes!"

"Foxgaze! Sara!" Will you two lazy badgers come on the hunting patrol please" Darkclaw yowled from the camp entrance.

Sara squeaked like a happy mouse and galloped over to where Darkclaw and Pebblefur were standing.

"Coming Darkclaw" Foxgaze grumbled. She heaved herself to her paws. Just as she was walking, a sharp pain in her belly made her flinch. Hold on, are my kits coming right now! No, wait... I think it was just a kick. Foxgaze took a nervous breathe and continued.

"You've been getting plump lately Foxgaze" Darkclaw sneered "Are you stealing prey from the fresh-kill pile late at night?"

"Don't talk to your deputy like that!" Foxgaze demanded "I would never steal prey!"

The black and white she-cat scowled and stormed ahead. Foxgaze sighed What's gotten into her?

Foxgaze could picture the look on Darkclaw's face if she told her that her extra weight was her brother's kits.

Pebblefur yawned "Can we get going already?".

Everyone in the patrol nodded. Foxgaze stepped forward "Let's go".

***
Sara's POV

"It's so big!" Sara exclaimed as she looked at the stream with the other cats. It was nearly three times its size from the day she had been attacked.

"Snowmelt from the hills no doubt" Pebblefur mewed and looked up at the snow covered hills "New-leaf might come early this year".

The cats yowled in gratitude at the sun for bringing New-leaf so soon. Sara looked at the hills for a moment longer, wondering if the cats in the rougue camp were thinking the same thing. An old memory flashed in her head.
~~~~~~
"Rasberry!" Get out of my way!" Lightning snapped, his pure white fur bristling.

Rasberry whimpered and stumbled away. She stared at the pure white pelt and the muscles and cat beneath it. Lightning, Pebble, Creek, Sage, and a few others had been moved up to a new higher rank called the Dominants a few weeks ago. Bear and Cricket had assumed themselves as leaders and had sorted everyone into one of two ranks. The Dominants were the upper classed cats that were stronger and in Bear's words more 'useful' anyway. Lightnings been eating well Rasberry thought bitterly, the Dominants always got to eat first.

The other, weaker, older, and lower classed cats became known as the Pitifuls.

A cruel test had been started to where kits were inspected at 4 moons old to become a Dominant or a Pitiful. They were separated from their original mother and given to another in their new rank were they were trained. Rasberry, not being group born, has been sorted into being a Pitiful. She flinched as she saw a Pitiful kit stumble into the open.

It was Mushroom, a small brown tom with a mushroom colored underbelly. Rasberry felt a stab of pity when she saw his ribs jutting like branches out of his fur. He had just been sorted into being a Pitiful just a few sunrises before. Its not his fault he's small.

Mushroom stumbled over to her and Rasberry licked his head. "R-Rasberry. I don't feel very well" he squeaked weakly.

"You just need some water" Raspberry assured him but to her he looked more than thirsty. She darted over to a snowbank and scooped a pawful of snow. Rasberry turned around to give it to him.

She gasped and dropped the snow. Mushroom had collapsed, the wind buffeted his feather soft fur. Rasberry licked his side in warm laps to warm him up. He didn't stir until his eyes flew open and he gasped "Its so warm with them" he whispered.

"No. Mushroom don't go.. Please!" Rasberry choked.

Mushroom looked up at Rasberry but he seemed to be looking past her. "Goodbye Rasberry". He fell silent.

Rasberry felt her eyes begin to get wet. She pressed her nose to his side Im so sorry you had to come into the world like this.

~~~~~~~~

"Sara! Snap out of it" Foxgaze nudged her side.

Sara shook her head "What did I miss?".

The tortishell rolled her eyes "Pebblefur was just explaining how to catch a fish. Good StarClan, if you ever want to become an apprentice you have to pay attention".

Sara shrugged "Alright. I was just having a memory".

"You looked really sad" Darkclaw said her paws growing dangerously close to the edge "Your eyes were starting to get really-"

"Darkclaw! Move away from the edge!" Foxgaze shrieked.

Like it was part of her yowl, the ground crumbled below Darkclaw's paws. The last thing Sara saw was her blue eyes wide with horror before the warrior fell into the flooded river.