Warrior Cats Fanfiction- Ripples of Fear

Chapter 3

Tornshadow growled as he helped Shadedkit cough up water. "Well, these kits of yours, Echostep, are perfect mouse-brains. No cat except one of your wild kits would be stupid enough to throw themselves in a river in the middle of the night after some loose strand of seaweed."

Echostep said nothing, shuffling her paws.

Moonpaw watched, her eyes wide yet her expression unreadable, as Shadedkit sputtered up some water.

"Moonpaw, you useless ball of fur, get me some coltsfoot or something!" Her mentor growled. Moonpaw dashed off. Tornshadow turned to Echostep and Fallowleg. "You two, just lick the StarClan-cursed kit to warm her up!" He pushed on Shadedkit's chest, making her cough up more water.

Moonpaw returned with the coltsfoot and dropped it in front of her mentor, who chewed it into a poultice and forced it down Shadedkit's throat. Fallowleg and Echostep were rapidly licking the little gray and black kit, and Silverkit hung her head in shame in a corner, and Rosekit looked nervously at her sister, both of them preparing themselves for their mother's wrath once Shadedkit was okay.

Tornshadow sighed, stepping back. "She's going to be fine. But I would suggest you tell Froststar about this little incident, eh?"

"Of course, Tornshadow. Thank you." Echostep mewed quietly, picking up Shadedkit in her jaws. The little she-kit's violet eyes were round in shock and fear, and she said nothing. Echostep stalked out of the den, swishing her tail in a gesture for Rosekit and Silverkit to follow. Fallowleg dipped her head to the medicine cats, then padded back to the Warriors' den to calm her aroused Clanmates.

Once outside, Echostep whirled around to face her kits. She dropped Shadedkit and her green eyes gleaming in rage. The three kits braced themselves for their mother's outburst, but it never came.

"I must say, I'm very disappointed in you three." Echostep said, her voice icily calm. Shadedkit winded a little. "But there is no need to say this now." Her mother continued, "We will discuss this with Froststar in the morning. Get some sleep, kits." The three she-kits dragged their tails on the ground as they padded back to their nest.

"It's your fault we got caught, Shadedkit." Rosekit muttered, flicking her tail in anger.

"I don't want to hear it." Echostep mewed. "Save it." With that, the 4 cats curled up in their nest and eventually drifted off into an uneasy sleep, heavy and sickening like waves of blood, pulling them out into endless pools of horrible, groggy silence forever.