Warrior Cats: Fallen Leaves

8 Just Don't Die

Last Updated: 11 July 2017

The russet-red she-cat followed her youngest daughter's every pawstep until her bushy tail-tip trailed past the nursery's reed stems. They wobbled in her absence.
Russetdawn felt disgusted.
Featherkit never even so much as glanced at her, even when she tried to gently prompt her to talk. Featherkit never ate with her, even when she invited her to the fresh-kill pile. Featherkit never- She breathed deeply. Love and anger stormed within her as she retracted her paw from Wheatkit's abnormal head. But of course, as soon as He was getting technically 'hurt' by Stormkit, she had to interrupt the fun, and silence everyone with her load of blabbering nonsense. Then guilt pierced her fur like frostbite.
Featherkit was her kit-
Her own-
Her lov-
Hissing in rage, she smacked Wheatkit as he attempted to right himself. He cried out in anger and pain. It didn't change her mood. As an alternative action, she motioned to Rosekit and Stormkit to follow her. Well, at least they had a chance of a worthwhile future. She completely ignored Wheatkit's stunned, trembling body, and scooted past the stiff-furred Gorge, about to travel across the clearing with her kits. She forced herself to relax by noticing the setting sun, the red-streaked sky...
Didn't her mother always say that represented rain and death?
Russetdawn ripped apart grass in frustration. Forget them! They burned in BirchClan! They deserved it for what they did, right? It wasn't my-
"R-Russetdawn!"
Outlined against the willow, body shaking, Weaseldash's usually tranquil orange eyes were frantic, "H-Honeypaw is very sick, but Birdsong is out and Eelpaw doesn't know all of the sickness signs yet! You were there when Foxmuzzle's body was shown by Icetalon, remember? You should know what's wrong - it isn't whitecough for sure!"
Russetdawn nodded firmly, using her tail to calm the panicked father. While she secretly relished that Weaseldash came to her before any other cat, she knew that the Clan must be assured that everything would be all right, otherwise it would turn into chaos. One of the duties of a senior warrior, she guessed. And, if anymore cats died because of-
Her heart twinged.
"Okay, Rosekit, Stormkit. Take Wheatkit and Gorge into the nursery and stay there until we're done." She ordered her precious kits, without turning her head.
"Okay, let's play moss ball, Storm!" Rosekit yowled behind her, crackling leaves under her paws. "Race ya!"
"Hey, wait up!"
"And don't forget to tell Mousefern to come too!" Weaseldash called after them. Then bolting past Russetdawn, he ran to the medicine cat den. It was quite obvious that he was dead sick about the welfare of his only daughter. Mind the pun.
Swiftly padding towards the small reed patch that enclosed the den, Russetdawn slithered down the rabbit-length wide entrance. Darkness, humidity and the reek of herbs swamped the underground den. It was supposed to be small so that no foxes or badgers could fit through if there was an attack. Supposedly.
Russetdawn nosed away sticky lichen drooping down in front of her.
Then-
"YOWRORO! Father, it hurts! Make the pain go away! Please!" The cream-coloured she-cat clutched her belly, and writhed violently like a headless snake.
Honeypaw stank of crowfood.
"Sssh!" Weaseldash pressed his light ginger head to his daughters' cheek, "It's all right...Eelpaw will make it better for you...Eelpaw?"
Eelpaw was currently frozen next to bundles of ripped herbs, staring at Honeypaw, water-blue eyes dilated. Russetdawn's mind buzzed at the drowning noise and fear scent. Her heart wrenched at the chaotic situation. If nothing was done soon-
Maintaining calm, she slapped the blue-grey idiot with her long tail.
He jumped, startled.
"Hey! Eelpaw!" Russetdawn waved her paw in front of his face, "Honeypaw is almost literally dying with pain, and you're standing there like a lopsided badger!" Her stomach dropped at the thought of Eelpaw not being able to help. "You're supposed to be CreekClan's medicine cat, right?"
"R-right," he mewed slowly, cautiously glancing at Russetdawn like she was a StarClan cat. Her fur bristled with frustration at his incompetence.
"Then do what medicine cats do! Heal her for StarClan's sake!" She snapped in his face, whilst Weaseldash twitched his brown-tipped tail in surprise.
"Russetdawn...? I never thought..."
The young tom apprentice cowered back as sharp as a cornered mouse. He was trembling. "B-but, I don't know how. I'm not a full medicine cat yet..."
Russetdawn smacked one paw across her face, and sighed in both desperation and exasperation, "Do you want some help then, Eelpaw?"
I swear he could be Wheatkit's kin at times...
Uh...yeah..." Slowly, slowly, "I suppose that would be easier than-"
Honeypaw screeched.
"F-fath- YRROW!"
Russetdawn's ears rang-
"Eelpaw! HELP HER!"
Eelpaw's scent was a whirlwind-
But his paws stayed frozen-
But her paws stayed frozen-
"But what do I do?!"
And Honeypaw just kept on yowling-
Then moss scattered like frightened rabbits-
Then blood hurled from Honeypaw's mouth-
Then blood spattered Weaseldash's maw-
Then Russetdawn's heart wrenched in agony-
Then-
Then-
Then a thought came-
"EELPAW!"
She should do something-
Weaseldash began cleaning Honeypaw with moss-
To save Dawnkit-
But that moss already had pus on it-
But Eelpaw couldn't move-
But she couldn't move-
"FATHER! IT HURTS!"
But what-
"I don't know what to do!"
"It's NIGHTCOUGH! HELP HER, PLEASE!"
But-
But-
But what could she do?
Krssh.
Desperate claws sliced the humid air.
Weaseldash's paw was drenched with Honeypaw's blood.
Her neck wound gaped at the bare ceiling.
For a long moment that lasted seasons, the only sound was the drip-dripping of blood pooling around Honeypaw's twisted form.
Her eyes splayed open.
The crowfood stench was unbearable.
"I...I killed her."
Weaseldash choked.
"I killed my own daughter."
Silence.
Weaseldash closed his daughter's eyes.
"I-I... I had to."
Weaseldash threw up bile.
"She couldn't bear the pain."
The three cats merely stared down at the floor.
Silent grief consumed them all.
Then memories spilled and thrashed in front of the russet-red she-cat.
Her heart wrenched-
How could-
Weaseldash-
Dawnkit-
So similar-
But why-
Then-
"Weaseldash! Honeypaw!"
"What was that yowling? The Clan's in panic!"
Blueripple and Mousefern ripped through the lichen, movements agitated and concerned-
Green scraps fluttered onto Honeypaw-
Their frantic gazes followed it-
Open eyes locked with closed ones-
Silence.
Blueripple collapsed onto her stomach, paws clamped over her face.
Then Eelpaw wailed, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Blueripple! It was me! I didn't save her in time!"
Blueripple mewed nothing.
Eelpaw winced.
Then he raced deeper into the medicine den. "I'll make sure Streamsplash is okay!" Darkness swallowed him.
No cat followed.
Then Blueripple merely buried her head in Weaseldash's fur. It was as if she was ignoring, blocking out the world. Unexpectedly, Mousefern pressed against Blueripple. Ginger, silver and blue-grey fur brushed together. "So much death. So much death."
Russetdawn, awkward, scuffed the bloodied moss with her paws. She felt cut off, unsure how to feel or act. Her heart wrenched with grief at the death of another Clanmate, yet guilt seared her fur. Neither she nor Eelpaw had done anything to help. What kind of Clanmate was she? To distract herself, she padded towards Blueripple-
Then-
"Get away from me!" A blue-grey paw slashed and Russetdawn flinched back. Weaseldash and Mousefern hovered uncertainly. "All of you! Get away!"
No cat moved.
"Get away from my daughter!"
Russetdawn backed away.
She was like this when-
Dawnkit-
"You're the ones who killed her!"
Weaseldash winced. "I'm sorry-"
"Murderer!" Blueripple's tail whipped Russetdawn's fur into place. Her stare hardened and widened until slits bored into Weaseldash. "Why did you end her life?"
He looked away.
Scattered lichen spiked the air.
"So she would feel less pain? You've just caused her more, you fox-hearted crowfood!"
Lichen floated around them, tender and raw.
"How would you feel if you couldn't love your mother and father one last time!?"
Mousefern licked Blueripple's ear in comfort.
She cuffed her muzzle.
Mousefern took the blow.
She understood.
"Let's tell Streamsplash the news," she mewed, voice cracking.
Blueripple's fury faded and she collapsed onto Honeypaw, a seething grief radiating from her.
No cat dared remind her of nightcough.
Russetdawn only now noticed the pounding in her ear fur fading, just a little.
She gazed at Blueripple's huddled form before agreeing, "I'm sure Streamsplash will-"
A cry from Eelpaw. "Streamsplash, wait, Streamsplash! Urrgh, um, hold on! I'll get help."
The four warriors were beside him before he finished.
Moss and herbs flung about, the light grey's tabby stripes were jagged by yellow-green pus and her limbs thrashed about and there was yowling and Blueripple screeched and Streamsplash's eyes blazed and foul-smelling blood spattered her maw and and no oh no-
It was almost an mirror image-
His death-
Foxmuzzle-
Nightcough.
"Please stop crowding Streamsplash, um, Blueripple," Eelpaw darted about beneath Blueripple's bristling form, "I, er, need to, you know, help...!"
Flexing claws glinted a red tinge in the fading sunlight, darkness smoldering every cat with a dreary shadow. Russetdawn heart skipped. She wouldn't...?
"I think you've helped enough, you useless crowfood!" Eelpaw's ears flattened at the blue-grey mother's icy tone. He shrank like a pathetic mouse, merely a kit under Blueripple's glare.
Streamsplash groaned, thrashes ceasing.
"M-mother? What's-"
Blueripple ignored him, halting Weaseldash with her stare as he was backing away, wrinkling his nose at the slimy, rotting stench. She snarled with outrage, "Traitor! First you murder, now you recoil! What kind of mate are you?"
She pointed her tail at Mousefern. "You! All you did for Foxmuzzle was sob. Not even bury his corpse." She ripped a few stray reeds and tenderly placed it near Streamsplash, who merely fixed Blueripple with a bemused stare. The old CreekClan death ritual. "I'll make sure my sister and daughter get more respect."
Mousefern's eyes flashed. "We both have lost a cat we love. We understand and share each others' grief. Don't ruin it now."
"And haven't you noticed Streamsplash's not dead yet?" Russetdawn piped up.
Blueripple snarled, "Nightcough is bound to take her. It took my Honeypaw."
Her tail lashed.
Then Streamsplash mewed, "Blueripple, come here."
The mother rushed to her sisters' side.
"Look," Streamsplash coughed, delicate gaze wandering between each cat. Silence held them, "I see Honeypaw has passed, but is that any reason to fight?" A choke racked her body for a heartbeat. "It won't resurrect her from StarClan. But I am sure she will forgive us all by giving her kin the goodbye she never had. I can tell her all the wonderful things you said when-"
"Shut up," Blueripple snarled.
Streamsplash looked up sharply, only her chest heaved and a hoarse croak came out, "Sister?"
Their gazes locked.
"That would make Honeypaw jealous, mouse-brain."
Weaseldash padded towards her, "But wouldn't-"
She slapped his muzzle shut. "You and Weaseldash are both-"
"-Mother, please stop!" Eelpaw wailed.
"Shut up!" She glared full at Streamsplash but spoke as if cursing an absent cat. "You are both ungrateful pieces of living fox-dung!"
When Russetdawn placed a pawpad on Streamsplash's neck, there was no pulse.
Her heart wrenched again, though it already ached.
Streamsplash was empty and bare of life.
Shocked eyes splayed open like Honeypaw.
Accusing Blueripple.
"My sister died without any comfort."
"My sister died without any comfort."
The blue-grey mother screeched.
She raced outside.
No cat followed.
They didn't dare.
"Streamsplash was such a good cat..." Russetdawn murmured, then straightened, "Let's clean up before nightcough spreads. Eelpaw, gather some herbs to cleanse the stench-"
"Woah, woah, woah!" Weaseldash interrupted as Eelpaw ran off to do what she asked, "So are just going to order us around, a heartbeat after two cats of our family died?"
Russetdawn's tail quivered as Mousefern, the stupid queen, took this moment to insult Russetdawn. Probably for her pathetic kit. "Yes. Have you no heart, Russetdawn?"
"Father, don't..." Eelpaw's mew was muffled by herbs. The sickly clash of lavender, mint and crowfood turned Russetdawn's stomach.
"Well, what?" Mousefern hissed, "Are you just a sadistic, cold she-cat who teaches her kits to bully?"
The russet red she-cat dug her claws into moss. Sticky pus squelched beneath her cold pawpads. Fur rising, she growled to both warriors:
"I am just trying to do what is best for the Clan, yet you freely accuse me of being disloyal? All I wanted you to do was to talk to Reedfang, and ask him for spare warriors to help clean the medicine cat den, and bury our Clanmates' bodies like we used to. But since you only accuse, not help others, I don't why I should even bother assisting you. Even if it is a duty. So maybe you should think about what you're going to say before you open your stupid mouths."
Weaseldash blinked once, returning Russetdawn's stare. She then added, "And remember, I was your mentor once, plus, I'm senior warrior here. You need to learn to respect your elders more."
"Yes, Russetdawn." Weaseldash outwardly seethed with angry disdain, and he stormed outside. His tail closed Streamsplash's eyes as shoved past.
Russetdawn followed, flicking with her tail to Mousefern to follow. She could hear Weaseldash already explaining the situation. Outside, she raised her head at the sight of her Clanmates eyes flashing curiously or worriedly in the darkness, muttering, spreading rumours. Inside, Russetdawn's heart sagged with the loss.
She didn't think she could take much more.

~~~~

It starts with pain,
Followed by hate,
Fuelled by the endless questions,
No one can answer.

A stain,
Covers your heart,
And tears you apart,
Just like,
A sleeping kitten.

Now I don't believe men are born to be good,
I don't believe,
The world can be saved.
How did you get here?
And when did it start?
An innocent child,
With a thorn in his heart.

Are you sane?
Where's the shame?
The moment that time passes by,
You cannot rewind,
Who's to blame,
When it's dark.
Is there a cure for your sickness?
Have you no heart?

World So Cold - 12 Stones