Warriors: A Dark Sun

Chapter 33

          When Lilymist awoke almost everyone else had left except Rainstorm and Icestar. She groggily padded away to let them finish grieving. Her fur still smelled of ash so she went to a small stream running through the forest and cleaned off. Her fur was duller than before the fire, but at least it was clean. She stiffly walked back to camp looking around in sorrow at her home. A couple of trees collapsed, linking their branches together in an arch over the forest floor. She climbed up the tree arch and sat at the top and gazed around. ThunderClan territory looked even worse than RiverClan did. Through the leafless trees, could see the warriors rushing around to fix their camp. She let out a yowl of pain and grief. I loved Grassheart more than I would admit. I did this. I should have gone for the kits before running. It's my fault, it's always going to be my fault. Her pained yowl cut through the barren forest. She climbed down the tree trunk and flopped on the ground. She saw a moth fluttering on the ground, a wing crumpled. She reached out her paw and unsheathed her claws. May your journey be swift and painless. Lilymist punctured the moths body with a claw and it stopped fluttering around. What kind of warrior am I? Grieving for a moth. She stood up and walked away from the place she would now call moth arch. She walked back to camp where everyone was scrambling around, repairing the broken camp. The only place that made it through was the leaders den. It was made out of a large hollow rock. She walked towards Grayheart, who seemed to be acting as deputy with his brother, Rainwhisker. The senior warriors worked together to supervise the repairs. Sparrowleaf limped up to Lilymist. She had twisted her paw during the escape.

  "Lilymist I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but Littlefoot died this morning. She breathed in too much smoke." Sparrowleaf softly meowed to Lilymist, placing her tail on the warrior's shoulder.

"Thank you for telling me." Lilymist turned and walked away from Sparrowleaf, feeling too numb to even grieve for her grandmother. She walked turned back to Grayheart.

"Can I help?" She asked the gray-eared tom, her voice a hoarse whisper. Grayheart looked down at her, pity lighting his eyes.

"You can help by going to Pixiepaw and Echomist. I don't want you weak from grief." He ordered then walked over to Icestar as she entered the camp. Lilymist had never felt so alone in her life. She hadn't expected Grayheart to treat her with kindness, but she wanted him to treat her with a little sympathy. He was her mentor, mentors always have a bond with their apprentices after they become warriors. Lilymist never really clicked with Grayheart though. She snapped back at him a lot, targeted him with her anger from failing anything and was overall just a jerk. Why should I expect anything from him?
         
          She padded to the medicine den dragging her tail on the ground. She sat down in one of the moss nests and rested her head on her paws.

"Are you ok?" Pixiepaw mewed.
Lilymist responded with a grunt.

"You look sick. Your eyes and fur are dull. Do you feel warm?" Pixiepaw padded towards the she cat and poked her with her nose. It was cool and soothed her heated fur.

"You do feel warm. I'll get you some moss." The apprentice padded away towards a pile of moss. She soaked it in water from a pond in the corner of her den.
"It's dry and falling apart, but it'll work until the normal moss grows back." She placed the moss in front of Lilymist. The warrior placed her forehead on the moss. It was refreshingly cold. She didn't even notice how hot she had felt. She was too busy grieving for her father.

"Did you check on the kits? Are they ok?" Lilymist asked the white apprentice. She didn't want her father's sacrifice to be a waste if the kits died.

"Yeah I did. Moonkit seems fine, no coughing or anything wrong with her breathing. Lichenkit must have hit her head when you were running so I told Swanshine to keep an eye on her while she rests." Pixiepaw mewed. Lilymist gazed at her with relief. The young she cat was looking more like a she cat than ever. Her fur now looked sleek, despite having a patch singed on her flank. Her head was held regally and her ears lost their curve at the top and were now a perfect point. Everything about Pixiepaw said one thing: beauty. She had light silver swirls marking her white fur and her brown eyes had a serious and wise look to them. Her tail waved elegantly when she walked through camp and her paw steps were light and graceful unlike those of a kit. Sparrowleaf did a good job raising her too. She was kind, polite and respectful. She could soothe any cat from a newborn kit to the oldest elder. Lilymist was lost in thought about the young cat before her. It was almost sun down when she was told to leave the den. She padded out the den entrance, much more calm then when she entered. She wasn't shaking or stiff, Pixiepaw had soothed her with her soft voice and busy work. She had become mesmerized by the soft swish of leaves and herbs brushing together. It calmed her in a strange way.

          She padded towards the fresh kill pile and chose a pitiful crow. It's meat was dry and sour, but it was food. She shared with Sunfrost and Olivenose. They were getting tired by Moonhigh so they went to the makeshift den. It was made of branches woven together in a thin layer protecting the warriors as they slept. Lilymist lay down and fell asleep after rolling around to get comfortable. She fell asleep for a short time before waking up thrashing around and shrieking for Grassheart to run. Several cats looked up at her with worry. Olivenose crept through the cats and sat down next to her. He did the same thing that he did the night before, let her rest her head on his chest and softly ran his tail down her back. Lilymist quietly sobbed for her father to run before being wrapped into a wave of safety.

          He stopped running his tail after she fell asleep. She had curled up nest to him like a kit. He wrapped his body around hers and rested his head on her back. He had never felt so odd. I don't think odd it the right word to describe it. He thought to himself. Olivenose liked being around the she cat, as independent and distant as she may seem she wouldn't last a day alone. She needed friends and support to keep her going. She needed family, hope and trust. But most of all she needs love. Olivenose felt his face flush and his ears go hot at the thought of loving her. He could never admit it in front of her. That was most likely a secret that only him and his brother would ever share. I just hope she knows that I'll always have her back, no matter what happens. I'll protect you Lilymist, I will be the moor that protects you from the fire, if you let me, I can save you from the grief and pain.

"It's equivalent exchange, I'll give you half of my life, if you give me half of yours."
- Edward Elric to Winry Rockwell, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood