(Warriors) 🌹Flower In The Shadows🌹 Volume I: ✳Dark Seeds✳

Chapter Sixteen

    "It's gotten worse." Shimmerleaf stated. "Flamestorm and Stonestar have greencough. Nettlekit, Pineheart, and Fernfeather have whitecough. We have an epidemic. We need more catmint." The young shecat was reporting to Shadeflower. She nodded.

    "I know...it's horrible. Is there anyway to get more catmint?"

    "No. All the plants in out territory have died for the season. Shadeflower, we need to ask for help from RiverClan, or cats will die. Please." Shimmerleaf' eyes were pleading, she was scared and she was worried. We need to ask for help from RiverClan or more cats will die. Shadeflower immediately thought of Silvershine and Badgerclaw. No. No more cats will die. Not if I can help it.

    "Okay. Stormfall and I will accompany you to RiverClan." Stormfall nodded, immediately hearing his name. He had been helping out in the nursery, to make the walls stronger to prevent more wind from blowing through.

    "When shall we leave?" he asked.

    "Straight away. We have no time to lose. Graywhisker! You're in charge of camp while we are gone." The gray tom nodded.

    Shadeflower nodded to Shimmerleaf, and with a wave of her tail, she left with the other two cats. It was snowing lightly, and the sky was gray, and the sun was not to be seen. What a miserable day.

    "I hate this snow." Shadeflower grumbled.

    "It's so wet and gross." Shimmerleaf meowed. "But it's a good way to get water into camp."

    "That is a creative idea." he meowed. Shimmerleaf nodded. The three cats made it to the edge of the lake. Shadeflower shivered and fluffed out her fur. The three of them were silent as they reached the fishy smell of the RiverClan border.

    "I hope Lilystar understands." Shimmerleaf meowed as the three of them crossed the border.

    "Tresspassers!" A tortoiseshell shecat jumped out of the reeds, flanked by a gray tom and a tabby shecat.

    "Wait! We need to speak with Lilystar! It's important." Shadeflower meowed.

The gray tom raised his hackles.

    "Calm down, Troutclaw!" The tabby hissed.

    "Grassflight, they're trespassing in our territory!" The tortishell walked in circles around Shadeflower, Shimmerleaf and Stormfall. Shadeflower made her fur lie flat. Stormfall pressed up against her.

    "Flowerstep! They just want to talk to Lilystar! There's only three of them. Let's escort them to Lilystar." Grassflight meowed calmly. Flowerstep and Troutclaw nodded.

    "Follow us." Flowerstep meowed. She turned around and Stoneshadow pressed up against Shadeflower as they walked into the RiverClan camp. Shimmerleaf bounded over to Lilystar.

    "Lilystar!" Shimmerleaf called out. "We need help!" The RiverClan leader looked at the medicine cat.

    "What is it? Why is your deputy here?" Lilystar asked.

    "I came because she's my friend." Shadeflower meowed.

    "And cats are dying. We don't have enough herbs and there's a little kit who is sick. Please help us." he meowed. Lilystar looked over to Sweetberry who was with her apprentice Dawnpaw.

    "What do you need?" Sweetberry asked.

    "Could you spare some catmint?" Shimmerleaf asked. "Please?"

    "Lilystar?"

    "Of course we will help you. I haven't forgotten the time you helped us." Lilystar dipped her head. Shadeflower was relieved.

    "Thank you so much! Shadeflower exclaimed. "Thank you!"

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    "We got the cat mint!" Shimmerleaf meowed with Shadeflower and Stormfall behind her. Aspenberry emerged from her den with a sad look.

Shadeflower stopped short. She immediately felt a sense of dread. Aspenberry approached them slowly.

    "Aspenberry, what happened?" Shadeflower's throat tightened.

    "We...we've lost Flamestorm and Stonestar lost a life. Nettlekit is worse and so is Pineheart." Shadeflower's heart skipped a beat. No....no we were too late.

    "We have the catmint. We can save the others." Stormfall stepped forward. Shimmerleaf set down the herbs. Aspenberry nodded. Shadeflower looked at her paws. This couldn't be happening. There was so much death. So much pain.

    "I can't believe he's gone." Toadpelt meowed as he sat beside Flamestorm's body. "I'll miss you so much, old friend. May StarClan welcome you." Mistyflame stood beside him.

    "He'll be with family now. He'll be happy." Mistyflame tries to comfort him. Shadeflower digged at the dirt with her claws.

    "Don't blame yourself." Oakbriar meowed. "You did what you could and you'll save more lives." Shadeflower looked up at her sister and nodded. That was true. She'll save the other cats and that little kit.

    "You're right."