Aspenleaf's Duty

Chapter 8

"My eyes hurt! I can't breathe. Help us! Help us please!"

Aspenkit jumped awake, her breath coming fast and hard in terror. The dream had been haunting her since that terrible night. When it first happened, she had been able to make out their individual voices, but now they seemed to merge into one terrible screaming voice, filled with fear and pain. She lay where she was for a long moment as her breathing returned to normal. She knew they were safe in Starclan, and she knew that one day her family would be reunited there... but here in the forest, she missed them.

She glanced over to Robinpaw's nest. The apprentice was sitting up, trying to get a look at his back as usual.

"It won't have grown back yet." Mewed Aspenkit, hopping out of the nest and padding over to his nest.

He jumped a little, clearly having not realised she was awake. "That's not what I was looking for." He replied defensively. "I wanted to make sure it was healing!"

It had been half a moon since the fire. Creekpaw had returned to her training a quarter moon ago once she was satisfied that Robinpaw was over the worst of his injuries. Whenever she had a spare moment, she was in the medicine den with her brother, and at night, would not leave his side. It was a squeeze for both of them to get into the nest, and she had to be careful of his injured back. Aspenkit couldn't help but wonder why Robinpaw hadn't told his sister to stay in the apprentice's den. But then, she thought, the prickly she-cat would probably be offended if he did so.

"Hey Robinpaw." She mewed, clambering into his nest. He shifted slightly to make room for her. "Why isn't Creekpaw spending the nights in the apprentices den anymore?"

Robinpaw settled himself down onto his belly, a slight purr rising in his throat. "Because I'm not there." He mewed. "She doesn't feel safe without me... and truthfully, I don't without her."

Aspenkit tipped her head on one side. "Why's that?"

For a moment, Robinpaw didn't answer. His eyes darkened with pain and his hackles began to rise. She quickly checked to make sure she wasn't touching any of his injuries when he gave a little sigh and with an effort it seemed, forced his hackles back down. Aspenkit was stunned. She had never seen him react like that to any other questions she had asked him. It seemed so unlike him. "I don't know if I'm ready to talk about that." He murmured. "Suffice to say, she's all I have... and I'm all she has. It's the same reason the Blackheart spends so much time with you."

Blackheart had gone back to his duties only a few sunrises after that terrible night, once Poppydust was satisfied that his wounds were healing well, he returned to his duties but ensured he visited Aspenkit every day. In the recent days, he had stopped sharing the nest with her, leaving her to sleep alone at night. She didn't mind. She was glad he was beginning to re-assimilate into the clan life. Occasionally, Tigerfang joined Blackheart in visiting his niece. He never said much, simply sat and watched as his brother fawned over his daughter. Aspenkit couldn't help but feel a little scared of her uncle. He was always scowling. He also bore a striking resemblance to his grandfather, Bramblestar, who had inherited his looks from his father, Tigerstar, one of the most bloodthirsty cats the forest had ever seen. She wondered if he only there with his brother so that no cats said anything about one of the meanest looking cats in the clan acting like a nursing queen. It was seen as unusual for toms to care for their kits, but on the other hand, with Silverstar acting the way she was, no-one would have said a word against him she didn't think.

Silverstar had barely left her den since the fire. When she did emerge, it was usually to fetch herself some fresh-kill and she would hiss at anyone who spoke to her. Even when Ravencall had approached her to inform her that the camp was almost back to normal, she had merely grunted dismissively before walking slowly back to her den. From what she could make out from Blackheart and Tigerfang's discussions, there was mutterings in the camp, not just about her behaviour, and the fact that she seemed to be pretending her surviving kit did not exist, but whether she was fit to be leader anymore. Blackheart always defended her, never saying a word against his mate, but she could see that his arguments were becoming less convinced every time he said it.