Warriors; MoonClan: Fire [ 1 ]

Chapter Fourteen

Moonpaw stared in disbelief as the defeated Raven dashed off into the bushes and snow. His chest heaved and he collapsed into the snow. He rolled around in it, frigid to the core.

Soon his black pelt was free of any blood. Darkcloud licked Weaselpaw's pelt. Ripplefawn's yellow eyes stared straight into Moonpaw's. Ripplefawn dropped his gaze towards the snow. He crouched down and lapped some up.

Moonpaw had never noticed the frail bodies of his Clanmates. 

Scent wafted into Moonpaw's nose. He rolled onto his belly and looked up to see Grayfoot and Ferretheart. 

"What's going on?" demanded Grayfoot. Few ribs were visible through his pelt. "Raven..." panted Ripplefawn before collapsing. Ferretheart gasped and rushed over to his side, Darkcloud trailing behind her. Moonpaw couldn't move from shock, and Weaselpaw was too exhausted to do anything but lay down and bury him self in the snow. Moonpaw forced himself to drag Weaselpaw the short distance back to camp.

Immediately, heads turned and gazes lay on Weaselpaw. Gasps shook the camp, and the atmosphere became fearful and shocked. Dappleheart was soon out of her den as the snow turned red.

Weaselpaw's eyes were weary, and it seemed he was fighting to keep them open. Dappleheart examined the chest wound. She put her paws around the wound and massaged. Weaselpaw let out a faint hack and slowly fell limp. "W-what?" spluttered Moonpaw. He can't be dead! Moonpaw thought frantically. I'll never see him again! "Go get some prey, the wound is fine," Dappleheart mewed.

Moonpaw dragged his paws over to the fresh-kill pile and picked out a small squirrel. Soon, Darkcloud was beside him. She started grooming him, but Moonpaw pulled back. "I'm not a kit anymore," he meowed. He was too tired to be mad. A loud cough, cough, HACK made Moonpaw look up. Hawkstar was getting weaker. "Will he be okay?" Moonpaw asked. Darkcloud thought about it for a while. "Hawkstar is very old, so I don't think he'll survive," Darkcloud responded. Her tone was nurturing, but her eyes were serious. "Weaselpaw is young, so there's a very, very low chance he'd die."

Moonpaw glanced at the medicine den and saw Dappleheart's calico pelt. He sighed and lay his head on his paws. If tomorrow was the half-moon, she would be gone. The problem was it was sunhigh, and the moon wouldn't be going down for a little while longer. Moonpaw finished his squirrel. 

Darkcloud nuzzled him.  Moonpaw felt like sitting there forever, but he pushed the urge away. Weaselpaw needed him. Moonpaw slowly got up and padded towards the medicine den. Weaselpaw's limp body had herbs plastered all over it. "Is that marigold?" Moonpaw asked. "Goldenrod," corrected Dappleheart's hoarse voice. "I see Shiveringfeather never fails to forget things." Moonpaw winced at the medicine cat's tone. "Your brother will be fine." Moonpaw put a paw on Weaselpaw's unhurt shoulder and prodded his awake. Weaselpaw coughed and opened his eyes.

Moonpaw sighed in relief. He fell beside Weaselpaw, his chin resting on his shoulder. Like when we were kits, Moonpaw thought, falling asleep.