"Are you alright Stemstar? You've been coughing all morni-"
"I'm fine! " He snapped. Owlsnout took a step back, a little offended and concerned. "Okay, I understand. Would you like me to send out the patrols for this morning?" He mewed in a squeaky, cautious tone. "Yes, and put me in one." Stemstar growled, challenging the deputy to ask why. But, to his relief, the young tom said nothing and rushed out of the den. As soon as he was out of earshot Stemstar collapsed. "So is this it Starclan? You wish to kill me over and over with sickness? Well, your plan will fail. Before I lose my 5th life Brookclan will be at war with us. I will make sure of that!" He hissed, his yellowing teeth clenched shut as he wheezed with laughter.
"I would like Pebblewish, Specklefoot, and Mouseberry to take a border patrol with Stemstar, and Acornfang, Yellowfire, and Breezetuft to take the hunting patrol with their apprentices." Owlsnout leaped back off the rock and was surrounded by a barrage of cats. "Are you sure Stemstar is healthy enough for a patrol?" "I heard him coughing last night, he sounds as though he has green cough." Owlsnout took a step back, unsure what to say. "Has he seen the Medicine Cat yet?" "How many lives does he have left?" "Will the infection spread?" Owlsnout was becoming a bit annoyed with the crowd of cats and he let out a yowl of annoyance to call for silence. Every cat turned to stare at him in shock. "Stemstar has specifically asked to be on a patrol. A loud cough set the whole clan into silence.
Stemstar stumbled out of his den, his fur matted, his eyes wild the way they had been the night he killed Aspenstar. "All cats in my patrol come with me. Owlsnout, you too. We might need back-up." Owlsnout padded up to his leader, squaring his shoulders to make his stance seem just as powerful as his leader, the cat he had always looked up to. "Who will be in charge of the camp?" Yarrowstem, one of Aspenclan's newest warriors, stepped forward. "I can watch. We aren't expecting any trouble, are we Stemstar?" Stemstar grinned bitterly and nodded, heading into the tall grass, preparing to exit the camp. "All patrols may now leave!" he paused and sneezed twice before adding. "Yarrowstem is now in charge of camp until we return. " Then he rushed out of the camp, Pebblewish, Specklefoot, Mouseberry, and Owlsnout close on his heels.
