Bearheart's Shame

Chapter 15

The clan cheered loudly. Bearheart shuddered.

Whisperkit, Snowkit and Silverkit were being apprenticed.

It had been three moons since the attack on the border, and the clan was still shaken by Pineclaw's death.

But he would have been a merciless cat, had he lived.

Snowpaw had been apprenticed to Lilyflower, whose kits had been apprenticed days after the attack.

Silverpaw had been apprenticed to Firewing, and Whisperpaw had been apprenticed to Sprucetail.

"Silverpaw! Get over here!"

Bearheart watched the silvery apprentice race across the camp to her mentor.

Firewing was tapping her paw impatiently.

The new apprentices left the camp happily, and Bearheart turned away.

Two moons later, Antwhisker raced up to her, tail twitching nervously.

"Sparrowstar is on his last life. He's dying. But we can save him. Go to Moonclan and get an herb called lungwort from them. Go! Quickly!"

Bearheart gasped, nodded, and raced out of the camp.

Her paws were aching by the time she reached the border, but she didn't dare stop to wait for a patrol, or to take a breath.

She raced across Moonclan territory, slowing only when she reached the stream bordering the camp.

Instead of finding the crossing rocks, she leapt over the stream, her paws brushing the water.

She landed right outside the warriors den, and crept by, careful not to wake anyone who was sleeping.

She broke into the center of the camp, eyes wide and wild.

"Lilystream!" She yowled.

There were cats glaring at her, along with a few snarling and hissing.

The white she-cat burst out of her den, ears flattened and fur bristling.

Bearheart lowered her voice but spoke quickly.

"Sparrowstar is dying. I need lungwort."

Lilystream nodded, raced away, and came back seconds later carrying a bundle of herbs.

"I'll tell them after." She called as Bearheart dashed away.

Bearheart trampled through the forest, crushing wilted ferns and bracken beneath her paws, back across the border, and into her own camp.

She rushed into the medicine den, only to find that Antwhisker wasn't there.

The leader's den.

Bearheart ran into the open space of the camp, then ducked into the hole in the side of Shadow Stone.

Antwhisker was there, looking terrified.

Bearheart dropped the herbs.

"Lungwort. I have it."

Antwhisker looked up, relief flooding over his face.

He grabbed a stem of the green and gray plant and stuffed it in Sparrowstar's mouth, massaging his throat to make him swallow.

Bearheart turned her head.

"What are we going to do?"

At sunset that day, Antwhisker emerged from Sparrowstar's den, looking tired and ashen.