Warriors: Drizzlestar's Change

Chapter 15

Drizzlestar paced near the entrance of the medicine cat den, wincing as the sound of a cat coughing came from inside. Her friend, Blackstorm, had just kitted, two toms and two she-cat's. The only problem was that Blackstorm had a bad fever, and three of her kits had it too.
Snowleaf padded out of the den, her head low. She looked at Drizzlestar. Bloodfire immediately bolted over to the two she-cat's.
"Well? How are they?" Bloodfire demanded. Drizzlestar looked away from Bloodfire, guilt rising in her chest. He didn't really know that the kits weren't actually his, but he was still so protective.
"They... the kits..." Snowleaf flattened her ears against her head. "Three of them are dead."
"No!" Bloodfire yowled, pushing past the medicine cat to run into her den.
Drizzlestar closed her eyes. "You tried your best to save them, Snowleaf." Her voice cracked with sorrow.
"Only one kit survived, Midnightkit." Snowleaf mewed.
Drizzlestar walked into the den, immediately smelling the sour scent of sickness and death. She saw Blackstorm, looking a little better, with her tail curled around four bundles of fur, three completely still. Bloodfire had his muzzle pressed against Blackstorm's shoulder, though the black tabby she-cat shifted uncomfortably.
Blackstorm looked at Drizzlestar, her eyes clouded with grief. "They're dead."
Drizzlestar sat beside her friend, looking down. "They're with StarClan now, safe."
Blackstorm nodded then looked back to the kits. "Their names were Lionkit, Flowerkit, and Stonekit."
"Those were beautiful names." Drizzlestar whispered.
"But now they're dead." Bloodfire growled, his head low. "Why would StarClan do this to us?"
Blackstorm looked away. "I'm sure it wasn't their fault."
"It is, it has to be!" Bloodfire snapped. He jumped to his paws and left the den without saying another word.
"He's just grieving." Drizzlestar mewed.
Blackstorm shook her head. "I don't care what he feels about the kits, they're not his. I have to tell Redstrike."
"I'll tell him at the gathering tonight." Drizzlestar promised.
Blackstorm didn't reply. She just curled around her kits, burying her muzzle into their fur.

Drizzlestar led her clan towards the gathering, Leapfrost beside her.
"Do you think Blackstorm and Midnightkit will be okay?" Drizzlestar asked her mate.
Leapfrost nodded. "I think she'll be fine, she's strong."
Drizzlestar sighed. "I just can't imagine what it's like to loose someone you love."
Leapfrost stiffened beside her. "It hurts, a lot. But you have to move on, it's what the one you lost would have wanted."
Drizzlestar looked down, remembering the two cats that were dead when she first met Leapfrost. "Lily and Ivy, right?"
"My mother and sister, yes. They died protecting each other..." Leapfrost shook his head. "Never mind. Look, we're here."

Drizzlestar looked at the clans around her. All the leaders but her and Squirrelstar had shared. She cleared her throat, ready to share FireClan's news. "Blackstorm has had four kits. Sadly, three died from a fever."
Cat's gasped and murmured, feeling sorry for the poor kits. Drizzlestar looked down at Redstrike. His eyes were wide with grief.
Drizzlestar stepped back to let Squirrelstar share next.
"Thorntail caught a terrible fever, and died this morning." The ThunderClan leader said, looking down. "Leaf-bare is coming, and I believe more sickness will come with it."
"StarClan hasn't spoken, yet." A medicine cat said. Her ginger pelt was smooth, and her yellow eyes sent shivers through Drizzlestar. "Maybe they will not help us this time. Maybe they are punishing us."
"Punishing us?" Deadstar said. "How? What have we done wrong?"
"Not we," The she-cat locked her gaze on Drizzlestar. "They."
"What have we done wrong?!" Jaggedclaw spat.
"We've proved ourselves many times, and we'll do it again!" Bloodfire growled.
"And this time we won't be so merciful!" Scorchpelt hissed.
"Enough!" Drizzlestar ordered, waving her tail. She turned back to the medicine cat. "What makes you think you can say you are being punished because of us? If StarClan didn't want us here, they wouldn't have sent Snowleaf that vision."
"And Drizzlestar wouldn't have gotten her nine lives!" Leapfrost yowled.
Drizzlestar nodded her head in thanks and looked back to the medicine cat. "Well?"
"Stargaze may be right." Amberstar said. "But we won't make any assumptions until we have proof."
Stargaze lifted her head up, stepping back.

Drizzlestar led the clan back to camp. She had fun watching the Pin Battle with Mossfur, Leapfrost, and Redstrike. The RiverClan apprentice, Thunderpaw, had won again.
As FireClan entered the camp, Drizzlestar could see Blackstorm running around, checking every den.
Blackstorm ran to Drizzlestar, her eyes wide.
"What's wrong?" Drizzlestar asked calmly, trying to sooth her friend.
"It's Midnightkit," Blackstorm replied frantically. "She's missing."