Stars Without Borders

20

The fresh smell of mouse hit Softpaw's nose and she looked up to see Spottedleaf standing above her with a small grey mouse hanging from her jaws.

"Hello Spottedleaf." Her voice was almost void of emotion as she watched the she-cat set the prey at her paws.

"How much longer will you be with us Softpaw? You do not belong here.. not yet." Softpaw looked down.

"I don't know... do you think the infection is gone enough for me to slip back?" Softpaw had gotten a serious infection in her paw soon after the dog battle and she still hadn't bothered to tell anyone, steering clear of Jaypaw's path, but eventually it had gotten into her blood, causing her a great deal of pain and a fever to settle in. Jaypaw has made sure to scold her before she fell into a sleep, one she hasn't woken from yet. She knew her clanmates were all getting sick, but she had also watched Leafpool go to RiverClan for catmint, something the cats desperately needed.

"I'm not sure, but it wouldn't hurt to try." Spottedleaf had settled beside her and dug into her meal.

"Jaypaw is doing very well don't you think?" Softpaw purred quietly. "Although I can feel his doubt.."

"Maybe going back to tell him would help? If you stay for much longer you might not be able to get back."

"I know. I just wonder if going back is really what I should do. I don't.. I don't feel like staying with ThunderClan is good for me." Spottedleaf didn't reply and Softpaw decided to stay quiet. When she had arrived in StarClan she had hoped to see Astro here, but although he was in the clan he never believed in his warrior ancestors, so he could not walk the same sky.

"Softpaw?" The new voice startled her and she jumped to her paws and was suddenly muzzle to muzzle with her blind medicine cat.

"Jaypaw!" Her pelt was burning and she stumbled backwards away from him.

"It's time to come back. Firestar is worried you won't wake and they're all telling me to give up on you." His voice was stern and her ears went down.

"The clan doesn't need me." Her meow was small, almost like a newborn kit. The anger radiating off of Jaypaw hit her and she looked up at him in surprise.

"That's not true!" He spat angrily stepping towards her.

"Mousepaw, Cinderpaw, all of them need you! I.. just come back and stop being such a mouse-brained fool!" Softpaw didn't question it and padded up to her clanmate.

"I guess.. I guess it's time to go back then."