Heartstar's rise : Book one

Ch. 23

Heartkit awoke with Lionpaw curled up around him, warming him. He blinked a few times, wary to have to face life. 

            "You feeling ok Heartkit?" asked Lionpaw. 

            "Mmm," mumbled Heartkiit. 

           "Are you thirsty?" inquired Lionpaw. Heartkit felt like his whole body was too heavy to move. "I'll get you some wet moss. There was some shuffling from the entrance and Firpaw poked his head in. His eyes skimmed onto Heartkit's small body then at Lionpaw. 

           "Eagleflight is asking for you," he told Lionpaw. "He wants to know if Heartkit is ok and he wants you to feed him seeds or something." Lionpaw nodded. Firpaw beckoned his brother out of the den and he slipped out. Lionpaw got up and followed his brother. 

            "I'll be back," Lionpaw told Heartkit. He slipped into the clearing. The sun warmed his pelt and he shook himself, feeling suddenly brighter. He sighed, how could he be feeling that when one of his Clanmates was sick. He was the apprentice medicine cat, he should be healing sick cats. He quickly raced to Eagleflight's den. Shadefern was getting Eagleflight to wrap a wound with a cobweb. Eagleflight looked up and nodded to Lionpaw. 

              "Heartkit needs a few more poppy seeds. I need you here. There are  few more cats who need fresh cobwebs and maybe a few herbs. Flamefrost, Featherflame and Sorrelclaw would be happy to stay with Heartkit," said Eagleflight. 

               "Yeah sure," nodded Lionpaw. He wanted to stay with Heartkit till he got better. "Who should I check up first?" He searched a pile of herbs till he found a few poppy seeds then took some wet moss. 

              "Roselight and Pinestar. Pinestar is refusing my help but hopefully he'llbe more lenient with you," Eagleflight instructed. Lionpaw nodded and trotted out with the poppy seeds clamped in his mouth. He found Flamefeather and touched his tail to hers. 

              "Lionpaw!" she gasped. "Is Heartkit alright?" Lionpaw nodded then motioned for her to follow him. They entered the dark den and Featherflame crouched next Heartkit. Lionpaw dropped the poppy seeds at Heartkit's feet. 

               "Here Heartkit," mumbled Lionpaw, he placed the wet moss in front of him. Heartkit barely moved. Featherflame looked nervously. "Come on, you need to drink." Weakly, Heartkit took a sip of water from the wet moss. Soon he drank quickly and soon he relaxed, feeling much better.

              "Heartkit," whispered Flamefeather. She curled around him and licked him lovingly. "He's going to be alright?" Flamefeather gazed at Lionpaw with hope. 

              "Yes, you just need to feed him some poppy seeds if he gets too distant or starts to shake, if anything out of your control happens, call me," Lionpaw instructed then quickly added, "or Eagleflight." Featherflame smiled warmly. Lionpaw would become a great medicine cat. He cared for his Clanmates deeply and he was smart and kind. 

              "Of course, I'll call you," she nodded to Lionpaw. He beamed brightly, whispered an encouraging word into Heartkit's ear then trotted out of the den. Heartkit felt numb, with Featherflame curled up next to him. It hurt him to think about her or Flamefrost and Sorrelclaw. They were the cats who had given him their word. A promise to give their life for their father's. To fight together. But he still died along with Littlestorm. 

              "Please go," whispered Heartkit harshly. Featherflame frowned sadly. 

               "Heartkit, you'll be alone," she said. 

              "You're not my mother. You didn't nurse me like Sandwing. Only she should be here, and she doesn't want to," Heartkit replied. He shuffled away from Featherflame. Sighing and hurt, Featherflame retreated. She headed to find Sandwing straight away. She found her talking to Clawpelt. 

               "Sandwing," said Featherflame. Sandwing turned to Featherflame. 

               "Yeah?" she asked. 

               "What are you doing? Heartkit needs you right now. You're the only parent he has," Featherflame said. 

             "I am not his mother," said Sandwing harshly and firmly. Featherflame was taken aback. 

             "but you nursed him. And he needs you," stammered Featherflame. 

             "I am not his mother!" hissed Sandwing. She turned away. "I only nursed him because I had to." 

             "So? Don't you feel anything for him? He is your Clanmate after all!" said Featherflame exasperated. 

             "I never wanted kits," said Sandwing. "Leave me alone." 

             "Stormpelt just died. Our faithful deputy and you don't want to do this one thing for him? For his memory?" growled Featherflame. 

             "Fine," snapped Sandwing. She looked down sadly. "I'll do it for him..." She padded away, without looking at Clawpelt or Featherflame. She hesitated outside of the nursery then slipped in. The dark den filled her with memories of pain. Memories. Too many. It was dark, warm and calm. She sat next to Heartkit and licked him softly. His fur was matted together in sweat. 

             "Sandwing?" he mumbled. 

             "Yes it's me," Sandwing told him trying to keep the coldness out of her voice. 

             "Why did you come?" he asked. Sandwing pondered about telling him that Featherflame had forced her but then decided against it. She was doing this for Stormpelt. Stormpelt... She sighed, her eyes shimmered with tears. 

               "I er, I mean you needed me," Sandwing managed to utter. 

               "Thanks," mumbled Heartkit, smiling slightly. Sandwing wad the only mother he knew. Sandwing rested her head on her paws and closed her eyes. For the first time in a moon, Heartkit fell asleep next to Sandwing, not feeling as depressed.