The Blood Valley - (The Blazing Fires Book 1)

Chapter 5

   A half-moon has passed since the gathering. Lizardsong has recently given birth to three she-kits, Shallowkit, Dewkit, and Emberkit, and one tom, Featherkit. After patrols, Loudpaw always checked on the little kits. He seemed happier around the little ones. Windpaw became Windflower shortly after Lizardsong's birth. Windflower ran up to Violetpaw, with a purr.

"Hey, Violetpaw! Ravenstripe and I are gathering herbs near the SwampClan border. Want to come?" Windflower looked as if she was ready to run through the whole forest.

"But aren't there rats there?" Violetpaw's head tilted.

"That's the only place we can get goldenrod, and leaf-bare is coming soon," Windflower responded. "And Cherrystar will be with us to help protect us!" Windflower bounded towards the tunnel. Ravenstripe and Cherrystar met her there.

"I need to stretch my legs and get out into the forest." The old leader added. Violetpaw merely nodded, then tagged along behind them as they went out into the forest.

They soon reached the SwampClan border. Instead of being greeted by the familiar frog scent, the smell of rats covered the area. Shivers crawled down Violetpaw's spine. Ravenstripe padded over to a bundle of goldenrod, as did Windflower. Violetpaw and Cherrystar sat guard over the two medicine cats. Windflower curled up a bundle before five grey puffs leaped out at her. Windflower collapsed.

"Rats!" Ravenstripe called as he pulled the rats off. The rats then surrounded them and lunged at them. Violetpaw screeched as some rats bit her shoulder. She struggled to yank them off. Ravenstripe and Cherrystar were covered, getting bit in the stomach and neck. Violetpaw managed to fling a few rats off her tail. She then tossed the rats into the swamp, and they skitted off.

Violetpaw felt her vision blur as blood poured out of her shoulder. "Violetpaw!" Windflower wailed. Violetpaw spun around to see Cherrystar laying limp near the goldenrod pile Windflower had dropped. She was soaked with blood and bites.

"Oh no, Cherrystar..." Windflower whimpered. Violetpaw limped forward.

"L-leaders have nine lives, right? She'll come back, won't she?" Violetpaw's tail drooped.

"She was on her last life..." Windflower choked on those words.

Ravenstripe rushed back towards the border, soaking wet. "Stupid rats made me fall in the swamp. I nearly drown-" Ravenstripe stopped in his tracks when he saw Cherrystar. "Cherrystar..." He sighed. Violetpaw's heart sank, as a huff brushed out of her muzzle. "We should bring her back to camp." Ravenstripe gently grabbed Cherrystar's scruff, while Windflower collected the bundle of goldenrod.

The cats trudged back into camp. "Violetpaw!" Flamepaw sprinted towards Violetpaw's side. "What happened?" He licked Violetpaw's shoulder. Soon, Breezelily and Brownspot came over. Brownspot froze in his tracks when he spotted Cherrystar's body.  

"Cherrystar..." Brownspot whimpered. 

"What happened to my mate?!" Flowerclaw yowled from the elder's den. Soon enough, the whole clan was gathered around the body of their former leader.

"Flashclaw," Ravenstripe nudged the deputy. The deputy merely nodded, before they both dragged themselves out.

"But Ravenstripe," Nightchaser called to her older brother. "Your rat bites are pretty bad. Shouldn't you get some herbs for yourself?" The black she-cat suggested. There was a slight pause.

"No," Ravenstripe said dryly before he and Flashclaw left.

"I should treat your wounds." Windflower held burdock root in her jaws. "Flamepaw could you grab me some cobweb?" Flamepaw ran into the den and snatched a stick of cobweb. Windflower nudged Violetpaw into her den.

Flashclaw soon returned with Ravestripe. Flashclaw climbed onto the Cliff Rock. "Let all cats able to climb the cliffs, gather around the Cliff Rock for a clan meeting." Flashclaw's call was barely audible, yet loud enough for the clan to hear. "I have received my lives from StarClan." The clan half-heartedly cheered. "Lionclaw, you have helped me and this clan throughout the hardest of times, from green-leaf to leaf-bare. So I want you to stand by my side, not only as my mate, but my deputy." The clan's eyes fixed on the warrior.

"I accept. I will serve this clan until I join our ancestors." Lionclaw sat beside the Cliff Rock. Flashstar gave her mate a quick lick on the face. The clan cheered again. Violetpaw yowled for her mentor, but a slight whimper escaped her mouth at the end.

"I promise you, I will protect every cat in this clan, from kit to elder," Flashstar promised. The clan let out murmurs of approval.

Flashstar leaped down, and carefully pushed Cherrystar's body into the clearing. Lilystomp buried her muzzle in Cherrystar's flank, sobbing. Flashstar laid down next to Lilystomp and licked Cherrystar's shoulder. The clan gathered around their former leader's cold body. Windflower scooted out of the medicine den to join the grieving cats. Violetpaw felt the she-cat's tail tip rest on her shoulder.

"It was stupid of her to go when she on;y had one life left," Mossgaze scoffed by the edge of the clearing. Blueheart just put his tail on his littermate's back to comfort him. "Why risk both your medicine cats? And why not bring a patrol of strong warriors? Instead, she just brought a scrawny apprentice, barely out of the nursery,"

"I'm not scrawny!" Violetpaw hissed, sharply glaring at Mossgaze. Flamepaw, who was sitting beside her, did the same.

"Whatever you are, you're a young and inexperienced apprentice! Cherrystar should've brought fully trained warriors to escort them instead! Then maybe she'd still be alive!" Mossgaze raised his voice loud enough for the rest of the clan to hear.

"Mossgaze, you will not start problems at your grandmother's vigil!" Flashstar held back her sobs to yell at her son. "What happened, happened. We can't change anything now, so there's no point in dwelling," She sniffled before turning back to her mother's body. Mossgaze just stared down at his paws, looking as if he were conflicted.