A Clan's Tragedy #1

Chapter 20 (COMPLETED)

   Chapter 20

When Hazelfur woke she was in a large den with cats surrounding her. They blurred and then came into focus. She blinked a few times and then sat up. Every cat in the room stared at her.

   "H-Hazelfur?" mewed Crystalstar. "Are you feeling alright?"

   "We brought Jasminefur to help you!" sqeaked Cherrypaw. Hazelfur reconised the gray she-cat. She was putting together herbs in the back. Hazelfur tried to get up, but then failed as pain seared through her back and legs. She glanced behind her: her legs stuck out like twigs and she couldn't move them.

   "Why can't I move my legs?" she asked. "Are they broken?"

   "I am sorry to say this, but yes." answered Jasminefur. "You need to rest everyday from here to a few moons, at least." Anger swelled up inside her. Why did bad things always happen to her?

   "Starclan put a curse on me!" Hazelfur spat suddenly. Cats stared at her like she was crazy. "They put it on me and my clan. That's why the foxes attacked, and I got injured, and Feathersong died! And the rogues."

   "Hazelfur, don't go crazy." hissed Yarrowtail, who was sitting in the back, pushed to the front of the crowd. "It was all bad luck!"

   "No!" she spat harder. "Starclan is punishing us! Please just put an end to the misery!" She flopped down in her nest. No cat was listening to her! 

    Jasminefur whispered something to Crystalstar, and then got poppy seeds out. She handed them to Hazelfur and mewed, "Eat them. They will make you feel better." Hazelfur paused, then gulped them down. In a moment, she started to feel sleepy. She closed her eyes to darkness.I

   In her dream, Hazelfur met Frostail. His pelt was sparkling and pure white. She raced over to him and covered him in licks.

   "Frostail!" she whispered. "Please come back. I can't tell what is real anymore!"

   Frostail looked down at her. "Just believe Starclan is good. They did not send the foxes or rogues. If you don't then you will have to go to the Dark Forest."

   Confusion swirrled in her mind. "I- I can't help what I think. I may be going mad."

   "Nonsense! Just believe I'm real and I will see you again someday." Frostail started to fade, then eventually turned to blackness. Hazelfur woke with a start. She scrambled to sit up.

   "Crystalstar!" she called out. "Crystalstar come here!"

   Jasminefur rushed over. "What's the matter? Do you need her?"

   "Yes. I need her to come here now." Jasminefur nodded and rushed off to find the leader. In a few moments the two she-cats returned to the den. Crystalstar sat down next to her.

   "Starclan isn't a war with us." she announced. Crystalstar and Jasminefur exchanged an amused glance. "But I am afraid I will have to join Starclan soon, so we need to find a apprentice as soon as possible." Crystalstar looked at her with horror.

   "Why do you need to join Starclan so early?" she asked.

   "It's not early, Crystalstar. I am old now." Hazelfur noted. "Maybe a cat in Speckle's litter?"

   Crystalstar paused for a heartbeat. "I noticed Sweetkit having an intrest in you, Hazelfur. Maybe she will be a medicine cat next?"

   "I don't know but what I do know is that I have to stay alive until she is ready to become an apprentice."

                                                                                    *     *    *

   The next day Hazelfur got up. Her lind legs were weak and sore, but she stayed off of them as much as she can. She went to the prey pile and chose a mouse. Frogsplash took one glance at her and then rushed over. He gazed at her sympathetically.