Red Snow

CHAPTER 10

       "Flintstar you have to listen to me." Snowshade pleaded. "If we go on like this, our cats will die of sickness or injury one by one. How will that make BloodClan appear strong if we have less cats than each of the other Clans?" Three sunrises had passed since Sandfeather kitted, and only two out of four kits survived. Whitesong tried to help, but she had never been in the medicine cat position, only the cat who was kitting. Thankfully, the two kits were strong and had already opened their eyes. Sandfeather named the gray tom Ashkit, and the brown tabby she-kit Bramblekit.

     Flintstar eyes look thoughtful as Snowshade begged him to allow a medicine cat in the Clan. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. Finally, he answered, "I understand your concern. I myself believe we need a medicine cat, but where would we find one? This is why I kept refusing, because I was ashamed to know that no healer would join us."

     Pity circled Snowshade. He didn't know that his leader could ever feel that way. "Don't feel bad. We could capture one of the other Clan's- WindClan has two- or we could find someone in our Clan already that may know enough about herbs."

     "No. We cannot force anyone to come if they don't want to."

     Snowshade pricked his ears in surprise. He thought their whole plan was to make everyone come. Who is this and what happened to Flintstar? "But we made the ShadowClan patrol come..."

     The jet-black leader sighed, "I knew they would come. You could see it in their eyes, when they didn't even protest. You did well killing Snakewhisker, though. I knew he wouldn't join, but haven't you watched? The old ShadowClan warriors are getting on well here, even Toadclaw and Aspenfall, who may have been more reluctant. It can't be long before more warriors join us willingly. On border patrols I take notice of whose eyes are gleaming when we come across them, or who looks at the forest longingly."

     Snowshade never knew his leader was so observant. "Who?"

     "Well there's the disloyal WindClan cats. Bluefire, Darkwav-" His last name was lost in a cough.

Panicking, Snowshade padded closer. "Flintstar? When the tom didn't move, he felt like his heart stopped. "Flintstar!"

The cat laying in front of him no longer looked like the feared, powerful leader he knew. He looked frail, like a dying apprentice. His chest stopped moving for a little bit, until the tom took a giant gasp. The faint rise and fall of his chest told Snowshade that he was still alive.

By now, most of the Clan had gathered around to see what was going on. The look of horror on their faces was terrifying. They all looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

Snowshade's breath was coming in small and fast. He turned to look at the Clan. "Don't just stand there! Do something!"

Goldensplash and Birchflight hurried and moved him into the leader's den, then quickly reappeared. "Should we get a medicine cat from another Clan?"

"Are you flea-brained? They'll never help us! Does anyone here have any idea how to help him?" The deputy asked frantically.

"If it's greencough he needs catmint. But I've never seen a case this bad before... Except for that time Parsleyclaw got sick, but he was coughing up blood." Sorrelflare added.

Coughing up blood... "What happened to him?" Snowshade asked, but he felt he already knew the answer.

The former ShadowClan cat's eyes grew dark. "He died."