Warriors || Rose's Path

Chapter 17

        Shadows loomed around her. She padded through the mist of an unrecognizable forest. The blades of grass were stiff and course under her paws. The tall black trunks of ash trees rose above her at every turn. She broke into a trot, desperate to get out. Where am I?
       She bounded faster, keeping a steady pace, though her paws thundered on the forest floor. Her heart beat faster with every breath. She couldn't escape. She skidded to a halt. A wall of rock rose in front of her. She spun around, ready to run in a different direction.
        Shadows blocked her way. Bulky, strong muscled shapes outlined in the fog. Cats. But they were different, more dangerous. She didn't know how many of them there were, but the moved silently and quickly, claws shinning in the mist.
        They all sprang at once, twisting and hissing in an angry fit. Claws swiped a tail-length from her nose. She crouched back, shaking. She screwed her eyes shut, preparing for the worst . . .
       Roseblossom opened her eyes, paws twitching. She bolted her head upright, swiveling around. Fur pressed against her's, comforting her. She was safe, back in the WindClan camp. It was only a dream. She rested her head back down on her paws, feeling Ambernight wrap his tail with her's. She welcomed sleep once more.
                             •*•*•*•*•*•*•
       The air was crisp with bitter coldness, and it surrounded the lake Clans like an icy blanket. Morning frost touched the grasses of the moorland. The grass had become dry and brownish. Four moons had passed since Crookedwing's tragic death. Brackencatch was the first to recover from the sickness, to Roseblossom's relief.
        Though it still spread through the Clan like a wildfire. Heathermoon had died two moons ago, and Dapplesplash, the Clan deputy, had caught the symptoms and was lying in a nest in the medicine den. Roseblossom couldn't imagine how worried Firepool and Crystalflame were; they had already lost one littermate, and Roseblossom was sure it would be heartbreaking to lose another.
        Duskspots had joined her sister, Fawntail, in the elders den. Duskspots' and Sandheart's kit had been apprenticed to Oliveclaw. The small white she-cat hadn't lost any of her energy and excitement, and she had become even more outgoing when she was made an apprentice. Even when she was collecting feathers and soft grass for bedding, Zoompaw was always bouncing with enthusiasm.
Even through theses tough times, Zoompaw still bounces with joy. Roseblossom pondered on how the senior warriors had seemed to have lost hope. At least the younger warriors still use every ounce of energy to ward off intruders. The border skirmishes happened more often and were becoming more intense, and the unknown illness still crept throughout WindClan like an overcast sky, threatening to drown the Clan in a torrent of rain.