Shadows in the Night

Chapter Five

Hey! If you're reading this, please comment and tell me what you think about this book! I decided to put this stuff in the beginning of the chapter now because no one seemed to be reading it when I put it at the end :'(

Anyways, as I promised, here is chapter five! 

“Frecklepaw! Come quick!” Leaffur’s panicked meow woke Frecklepaw from her slumber.

“What is it?” She meowed, blinking the sleep from her eyes.

“Mosspelt’s having her kits!”

Frecklepaw sprang up from her nest. She put her paw into the herb clefts, and drew out a shriveled raspberry leaf. Not much, but I hope it is enough.

Padding to the nursery in the dim morning light, Frecklepaw heard panting. Pushing into the fern den, she could make out the gray shape of Mosspelt on the ground. It had been a half moon since Leaf’s betrayal was revealed, and Mosspelt’s kits were long overdue.

“Good, you’re here,” Leaffur meowed, shifting over to make space for Frecklepaw. 

“How is she?” The medicine cat apprentice asked. It wasn’t her first kitting; she had helped Sootfur give birth, but the gray she-cat had not needed much help.

“Fine, but we could use that raspberry leaf,” her mentor replied, reaching over to snag the furry leaf with her claws. “In the meantime, you can go check on Featherstar.”

Frecklepaw felt her heart sink. LightningClan was suffering from a bout of whitecough, and Featherstar was one of the worst affected. Poppykit had fallen ill, as well as Pinepaw, Whitefur and Spiderfall. Mousefoot wasn’t feeling well either. The affected cats had all moved to the elder’s den, and Littleclaw was bedding down with the apprentices.

“Do we have any catmint left?” She asked. The precious herb would usually be saved for the deadly greencough, but Featherstar was on her last life, and needed access to emergency provisions. 

Leaffur nodded. “Not much though, so tell me before you use it. We can ask the other medicine cats for more at the half moon gathering tonight,” she added.

Frecklepaw padded over to the elder’s den, stopping on the way to check on Leaf. A quarter moon ago, the she-cat had been revealed to be expecting Blacktail’s kits. Featherstar had ordered Leaffur to look after the prisoner, and ensure she could deliver a healthy litter of kits. 

“The kits are innocent,” she had said. 

Now the brown tabby she-cat was dozing in her nest, her slightly protruding belly pushed to one side. Careful not to disturb her, Frecklepaw poked her nose into the elder’s den.

The scent of illness was overwhelming, and Frecklepaw carefully picked her way through the sleeping cats. None of them were doing very well, but she was especially worried about Poppykit. She was only five moons old, and wasn’t strong enough to fight the disease. 

Pressing her paw to the little she-kit’s body, she realized that Poppykit was contracting a strong fever. Hurrying back to the medicine den, she took a leaf from the pitiful supply of feverfew and rushed back to the elder’s den.

She isn’t strong enough to survive if this bout becomes greencough, so I hope this is enough. Frecklepaw couldn’t bear to think about telling Whitestripe that another one of her litter was gone. 

“I’m thirsty!” Poppykit croaked, mewling in fever when Frecklepaw woke her. 

“Hush, little one. I’ll get you water soon,” she meowed, stroking the golden she-kit’s head. “But first you have to eat these to feel better,” Frecklepaw meowed as she pushed the feverfew towards the kit.