Warriors: Divided Loyalty

Chapter Forty-Five

Nightstar blinked open her eyes and smelled the sharp tang of herbs around her. Her throat screeched for water and her chest was flaring with immense pain as she shifted in her nest in the medicine cat den. Around her, the sleeping shapes of her warriors were bundled in green herbs and cobwebs. Her body ached all over and it hurt to even breathe.

"You're awake," meowed a familiar voice and Nightstar saw Lichenstorm standing in the entrance of the den, Shellfur at his side. "You are so lucky you only lost one life."

"He's right," meowed Shellfur as he picked his way to Nightstar. "Taking on both badgers at once was immediate death. However, you saved your warriors, costing one of your nine lives."

Nightstar shrugged, pain sparking in her shoulders. "I did what I had to do." She meowed simply.

"Had to or wanted to?" Prompted Lichenstorm. "You died and the kits are barely two sunrises old. You need to be more careful." Nightstar glared at him and opened her mouth.

"You don't tell me what to do, Lichenstorm." She spat scathingly, seeing him flinch. "I'm alive, aren't I? The others are safe and in the end, I came back after giving up a life."

Shellfur butted in. "But in the end, Sparrowshadow and Tumblewatcher were killed and Leaffire is badly wounded." He stared at Nightstar, his eyes gleaming. "However, we did get some new Clanmates a few hours ago."

Nightstar tilted her head, causing pain to spark in her neck. "What do you mean?" She asked, ignoring the discomfort that consumed her body as she moved to a sitting up position.

Lichenstorm's eyes brightened. "Poppybee and Whiteblaze gave birth when the patrols returned. They needed so much help, but it was worth it in the end." He meowed with a purr in his tone, tail flicking happily.

"How many kits are there?" Asked Nightstar, tail flicking impatiently.

Shellfur let out a purr. "Seven from Poppybee and Whiteblaze. In all, fifteen kits are in the Clan." He sounded tired but he held his head high. "It's wonderful how kits light up the Clan with their presence."

Nightstar nodded silently and rested her chin on her paws, looking at the two toms with false exhaustion. She faked a yawn and blinked slowly. "Well, off you go. I need some sleep after what happened."

"Of course," Lichenstorm dipped his head and retreated out of the den. Shellfur dipped his head to his leader and headed towards his nest, curling in a ball and falling asleep.

Nightstar watched the medicine cat's flank rise and fall as his breathing slowed and closed her eyes. It took a while for her to fall asleep. She didn't have a dream but instead, she felt a rush of cold, bitter air slice through her pelt like claws. Leafbare was here and soon, the snow would fall and cover the forest in a blanket of cold powder. She shivered absently and curled tightly in a ball, wishing for the cold to go away and leave her all alone. Just like how Thorntail left her with their kits.