(Outdated) Warriors: Clouded Skies #2 - Frost

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ravenpaw watched the sun slowly fade in the distance, sending streaks of orange through the sky. He took another slow bite from the mouse between his paws, then returned his gaze to above him. He knew, once he retreated to his den to sleep the night away, he would wake the next morning to his Clan preparing for battle.

Mossrain was eating beside him, impatiently tearing the feathers from his sparrow. "I'm not sure we're ready for tomorrow," his mentor admitted, not for the first time. "We have a lot of dried oak, which we use to stop infections. Goldenrod helps heal, and we have--hopefully--enough of that. But we're completely out of comfrey roots and very low on dock. We should go out before it gets too dark and gather some."

Ravenpaw nodded in agreement to his mentor's decision, looking around the clearing. Many cats were settled, eating the prey gathered through the day, while others had retreated to their dens to get away from the cold, rushing wind that bit into Ravenpaw's skin. The apprentices, though all in camp, were nowhere to be seen, likely hiding in their den. Normally, he knew they would be talking, laughing, sharing stories about their day.

But not today.

Today, the camp was quiet. Even the warriors, who normally boasted about surprising catches, or shared about their apprentice's training, were not talking. And everyone knew why.

Foxpounce still lay where his mate's body had rested, staring at the empty spot like she was still there, soon to stand up and rub against him. But she was not, and would never again. Boulderclaw and Frostfall had returned with paws dark with dirt and eyes blank with sadness. The she-cat had disappeared into the warriors' den, but Ravenpaw's poor father, with his bad habit of disappearing when in grief, left camp and hadn't returned.

Ravenpaw watched the forest entrance anxiously, hating that his father was gone. It was quite obvious he was less grieving for Russetdawn and more for Foxpounce, his old apprentice. Of course, he would be sad for the she-cat's life being ended, but it was quite heart-breaking for even Ravenpaw to see the ginger tabby tom so broken.

Ravenpaw remembered when he, Jaypaw, and Foxpounce had found Maple and Tumble in the forest, alone and weak. Foxpounce had been happy, then, but now Ravenpaw wondered if he'd ever be like that again. Was his mind cursed, now, to forever look at the blank spot in the clearing, knowing he would never feel his mate's warmth against his side again?

Not until he joins StarClan, Ravenpaw thought, swallowing. What would the tom do if he knew he could be with her in the stars? He might already be thinking it, but the medicine cat apprentice didn't want to risk it by saying anything. The poor tom would have to fight through his grief alone. Ravenpaw wondered if he would end up taking his anger and depression out on SageClan. Poor Poppysong, Ravenpaw thought suddenly. He and Mossrain could prepare for battle, but the she-cat couldn't. What if she was out of dock and comfrey roots like they were? Would her warriors suffer because she wasn't ready? And how would she treat the EchoClan medicine cats after this fight?

"Do you think Poppysong will be angry with us?" Ravenpaw asked his mentor softly, pushing away the light remains of his mouse, his appetite suddenly gone. His stomach was twisting, turning, full of bile that was rising in his throat. He could imagine all the blood that would soak the ground of the moor where the battle took place, the injured cats limping into camp, happy with victory but suffering with pain.

Mossrain took a moment to answer, chewing his sparrow thoughtfully before swallowing with a large gulp. "No, I don't think so. Poppysong is smart enough to know it isn't our choice."

"But we didn't warn her!" Ravenpaw mewled weakly. "We've had time to prepare, but she hasn't! What if one of her warriors die because she runs out of the right herbs?"