Dandelionshade's fear (COMPLETE)

CHAPTER 5

"Dandelionpaw?"a whisper interrupted her sleep.
"Huh?"Dandelionpaw lifted her head drowsily, exhaustion being replaced by anger that she was back,"No. I don't want to destroy the Clans,"she murmured, fighting to sleep dreamlessly.
"We've watched you, Dandelionpaw. We believe it's time you were introduced to the..."the she-cat broke off with a cackle,"Family,"
The sly way that it was said unnerved her. Annoyed but curious, Dandelionpaw lifted her head. She gasped. Millions of scarred cats swarmed around her, each blooded and frightening.
"Oh don't worry,"she laughed,"I'll only introduce you to my main troop,"
The yellow cat led her to were three cats were waiting;a white she-cat was kneading the ground with her forepaws, an orange, brown and white tom sat patiently and a one-eyed tom was making deep clawmarks in the ground. As she stared closer, she saw that they each had visible differences. They were bullied because of their looks...and that twisted them.
"This,"the main cat flicked her tail to the not-quite-tortoiseshell tom,"Is Hickorypelt. He's the least evil of us and...my mate. The white she-cat with Violetslash whilst he is...well his name's obvious. He's One-eye,"
Dandelionpaw stared around at the minor army, nervous at being close to their darkness.
"And I,"the cat meowed just as she was about to ask,"Am Ashwing,"
☆☆☆

A cough jerked her awake. Dandelionpaw glanced around to see Applepaw sat up in his nest. It had been a quarter moon since ThunderClan had won the raid of ShadowClan. She hesitated; she ought to warn Thorntail that her brother was ill, but she'd been avoiding the old tom since the sign that he'd interperted.
"Applepaw?"she heard Frostedpaw gasp,"Hold on. I'll get Thorntail,"
Thank StarClan. She silently sighed.
"What's happening?"Kitepaw awoke.
"Applepaw's coughing, that's all,"she whispered. It was still dark; Dandelionpaw guessed that it was a few minutes past moonhigh.
"He's coming,"Frostedpaw reassured them as Applepaw broke into a new fit.
"Hello?"a croaky meow sounded at thr entrance and she almost jumped out of her fur.
"Thorntail?"Mothpaw yawned,"What are you doing?" The silver cat jumped when Applepaw coughed again.
"That,"Tallpaw nodded drowsily.
Breezepaw and Rashpaw watched from the side-lines, looking anxious.
"Whitecough,"Thorntail comfirmed, "Thank StarClan he's the only cat to be infec-" He broke of as a bout of coughing from the warrior's den was heard.
"Spoke too soon,"Dandelionpaw heard the supressed giggle from Rashpaw.
"I'll get catmint,"
Please don't let that ill warrior be Starflame...
When Thorntail returned, Lightstar emerged, yawning, from his den, "What's happening?"he questioned, nodding when he heard the coughs.
Dandelionpaw watched as Thorntail fed her brother the delicous looking plant. Applepaw chewed eagerly.
"Do you know which warrior was coughing?"she whispered to the medicine cat.
"Firethroat, Junipertooth and Stonebrook...beast,"he growled back, claws flexing.
Alarmed, she backed away.
"Lightstar, I'd like to move the apprentices into the nursery. There's no-one there and they ought to be away from Applepaw. We can put Firethroat, Junipertooth and Stonebrook in here,"Thorntail suggested.
"Very well,"Lightstar agreed, dipping his yellow head.
Thorntail went to get the three ill warriors whilst Dandelionpaw and the others made them selves comfortable in the nursery.
"Eww; I hate the smell of milk!" Rashpaw complained.
"Actually, I quite like it,"Mothpaw purred.
"Get a grip,"Tallpaw snorted, though she heard a purr from her when she snuggled into the warmth.
Though it was comforting, Dandelionpaw couldn't find peace. She wasn't safe. She never would be.