Warriors: Calling Wild

Chapter Twenty-Two

     Beetle was digging through piles of leaves and retreated with a tiny seed in his mouth.

     "Here, eat this poppy seed. It will dull the pain and help you sleep. I'll make sure you get to taste what made you fall too."

     Sootpaw felt his face go red, but licked up the seeds willingly. The pain in his leg was now a dull aching sensation, and his eyelids were heavy. He let the dark swallow him into unconsciousness. His mind felt prickly, like some cat was poking it with a stick and Sootpaw opened his eyes. He knew instantly that he was dreaming.

     He was greeted by a white she-cat with pale blue eyes. Whitefur!

     He purred a greeting, but it was not reciprocated. Instead, Whitefur bounded lightly down the rocky terrain. Sootpaw had to leap from the stars super fast because the she-cat was hurrying, like she was going somewhere. Or someone was chasing her. Whitefur waited for him at the bottom of the gorge and Sootpaw met her there. He had no time to catch his breath because the deceased warrior paced forward, towards a large hole in the cliff face of the gorge. She walked up the small ledge and entered the gaping hole and her bright pelt was swallowed by black. Sootpaw hesitated before following her. He had to let his eyes adjust to the darkness before he could see anything.

     He could make out the shape of a cat, with two whining bundles next to her. It was a queen and her kits. His eyes had adjusted and he could see that the queen was Featherfoot. He jumped at the smell of blood. Her two kits, both she-cat and very silver, like herself were small and looked very weak. Light was shed on two more clunks of fur. Two toms with black and white fur. They smelled of death. Whitefur turned to Sootpaw.

     "While you sleep, your clanmates are dying. You mist go home now, before it is too late."

     Had Featherfoot kitted already? She didn't look very plump when he had left, bit he didn't know how long he had been passed out beside the river. He had been conscious for two days now, and asleep for even more. I guess it is time to go home...

     StarClan fades to black and was replaced by Beetle's den. A small ball of moss lay next to his muzzle, soaked in water and a slice of coconut was to the side. Beetle was in the corner moving things around. Sootpaw lapped up the water and took a bit of the white flesh of the coconut. He still couldn't move his keg very well, but with some exercise it would be moveable and he could go home. He tried sitting up, but his leg sat uncomfortably at his side. It didn't hurt, but it was uncomfortable.

     Beetle turned to him and padded over to him. Sootpaw had finished the meat of the coconut, it was actually pretty good. And Beetle dragged it away. Lily, the brown she-cat padded in and took the moss ball from his side. Sootpaw tried to stand, but his leg buckled from beneath him and he laid down again. He was going to be here for a little while longer.

     He had been sitting in his nest for nearly the whole day when Beetle had suggested he take a walk. He called for Midnight, a gray tabby and she let him lean against her shoulder. He could feel the muscles rippling beneath her patchy pelt, and her eyes showed age. She must be retiring soon. Or did they never retire? Regardless, she was old. Once, they both nearly tossled over.