Waging War Book 3: Blood Red Moon {COMPLETE}

Chapter 18

 "I was so close to letting it get away, but then I caught it at the last moment." Blossompaw spoke proudly while Owlpaw walked behind her. "Even I was pretty impressed with myself I--" She was cut off by the sound of a thud behind her. She whipped around and suddenly her blood went as cold as the air around them.

Owlpaw had collapsed, she was still as a stone in the snow behind her. "Owlpaw?" Blossompaw quickly ran to her sister's side, she was twitching slightly and her breathing was incredibly. "Owlpaw!" She cried out, feeling panic rush into her chest. "Owlpaw!" She looked around in a panic, cats had heard her cries and were emerging from their dens looking concerned. "Pebblestep! Honeyfrost!" Blossompaw wailed for the medicine cats. "Help!"

Pebblestep suddenly emerged at the elder's den entrance and her eyes went wide. She quickly bounded across the camp in seconds and skidded to a stop near Owlpaw. "What happened?" Pebblestep demanded.

Blossompaw found it hard to speak as her body started shaking from the fear of watching her sister lay lifeless on the ground. "I-I I don't know--she--she just fell."

Pebblestep touched her muzzle to Owlpaw's forehead and let out a panicked breath. "She has a fever and she's not breathing very well."

"What's happening?" Blossompaw heard the frantic voice of their mother. Briarrose sprinted up to Pebblestep and Owlpaw, her eyes horrified. "Is she okay?"

"Get back." Pebblestep commanded. "She could have greencough and I don't need you getting it either."

"I don't care!" Briarrose wailed, forcing herself closer to Owlpaw.

"Yarrowtail!" Pebblestep snapped and Blossompaw just noticed that her father had been running up as well. "Please control your mate."

Yarrowtail nodded and wrapped his fluffy tail around Briarrose's shoulder and pulled her back. "Give her space, you won't help by getting in the way." Blossompaw was completely shocked at how calm her father seemed, but upon looking closer she could the storm of fear and anxiety raging in his green eyes. Briarrose sobbed and pushed her muzzle into Yarrowtail's chest.

"What's going on?" Another voice joined the fray and Blossompaw spotted both Oakpaw and Rushpaw returning from their hunting patrol. They dropped their prey and rushed over to the rest of the family, both looking petrified at the sight of Owlpaw.

"What happened to her?" Oakpaw demanded, rushing over to her just as Briarrose had done but Rushpaw jumped in the way.

"Don't." Rushpaw urged, his voice shaking from fear. "Pebblestep is the medicine cat, she will take care of her."

Oakpaw look frustrated but listened, his claws scraping against the stone hollow. Blossompaw looked at Pebblestep who was hoisting Owlpaw onto her back. Rushpaw only stepped forward to make sure she was stable, but Blossompaw noticed in this moment just how tiny Owlpaw actually was.

"When Honeyfrost gets back, send her directly to the den. No visitors until I know what I'm dealing with. Last thing we need is greencough spreading around the camp and into our nursery full of kits."

Owlpaw's family watched helplessly as Pebblestep carefully carried her into the medicine cat den. Blossompaw stared at the entrance to the den even after Pebblestep and Owlpaw had vanished inside, she couldn't even feel the cold under her paws or biting at her pelt anymore. The only sensation she felt was the suffocating and crippling fear that filled her body. Please. She pleaded silently. You can't take Owlpaw from me. I need her. We all need her.

"What happened?" The low voice of Yarrowtail filled her mind and she slowly looked over to her father.

Blossompaw cleared her throat and attempted to explain a bit more in detail what happened. "I don't really know...I asked her to get some prey with me and I noticed she was a bit clumsier than usual but she promised she was fine. Then I was walking and she just collapsed behind me."