Warriors: The Epilogue of Battle

Chapter 1

"Let all cats, old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath Highledge for a Clan meeting." Leafpool's hoarse voice woke Briarlight with a start. Jayfeather was already pushing through the gap in the medicine den, she could see his body stiffen with discomposure. "Jayfeather?" She asked, dragging herself toward him. "Are you okay?" "Something is wrong, I can feel it." Jayfeather muttered, "Stand aside." Briarlight told him, "I can see what has happened. I'm your eyes, after all." Jayfeather hesitated, then stood to the side of the mouth. Briarlight reached the sunlight and stared into the sandy clearing of camp, she held her breath as her eyes adjusted to the brightness. "Brambleclaw?" Briarlight froze, Brambleclaw was lying there, he wasn't bloodied, but his wounds seemed to succumb to him. "Did...did you see anything?" Jayfeather sounded so hesitant to ask, Briarlight blinked sympathetically at Jayfeather, she couldn't tell him, he had been so sensitive when it came to deaths.

"Brambleclaw is hurt,"  Briarlight blurted. "What?" Jayfeather pushed her aside and ripped through the crowd. "That was what this meeting was about," Leafpool murmured. "Brambleclaw would have been a brave leader, he was noble, trustworthy, and caring. May StarClan welcome him among their lush territories, where he could find fresh food, and a comfortable place to sleep. Now, Squirrelflight would like to say something about her mate during his vigil. She has as much right to say something about him as I do."

Squirrelflight sat atop Highledge beside her sister, Leafpool's tail rested on her shoulder, the dark ginger she-cat took a deep breath and scanned the crowd. "I've imagined losing Brambleclaw many times. In battles, to sickness, but never like this. I thought I had nine more lives to say good-bye, but he's gone before I was ready. He was my mate, we knew we still loved each other, even after the incident with my sister. I hope to become his mate again in StarClan," she paused for a moment, voice cracking when she spoke.

"Even though we didn't have kits. Even though I can't have kits. I had the best time with Brambleclaw, and I was looking forward to experience that nine times. But...we all must accept that Brambleclaw died, even me. ThunderClan will move on and find our new leader as soon as possible. I believe in all of you...Thank you for listening." Her mew cut off and her eyes showed pain and regret.

"You heard Squirrelflight," Jayfeather piped in dryly. "Moving on is our best option."

Briarlight stared at her paws, Squirrelflight was unable to have kits, and Brambleclaw was dead. How could she possibly move on with this news? "Squirrelflight is right," Leafpool mewed, "If we are to choose a new leader, we must do it now. I will go." Jayfeather rose to his paws, "If you're going, then I'm going too. You've only just been made a medicine cat after being a warrior. It might be easier if I read the signs."

"Good thinking, Jayfeather, I may be experienced, but I have forgotten my ways of StarClan communication. Briarlight, Brightheart, you will take over as the medicine cats." Brightheart pushed through the crowd, glanced over her shoulder at Brambleclaw, then nodded to Briarlight. "Foxleap is my most concern," Leafpool meowed as she approached, "Our usual routine is to gather soaked moss and at least try to wipe the pus away."

"Yes, Leafpool," Brightheart padded into the medicine den, Briarlight followed at her heels, dragging herself to the stony floor of the cave. Inside, Foxleap stirred, but didn't wake. Briarlight glanced at Brightheart, who was staring at Foxleap gravely with her one blue eye. She cleared her throat. "I'll fetch the moss," she mewed flatly, turning and pushing through the entrance to the medicine den.  

Foxleap lifted his head feebly and gazed at her pleadingly with his bright green eyes, Briarlight couldn't bear to stare into them, knowing this might be the last time she'd see them. "Please...whoever that is..." Foxleap rasped sickly. "Let me live." Briarlight swallowed hard, her mouth as dry as the moor. "I-I'll try to," Briarlight, desperately, sliced a piece of her moss nest and dragged herself to the pool where water would drip into, soaked it, then hurried over to Foxleap.

She tried to soak up the pus from his wound, Brightheart had returned, her adoptive daughter and niece, Lilykit, close at her heels. There was no moss in her jaws. Lilykit was wailing, "I've just come to drop off Lilykit, Leafpool told me before she went to gather some catmint, a few cats were coughing." Brightheart turned and fled once again, leaving Lilykit. "What's the matter, Lilykit?" Briarlight asked as Lilykit limped toward her, one paw lifted.

"I stepped on a bramble while Dustpelt was restoring the nursery!" She whimpered. "Come closer," Briarlight told her gently. Lilykit raised her paw pad higher, she could see a bramble deep into it. "Ouch! Let me pull it out."

"No!" Lilykit held back, "It'll hurt!"

"Calm down," Briarlight soothed, "It will only pinch." Lilykit glanced at her distrustfully, then rose her paw again. Briarlight clamped the bramble between her jaws and pulled it out quickly, and a small trail of blood seeped from her paw pad. "Keep it up," Briarlight reminded her as she bit off a scrap of moss and wetted it with the drip-pool, then soaked up the blood. 

Then she wrapped a leaf in it to prevent infection. "Tell your aunt Brightheart if anything else bothers you about it, okay?"

"Wow!" Lilykit raised her paw again, "You're way gentler than Jayfeather!" She squeaked. "Thank you, Briarlight!" Lilykit turned and followed her foster brother, Snowkit, out of the nursery. Briarlight smiled, kits were so pure and full-hearted. Briarlight lifted her head and returned to Foxleap. She was dependent on saving him. Briarlight gathered horsetail from the herb stock and chewed it into a pulp.

She spread the polituce onto the wound, surely, the remedies would work. Suddenly a pale gray she-cat entered, blinking her green and blue eyes. "Hi, Briarlight," Dovewing greeted quietly. Briarlight dipped her head in acknowledgement and went back to work on Foxleap. Dovewing shuffled her paws from the corner of Briarlight's eye. "Do you need something?" She asked, turning towards the younger warrior. 

Dovewing scooted closer. "I don't love Bumblestripe anymore," she admitted. "I feel that you're the only one I can come to, since...you never bother me about becoming Bumblestripe's mate. The truth is that I never loved him. He only wanted kits out of me." Briarlight blinked in understanding. "I understand, Dovewing, my brother can be a mouse-brain sometimes."

"I wanted to love him," Dovewing whimpered, "But--I don't. Reality hit me like a stone, and I want advice of how I can tell him it's over."

Briarlight continued the work on Foxleap, remembering the pleading look in his stare. "Well, I'm not the best at it, but if it's Bumblestripe, I think I know how I would handle it. Take it slow, tell him on a patrol, or at night while you're staring at the stars."

Dovewing sighed. "I just can't get the courage to tell him."

"Don't worry, Dovewing, you will. You just need to find the right time. Come to me if you need any help." Briarlight told her. Dovewing nodded briskly. "Thank you, Briarlight," she tipped her head. "Anything if you need help." The two she-cats locked eye contact before Dovewing broke it, gaze now glittering with embarrassment. "I'd better go."