Warriors: Rise of ThornClan

Chapter 7

"He's Dead!"

A shrill cry stopped the three kits short.

Winterkit's heart began to pound frantically, and she turned to Firekit and Shadekit to see the same expressions written on their faces: devastation. In unison, they turned and bolted towards the nursery, where all of ThornClan was gathered. Dodging past the moaning apprentices and grieving warriors, Winterkit charged into the nursery to see Snowpool standing at the edge, her head bowed. Next to her was Jadekit, her eyes also trained on the ground sadly. Standing near the middle was Spiderpelt, their father, who seemed frozen in shock. Next to him was Brackenheart, her ginger tail drooping and her head low, tentatively sniffing a pitifully small, dark ginger body in the center of them all. Winterkit's heart seemed to stop when she saw him. Briarkit, her brother... gone.

Gone.

Her mother lifted her head and let out a wordless, heart-wrenching wail of agony. Immediately, Leafstep entered the nursery, her skinny frame recognizable and her green eyes sharp. "Now, Brackenheart," she murmured gently, "There's nothing to be done. Life goes on, as usual... and look," she beckoned with her tail to Winterkit, Firekit, and Shadekit, who had shrunk together in the corner. "You have three beautiful kits who need your love and attention. You can't give up now, Brackenheart."

Numbly, the queen nodded, burying her face in Spiderpelt's slate fur, the exact color of Winterkit's. Winterkit lowered her gaze, feeling as numb as her mother. Briarkit would never be Briarpaw. He would never become a warrior, never feel the thrill of battle, never have a ceremony. As Leafstep laid her tail comfortingly on Brackenheart's spine and lead Winterkit's mother and father out of the nursery, she lay down to sleep. There was nothing else she could do.