A New Horizon: Book 1: Sun Awakening {COMPLETE}

Chapter 17

 The moon was high in the sky, Honeypaw felt exhausting weighing over her. Snakewhisker had fallen asleep and so had the other cats now staying with them. The battle had brought a lot of wounds, the worst were staying with Honeypaw and Pebblestep. Those cats were Redclaw with a deep wound on his shoulder, Rosewind with several deep wounds and Turtleblaze who wasn't as bad as the others, but Pebblestep feared infection. He argued, but eventually agreed to stay. However, the worst of them scared Honeypaw. Bramblepelt hadn't woken up since Cinderflame dragged him to camp, heavily bleeding from his side and stomach.

Pebblestep was hard at work trying to stop his bleeding while Honeypaw worked on the others, with Snakewhisker's help as well. Ever after the others had been safely treated, Bramblepelt was still at risk. Pebblestep was constantly changing his wound dressing, each time the cobweb was covered in his blood. Honeypaw could feel her's mentor's stress, and Honeypaw was stressed as well. She did everything she could to help Pebblestep, getting her more herbs and cobwebs. Honeypaw's paws were stained with blood as were Pebblestep's. Bramblepelt was still, but his pelt was slowly falling and rising. He was alive, for now.

Honeypaw sat beside her mentor, watching his chest closely. Scared that at any moment it would stop. "Honeypaw," Pebblestep spoke quietly. "We've done what we can for tonight." Honeypaw turned to look at her mentor. "I think the bleeding has stopped, but there's nothing else we can do. It's up to StarClan now, and we need our sleep."

Honeypaw stepped forward. "Are you sure? I can stay up..."

"No." Pebblestep rested her tail on Honeypaw's shoulder. "You're exhausted, I can see it in your eyes." Honeypaw saw the same exhaustion that Pebblestep described in her own blue eyes. "When we wake up, we can care for him further."

Honeypaw nodded, she couldn't argue the fact that she was incredibly tired. She let out a sigh and trudged over to her nest. She watched Pebblestep forge a makeshift nest closer to Bramblepelt, to watch over him while he slept is what Honeypaw assumed. Honeypaw didn't think she would be able to sleep, the stress of Bramblepelt was weighing down on her like a boulder. She lowered her head into her nest, surprised she was unable to fight off sleep. As Honeypaw's mind faded into a dream, one thought flowed through her worn mind: Please don't take Bramblepelt, StarClan...

Despite falling asleep quickly, Honeypaw's sleep was incredibly restless. When she woke up, it felt like she hadn't slept at all. She lifted her sore neck from her nest and saw that Pebblestep was sitting next to Bramblepelt, wide awake. The medicine cat's head was low, her body almost lifeless. Honeypaw rose, fear crippling her heart. She looked over Bramblepelt's body, his chest wasn't moving. Her heart froze, Honeypaw stared harder. Maybe it was just faint...maybe...

"Honeypaw." Honeypaw jumped and turned to see Snakewhisker, his eyes were dull and full of grief.

"No," Honeypaw mewed, her voice barely a whisper. She padded over to Bramblepelt, Pebblestep lifted her head.

"I'm sorry, Honeypaw." The two medicine cats locked gazes. "We did everything we could, but Bramblepelt's wound was too great. He died in his sleep."

"No!" Honeypaw shouted. "This-this shouldn't happen!" He mind was swirling with so many thoughts. "We're medicine cats, we-we're supposed to prevent this from happening!" She stumbled backwards, her mind and her heart felt like they were crumbling into dust.

"Honeypaw, we can't save every cat. It was Bramblepelt's--"

"No!" Honeypaw cut off Pebblestep. "We worked so hard...we fought so hard to save him! This isn't fair!"

"Honeypaw," Turtleblaze spoke next, his voice somber. "Cats die, it happens. Bramblepelt is safe and happy in StarClan now."

"Loss is part of being a warrior, even of being a medicine cat. No one will blame you for Bramblepelt's death." Redclaw added.