A New Horizon Book 2: The Dying Forest {COMPLETE}

Chapter 9

"I just don't understand." Skyfeather looked through his herbs frantically while Blackpaw sat to the side. The AshClan medicine cat was visibly upset, and Blackpaw could understand why. "I gave the last of the comfrey root to Nightpaw...I have no chervil left." He groaned. "Silvermoon is going to have her kits and I'm going to have no herbs to give her!" Skyfeather turned away from his herb store, facing Blackpaw. "Did you find anything earlier today?"

Blackpaw shook his head. "A tiny bit of marigold and some tansy, but most of the plant was dead." He hated admitted that he hadn't found any herbs, they were all dying and neither Skyfeather nor Blackpaw knew what to do about it.

Skyfeather let out a heavy sigh. "Alright," Blackpaw could see his mentors claws flexing against the floor of the den. "This is alright..." His voice trailed off as Skyfeather turned back to the herb store, counting them once again. Blackpaw had never seen Skyfeather like this before, he was normally very calm and collected. Blackpaw felt similar to him, leaf-bare wasn't far off and if they didn't have any herbs how could they deal with greencough?

"I wonder if the other medicine cats are having issues with this as well." Skyfeather said, turning back to Blackpaw. "Surely AshClan territory can't be the only territory with dying herbs."

Blackpaw blinked. "Should we make a trip to talk to the other medicine cats." Skyfeather shook his head.

"The gathering is in a few days, we'll talk to them there. For now, I should probably let Riverstar know of our situation. She can make patrols keep an extra eye out for any herbs." Skyfeather left the medicine cat den, leaving Blackpaw alone with his thoughts.

There was a fear digging deep in his belly, why were all the herbs dying? Prey was running low and they had no herbs...Blackpaw felt a rush of realization. Is that was Moonwhisker meant? Is this the danger we're supposed to look out for? He stared at his paws, trying to wrap his head around what was going on. There has to be more to it than that... Blackpaw thought. Why would the herbs just suddenly start dying? There has to be an explanation.

"Skyfeather!" Blackpaw was yanked out of his thoughts, he jumped to his paw as he heard a frantic cry. He poked his head outside of the den and saw Rabbitpaw and Featherfall helping Dustpaw and Petalshine to the medicine cat. Both cats were barely walking, Dustpaw was whimpering in pain and Petalshine's teeth were clenched.

"What's going on?" Blackpaw ran to the two cats.

"I don't know." Rabbitpaw mewed, her voice in a panic. "They were eating prey and then suddenly they started yowling in pain." Blackpaw leaned against Dustpaw, helping the apprentice and his mentor into a nest in the medicine cat den.

"Rabbitpaw," Blackpaw turned to Rabbitpaw who still looked panicked over her brother. "Go get Skyfeather, he should be in Riverstar's den." The brown and white she-cat hesitated, but ran off to the leader's den. When she was gone, Blackpaw looked over Dustpaw and Petalshine. It's probably their stomachs that are hurting. He assumed and padded over to the herb store. Please let us have some juniper left. Blackpaw prayed.

He sighed with relief as Blackpaw found a small pile of the berries. He picked up a few and brought them over to Dustpaw and Petalshine. "Eat these." He instructed the two cats and fed both two berries.

After a few moments, Skyfeather hurried into the den, nearly shoving Featherfall out of the way. "What did you give them?" Skyfeather questioned, looking over the two of them.

"Juniper." Blackpaw replied. "Rabbitpaw said they were eating prey when this happened."

Skyfeather nodded and turned to Featherfall. "Bring me the prey they were eating." Featherfall quickly turned and left the den, returning a few moments later with a fat squirrel. That's the fattest prey I've seen.

Featherfall set the prey down and Skyfeather took to examining it. He gave it a sniff and wrinkled his nose. "This squirrel is sick." Skyfeather said. "It's not fat, it's bloated." He motioned Blackpaw to take a look. Blackpaw leaned down, seeing that the squirrel was in fact bloated. It's fur looed dull and colorless. "Featherfall, take this to be buried. Do not get any of it's blood in your mouth and wash your face and paws before you return." Featherfall nodded and picked the squirrel up by its tail.

"What's going to happen to Dustpaw and Petalshine?" Rabbitpaw squeaked from the entrance of the den.

"Time will tell, Rabbitpaw." Skyfeather's was calm now, he looked at the trembling apprentice. "For now, go talk with your family." Rabbitpaw didn't look ready to leave, but she turned away.

"Blackpaw give me the last of the yarrow we have." Skyfeather instructed. "They need to get that squirrel out of their bodies." Blackpaw quickly padded over to the store and grabbed the yarrow they had.

"Eat." Skyfeather mewed sharply and fed Dustpaw and Petalshine, putting moss under them. After a few moments, both cats vomited. "Give them the juniper again, and some poppy seeds. They need to sleep."

Blackpaw did exactly what Skyfeather told him and soon, the two sick cats were sleeping soundly while Skyfeather cleaned. "I think they'll be fine." Skyfeather mewed, looking over what they had left for herbs. "But I need to talk to Riverstar and the Clan, they'll be fine while we go." Skyfeather turned towards the entrance. "Come with me."

Blackpaw followed his mentor as they quickly made their way across camp to Riverstar's den. They stepped inside and Riverstar, the blue-gray she-cat looked at them with concern. "Is everything okay?"

"With Dustpaw and Petalshine, yes, but there's another issue." Skyfeather mewed. "Call a Clan meeting and let me explain our situation." Riverstar looked confused but listened, the three cats stepped outside and Riverstar climbed to the top of her den.

"Let all cats old enough to hunt gather for a Clan meeting!" Riverstar called, getting the attention of AshClan. Ashblaze looked up from where he sat with Silvermoon, consoling her about her sick mother. Blackpaw sat beside his mentor as the Clan gathered, all looking confused. "Skyfeather has an announcement to make." Riverstar mewed once the Clan had gathered. Blackpaw met Nightpaw's gaze, his sister sat outside the apprentice den looking a little confused.

"I'm not sure why," Skyfeather began. "But something is going on in the forest. Herbs are dying very quickly and we don't have many left in our store." There were gasps of shock and uncertainty from the Clan. "Also, the prey that Petalshine and Dustpaw ate was sick. It was bloated and smelled rotten. When you're hunting I want you to take a good long look at the prey you're catching. If it looks too fat, don't catch it. I know it will be tempting but we can't risk cat's lives when herbs are so low." The Clan cats shared gazes of concern. "Finally, during all patrols, hunting or border, keep an eye out for any herbs and bring them back to us. We need as many as we can possibly carry before leaf-bare."

"What are we going to do for leaf-bare if we don't have any herbs?" Cloverstrike questioned. "Is there any catmint?"

"I haven't checked our catmint supply yet. Though I doubt much of it will survive whatever is killing the herbs." Skyfeather answered. "We have to be strong this season."

"Please," Riverstar spoke up. "Put your faith in your medicine cats and listen to what Skyfeather is telling you. AshClan has never been defeated by sickness and we never will. We will remain strong."

Blackpaw watched his leader and mentor, fear twisted in his stomach. What are we going to do? Our own territory is trying to kill us.