Frozen Hope

Chapter 5

The lavender stench awoke Cherrypaw the next morning. The dew dropped. She had that damp feeling in her pelt but she tried to ignore it.

As she helped Moonfall give birth, she couldn't stop thinking about the day before with Mosspaw. I never told him to meet me again. I don't know him that well. At least I'll see him during half-moon's and gatherings. She looked up to the sky from outside the den. It was bright blue, clouds were jotted about, but although, in the upcoming leaf-bare, the weather wasn't that bad.

She had entirely helped Moonfall herself. Raintuft was out getting herbs and preparing for leaf-bare, presumably. It was down to her to help Moonfall.

She groaned on the ground in pain and Cherrypaw bit her muzzle. "Sootwhisker, can you get a stick?" She asked. "Never-mind me asking, go do it. You've got no choice."

Sootwhisker scrambled away, anxiousness visible in his eyes.

"The pain won't hurt for much longer." She reassured, and with that, Sootwhisker came right back in the den.

"Here." He panicked, trying to give her the stick but dropping it.

Cherrypaw picked it up in a hurry. A gruff, rough sigh escaped her. Hold your tongue. It's not easy to be the scared father in giving birth. "Moonfall, bite down on this stick and push."

And with that, in a couple of minutes, two kits lay on the moss, their soft mews filling the nursery with innocence.

"A tom and she-kit," purred Cherrypaw. "You might want to lìck them to warm their blood and get it to flow."

Sootwhisker scrambled to help his kits. Such a worried father and he hasn't even seen the worst of the kits yet. In a couple of moons I'll hear them from the medicine cat den!

Moonfall started to discuss names with him. They both nodded, and Cherrypaw tilted her head. I guess as a medicine cat it's my duty to get to know my clanmates. StarClan, Cherrypaw what is up with you? She thought to herself.

"Petalkit for this tiny gray tabby she-cat, and Bumblekit for this silver tom with the dark stripes."

Cherrypaw purred and closed her eyes. "Beautiful names. I'll be off. I need to go do medicine cat business," and with that, Cherrypaw walked, rather quickly out of the nursery. A yawn escaped her.

As she was about to pad into the medicine cat den, Windstar's mew rang through the clan.

"All cats gather around for a clan meeting!" yowled Windstar. "Yarrowkit, Bumblekit, Violetkit and Mallowkit, please come up." mewed Windstar, curtly. The four kits did as they were told, with excitement.

"Yarrowkit, from now on you will be a 'paw. Same applies to all of you. Your mentor shall be.." she scanned the crowd. "Harepounce."

Harepounce climbed up, delight in his eyes. Although he may not be a young warrior, his pride was always high, no matter his age and he was greatly loyal, no doubt about it being a great mentor.

"Bumblepaw. Your mentor will be Mistwillow." Windstar smiled at her former apprentice as they touched noses. She murmured something but Cherrypaw couldn't quite catch it.

"Violetpaw, your mentor shall be Briarfall. And finally, Mallowpaw, your mentor shall be Jaystorm."

"Mallowpaw, Violetpaw, Bumblepaw, Yarrowpaw!" The clan cried, including Cherrypaw.

Gravelpaw has more apprentices to worry about. Hah! He deserves it. It's so packed in there. Thought Cherrypaw. Icepaw, Cinderpaw, Antpaw, Flamepaw, Mothpaw.. Gravelpaw and Blossompaw, and now another four. Cherrypaw was shocked herself.

I was only ever used to sharing a den with other kits, but not very much queens had given birth at that point. What if Pigeonkit, Thunderkit, Badgerkit and Frostkit are made apprentices soon?! There'll be barely any room. Cherrypaw knew although that Windstar would wait till' Icepaw and Cinderpaw move out at the least. They were the eldest.

Cherrypaw inspected Mallowpaw and realised their similarities. She was the daughter of the wretched Marshclaw - Raintuft's traitorous, murdering mentor - and Doeflight - an innocent she-cat who simply fell for Marshclaw's tricks.

"I'm not like him and I'll never be." She heard her say from a distance, she looked over to the cat she was speaking too.

Gravelpaw.

Cherrypaw growled. He finds fun out of bullying cats? That cat - he's not my brother. Not mature enough to become a warrior. For crying out loud. Poor Mallowpaw.

Cherrypaw stopped when she heard her giggling. Gravelpaw was also smiling. What? Was it a joke? Did someone say something funny? Cherrypaw shook her head, directing her gaze at her sister, Blossompaw. She was chatting with Mothpaw, and seemingly Icepaw had joined the conversation.

Cherrypaw had to admit, Blossompaw was in a very popular spot. She hung out with all the apprentices and seemed like she was having a good time, as well as Gravelpaw was.

But where did Cherrypaw fit in amongst it? No laughing - no sound - at all came from her. Instead, just pure silence as she watched from afar.

I have only one cat that cares. Thought Cherrypaw gloomily. And it's Mosspaw.

Suddenly, the camp started to spin, and out of her one-eyed vision, reality faded, figures were walking.. and walking.. and then... they fell, as Cherrypaw ran over to help, as if she knew the cat but blood spewed and just spilled out. Crimson, stained on her paws. For a moment, she swore she saw the body - the figure of a kit, too. They - the cat and kit - would fade, and the blood remained. She felt a sharp tear in her heart. She felt sorrow, and deep down she cared. She felt helpless, and grief, even though she barely knew the cat.

Then, it changed completely to a different scene. Suddenly, she turned to see a huge tom.. and a miniature she-cat, happy. The minute she blinked the tom had bawled at her and the she-cat scurried away in tears. Then, eventually, the she-cat had a wave crash over her. Water rose and started to flow in different directions. She drowned, right in front of Cherrypaw's eyes.

The final 'scene', a tom and she-cat sat, casually. The tom, in a short moment left, darkness consuming him. At the last moment, he had secret fear in his eyes and had crouched, his paws on his head and his ears flattened. The she-cat was horrified, and moved her tail to reveal kits, but she turned away.

Then, Cherrypaw faded back to reality. As if nothing had happened, at all. She was left, wide-eyed and questioning the vision. It was not clear. She felt horror overwhelm her. It was too long to be explained.

She hauled herself back into the medicine cat den, but as she sat to think about it, the question wouldn't get out of her head. It just flowed through her mind like a perfect narrow stream, with clear blue water, shiny to the max pebbles you could see your reflection in and the satisfying shape of the stream overall. It would just not leave her head.

Who were those cats? What do they want? And does it affect me?