Frozen Hope

Chapter 11

Cherrypaw saw a silohouette waiting on a tree stump. She smiled with happiness as she realised it was Mosspaw.

"Mosspaw!" She kept her voice low, it was enough for him to hear anyways; at the least.

Mosspaw smiled. "You came."

"Well I was the one who organised it, wasn't I?" Cherrypaw said with a playful smirk.

"I guess." Mosspaw blinked slowly. "Next time guess I'll have to to guarantee it then, won't I?"

"S-Shut up!" Cherrypaw felt her pelt burn with nervousness, but she rolled her eyes playfully. As she did, she saw the stars glittering in the skies for a split second.

I hope they're not mad. Cherrypaw weakly smiled to herself. It's just medicine cat business, after all... right? It was nothing more than that. It couldn't be wrong, right?

She sighed, trying not to think about it too much. "Cherrypaw," he mewed. "Cherrypaw?"

Cherrypaw realised she had been in a daze, staring at him. She flushed. "O-Oh sorry. I get caught in my thoughts a lot."

"I can see that," Mosspaw said humourously.

"Hey!" She said, her eyes glittering with playfulness.

Mosspaw chuckled. "Well," he said, slowly. "How's medicine cat duties going?"

"Doeflight died today." She replied, sadly. "Marshclaw, whom was formerly from our clan but was exiled, he.. well.. killed her."

Mosspaw looked down, blankly. "I'm sorry for your loss. I guess there's a lot of death going around, because my father died to a sickness. Me and Stoneblaze think it's greencough."

"Your father's dead? Who is your father?"

"Thistlespring." He said, rather sadly also. "My mother is Elmstream. She's well though, so I guess that's a relief."

"Of course. My father died too. Foxes attacked our camp and I saw his body outside it. It was so... lifeless... the whole thing."

"Yeah," Mosspaw mewed. "It's so sad watching, seeing or finding kin dead. When Thistlespring died, he told me he loved me, and then he was gone. Just like that. StarClan is really magical, you know. It can sometimes really get you where it hurts."

"That's really well said." sighed Cherrypaw. "..Because it's so true.."

Mosspaw looked up. "I guess I should look at the bright side of things. Prey isn't so scarce... yet." He said, slowly. "We're in leafbare, but it's not right in the depths, I guess."

"We'll be busy." mewed Cherrypaw.

"Yeah!" He said, wisely his tone soon turned amused. "You'll still have time for me, right?"

"Y-Yeah. I-I hope so." Cherrypaw stuttered as a whip of cold bashed against her pelt.

"It's really chilly." Mosspaw sighed. "Do you need warmth?"

"If you can, please." Cherrypaw laughed weakly.

"Okay." Mosspaw leaned into Cherrypaw, and her eyes widened. She started to flush slightly but when Mosspaw shrugged it off, she let herself relax.

"My bushy coat keeps me pretty warm." said Mosspaw calmly, as if thinking nothing of what he just done. "I don't mind sharing."

Cherrypaw chuckled. "I do feel a bit better. My fur is long, but it's extra cold tonight."

"It is," Cherrypaw could feel the night slip away from them. They had chatted for a couple more hours before looking at the sky in realisation.

"The morning patrol will be out soon. I have to go." Cherrypaw said quickly.

"Yeah, me too." Mosspaw realised with a halt. "See you Cherrypaw!"

Cherrypaw then dashed off into camp, and when nothing but the wind could be heard, she felt relief overwhelm her.

She slipped into the moss bed next to Raintuft, trying not to awake her. She settled into a deep slumber...

○ ○ ○

"Cherrypaw!" Raintuft mewed. "Cherrypaw are you dead?"

Cherrypaw groaned inaudibly to herself and Raintuft frowned.

"I didn't think so. Come on you lazy rabbit, get up!" She nudged her slightly.

Cherrypaw sat bolt upright, letting her blood settle from the sudden movement. She looked outside and it was bright as day.

"Why were you asleep so long?" Raintuft asked.

At least she didn't hear, feel or see me creep in late at night.

"...I-I woke up in the middle of the night with a bad dream." said Cherrypaw. "Took me ages to get back to sleep."

"Oh." Raintuft sighed. "Well, alright. Try to not sleep in though."

There was a commotion outside. "...Windstar's lost a life to drowning!" Jaystorm yowled, geniune concern in his eye for her. He placed her body at his paws.

"Went out to go ask her something, she was flailing in a stream! I don't know what happened!" He wailed.

Raintuft drifted out. "Give her to me and Cherrypaw. We need to rid of water from her lungs."

Cherrypaw nodded. Worry for her mother. That was another life lost. It'd only be a harsh matter of time till' she had no lives left if it continued this way.

Raintuft placed her paws on Windstar's chest before pressing down lightly. Windstar coughed, but her eyes were still semi-dull.

"Give her some poppy seeds, will you? She's shocked and quite clearly needs rest."

Cherrypaw nodded. She placed the seeds by her mother who slowly ate them, her eyes now turning drowsy.

She soon fell asleep not after and they transferred her onto a spare moss bed, which was indeed Flamepaw's for a while before he healed properly.

He seemed happy now with his littermates. Cherrypaw was glad it didn't delay their training.

Hawktalon came peering into the den. "I think Hollystream is giving birth!" He said, calmly, hidden nervousness but mostly joy in his eyes." Raintuft nodded at Cherrypaw who collected some supplies. While they walked to the nursery, they made conversation with Hawktalon. "Is Windstar alright?"

"Yeah," sighed Raintuft. "She just needs some well deserved rest, and she'll hopefully be good and explain what happened."

They arrived at the nursery. While Cherrypaw was away one day, probably collecting herbs, Moonfall gave birth to Petalkit and Bumblekit.

The two kits were lively, mewling a lot, even though their eyes are not quite open yet. It'd only be a matter of time.

"Push." Raintuft ordered. Hollystream nodded, biting onto a stick. After a couple of moments, there was two tiny kits, a tom and a she-kit.

"That was smooth." Hollystream felt amused. "I'm so happy."

Together, Hawktalon and Hollystream decided on Dovekit for the she-kit, and Owlkit for the tom.

Raintuft nodded, gazing over to Blueblossom, who was now expecting Jaystorm's kits. The deputy would have excellent kits, as the two cats both had good states of mind.

Cherrypaw felt relaxed as everything was calm and noble in her clan, but, how long would this peacefulness last?