Frozen Hope

Chapter 12

It had been a couple of sunrises since Hollystream gave birth. Cherrypaw continued to meet Mosspaw, but she could guarantee the meetings weren't that special. They chatted a little abouy duties and stuff. Subtle things.

"Cherrypaw! Cherrypaw!-" Blossompaw panted, her voice rough with regret.

"Huh?" Cherrypaw asked, realising it was Blossompaw. "Blossompaw, what is it?"

The young she-cat seemed so out of breath. "...I was hanging about with Bumblepaw, Violetpaw and Mothpaw- I - I dared Bumblepaw to climb a tree... and... and... he went so high up. He proved his point so I asked him to come down with caution.. b-but then.. he tripped and fell really high off the tree and we all heard a crack!"

"...Oh no," Cherrypaw said grimly. "I'll need to do this by myself since Raintuft is away, herb collecting. Wait at the entrance."

"Please hurry," Blossompaw whimpered slightly. "I don't want to be the cause of him dying."

"Don't be so grim, Blossompaw! He'll be fine in our paws," said Cherrypaw nervously, not sure if he'll even be in their paws.

Calm, Cherrypaw. You're a fine medicine cat. If he dies. It's not your fault. - Wait! Now I'm being dull! Not thinking, she swiped up some poppy seeds, cobwebs, and bindweed.

She mixed the juices of the herb marigold and bindweed. She took the leaves and the combined juices so his pain would ease but she could still bind his probably broken bone.

She left the juices behind though, she couldn't take it with her. She dashed out, bindweed, cobweb and poppy seeds at paw.

"Let's go," said Cherrypaw swiftly. With every step closer grew her nervousness. After all, there was no Raintuft. She was like the lesser of her. She sighed.

There was the whole scene. Mothpaw and Violetpaw both looking anxious. You could tell because their ears were pinned against their heads. And in the middle of that, Bumblepaw lay on the ground, his flanks rising and falling, slowly though.

Cherrypaw felt panic arise in her. "O-Okay," she mewed. Inspecting his frame.

"How did he land?" She asked, facing the three she-cats. "Sides, face, leg, back, belly?"

"His half-way between his sides and legs. He hit the ground hard with his legs, then his side hard after." Violetpaw replied. "I just hope he's okay. Blossompaw didn't mean it."

Cherrypaw sighed, lifting each of his legs. Bumblepaw really gave no response. He did groan a bit on his hind legs however.

"Okay. He's very weak and in shock because he barely gives me a reaction." Cherrypaw looked up at the great big oak tree. It was similar to the one Flamepaw fell down from.

"How high was it he was?"

"Up there." Mothpaw pointed to about half way up the tree, and considering it was a grand oak tree and not a maple tree, it was pretty high.

"T-That.. high?" Cherrypaw's eyes widened. "He needs urgent care." She fed him the poppy seeds quick. His eyes were rolled back and getting duller by the minute.

"It's not dislocated. Otherwise we could put it back in place. Oh my StarClan.." She wrapped the cobweb and bindweed on both of his legs, putting them in their normal spot and not powerlessly down.

"That's all the cobweb I brought. I never knew it was going to be this severe of a fall.." gulped Cherrypaw.

"You three, drag him to camp. He can get more care there. Careful though not to undo my cobwebs."

Cherrypaw walked alongside them, her pace much quicker.

"C-Cherryp-paw-" came a voice from Bumblepaw. It made Cherrypaw confused but she looked behind.

"M-My time is up," Bumblepaw sighed. Mothpaw, Violetpaw and Blossompaw halted, their faces growing full of grief from one to ten very quickly.

They placed him carefully on the ground.

Cherrypaw trotted over, crouching over his body. "B-Bumblepaw... what do you mean?" Her eyes glowed with a deep worry.

"It means," Bumblepaw lay his head back on the grass. "Let me enjoy my last few moments in MapleClan.. before I join StarClan."

He - painfully - it seemed - rolled around in the grass. Mothpaw joined him followed by Violetpaw, Blossompaw was crouching with grief and sadness, sobbing to even see the three.

"You tried your best," Bumblepaw said. "My injury was so severe. I feel very stupid. But there is one favour I ask." He said, his eyes looking dull up towards the sky.

"Don't blame yourself. You and Blossompaw. Blossompaw - you made me feel so welcome - you introduced me and Violetpaw to Mothpaw - who - I will not regret becoming friends with - ever. Cherrypaw - I never really have had a personal talk with you, b-but I respected your role as medicine cat and thought highly of you. I will miss you too."

"Violetpaw. You were such a good sister to me." He laugh cried. "My life is cut short - but if I had another day to live... I'd spend it with you three." His grin made Violetpaw sob.

"Why - why... you promised never to leave me.. p-please.. don't go!" Violetpaw mewed, desperateness in her tone.

"What is fate is fate. I cannot change it." Bumblepaw said, weakness in his tone, Violetpaw crouched by his side, her muzzle deep in his belly with sorrow.

"Mothpaw. You were so kind to me. We had a connection I haven't seen anyone else have. I-I wish I didn't- didn't have to go. I wish we could spend our lives longer together.."

Mothpaw sobbed. "You were amazing to me too. Don't give me all the credit." She rubbed his cheek desperately.

"I'm so sorry-" Mothpaw said once more.

Bumblepaw let out a sigh. "I see stars now. They're so bright. Clearly now - I see the light. I see cats of the stars coming down to reach for me. It's ready to guide me. I see some more previous cats of our clan, stars in their pelt, welcoming me with such delight. Do not spend your life grieving over me Violetpaw, please. And Cherrypaw, don't blame yourself. It's only my own fault. Goodbye... MapleClan. I'm so proud to have been apart of it."

"No! I need to grief- I need to-" Violetpaw leaned onto him, sobbing. His eyes slowly rolled upwards and he fell limp slowly.

"Bumblepaw," Mothpaw breathed heavily in a whisper. "No.."

Violetpaw's wail was terrifying. Blossompaw jumped. However, she said nothing but looking down at the bare, cold, chilly ground beneath them.

The wind howled as the four cats went silent. The bone-chilling silence left Cherrypaw in awe. She was still carrying herbs in her mouth.

But now, even at that..
All you could hear in the air were the leaves. There were no more bird's tweets, there was just the streams running, the leaves were swaying against one and another.

It wasn't a peaceful silence. It was tense, and Cherrypaw could feel the gaze of the other three on her, watching ever so disappointingly.