A Clan's Tragedy #1

Chapter 18 (COMPLETED)

   Chapter 18

As Hazelfur slunk through the undergrowth, she kept glancing at Feathersong to make sure she was still there. Then she stopped. Hazelfur skidded to a stop and then crouched in some weeds and grass. Feathersong put her nose in the air and sniffed. Hazelfur did also. Then there was a scent behind Hazelfur. She crouched lower and hoped Brokenwhisker couldn't see her in this dim light. She inwardly sighed a breath of relief. He had jumped over her and was rubbing noses with Feathersong.

   "Hi." mewed the big tom. "Any cat follow you?"

   "Nope. I didn't even see Hazelfur!" Feathersong purred. A moment of silence. "Let's race!" Hazelfur's heart pounded. She couldn't keep an eye on them while running!

   "Actually, I wanted to just lay here tonight and look at the stars."

   Feathersong looked surprised. "Oh, okay. How about here?" She pointed to the spot where Hazelfur was crouching. Slowly she started to back away. Then when she reached some rocks she quickly dove behind them. The pair of cats layed on their backs, pointing out the brightest stars.

   "That one is my dad." Brokenwhisker pointed to a star next to the full moon. "He- he died in battle with... your clan..." he trailed off and looked away.

   Hazelfur couldn't see Feathersong's face from this point, but she lifted her head up and licked the Cloudclan tom's cheek and snuggled closer. She murmured something Hazelfur couldn't catch.

   "That one is my father, Redfoot." Feathersong pointed to a star. "He died under a monsters black paws."

   "So both our dads are gone to Starclan." mewed Brokenwhisker. "That makes us stronger than we ever were."

      A thorn was digging into Hazelfur's pelt. She squirmed and knocked over a pebble. The pebble landing against the boulder made a big cracking sound. She cringed and started to back away. Then Hazelfur ran into a soft pelt. Behind her was Brokenwhisker.

   "Are you spying on us?" hissed Feathersong. She stood in front of Hazelfur, blocking her exit. "Hazelfur! That's against the code to betray your clanmates."

   "Are you kidding?" Hazelfur sputtered. "You and him are against the code! I am not the one who is betraying my clanmates." All her anger spilled out.

   "I should be telling Crystalstar!" she hissed at the silver and black she-cat.

   "Well you did this too! You had a mate, so why can't I?" Feathersong stood her ground next to Brokenwhisker.

   "I had to quit my job. I was not mates with Frostail while I served my clan!" Hazelfur was ready to claw her eyes out. "And I had to sit there and watch him die leaving his five kits behind!"

   Feathersong's eyes softened. She tried to lick the brown she-cat's ears but Hazelfur turned away.

   "You're right." she mewed. "I should never of had kits." Hazelfur got up and padded back to camp. Feathersong mewed good-bye to the Cloudclan tom and raced after her former mentor. Wordlessly they both walked back to camp. When they reached there Hazelfur headed towards the apprentice den. She mewed good-night to her kits and licked the closest apprentice on the head- Cherrypaw. Then Hazelfur walked back out and into her nest in the medicine cat den. Feathersong was already in her nest, watching Hazelfur.

   "I'm sorry I yelled at you." meowed Feathersong. "I just want to be with Brokenwhisker. But I think I won't see him again."

   "Why?" was all she muttered. "I had a mate. And it was a mistake."

   "No it wasn't." insisted Feathersong. "Starclan will welcome Frostail and the clan welcomes you and your kits. But they probably won't welcome me if I keep seeing him. And don't worry, I will stick to your side forever. I promise to never see Brokenwhisker again, and to live my life as a whole medicine cat." Her last words were the last thing Hazelfur heard, and she fell in a deep sleep.

   "Tree and tree will sway in the wind, but one will fall on the clan." Dawnstar's prophecy echoed in her dreams as Hazelfur stuggled in a fast current. Everytime she opened her jaws to call for help water gushed in. She choked and then her head bobbed under water. A white pelt went under and then broke through the survace. Frostail's mewed reached her through the loud thundering noise.

   "Help me!" screeched Frostail. Then his head went under once more and then never reappreared. Hazelfur frantically swam under water to grasp him, but a giant current washed her downriver and left Frostail underwater. Hazelfur was about to give up when,

   "Hazelfur! Hazelfur!" a voice mewed. Hazefur jolted awake. Feathersong was meowing in her ear to wake up. It was raining outside.

   "Hazelfur! There's a leak in the roof!" She pointed to a small crack. It was dripping on Hazelfur's front paw. She got up and shook it off. Feathersong padded to the herb den. She returned with a wad of moss. Feathersong put the moss on the ground where the water leaked. It soaked up all the rainwater.

   "There." sighed the she-cat. "The apprentice's need honey for their throats."

   "Who?" mewed Hazelfur. "I'll take it out."

   "Wolfpaw and Leafpaw. They have sore throats." Feathersong pushed honeycomb towards her. Hazelfur gripped it in her jaws and ran across the camp. Sweet honey dripped in her mouth. She spat it out and told the two apprentice's to lap some.

   "Can we have a lick?" begged Horsepaw. 

   "When they are done." Hazelfur waited until they each got one more lick and then passed the rest to the others. "When you are done just throw the rest away." She padded out of the den and into the raining clearing. She was the only cat out here. Hazelfur didn't mind being wet, unlike her clan mates. She ran into her den and found Feathersong gone. She shook her fur and checked the moss. It was soaking wet. Hazelfur put it in the back of her den to use it for further use.

   A harsh scent filled her nostrils. It was a mix between carrion and fox. Hazelfur bolted outside to warn her clan. 

   "Fox attack!" was barely out of her mouth when five foxes charged into the camp. Warriors stuck their heads out of their dens then ran to fight. Apprentices were with their mentors and elders and queens were in their dens. Hazelfur felt sharp teeth grab her tail. She whipped around to slash a female fox on the nose. It let go and howled in pain. Hazelfur bounded into her den to get ready for injured cats. Marigold, cobwebs, comfrey, poppy seeds, broom, and burdock. she had hardly any broom, which is used to cure broken legs. Hazelfur could hear screeching of cats outside her den. Worry pulsed through her veins.

   A dark brown cat dragged itself in; it was Vineclaw. She had a bad wound on her flank and leg. Hazelfur rushed over and put marigold on the flank wound, and comfrey on the leg. She had a broken front leg and had to stay down.

   "Oww!" complained Vineclaw. "I need to get back out there and help my clan mates!"

   "Will it really help them if their deputy died in battle with a fox?"

   Vineclaw shook her head and layed down on a bed of moss. Hazelfur pushed the wet moss towards her. Vineclaw lapped it up and put her head down. Hazelfur kept watch for foxes entering or cats injured. After a while she heard the victory yowl and then went outisde to check cat's wounds. Frogsplash was the only cat to have a very bad wound. His neck was torn open to the middle of his back.

   Hazlefur put on marigold, and gave him poppy seeds. Before he drifted off, he mewed to her, "You are a great medicine cat. I am happy to have you in Rippleclan." Hazelfur leaned backwards at this. What did he mean? Frogsplash looked into her eyes and then drifted to sleep.

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so did you like this chappie? i know it isnt long as usuall but oh well. and i have to remind you people of the naming contest. you have to name the next book after this. i will chose the title i like best and will dedicate you for the prologue. please message me and not comment, or i might not get the title. may the odds be ever in your favor  -wolfang11