Horsemoon's Silence

Chapter 35

Hazeclaw was a limp heap of fur. Horsemoon couldn't tell where the worst injuries were, because of his black pelt. Only his white paw gave something away. It was covered in blood, and blood was pulsing out of a deep wound on it.

Horsemoon swallowed nervously. The injuries were bad, and Hazeclaw was barely breathing. She didn't think that he would survive. But she would try.

She shook her head to rid herself of her thoughts, and Creamleaf's training came flooding back. Marigold for the paw, and then cobwebs for the other little wounds, and... Horsemoon thought, her mind whirling. She picked through Hazeclaw's fur, trying to find the source of the blood. Soon she found many deep wounds, and a really big one on his shoulder. He'll walk with a limp forever. Horsemoon thought, a sharp twang of sympathy flooding through her. If he lives. She dismissed it quickly.
   
Even though he was terrible, she had to try to help him. So she sent Quickpaw to find cobwebs, and he agreed eagerly. Shrewpelt stayed by Hazeclaw's side, and Leafwind paced briskly around the brambles. Horsemoon tried to send them out so she could have room, but they refused to go.

Leafwind shook her head once. "I can't. He's my littermate. I won't leave him." She'd meowed.

Shrewpelt's fur bristled. "You can't tell me what to do!" She hissed. "You're not my medicine cat!"

Horsemoon swallowed back her temper. "I'm a medicine cat though, and I know what to do, so listen to me if you want me to save him!" She mouthed quickly, not sure that the she-cat understood.

Shrewpelt definitely got some of it. Her gaze dropped, and she stepped back away from her clanmate, and let Horsemoon take a look at Hazeclaw. "Help him," She rasped, suddenly looking older.

Horsemoon nodded. "I'll do my best," she said silently.

The brambles rustled And Quickpaw appeared with the cobwebs wrapped around his paw. He unraveled them, and gave them to Horsemoon, who dipped her head gratefully.

She started placing them on Hazeclaw's shoulder wound first, as it looked like the worst. Soon, it was packed with the cobwebs, and she moved on to some of the others.

Horsemoon was fixing a tiny wound on his flank, when his eyes fluttered open.

"H-help me..." he said hoarsely, his glazed eyes staring though her. "Please..." his flanks shuddered once, and they stopped.

Horsemoon gulped. No! She thought, mind fogged with grief. He bowed her head, but was aware as his flanks began to move again.

He stared right at Horsemoon as he whispered, "I'm sorry for what I've done..." Then, for the last time, he closed his eyes, and took a shuddering breath as the life left his body.

Horsemoon knew that he was home this time, and she looked at her paws as Shrewpelt and Leafwind raised their wails of sorrow into the air.

Horsemoon closed her eyes. I've failed. She thought miserably. He's dead.

She lifted her head sadly, and her gaze fell on the crying she-cats. Quickpaw was trying to comfort them, to no avail. He eventually stopped, and was quiet beside them, head low.

Horsemoon watched them and felt more guilty as their sadness grew on. "I'm sorry," she tried to say, but nothing came out. She felt even more depressed knowing that she'd never be able to say those words again.

The grieving cats gradually stopped their wails and cries, and were staring at Horsemoon with so much sorrow that Horsemoon felt her fur began to grow hot, and she felt like moons dragged on. She turned around to look at Hazeclaw, because that was not as bad as the she-cats' faces.

Some cat sighed behind Horsemoon. "You tried your best." She recognized Leafwind's voice. "But it was no use. StarClan has claimed him now."

Horsemoon felt even guilty as Leafwind's words sank in. She slowly spun around to face them again. Leafwind's expression was sympathetic and sad, but Shrewpelt's was angry and filled with grief.

"You failed," Shrewpelt choked out. "And now my kits will never see their father. Thanks to you."

Horsemoon almost wailed. Or, would try to, at least. Now her guilt would never leave her, and her pelt prickled like claws raking her back. She pushed her way out of the brambles, because she couldn't take it anymore. The mood was as thick as a kit's new, fluffy fur. She started running, and raced out of the forest and into WindClan territory, ignoring Quickpaw's calls to come back. She collapsed on the long grass beside the stream by the ShadowClan border, and fell into a troubled sleep about her life and how terrible it really was.