Warriors: Rising River

Chapter 3

Splashkit's dreams were blessed with milk and swimming.

But just as Splashkit was about to catch a fish in the dreamy milk-river, a yowl woke him.

He squirmed around, startled and confused. He mewed in his stress.

"Mudpaw doesn't have Greencough!" He could hear his father in denial.

He recognized the name Mudpaw. Splashkit pondered for a bit, wondering where he could have heard it.

"Cure him, please!" Quailwing shattered his thoughts with a shout, followed up by muffled coughing.

Splashkit glanced at his sister, whom was still asleep. She looked so peaceful. With that, he used his tiny claws (which were mostly just sharp thorns) to pull himself forward. Peeking out from the frosted leaves of the Nursery, where he saw which he assumed to be Mudpaw and his mother and father. They were arguing with a cat that was, again, familiar, but he couldn't quite remember.

"Quailwing, Pikewatcher, I'm sorry to say, but your son is in critical condition, and-" The she-cat tried, but Pikewatcher interrupted.

"Then fix him!" He snarled.

Confusion seemed to take over. Why was his father so mad? And why did his mother sound like she was in distress? Was it Softkit?

Splashkit continued to think about it until he felt Salmonkit crawl up next to him.

"Mama?" She also shared a confused mew.

Splashkit gave her brown ear a lick. Salmonkit whimpered a little. Hearing their mews, Shellkit sat next to them.

"What is it?" He asked, trying to calm the younger kits.

But the two kits just squirmed and cried out for their mother. Splashkit pawed at his leg, his tiny little thorn-like claws digging into his fur. At this point, Petalkit had also come over and was trying to figure out what the kits wanted. Finally, Shellkit followed Splashkit's gaze to the Medicine Den.

"Your worried about Mudpaw and Softkit, aren't you?" Shellkit murmured. "I mean, I understand. Their both your siblings."

So that's where Splashkit had heard it from! He gave Shellkit a mew of thanks. Shellkit smiled and flicked his tail.

"Shellkit! Petalkit!" Lightslip yowled.

"Sorry, Splashkit. Mother's calling." Shellkit gave a disappointed mew before padding off.

Splashkit felt lonely, part of him longing for Shellkit to return. Salmonkit and him mewed, clawing at their soft moss bedding in pure boredom.

By now, dusk had fallen, and Salmonkit and Splashkit were still bored out of their minds. Why did Shellkit and Petalkit get to play outside? After a few more moments of complaining to himself, Splashkit decided to look outside. Quailwing had her face buried in a silver kit, moaning. Mudpaw was trying to comfort her, but was breaking into coughing fits. Pikewatcher shook his head, but then began to share Quailwing's grief. With that, Poolheart plucked the limp kit up, and padded outside of camp. Quailwing screeched for a few moments, but then let herself go limp, in a sobbing mess.

Splashkit felt his own spirit drop. He knew that kit. It was his sister. It was Softkit. She was gone. And he was never going to see her again.