Lost Hope: Book 1: The New Star

Chapter 15

Starfur scanned her herb store. "Good on fennel, watermint, thyme, catmint... should get some more cobwebs and comfrey..." she muttered to herself. "Shouldn't be too hard to find more...." She finished checking her herb store and heard her belly growl.

She ducked out of her den and headed for the fresh-kill pile. Taking a mouse, she started to eat it. Starfur finished eating her food and licked her lips. She looked up. The sun was high in the sky, perfect time for collecting herbs. She could go out and get the comfrey and cobwebs she needed.

"Good morning, Starfur." A deep voice spoke behind her.

She turned around and saw Darkmoon. "Hi," she said shyly. His smile warmed her from paws to tail tip. She shuffled her paws a little nervously. "So, uh, I'm going to collect herbs, and..." she found herself stuttering. What's wrong with me? Ever since he'd saved her from the river she been a complete mouse-brain around him.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Darkmoon asked. "You'll need some protection if you're going out alone...."

"Oh, yes... of course," Starfur replied awkwardly. She'd probably be fine on her own, but she would enjoy Darkmoon's company. Besides, Dandelionpaw was still sleeping, tired from last night's visit to the Startree. "Let's go." She led him out of camp.

"What're we looking for?" Darkmoon asked.

"Cobwebs and comfrey," Starfur replied. "We can find the webs in some tree and stumps, and the comfrey is at the edge of the trees."

"Ok," Darkmoon said. They lapsed into awkward silence. Starfur glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He is so strong, and brave.... The way he'd saved her so selflessly replayed over and over agin in her mind. She shook her head a little, clearing the thought. She couldn't be his mate. She shouldn't even be thinking about it.

Starfur spotted a large oak with large cobwebs strung across it's branches. She rushed over and started to paw the threads down, rolling them up into neat balls. Darkmoon copied her, and soon, they had two large wads of cobwebs.

"Onto the comfrey," Starfur mumbled, around her mouthful of cobwebs. She scanned the undergrowth, but couldn't see any.

      "Starfur," Darkmoon said, dropping the webs. "Why did you become a medicine cat?" Starfur was shocked by his question, but she knew what he was really asking. Why didn't you want to be my mate?

      "It was my destiny," Starfur answered simply. She hoped that would satisfy him, but he still looked at her with sad eyes.

"Then, are we not destined to be together?" he said, his tail drooped.

Starfur dropped her ball of cobwebs and sat in front of him. "I feel the same way," she told him. "But I could never be a warrior. We're just better off as friends.." She brushed her muzzle against his, then scooped up her cobwebs again and kept walking.

"I'll always wish things were different," Darkmoon whispered. He picked up his cobwebs and followed her.

Starfur spotted a patch of comfrey and hurried over to it. Me too, she thought. I wish things were different too.