Red Maple

chapter 10: feverish

THE NEXT MORNING, Redriver noticed his mate trembling with fever as his kits played in their hollowed-out area. He placed a paw on Mapleshade's forehead and narrowed his orange gaze. His mate was so fragile.

Red River padded over to the herbs and dug out some catmint, resisting the urge to bury his muzzle into the green grass. He took some over to Mapleshade and settled it down in front of her nose. Red River nudged her awake and she drowsily lapped up the herbs. Soon enough, her wheezing stopped and her fever went down a little, but it was still active.

Suddenly, Bloodkit tumbled out with a shocked meow. He looked up as his father with blinking orange eyes.

"Hello," Red River purred. "You alright?"

"Yep!" Bloodkit squeaked, jumping to his small paws. He raced back inside where his brothers and sisters were playing with a moss-ball.

Mapleshade stirred awake and blinked at her mate slowly. Red River crouched beside her and pressed his nose behind her ear. "You went to sleep so quickly last night. How are you feeling?" He peered at her and Mapleshade nodded. "I'm okay..."
"You still look exhausted," Red River observed. "Eat some fresh-kill from the pile, then I'll let you get some rest."

Mapleshade shakily got on her paws and reached for a mouse. "Can you give the kits some prey?" she asked through chews. Her mate nodded and grabbed a small rabbit before padding into the other section of the den where their kits were playing.

Firekit turned his head and meowed happily. "Food!" he mewed and ran up to his father. Red River placed the rabbit down and all six kits immediately dug in.

As they ate, Red River thought of his mate, their kits and how the Clans have betrayed both their family. Rage swirled inside his heart, and he forced his fur to lay flat and his claws to stay sheathed.

Biting out the words, he spoke. "I must go out now but look after your mother while I'm gone. Don't get into trouble and unless your mother says so, stay inside."

The kits all nodded and continued eating. Redriver padded out of the section and past Mapleshade who was asleep again. He emerged out of the hidden den and into the sunny morning light. He raced out of Fourtrees and plunged into the wispy undergrowth that edged RiverClan's territory. He stayed well clear of the border as he headed uphill, toward the gorge. He knew there was a wooden Twoleg bridge just below the sheer walls of rock where he would be able to cross into ThunderClan territory.

Redriver reached the wooden bridge and raced across with swift strides, ears flattened and fur spiked. The noise of the river tumbling below dragged his mind back to the first time he met his kits. He jumped off the bridge onto dry, sandy ground that led into RiverClan territory. He took a few steps toward the ThunderClan border and tasted the markers on the still air.

Then he froze. He realized this was Ravenwing's fault. He had remembered walking away and seeing the small black cat speaking to his mate. He didn't hear what he was saying, but he must have been confronting her about the kits' birth. Redriver bit back a growl. This was all his fault. He had jumped to conclusions, shattered the Clan's trust in his mate, forced her Clanmates to judge her for something beyond her control. Because of his actions, Redriver's kits could have died in the rain.

Rage swelled once again inside him until sounds of the forest faded away and his vision blurred. He suddenly stumbled along the edge of the border, not caring when his claws scraped on stones or brambles dragged at his pelt. His skin throbbed with heat and he was dimly aware of being thirstier than he had ever been in his life. He stopped by the stream and felt refreshed when he drank some water.