Icy Waters

Chapter 2

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Echoclaw sighed, a shiver crawling up her spine. She had stayed up all night with Whitefeather, who still believed that she was Showerfall. She ducked her head sadly as Whirlwind entered the den. "No improvement?" He rasped unhappily. "None." She muttered. "His flanks aren't as hot where his ribs were broken, but now he's shivering." "And the cold rain ain't helpin a bit," Embernose said, lumbering into the den.

No, it really isn't. "Um, Whirlwind, could you get my father for me?" Echoclaw asked. "Your father? Who's that...?" The old warrior trailed off. "Reedstar." She answered impatiently. "Oh, sure thing," Whirlwind said before breaking into a trot. Embernose ducked close to Echoclaw so that she could feel his breath hot on her whiskers. "He ain't gonna get better in a hurry," the elder observed. "Yes, I can see that!" Echoclaw exclaimed, her tail bristling with annoyance. Embernose seemed startled before rasping, "Woah, woah, keep your fur on. I ain't no medicine cat, but it looks like that tom's in a whole buncha' pain."

"Excuse me?" Echoclaw hissed. "I say we put him outta his misery," The elder suggested. "Oh my StarClan, what in the stars are you thinking? Whitefeather's going to live, you fox-heart! Do you really want him dead that bad?" She snarled, standing up with her fur bristled. She heard the moss on the floor rustle, then a familiar voice. "Is Embernose okay?" Reedstar asked.

"Oh, uh, yeah." Echoclaw muttered. "So, what did you need me for?" He asked, more friendly about it. "Whitefeather's just going to catch Greencough, and his muscles will be stiff with all of this cold and wetness!" She said, swiping her tail to the entrance where rain continued to sprinkle down from from the sky. "What are you implying?" He asked. Echoclaw shivered in the rain, narrowing her eyes. "I'm asking if you could send a few warriors to patch up the den and maybe make the entrance smaller." She snapped.

"Excuse me?" Reedstar meowed sharply. "Sorry, It's just, um, I'm just upset, sorry. But could you?" Echoclaw asked, laying her tail over a shivering Whitefeather. "Um, sure. Curltail!" Reedstar yowled. "Yes?" A voice asked a few moments later. "I need you to pick some warriors to patch up the medicine den." The tom explained. "Oh, I see...." The deputy murmured, most likely surveying the walls of the den. "Stemthorn, Carmelpelt, Orbeye!" Curltail yowled. Echoclaw shook her head in annoyance as the warriors tromped inside.

"Yes?" Orbeye asked slowly, Whitefeather shifting in his nest with a pained groan. "I need you to patch up the den, the cold isn't helping the medicine cats." Curltail meowed. "You can borrow Firepaw, she's the smallest, she can go on the roof!" Copperheart yowled across camp. "Her training can wait!" He added. Echoclaw felt a sudden rush of fondness for the young warrior, how kind and understanding he could be. She dropped her bundle of herbs, transfixed as she thought about him.

"Echoclaw?" Reedstar asked awkwardly. "You-uh, may want to get that honey and marigold off of the ground." He said. "Oh, mouse-dung!" Echoclaw cursed, frantically scraping the oozing liquid up and plopping it onto a leaf. "I can't get it all," she growled. "May I...?" A voice asked, Echoclaw recognizing it as Firepaw's. "Oh, honey tastes great!" The apprentice purred. "What in the stars....are you licking that off of the ground!?" She hissed in disbelief, shooing the small she-cat out of the den. "Ugh." She muttered, laying moss over the spot. "I'll have to get more later." She grumbled, disposing of the now pooled leaf.