Lost Hope: Book 3: Flame and Snow

Chapter 8

Burrowpelt had the strangest feeling that they were being watched, and it was hard to explain why. Everything would go silent, and then she'd hear a little crunch. Was someone following them? But when she turned her head to look, she didnt see anything, and she didn't smell anything suspicious either.

Sparrowfeather seemed to notice her anxiety. "What's up?" he whispered.

Burrowpelt shook her head, not sure how to respond. "The sky is up," she said instead.

Her friend burst out laughing and she cracked a smile.

"What's so funny?" Glarespot, the head of their patrol, asked.

"Nothing, nothing," Sparrowfeather shook himself, still chuckling. "Seriously," he added to Burrowpelt in a whisper. "You seem uneasy."

Burrowpelt hesitated. "I think someone is following us."

"And you'd be correct," a voice from behind hissed. "ATTACK!"

And all at once, Burrowpelt felt claws raking down her back. She tried to turn and face her attacker, but whoever it was had her pinned, digging her chin into the ground and sinking his claws into her shoulders. With a yowl of fury, and summoning all her strength, she hurled her body upward and felt the weight of her opponent disappear.

She turned to face him with a counterattack, but the larger tom was already leaping at her again, and she had to quickly duck away to avoid him. Turning again, they exchanged a few swipes, before he tried to jump on her again. This time he was more successful, though Burrowpelt was able to wiggle free, but not without a few deep cuts.

And then Sparrowfeather was by her side, matching her blows. But the tom was also joined by another large opponent and Burrowpelt and Sparrowfeather were being pushed back against a tree. The second swiped hard and true, landing deep scratches over Sparrowfeather's face. He fell back with a yelp, hitting his head hard against the tree trunk, knocking him out cold, and landing in the dirt.

Burrowpelt barely had time to digest what had happened before the first tom was attacking her again, but she was saved by a flash of fur. The rogues were shocked into submission, and after a few well placed swipes by the newcomers, they fled back into the forest.

She allowed herself a breath of relief before glancing down at Sparrowfeather's body. She gasped when she saw him. Blood was pouring from the scratches on his face, along with a few other cuts scattered around his body.

"Oh my StarClan, NO!" Burrowpelt nudged his face. "SPARROWFEATHER!" She felt her eyes water and her limbs go shaky as she stared at his limp body. She gave him a few quick licks, trying to rouse him, but his face remained stony.

"Is he. . . dead?" Glarespot rushed forward, also bleeding. He pressed his ear to Sparrowfeather's chest and Burrowpelt waited anxiously. "He's alive," Glarespot announced and Burrowpelt felt the knots in her chest lessen. He's alive.

"We'll have to take him back to BrookClan camp, it's closer." Burrowpelt saw Blacktail step forward and realized that their saviors had been a BrookClan patrol. "But we have to hurry, come on."

As fast as they could without doing more damage, they rested Sparrowfeather on Blacktail's shoulders and walked what Burrowpelt considered at snail's pace. It was even slower crossing the river. There was a fallen tree across it, but Burrowpelt thought that at this point, Sparrowfeather had already joined StarClan.

Don't think like that, she told herself.

Two cats were standing guard at the entrance and Blacktail brushed right past them. One of the other BrookClan cats that'd helped them held back to explain the situation.

They reached the medicine den and Oceanwave and Fogbreeze rushed forward to help, not even asking questions, but Burrowpelt could tell that Fogbreeze recognized him. He seemed to have switched on work mode and focused on making him comfortable in a nest.

"I have to go inform Willowstar," Blacktail said, ducking out of the den.

"Is he going to be okay?" Glarespot asked.

"We don't know," Oceanwave said regretfully. "He's lost a lot of blood. Fogbreeze, get more cobwebs," he added to his apprentice. "We'll have to keep him here for a couple days, he's far from ready to travel."

Suddenly, Willowstar shoved her way into the medicine den, making the space even tighter. "Blacktail has told me what's going on," she said brusquely. "Who were these cats attacking you? What did they look like?" Her eyes burned with the readiness to slit someone's throat and Burrowpelt cringed away from her.

"Willowstar," Glarespot inclined his head respectfully. "Maybe we could answers your questions a little later? We are a bit worried about our Clanmate right now." He nodded toward Sparrowfeather, unconscious and being patched up by the medicine cats.

The BrookClan leader seemed to realize herself. "Oh, of course." He eyes hardened again. "Just. . . don't take too long, these cats seem like a threat and we should prepare for battle immediately."

Glarespot nodded in agreement and turned back to Oceanwave and Fogbreeze. They were spreading a poultice over Sparrowfeather's face, and wrapping it in cobwebs. Burrowpelt admired their calm efficiency, but all she could think about was how she may never talk to him again.

Just then, Sparrowfeather gasped to life. Burrowpelt felt relief warm her body and she rushed toward him. "Oh, thank StarClan you're okay!"

Her friend didn't reply, just continued to draw in pained breaths.

"Where do you hurt?" Oceanwave asked him.

Sparrowfeather glanced up at him. "Dandelionpaw? When did you get so. . . big?" His voice was strained and weak. It would have been funny that he mistook the BrookClan medicine cat for her brother, had he not just been so close to death.

"I'm Oceanwave, the BrookClan medicine cat," he said calmly. "Can you tell me where you feel the most pain?"

Sparrowfeather groaned. "Uh. . . my head. Why am I in BrookClan?" He swiveled his head around as if looking for something.

"You were hurt really badly," Burrowpelt told him quietly, giving the uninjured side of his head a lick. "You'll be okay though."

"Oh, Burrowpelt, you're here!" It was as if he was looking at her for the first time. He nuzzled her affectionately, and Burrowpelt saw Fogbreeze turn away. Sparrowfeather may not be jealous of Fogbreeze, but Fogbreeze was definitely jealous of Sparrowfeather.

That doesn't matter now, Burrowpelt told herself. Sparrowfeather is okay, that's what matters.

"As I said earlier, he'll have to stay here for a quarter moon at least to regain his strength," Oceanwave told Glarespot. "One of you can stay here so he has somebody with him, but—" He glanced at the sun beginning to set outside the den. "You should inform your leader what has happened."

"I'm staying with Sparrowfeather," Burrowpelt said protectively. She didn't miss the slight twitch of Fogbreeze's tail as she said it.

"Of course," Glarespot said, giving her an understanding nod. "I'll go back to EchoClan and tell Stonestar."

"I'll get Willowstar to send a couple warriors with you in case those cats attack again," Oceanwave said, leading him out of the den.

The only cats that left were her, Sparrowfeather and Fogbreeze.

Burrowpelt busied herself with cleaning up Sparrowfeather's fur as he drifted off. Fogbreeze stood by the entrance, gazing out, not paying either of them any mind. When she realized Sparrowfeather was asleep she said, "How have you been?"

Fogbreeze turned to her. "Good." He seemed to be fighting back saying anything else.

"I hope you know that you're still me friend," she said, trying not to sound awkward.

Something flashed in Fogbreeze's eyes. "I know."

"I'm glad." Burrowpelt went pack to brushing out Sparrowfeather's tangles. But you don't just want to be friends, do you? And she wasn't sure if she did either.