Don't Let Go

Chapter 9

I want to run, I want to run, into the night, I want to step into a dream with you, I want to run, I want to run, into the night, I want to step inside 'cause I know what we can do...

Silverlily's eyes shot open, and she bolted upright. She glanced over to her right to see a brown and white she-cat chewing up herbs, and with a paw-full of cobwebs.

"Settle down, you're fine now," she meowed.

"Mom?" came a small, timid voice. I glanced at Beekit, who was standing in the entrance. He raced over to me, giving me a quick nuzzle before stepping back, and looking at me with worried eyes.

"Don't you ever pass out like that again!" he exclaimed, bumping me softly with his fluffy head.

Silverlily laughed softly.

"You can't overwork yourself like that," the she-cat said, applying the herbs she had been chewing to her shoulder, along with the cobwebs. "You're going to have to stay in here for a couple of days. And you can tell your black and white friend that he can come in now,"

Badger came into the den, Meadowslip close behind.

"Are you okay? You passed out, and we had to drag you back to camp!" Badger said. Silverlily just nodded, too weary to say anything.

"She needs rest, can't you see that?" the medicine cat meowed. "So... shoo shoo," she waved her tail at them. The two left Silverlily alone. Beekit curled up against her body, shivering slightly, while Silverlily wrapped her tail around him.

"I don't need to go to the medicine cat, I'm fine!" exclaimed a voice from outside. It definitely belonged to a younger cat.

"You're getting in here if I have to drag you in here by your ear!" shouted a voice that I thought I heard before.

A brown dappled tom with green eyes was leaning on a ginger and brown dappled she-cat with white tips walked in. The she-cat was the one who had kind of defended Silverlily earlier.

"What happened this time?" asked the medicine cat.

"At this point, do you even have to ask, Acacialight? He went to the twoleg place, got his ears and pelt shredded by multiple kittypets, and decided he'd rather die than get help," said the younger she-cat. The tom grunted.

"Rabbitpaw, you need to stop," Acacialight said, flicking her brown and white tail. "As your aunt and your medicine cat, AND your mentor, I have to ask you to stop," Rabbitpaw rolled his eyes.

"They'll heal over time. I want cool scars to show to my kits, so I can show them how awesome I am!" he said, bouncing on his toes, but immediately stopping because of the pain.

"At this rate, you won't have any kits," muttered the she-cat.

"Shut up, Slightpaw! No one asked you!" Rabbitpaw hissed. Slightpaw rolled his eyes. The two were obviously siblings, along with the cat named Burstpaw that had been scared out of his wits before.

Rabbitpaw glanced over at Silverlily.

"What happened to you?" he asked. Slightpaw smacked him over the head with her tail.

"Rabbitpaw! That's so rude!" she hissed. Silverlily chuckled silently. Slightpaw turned to her with an apologetic look on her face.

"I'm sorry about both of my brothers, they're not so keen on learning their manners," Slightpaw said, smacking her tail over Rabbitpaw's mouth as he tried to speak up in defense about himself. Silverlily laughed.

"It's fine. I've gotten a lot of mixed reactions from a lot of different cats," she said. "I think you should get your brother treated. Slightpaw dipped her head to the silver she-cat, and pushed her brother towards the medicine cat, then spun and out of the door.

"Acacialight! Acacialight! Come quick!" shouted a cat. A hairless gray she-cat popped into view, her strange silver eyes sparking with worry. Her face was wrinkled. Silverlily was a little taken back by the cat's appearance, but she quickly recovered.

"Petalstride? What is it?" came the response. The medicine quickly applied the rest of the herbs that Rabbitpaw needed and rushed over to the she-cat.

"Flowersong's kitting!" she exclaimed.

"Now?" Acacialight shouted, and raced out of the den. Silverlily, thoroughly panicked, jumped to her feet, pain slicing through her pelt.

"What do you think you're doing?" Rabbitpaw growled sharply. Silverlily turned to the younger cat, ignoring his tone.

"Going to help my friend," she meowed. She just hoped the fate that had befallen three of her kits didn't happen to Flowersong's kits.