Warriors: The Fading Light ~Series 1 Book 5~

Chapter 27

"Sounds like a nice place."

"It is."

"Nutwhisker?" Wildkit asked again, her purring had stopped. A small cough shook her entire body.

"Yes Wildkit?"

"Will I ever see my mother again?"

Nutwhisker doubted it. Wildkit's clan was far away which meant her mother and the rest of her clan would be in a completely different Starclan. But Nutwhisker didn't want to crush her hopes. Not when she was so close to death."Hopefully."

Wildkit coughed and and her body started shaking. "N-Nutwhisker I'm cold..."

Nutwhisker curled closer against Wildkit and screwed his eyes shut. He knew she was hanging onto her life by a thread.

And that thread was about to snap.

Wildkit whimpered. "Nutwhisker... Nutwhisker.."

"It's okay." Nutwhisker meowed softly. "Don't be afraid."

"I-I'm not." Her voice quivered. "But you are.. Don't let fear rule you." Wildkit's eyes rolled and then her eyelids closed. Her body twitched and small whimpers of pain came from her mouth. "Because," She paused and fought for breath. "Fear doesn't stop death. Fear let's death thrive."
Wildkit took in a sharp intake of breath and then stilled. A small sigh escaped her and everything went still.

Nutwhisker felt a single tear run down his cheek and he irritably swiped it away with a paw. He took a deep breath and rose to his paws. His gaze lingered on Wildkit's body for a heartbeat longer before letting out a mournful yowl, "Wildkit is dead!"

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Stormflame's POV:

"Wildkit is dead!"

Stormflame raised his head sleepily. "Wha-?" He saw Nutwhisker standing a tail-length away, facing the medicine den entrance.

Silverstar coughed from beside Stormflame. "What?"

Stormflame shrugged and rose to his paws. He padded up to Nutwhisker and turned to see Wildkit laying in her nest. At first glance it looked like she was sleeping but as Stormflame peered closer, it was obvious the little kit was dead. Stormflame gasped, "Oh no!"

"What is it?" Silverstar meowed impatiently from her nest.

"Come over here." Stormflame answered with a flick of his tail.

"I can't! I'm too weak." Silverstar muttered. "Just tell me what's wrong!"

"Wildkit died!" Nutwhisker snarled. "She died in my paws. Just moments ago."

Soon, Watersplash and Shinepaw appeared from their nests and a crowd started outside the den. An onslaught of worried meows sounded from outside and Stormflame felt his head start to ache from the constant noise. He slowly crawled back to his nest to see Silverstar pressed her face against the wall of the den with a pained expression on her face.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Stormflame asked and edged closer to Silverstar.

"Fine." Silverstar hissed, "I'm fine." She turned her face from Stormflame and he peered closer but an angry hiss from her made him reel backwards.

"You sure?" Stormflame asked, still worried.

Silverstar didn't answer.

Stormflame nudged her with his paw and she spun around to face him. "Go away!" She snarled. A rush of wind passed through the medicine den that pulled on Stormflame's fur.