Warriors: Reign Of Shadows ~Series 2 Book 6~

Chapter 24

Nutwhisker's POV:

The camp seemed emptier the following morning. The warriors crowded in a tight circle around Autumnpool as she sorted the patrols. Stormstar's ice blue eyes could be spotted from the leader's den, glowing in the darkness. Pure hatred burned in the leader's eyes as he watched his clan. Nutwhisker sighed.

There was a shriek from the camp entrance and a cat raced inside. Through the blood coating the cat's fur they were quickly identified as Foxclaw. The ginger tom's eyes were wide, dark blood dripping from his jaws. "H-help! Sh-she attacked us!" He voice was hoarse and he was gasping desperately for breath. "They're all d-dead!" He cried, collapsing onto the ground. A dark pool of blood quickly formed around him.

In a flash, Nutwhisker was carrying Foxclaw into the medicine cave with the help of Shinewing. It didn't matter if he wasn't a Lightclan warrior anymore he needed to be helped. The two medicine cats set to work on the injured warrior, patching up his countless wounds with cobwebs and herbs. Foxclaw let out small whimpers as they healed him. The tom's eyes were glazed in pain, his breathing short fast.

"I need chamomile!" Nutwhisker hissed, glancing back at Shinewing. The golden she cat darted to the herb store to search for the chamomile.

"There's none left!" She gasped.

"Thyme? Dandelion leaves?" Nutwhisker quickly listed off all the herbs he knew that helped treat a cat who was going into shock.

"It's gone!" The medicine cat apprentice hissed. "All gone, someone must've raided our herb supply!"

"But who?" Nutwhisker demanded, turning back to Foxclaw to see his condition was worsening. His jaws were parted in a feeble wail as he fought for breath, his body trembling. Blood was already soaking through the cobwebs that had been placed over the wounds. "If we don't do something soon Foxclaw will-"

He was cut off as Foxclaw shuddered violently and then fell still, his chest no longer moving. He was dead.

Nutwhisker took a step back, staring at the dead tom before him. "No..." He mumbled. "No.." He sat down, glaring at his paws- they were stained with Foxclaw's blood.

Shinewing brushed her tail against him. "I'll go tell the clan." The apprentice padded out of the den, heading up the tunnel and into the main clearing. Nutwhisker flinched as he heard shocked wails from outside as they heard the news.

Slowly, Nutwhisker padded up into the main clearing. Within a few heartbeats, all eyes turned to him. "I'm sorry, we did all we could." The medicine cat mumbled.

"No you didn't." Silvershy's voice growled from the crowd as she stalked towards Nutwhisker. "You let Foxclaw die because he wasn't a Lightclan warrior anymore!"

The clan let out murmurs, most of them confused by Silvershy's outburst.

"I didn't let him die! Are you crazy?" Nutwhisker gasped at the silver she cat.

"You're a failure, Nutwhisker! You couldn't save Foxclaw! You're a terrible medicine cat." Silvershy snarled before turning to the clan. "I think Nutwhisker should step down as medicine cat. He is weak and incapable of keeping us safe! It's about time Shinewing took his place; he's getting too old."

The clan didn't immediately reply to Silvershy's proposal, but to Nutwhisker's horror they weren't at all in a hurry to back him up. How could they possibly think that I should step down? What's up with Silvershy? Why is she like this?

Shinewing growled. "Nutwhisker is a perfect medicine cat."

"Yeah!" Flamefur hissed, strode up to Nutwhisker and glared back at the clan.

Silvershy rolled her eyes. "I'm not trying to get him banished or anything.. Just for him to step down from his position. There's no need to get so defensive."

Autumnpool cut in. "Silvershy, what is going on? What are you talking about?"

"Oh nothing." The silver she cat shrugged. "I just don't want to leave my life in the paws of a former slave of NoName. He could snap at anytime."

That statement seemed to set the clan off in a panic, and it wasn't long before they rallied behind Silvershy.

"Nutwhisker should step down!" Yowled Blizzardstorm.

"Yeah!" More yowls echoed from the clan and Nutwhisker shook his head in disbelief.

Is this really happening?

The clan continued to jeer Nutwhisker, throwing insults from evey direction. The brown tom let out a low hiss before darting away from the crowd and out of camp.

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