Warriors: Sunbeam (To The Past Book 1)

Chapter Five

Bluekit watched the apprentices go back and forth as she sat outside of the nursery. The sun had gone and was replaced by a full moon. Tonight was the Gathering but no cat in Snowclan would be going.

The patrols were still out and no word had come about their findings or their oncoming return. She found herself worried about the medicine cats. Sure they were harboring a liar but they were an important part of the clan.

She watched Birdkit drag inside each piece of prey brought to the den. She had seen Featherfoot go inside but she was against going to visit because of Birdkit. She is probably going to poison him. The sudden thought moved her paws. She pounced Birdkit as soon as she entered the den.

"You're trying to kill Featherfoot!" she accused as she glanced at a pile of herbs beside his nest. Birdkit struggled against her greater weight. Grassear growled as she got up from beside Snowhare.

She pulled Bluekit off of Birdkit just as Bluekit began churning her hind legs against her back. Fur stuck to her unsheathed claws and blood welled up on Birdkit's back. Grassear carried her out and back to the nursery as Bluekit struggled to get free.

She dropped her roughly once inside the nursery. Grassear was still growling. "Enough of your antics! Your sister is trying to help sick cats and you accusing her is not helping."

Heathertail lifted her head sleepily. "What's going on?"

"Bluekit attacked Birdkit," Grassear growled. "I will be staying here to watch her."

Heathertail growled. "Bluekit, how could you? She is your sister!"

"She is trying to poison Featherfoot!" Bluekit protested. Birdkit had no idea what she was doing with the herbs. She wasn't a medicine cat!

Grassear shoved her with her head toward a nest. "Enough! She knows what she is doing! If you were paying attention instead of being selfish, you would know that she has started training as a medicine cat," she growled.

Bluekit huffed as she curled up in the nest. Grassear lay beside her. She tossed and turned, unable to get comfortable with all the worries about her father running through her mind. Grassear sighed. "Stay still, Bluekit."

"But Birdkit is poisoning everyone!"

Grassear smacked her gently in the back of the head with her tail. "Enough! She is doing no such thing. Get the absurd thought out of your head!"

Bluekit growled, annoyed that no one believed her. She curled up away from her and closed her eyes. I will be proven right when a cat dies. No one could deny her then.

She woke up to yowls of shock and outrage. Startled, she moved to Grassear and pressed against her belly. Grassear jumped to her paws and rushed to the entrance. Bluekit shook herself and ran to her side.

Oaktooth's patrol was back and pacing, their eyes wide. A patrol from Lakeclan was with them. The Wingclan apprentices were with Birdkit as Oaktooth announced their news.

"Snowdash's scent just suddenly stopped at the border. Lakeclan joined us to search their land for him but we came up with nothing. It's like he just vanished!" He swiveled his head toward the medicine den when coughing sounded.

Birdkit ran in to tend to whoever was coughing. Oaktooth looked at the apprentices as Lakeclan and his patrol surrounded him. "Did anyone else get sick?"

"No, but Featherfoot has greencough," Lakepaw answered. His words shocked the cats and they backed away from the medicine den.

"But how? He hasn't been sick that long!" Oaktooth exclaimed, his tail flicking.