WITHERING HERBS || A Warriors Fanfiction

|| chapter one

Stonestar, a plain gray tom, sat atop the highrock, a ledge in MudClan's camp. The cats of MudClan lived in a dip on a hill. Their territory was dotted with rocks, and plain-like. His tail curled over his paws, ears perked, as he watched as his Clanmates slowly awoke.

First was Flintpath, a gray tom with white tabby stripes. He was almost always the first cat up, due to his frequent nightmares of Briarstripe's death. Briarstripe was his mate, a few moons ago, and she had died due to the sickness raging in the Clans. She had been a strong-hearted warrior who always believed one day herself and Flintpath would have kits. She died too early for that to ever happen.

Stonestar flicked his tail in greeting to Flintpath, who inclined his head deeply. The gray and white tabby tom sat down near the nursery, looking into the empty den, copper eyes shadowed sadly. His eyes glanced over to the fresh-kill pile, which had a stale-looking mouse and a slightly plump bird. 

Then, Heronleap and Meadowdapple emerged from the warriors den, both looking tired. Meadowdapple, nor Heronleap had mates, but the two had grown closer as their family and friends died around them. Meadowdapple's creamish-yellow pelt looked freshly groomed, the dapples on her back shiny. Heronleap's white pelt looked clean too.

Sedgestorm came out last, flicking his tail. He spotted with green eyes that nearly everyone was awake. He glanced at the apprentice's den, wondering briefly when the only apprentice in the Clan would awaken. Sedgestorm licked his pelt, white-and-silver tabby, as he waited for his apprentice to emerge from his den.

A dark brown tom appeared from the apprentice's den, his warm golden eyes glittering, as he realized that everyone was awake.

"Oh, hello," he murmured to his mentor - Sedgestorm - and he flicked his tail in a greeting to the other cats of the Clan. Did I really sleep in that late? The apprentice wondered briefly, but the thought subsided.

Stonestar sat up straight, and raised his tail. The cats of MudClan gathered instinctively, and sat down.

"For patrols," the gray tom began, observing the states of his warriors and apprentice. "Sedgestorm, Owlpaw, you can patrol the borders. Heronleap, go hunting, and Meadowdapple, you can stay here for now." Then, Stonestar added, "Sedgestorm, Owlpaw, Heronleap, you three can share prey. Meadowdapple and I will eat the other one." 

As the luminous sun rose higher into the sky, the cats of MudClan dispersed. Meadowdapple padded over to the fresh-kill pile, grabbing the mouse and sat down. Stonestar joined her momentarily.

Owlpaw went over to the pile of prey, which only consisted of a bird. He grabbed it and turned around to see Sedgestorm, his mentor, and Heronleap. 

The brown tom sat down with the prey in his jaws and he dropped it, taking two small bites and then pushing it away to the other two.

"You'll need it more than me, anyways," he meowed to them, getting up and walking away from the prey. If he looked at it, he'd want more. He shivered, his thin, soft fur easily getting penetrated by the winds of leaf-fall.

Soon, Owlpaw noticed the two warriors finished the bird. Padding out of camp, Owlpaw glanced over his shoulder to see them following. He slowed down, letting his mentor take the lead.

"No, you go, Owlpaw," Sedgestorm meowed, to which the brown-furred apprentice felt surprise leap up inside him. He could lead a warrior to the borders?

His white paws sped up as he headed to the border MudClan shared with SquirrelClan. Owlpaw and his mentor approached the border, and the apprentice instinctively scented the air. No fresh scent, Owlpaw thought, ear flicking, but SquirrelClan marked their border yesterday. Not today, yet.

He began to mark the borders, Sedgestorm doing the same. 

Soon, they finished. 

"Okay, let's go to PineClan, then," Owlpaw's mentor told him, and the white-and-silver tabby started towards PineClan. Owlpaw followed, his white paws working swiftly to catch up. He tried very hard not to think of the sickness that consumed everyone's thoughts. Every day this happened; everyone woke up, never spoke of the illness, and did not discuss it. The day carried on as normal. Stonestar ordered patrols, everyone ate, and then went off to do their separate things. Often, everyone went to sleep early. Currently there was nobody terribly sick in MudClan, but occasionally you could hear a cough from the warriors den.

As they arrived at PineClan, Sedgestorm stopped abruptly, tail raising and fur brushing up.  

"I smell cats," he murmured. 

Owlpaw gave a soft growl. MudClan was known for their fighting skills, and considered the reserved Clan. Perhaps that was why there was sometimes scents across their border. Before the illness raged the Clans, there used to be extensive clashes between MudClan and the other Clans, due to them crossing borders. They always had been reticent, and that often lead to the other Clans passing their borders even if it was to get a morsel of prey. The MudClan cats had decided they needed to teach them a lesson, and fought with the power of StarClan to get them away from their territory.

Then, a mottled gray she-cat stepped into their sight. 

Robinstar!

The thought echoed in Owlpaw's mind. The leader of PineClan stood in front of the three MudClan cats, a dark brown-and-mackerel striped tom and ashy-gray tom standing beside her. The trio looked at them with warm eyes, not hostile at all. Sedgestorm rose to his full height, Heronleap doing the same.

"Hello, Heronleap, Sedgestorm, Owlpaw," meowed Duckfrost, the darker brown tom with mackerel stripes, lowering his head. 

"Greetings," replied Sedgestorm, and he dipped his head, Heronleap doing the same. The brown apprentice felt out of place as he awkwardly inclined his own head.

"How is MudClan?" asked Robinstar casually, her tail lashing behind her. Inquiry rose inside of Owlpaw, and from then on he meticulously watched the mottled gray she-cats actions.

"Fine," answered Heronleap, "and PineClan?" 

Rainpad, the other tom with Robinstar, gave a swift response, "Good," His eyes were shadowed with consciousness and pain, and the tom scuffed his paw against the ground.

"We lost a warrior a quarter moon ago," murmured Robinstar, her eyes obscure, "Barktail."

All six of the cats there bowed their heads.

 It was as if all borders disappeared once the illness had taken any of the cats in the Clans. The clouds growled above them, yet nobody looked up to see if the clouds were dark. Everyone was soberly standing, heads lowered, and they thought of Barktail. Especially Rainpad, who tried not to let his eyes burn and cry. 

The borders seemed like imaginary kit lines in the sand as little droplets of liquid fell consequently from the dreary clouds above. Heronleap reached across the border with his tail and placed it gently on Rainpad's shoulder, who began to cry at the considerate touch from an opposing Clan.

Duckfrost led Rainpad away, and Robinstar looked up at the sky.

The mottled gray leader of PineClan uttered something in a soft, yet at the same time grave tone and then left with her Clanmates with a swift movement.