WITHERING HERBS || A Warriors Fanfiction

|| chapter six

Owlpaw slipped away from the medicine cat's den, his golden eyes blinking and mind swirling.

Meadowdapple is gone, he thought, And... Now, who to care for the kits?

Then, he felt a jolt hit him.

Hazelberry is going to have to take care of them. 

There was no other she-cat in the Clan, and he was sure that Stonestar was not going to ask the other Clans for help. They would not bother with a couple of kits, who might die in the end. He shivered, wondering what happen to the future of the Clan, now with some kits to care for. More mouths to feed is not a good thing, especially during leaf-fall, and with this sickness going around.

The apprentice sat outside of his den, wondering if the kits inside of the medicine cat den would ever reach apprenticeship.

He watched as Hazelberry exited the medicine cat's den.

"Hazelberry!" he exclaimed, and leaped up, racing towards her. He felt dread creep up on him, and he pretended to act confused. "Where is Meadowdapple?"

She paused, ears flattened. "Meadowdapple... is gone." 

Real confusion swathed Owlpaw. He thought that they were going to keep that secret? Perhaps Hazelberry hadn't expected questions that soon? He stopped himself swiftly.

"I... I suppose you are to take care of them...?" 

Then, Hazelberry turned away, and Stonestar exited the medicine cat's den. His ears were lowered, and the apprentice spotted that he was struggling to keep his fur flat. The plain gray tom launched himself onto the highrock, and he sat quickly, his tail curling around his paws.

Most of the Clan had gathered already, but he called his Clanmates together regardless. Flintpath had been exiting the den, and Heronleap soon followed him. The two cats sat near each other, Sedgestorm sat near Hazelberry, and Owlpaw sat alone. 

"As you know, Meadowdapple and Heronleap recently had kits. Meadowdapple was not able to make it through the kitting."

Heronleap let out a long, sad, yowl for his mate. The apprentice looked over at them, and he spotted Flintpath gently placing his tail on Heronleap's shoulder. Closing his golden eyes, he wondered how the world would be different if Meadowdapple were here right now.

"We mourn her death greatly. We will miss her, but now we must make a different decision."

Owlpaw's eyes flew open and he looked sharply up at Stonestar.

The leader paused but beckoned Hazelberry and Heronleap up to the highrock. Sedgestorm, now sitting alone, got up and went over to his apprentice, sitting down. 

"Heronleap, I hope you understand that this... this kitting that you have caused... has caused us to lose our last female warrior, which has also caused us to lose a number. We have lost a mouth to feed, but thanks to Hazelberry, we now have two more to feed. Moreover, we do have two kits that need a mother. Therefore, I ask you, Hazelberry to care for these kits."

The medicine cat dipped her head to Heronleap, whose eyes were shining with pleading. The dark brown apprentice could see he wanted her to take care of them.

"Stonestar... I... Must accept this offer. However," she added right away, "if these kits get in the way of anything of my ranking in this Clan, I will immediately go back."

The plain gray tom flicked his whiskers, concealing his surprise. He inclined his head, and he meowed to Flintpath, 

"Get the kits." 

The white-and-gray tom stood up and turned around quickly. He headed into the medicine cat's den, and he disappeared into the shadows. After a moment, he reappeared with two kits dangling from his mouth. He padded to the center of the camp, and he dropped them there. He quickly returned to the position that he had been had been a moment ago.

"What are their names, Clanmates?" Stonestar queried.

Sedgestorm questioned, "Is one a female?" Hazelberry headed over to the two kits and flicked her tail as she looked up.

"They are both males," she told him.

Sedgestorm nodded. "I believe that Heronleap can name one," he offered the tom.

Heronleap dipped his head to the warrior. He looked up at the dark sky, now turned black as the moon hung in the sky. Stars speckled the blanket of darkness, and the warrior closed his eyes momentarily.

He opened them again, and he looked back down at his Clanmates.

"His," the warrior pointed at the white tom with black paws, "Name will be Ashkit." 

Owlpaw flicked his tail, and he studied the other kit. He was light brown, with lighter, jagged splotches all over him. He was wriggling around, accidentally smashing into Ashkit several times. He appeared to be heading to where the majority of the cats sat.

"So?" prompted Stonestar. 

Flintpath called out, "How about Aspenkit?"

It was dismissed right away by Hazelberry, to which the white-and-gray tabby sighed.

"Sagekit? Sorrelkit?" Hazelberry suggested. 

Stonestar shook his head. "I like Willowkit," 

"No," Flintpath argued, "Blossomkit is nice."

"I don't like any of those names!" Heronleap exclaimed. "What about Briarkit or Acornkit?"

Flintpath, Stonestar, Heronleap, and Hazelberry argued like this for a little while. One would suggest a name, only to immediately be shot down by another who disliked it. However, Sedgestorm and Owlpaw did not suggest any names out loud. The two were discussing quietly over names. 

"I think," Sedgestorm had to raise his voice over the rest of his Clanmates, "that Owlpaw has a good name idea. He is the next youngest, after all."

All heads turned to the apprentice. Heronleap's eyes were shadowy, however, Flintpath's were bright and defiant. Hazelberry's were concealed, as were Stonestar's.

At first, Owlpaw didn't want to say the name. He shouldn't have to name a kit... What if he changed the kit's entire future by this one name? And what if this kit figured out that he was named by a mere apprentice?

Sedgestorm gave the dark brown tom a gentle, but firm, nudge. "Go on, Owlpaw," he murmured to his apprentice.

"I think Maplekit is good."

Then, before anyone could react, Sedgestorm nodded, leaping up and swishing his tail. 

"Excellent. We've named them both. Ashkit and Maplekit will sleep with Hazelberry for tonight, and perhaps they will sleep with the warriors in the following nights to keep warm."

The warrior ushered Owlpaw into the apprentice's den. 

"Thank you, Sedgestorm..." he looked up at his mentor, his golden eyes bright.

The warrior gently touched his nose to Owlpaw's. "I know that you just want a good life in this Clan... I'm not sure if these kits will be helping, for that means we have more mouths to feed... But I don't know if they will even live to their second moon."

Owlpaw looked up at Sedgestorm. "How do you know that? I can hunt extra hard for them and the Clan, and everyone will get fed. The kits will live for as long as StarClan allows them."

The warrior laughed softly, "Sometimes it doesn't matter how much you hunt for the Clan, or how strongly you fight against invaders. Sometimes, the will of StarClan powers over all."

Owlpaw's golden eyes swirled with confusion.

Sedgestorm shook his head. "Goodnight, Owlpaw."

"Goodnight, Sedgestorm."