Windstar's Fate

Chapter Sixteen

Windsplash had finished her vigil the following morning. It felt weird to her that she wasn't going to be called 'Windpaw' anymore. She padded away, after all, she was finished her vigil. Except she did not go into the warriors den just yet. Simply, she looked up at the stars.

She knew Dawnsong had to be among them. She sighed, wondering if she was proud of her or not. After a good while of staring at the sky, she padded into the fresh new den she was going to be staying in.

Skywing blinked awake at the pawsteps created in the den. Surprisingly, he was the only one that she had woken up.

"Windsplash," he whispered in a hiss. "Come, your nest can be near mine." he pushed some moss next to his moss bed.

Windsplash timidly nodded, trying to step around warriors like Nightbriar and Goldenfrost. She did, successfully and a sigh of relief slipped out of her mouth when she fell into her moss bed. She wasn't going to get much sleep, after all, the morning patrol would be sent outside soon.

I can rest during the day. She thought with a shiver. The cold air inside the den was making her chill. Skywing looked up at her.

"Need some support?" Skywing said shyly. Windsplash didn't even think to respond but snuggle in next to him, feeling somewhat better. Skywing looked a bit embarrassed and his face was flush red, but, he didn't tell her to leave him alone.

. . .

Windsplash awoke sometime in the afternoon. She obviously wasn't picked for patrol as Pinewhisker would of awoke her by now. She felt well rested, especially after the long night with the vigil. She noticed Skywing was gone, and remembered Larksong's words.. He really does like you.

Windsplash blinked it away. Was it true, or was Larksong just being a tease? After all, they grew up together and she knew Larksong pretty well, she knew his playful but determined personality. As she thought about it more, she knew Larksong would be a great father to his kits.

Knowing Rosewillow was expecting was a joy to her. She loved new kin, and kits. She looked over at the nursery as she strolled out, noticing Pebblecreek had joined the other queens. Mistyrose was lucky that she got out, it's going to be jam-packed in there! Pebblecreek, Rosewillow, Rosewind...

Windsplash twitched her whiskers amusingly to herself. She went to go take a piece of prey before she heard Owlnose let out a cry.

Nightbriar was coughing, very hard too. A mouse, half-eaten at her feet. Owlnose jumped out. As far as Windsplash could see, Marshpaw wasn't in the den. Probably collecting herbs.

Windsplash and some of her clanmates, such as Robinears and Poppyleaf overlooked the dramatic situation, their ears flattened and horror-filled looks in their faces.

"Nightbriar - can you speak with all that coughing? What happened?-" he mewed, sheer horror on his face too. He genuinely looked distressed.

Nightbriar gave herself a moment, looking and shuffling her paws, she let out another rough cough. "I don't know, this mouse.. this mouse did not taste very good.. and now.. now.. I'm coughing like crazy-"

Owlnose dashed into his den to get a herb mix of poppy seeds and yarrow, but by the time he had ran back out, the coughing came to an end. Nightbriar fell silent. Owlnose flattened his ears, sadness and disappointment in his eyes.

Nightbriar lay limp and unmoving on the ground, it made Goldenfrost and Windsplash gasp. Poppyleaf let out a loud wail and fell into Goldenfrost, grief in her eyes, her wail had soon made the clan alerted..