Warriors: Underneath the Silver Light

Chapter 14

Just as Fawnbriar had feared, the mysterious disease has claimed more victims.

"Fawnbriar!" Dustpaw meows, his eyes wide. Fawnbriar knew immediately that it was not a good sign.

"What's wrong, Dustpaw?" Fawnbriar asks the apprentice with genuine concern.

"Wrenpaw... she's with StarClan now." Dustpaw meows. Fawnbriar could tell the young tom was at the verge of breaking down but is trying to hold himself together.

"Oh StarClan... I'm so sorry.." Fawnbriar meows. "She was too young.. too scared.. too weak.." She meows sadly. Dustpaw buries his face into Fawnbriar's chest, grieving the loss of his sister.

"Are Mistystorm, Bearclaw, and Bournpaw with her?" Fawnbriar asks. Dustpaw simply replies with a nod.

"I-I had to walk out or else I would wail." Dustpaw meows. "I'm going to miss her so much, Fawnbriar.." He meows.

"I understand.." Fawnbriar meows. Vigil was held for Wrenpaw that night.

• • •

Fawnbriar suddenly wakes up two mornings later to the sound of loud wailing. The dark brown tabby, very concerned, gets up out of her nest and exits the warriors' den. She walks over to the medicine cat den and peeks inside.

She spots two familiar lifeless bodies, with her mother standing over them with her head lowered. Sagepool is sitting beside her mother.

"Ivyleaf, I'm so sorry." Sagepool meows. "I did everything I could." She meows, a very sad and disappointed tone in her voice.

I understand Ivyleaf's sadness but why Sagepool? Does she blame herself? Fawnbriar thinks as she eavesdrops.

"It's okay, Sagepool. It isn't your fault. They are in StarClan now." Ivyleaf meows.

"It kind of is. I'm the medicine cat and it's my job to make sure my clan stays healthy. Whenever a cat dies under my care I feel like a failure and a burden to the clan." Sagepool responds.

"You are definitely not a burden. You always thought you were a burden, but you never were. You have a clan who loves you. You brought three beautiful kits into the world and put them under my care. Of course you're not a burden. You are very important, Sagepool. Stop bringing yourself down. You've been very sad ever since Stonefoot died in battle and I don't like it." Ivyleaf tells the medicine cat.

Wait... three out of the five of us are actually... Sagepool's kits?! Did I hear that right? And who in StarClan's name is Stonefoot? Fawnbriar thinks as she listens.

"You're the only cat who seems to care about me nowadays." Sagepool meows. "No one else pays attention to me except when they need me." She meows. "Even Mistystorm and Bearclaw. They're paying too much attention to each other that they haven't been talking to me much. Owlheart, Fawnbriar, and Cinderlight don't even know I'm their real mother and they're half RiverClan." She meows.

Oh... this is really juicy information. I've been lied to my entire life. Plus, I'm half RiverClan! But... even though this is good information.. I'm not going to tell a single cat, even Owlheart and Cinderlight. I don't want anyone to know about this, even those two because I feel like they wouldn't keep the secret. They're too clumsy and frogbrained to keep a secret. I can't imagine what would happen to Sagepool if the rest of the clan found out. Plus, the clan needs her very badly right now. Fawnbriar thinks.

"Well, I know now." Fawnbriar suddenly meows, walking into the medicine cat den.

"Fawnbriar?! What are you doing here so early?!" Ivyleaf meows, flattening her ears.

"I heard you wail so I got curious. You two don't have to worry. The secret is safe with me. I won't even tell Owlheart and Cinderlight." Fawnbriar replies, swaying her tail. "I may be mean a lot of the time, but I don't want anything bad happening to either of you." She meows.

"Thank you so much, Fawnbriar. I'm so sorry we had to keep this from you and the others." Sagepool meows.

"I understand, I guess. I will forget this happened from now on. I'm so sorry about Applebranch and Icewhisker." Fawnbriar meows, looking down at the lifeless bodies in the den, surrounded by other sleeping sick cats.

"Now, Fawnbriar, I think it's best for you to leave. We don't want you to get sick." Ivyleaf meows.

"Okay." Fawnbriar meows.

From then on, Fawnbriar pretended she did not hear what she heard that night. Vigil was held for Icewhisker and Applebranch the next night.

• • •

The next day, the disease caused yet another death. Doveflight was killed by the illness, which made the clan very sad. However, good news did arrive that day. Nettlebreeze announced that she's expecting Sootwhisker's kits and she moved into the nursery.

I'm happy for them. I'm happy for their kits since they will actually be raised by their true mother. I hope all of them stay healthy. Fawnbriar thinks.

Vigil was held for Doveflight that night.