Chapter Text
Wind flew through the gorge, faster than it normally would. A cat with a pelt of pure black climbed the cliffs along the gorge, padding towards the cave that sat at the gorge's very top. They leaped, shadowing the full moons dimming moonlight as the storm pressed forward. Their pelt was shorter in length, mostly pitch black, and sleek. It bristled with the cold as the wind pushed its way through.
As they entered the cave, aptly named the Moonlit Cave, the moonlight seeped through a crack in the ceiling causing the milky light to come flooding down into the cave. They trot forward, lying in front of the light’s edge. They close their eyes and press their dark colored nose into the moonlight's rays. Swiftly, they fall asleep.
“Cricketsong, welcome back,” mewed a soft voice. Cricketsong looked up. They were no longer in a cave but in a beautiful starlit liminal space. Starclan, or at the very least, somewhere close to it so they could converse with their ancestors. In front of them stood a tall orange and sandy colored cat. Her legs were spindly and her tail was also long.
“Sunlick,” the black cat, Cricketsong, cries as they touch noses. “Every day I miss you. Your guidance was lost too soon.”
Sunlick’s soft and tall body glowed in the dark space. She smiled and shook her head. “You have become an incredible medicine cat in my stead. I taught you well and you are excelling.”
She stepped back again and stared directly into Cricketsong’s green eyes. “As much as I want to converse, I come bearing news,” Sunlick announced.
“I can only say this and this alone, so remember my words. ‘Look up. Starvation and disaster will tear the earth. Place your trust in flight.’” Her eyes shine while reciting the prophecy, then return to their normal light brown color. “I don’t know what this means, unfortunately. Only that you must hear it. I wish I could help more.”
Cricketsong cocked their head in deep confusion. However, they understood that the ex-medicine cat couldn’t elaborate. This was just how prophecies worked. “It doesn’t sound… good. Why can’t Starclan ever send good prophecies?”
Sunlick giggles, reminding Cricketsong of just how youthful she still was when she passed on. She could have been their daughter in a different life.
“I wish I knew,” she meows. “When I find out how to change things up here, I’ll let you know. Don’t forget this, Cricketsong. I believe in you, we all do.” Her form shimmers. The night was fading too quickly.
“Can Starclan give any guidance on our leader, Viperstar?” Cricketsong said quickly. They knew it was futile, but they were at their wits end.
“No,” said Sunlick. She jumped into the sky. Then she frowned down on her successor. Starlight flickered through her sandy pelt. “I trust you can handle this and protect our clan now. Don’t forget. Look up. Starvation and disaster will tear the earth. Place your trust in flight.” With that she bound away into mist and nothingness.
Cricketsong raised their head with bleary eyes, back in the Moonlit Cave. The wind was still kicking up and it whistled across the crevice in the cave ceiling.
This will be a nasty storm, the cat thought while slowly standing. This weather always made their scars ache. Deep gashes marred their lower under belly, the messily healed scars somewhat hidden by black fur. The wounds raked from their mid belly all the way down to the base of their tail. Wounds that should have killed them. And instead, with the help of Sunlick, Cricketsong lived. No longer a tom, nor really a she-cat. And at the very least, Starclan blessed them with the ability to relieve themselves and mark, even after all of the gore that ruined their lower half.
The night they suffered their wounds also had a storm similar to the one that has begun to rage. Cricketsong shook their body, not wanting to relieve old trauma. They began their dissent, preparing to speak with Viperstar regarding what they heard from Starclan that night. This would be a long night.
~
Viperstar shivered and licked Mantiskit on her head. The queen's den had a large opening to the gorge not too far from where she laid. The wind whips and makes its way into the cave, cooling the new queen to the bone.
“Are you cold, Viperstar?” A fluffy and pretty cat walks in, placing more moss on the leader's nest. The leader nods curtly and Milkthistle laid next to her, behind her back. Her long fluffy fur, a dark gray, growing into a light gray color, provides well needed warmth. Her tail is a silvery white, just as fluffy and warm. It curled around the velvety brown and red colored queen. She began to lick Viperstar’s head softly.
“Don’t worry about sharing tongues with me right now, just keep resting. We have to keep both you and your kit well fed and warm,” Milkthistle purred. Viperstar sighed and let her head drop into her paws.
“I’m exhausted every sunrise and sundown,” Viperstar growled. “When does this start to feel worth it?” Milkthistle froze midlick then backed her head away to answer.
“You’ve gone through the most traumatic birth I’ve ever seen a cat go through. You and Mantiskit are only alive because Starclan willed it and we had so much support from our clanmates. Especially thanks to Cricketsong-”
“What about me?” Cricketsong says as they enter. Viperstar growls again and avoids eye contact. Mantiskit mewls at her mothers sudden growl. Viperstar starts licking her again.
“Sorry to intrude so late,” says the medicine cat. “I’ve just returned from the Moonlit Cave.” Viperstar whips her head up.
“It’s a full moon?!” She exclaims. They nod and Viperstar bristles. “Great, and if you’re here, that must mean you bring news. Milkthistle, please go fetch me fresh water, and take your time returning. We need to talk.” Milkthistle rose and nodded to them both separately before leaving. Viperstar shuddered again, the resident queen’s warmth leaving.
“I will ask Sunflare to send more patrols to find dry moss tomorrow,” Cricketsong began. They laid across from her, Mantiskit wiggling a bit in between them at her stomach. “I spoke with Sunlick. She gave me a prophecy.” Viperstar’s ears flicked at the name of the old medicine cat.
“Look up. Starvation and disaster will tear the earth. Place your trust in flight,” they recite. Viperstar narrowed her eyes.
“What-,” she began, “-does that even mean?”
Cricketsong scoffed. “Sunlick couldn’t tell me. I can’t make any sense of it. Cats can’t fly.”
“Then why tell me?” Viperstar snarled. “What am I to do with this right now?”
Cricketsong’s eyes widened and they stuttered before saying, “Because you are Skyclan’s leader. And I am their medicine cat. Those are our roles and we have a whole clan to take care of now.”
Viperstar’s hackles rose but she remained lying down. Cricketsong began to stand, intending to leave but the queen hissed and they laid down again. Mantiskit mewed softly. Cricketsong glanced down at the kit, their eyes softening from fear to protection. Their leader began to huff as she breathed, anger coursing through her.
“Please calm down,” Cricketsong said softly, their eyes still on the kit. “For her sake.”
“You are an idiot, Cricketsong.” They returned eye contact to Viperstar. Tears welled in her eyes but anger was the only emotion they saw in her. “Why has no one asked who the father is?” she asked. “Why haven’t you asked me about all of the names of my kits?” Tears began to stream down her velvety coat. “Why couldn’t you save me? Why did I die? Why did all my kits die?” She coughed, sucking in air before asking a single last question. “Why didn’t Starclan save me or my kits?”
Cricketsong was frozen, watching her sob. The wind outside covered her sniffling. They took a breath then stood, looking down at her. She looks up to them but quickly glares and whips her head away, her ears flat to her head and tears dripping slowly.
“Starclan did save you” Cricketsong admonished. “And you have a daughter, she is right there. You have one life left, yes, but so do I and the rest of this clan. You haven’t been in the right mindset to talk about anything else further yet.”
Cricketsong turned and left before letting her respond. They motion to Milkthistle to return and then they return to their isolated nest in the medicine cat cave. The sun would rise soon, and they were beyond exhausted. Viperstar’s birth and death had been a few days ago, but even now they were still feeling the fatigue and exhaustion from that traumatic all nighter.
~
Skyfall noticed something was off immediately, her nose wiggling the air as the sun rose. She knew, too, that it wasn’t due to the stormy winds that still whipped through the gorge. She stretched and walked out of the warriors den to see a handful of warriors already in the clearing. Puddlesplash and Moonshadow follow her out of the warrior’s den and join her, just in time to see their leader jump up to the meeting boulder, also called the High Boulder. She announced the meeting call and the clan finished gathering in the clearing. The rain and wind had lightened up for the moment, making it a perfect time to speak to the clan.
“Mantiskit is well and strong,” she began. Sighs of relief sounded throughout the crowd. “I am recovering and the worst of this should be behind us. Now,” she paused, somewhat dramatically in Skyfall’s opinion. “I’ve heard murmurs about who my mate is, as I haven’t been very open about this yet.” Most of the clan stayed silent. It wasn’t a secret that everyone had been wondering who the father was. Some cats even wondered if Skyfall’s father, Sunflare, had sired them. She bristled softly at that idea.
“I’ve decided that he can come forward if he wishes to. Our relationship was new and short, and I want to respect his privacy.” The clan is still quiet, this time heads swivelling around to one another. No cat comes forward. “And that’s fine,” She meowed, looking down. “That’s his choice and I will respect that.” She looked up again. “All right, Skyclan. Please direct your attention to Sunflare, we need a good amount of patrols today.” And with that she bound back into the queen’s den.
Sunflare jumped up onto High Boulder and began announcing the morning patrols. Her name wasn’t called, luckily. So, Skyfall took that as a chance to slip away for a moment.
Skyfall sneaks into the medicine den quietly. Cricketsong had been absent at the meeting, and she intended on making sure they were okay. She knew last night had been a full moon, and where they had gone.
The black cat was sleeping in their nest in the back corner of the den. Skyfall breathed a soft breath of relief. She decided it would be best to leave them alone, they could talk later.
She left the den, just as Sunflare said something about adding one last patrol to do a border patrol. She hears her name and joins back up with Puddlesplash, Pearpelt, and a warrior she had barely interacted with her whole life. His name was Rippleclaw. He was quiet and usually kept to himself. His unique pelt of whites and grays reminded her of water ripples from rain, mottled in large splotches on his cream colored body.
He led the patrol, this time heading into the forest part of their territory. This patrol was meant to be a border sweep and bring back as much prey as we encountered on the border, but no wandering off was allowed. It went as normal as it could have, thankfully, and Skyfall followed her ex-mentor back into camp with a robin planted firmly in her jaw.
Her fur was wet and the wind was cold, but it wasn’t something she hadn’t lived though before. Storms and rain are common in their territory. She placed the bird on the special fresh kill pile that was sheltered in a small cave, away from the elements. She would eat later, after all the queens, kits, and elders ate first.
“Hello, Skyfall,” a voice says from behind her. She turns, surprised. Cricketsong was accompanied by Viperstar, both cats standing behind her.
“Let’s all go on a walk,” Viperstar says softly. She turns and starts to leave. Cricketsong’s ears lay flat and they looked smaller than usual. Skyfall tilted her head at them. They quickly shook their head no and turned to follow Viperstar. Hesitantly Skyfall followed as well. As she left, Pearpelt began to ask where she was going but she shook her head no. He stops and nods, but his tail flicks indignantly.
The three cats stride into the clan's territory near where the forest kissed the gorge's cliffs. Viperstar halted suddenly. She turned to face the young warrior and medicine cat.
“I need time away from that kit. And we need to talk. All three of us,” she says.
“Why me, why am I here?” Skyfall asks innocently.
She smiles, this being the first time Skyfall could remember seeing her do that in moons. “Because I know you are precious to him,” she says, jutting her paw at Cricketsong.
“They aren’t a tom-” Skyfall is cut off as Viperstar jumps forward and digs half claws in Skyfall’s shoulder. Skyfall cries out, shocked and crouches down attempting to pull away.
“Shut up, or I dig farther,” Viperstar hissed. Cricketsong jumps at the dark red cat, teeth grabbing her scruff and pulling her off Skyfall. She can feel blood dribble down her shoulder onto her side, and it stings, but it’s not deep.
Cricketsong throws Viperstar back and all three cats are crouching at one another.
“What is wrong with you,” hisses Cricketsong.
“Shut up, both of you,” Viperstar spat. “That was merely a warning. Let me speak and I won’t use my claws again,” her hackles raise. Cricketsong glances at Skyfall and nods a small nod. Cricketsong slowly walks to Skyfall’s injured side. Skyfall sits and begins to lick where she can reach. Viperstar also sits, not too far, licking her claws while smiling again.
“You,” she pointed a claw at Skyfall. “Stay quiet while we discuss.” Skyfall just nods. What in Starclan’s name is happening right now, she thinks to herself.
“You,” she continued, pointing to Cricketsong now. “Shut up and listen.” Cricketsong nods, ears flat.
“You used to be my mate,” Viperstar began, pausing to stare at Skyfall who seemed unfazed by that. “And considering her lack of reaction, I’m assuming you’ve told Skyfall at least some of our story. You and I lived through a brutal encounter and you were badly maimed. We never bore kits before you lost your tom parts, and now you’re a mangled tom. Cat. Nothing. Whatever you say you are,” Loathing laced through her words as she called them a tom. She started pacing. “You were nest bound for moons, spending all your time in the medicine den. Then you went and fell in love with that tall, lanky, ugly cat, Sunlick-”
“No, I did not,” Cricketsong said suddenly, firmly. Viperstar stomped a paw at them.
“You fell in love with her craft, her kind words, her tall body, her herbs and her luring voice. I saw the way you looked at her. How you only smiled with her, and never with me anymore. You gave up being a warrior to train under that soft she-cat who was born after we became warriors. You abandoned me.” Viperstar’s voice wavered. Skyfall felt extreme awkwardness. Why was she here to hear and watch all of this? She looked down at the ground.
“I love you, Cricketsong.” Viperstar continued. “I loved you before the accident and I never stopped loving you. I told you I wanted a family and a life with you. All I have ever wanted was to sleep together in our nest, to have your kits, and support my family as your leader. And you refused me.” She growled.
“I couldn’t give you kits anymore,” Cricketsong shouted. Skyfall saw their claws dig into the ground. “You changed after losing your first two lives in that accident. I wanted to be happy and being your mate no longer was a happy life for me. Becoming Skyclan’s' next medicine cat was my destiny and I love who I am now!” Tears welled in their eyes.
“Maybe you couldn’t,” hissed Viperstar. “That didn’t mean you had to leave me. We still could have a family. I could’ve still bore kits. I tried to prove that to you on my own, and now because of you, I have 4 dead kits and I’m on my last life.” Skyfall was confused, and it seemed Cricketsong was as well.
“What do you mean, Viperstar?” Cricketsong balked. “Who is Mantiskit’s father?” Skyfall turned her head to look at the black cat.
“Your brother, of course! He could give me your kits, basically by proxy. Hornetdance is just as amazing of a warrior that you used to be. He was a perfect alternate,” she answered flippantly and exasperated.
Cricketsong gasped and nearly gagged. “What?” was all they could muster.
Viperstar walked in a circle, pacing around the two other cats. “He is so quiet and well behaved. And he wouldn’t dare to tell me no. Especially when I threatened to punish his mate. Poppyhare was so frail, anything could happen to her at any time on any day. Then she did die, but it wasn’t my fault. He told me he wouldn’t tell a soul, even with her gone. I knew he was too heartbroken to tell anyone anyways.”
Cricketsong gasped. “But she passed away over six moons ago.” Skyfall had only been an apprentice less than a moon when Poppyhare had passed from a common illness. She barely remembered Poppyhare, but she knew of Hornetdance. He was one of the strongest and oldest warriors still active in her clan. Viperstar was right, though. He was very quiet and loyal.
Viperstar sighed. “I know that. It took many moons of trying before Hornetdance was finally able to successfully impregnate me. He was so timid and hesitant. I wonder if that may have been a factor with how long it took to work. I don’t blame him, I am fierce and powerful.” She puffed her chest. “It’s your fault it took so long,” she said, staring at the black cat again. “You ruined everything. Had you been my loyal mate and supported me the whole way, I would have bore kits sooner and they all would have survived! You could have been there, encouraged your kin, helped with the process.”
“Are you nuts?” Cricketsong yelled through gritted teeth. Skyfall raised her eyes thinking, well, of course she is. “I had nothing to do with any of this, you crazy cat. This is making me wish we had both died to that coyote that day.”
Viperstar froze and stared. “No.” She stated. “We can still be a family. I still love you, and I’m done pretending you can’t be mine.” Her gaze whipped back to Skyfall.
“And falling for a warrior this young? Don’t make me laugh. She’s half a cat at best, and she’s useless to you. Especially when you have me!”
Cricketsong pounced, yowling out in anger. They pinned her against the ground easily, thanks to the surprise, pressing her neck into the dirt.
“You are sick. Sick in the head,” they hissed. “Skyfall is a friend, nothing more. She’s become more like my daughter than anything else. I am not so sick as to fawn over kits. In fact, I no longer desire a mate at all. And that is my business, not yours any longer.”
Viperstar struggled but it was clear she didn’t intend to harm the black cat. Her hind paws could have raked their belly or kicked them, but she hovered and didn’t press at all.
“I believe in Starclan and our Warrior code, and you’re lucky I do,” they continued. “I love my new role, too. Otherwise I’d rip your throat open for what you’ve done and send you to… wherever you’re sent. You also still have a kit, and I cannot leave her alone in this world.” They pressed their paw deeper into her throat and she gagged. They leaned down and whispered straight into one of her ears, “You don’t deserve to be Skyclan’s leader.”
That set her off. Her eyes almost glowed red and she screamed. Her free paws jutted out kicking into their abdomen, throwing them back off. They land a bit clumsily. This gives her enough time to stand and swipe out at Skyfall, who was looking to where Cricketsong landed. Skyfall cries out as Viperstar sinks her claws into her back, then screams when Viperstar bites down into Skyfall’s large scar on her shoulder, with full force. Skyfall swipes claws at Viperstar’s legs, blindly and wildly. Viperstar’s grip does not let go. The pain bursts white spots into Skyfall’s eyes, briefly causing Skyfall’s legs to fall out from under them. Now the crazy leader had Skyfall under her bite and claws, pinned with no leverage.
Cricketsong chokes a sob, freezing in place. “Stop, Viperstar, it’s me you want! Not her,” they plead. They then crouch, preparing to pounce on her again.
Pearpelt leapt out of the shadows, tearing Viperstar off of Skyfall with ease, who cried loudly as Viperstar’s teeth and claws were ripped from her skin and fur. He tosses her forward. Then Pearpelt growls, placing himself between Skyfall and the leader who stands again regains her composure. Blood and blueish silver fur dripped from her maw. She renarrows her eyes.
“You aren’t needed here, leave,” she says coldly.
“No,” Pearpelt snarls back. “I will not let you hurt or kill my apprentice. What did she do to deserve this?”
Cricketsong darts next to Pearpelt, also placing their body between Skyfall and Viperstar. They had tears falling off their face and said, “Why are you so dead set on ruining my life and hurting anyone in it, Viperstar?”
She grinned maniacally at them. “I’m not. You’re mine and you need to act like it again.” Pearpelt looks between the two, aghast.
“I need to help her,” Cricketsong says, motioning to an unmoving Skyfall. Her vision blurred with pain and she felt it was safest to stay down now that Pearpelt had arrived. This situation was bizarre in all senses of the word and the pain was becoming all-consuming.
“Pearpelt, go back to camp,” commanded Viperstar.
“No!” He yowled, jumping at the leader. Cricketsong turned to Skyfall’s side while the other two cats began to fight with full claws and teeth.
“Skyfall, you were smart to not move. Something is wrong, you’re still bleeding.” They pressed pressure onto the bite wound in her shoulder. A flashback poured into her mind, back to when she fell as an apprentice from the cliff. Back then, it was Pearpelt who held this painful pressure.
“Blurry…” Skyfall slurred. Why was the world so blurry, and why was the blood still trickling out? It wasn’t a gash, just a bite and some torn scar tissue. Cricketsong cursed under their breath.
Pearpelt was shoved and fell backwards into the medicine cat, knocking them both over and next to Skyfall. Her old mentor jumps back and intercepts Viperstar, who yells, “Cricketsong, you will always be mine.”
In a split second decision, Pearpelt sees an opening and takes it. He shoves Viperstar forwards. With his claws fully extended, he uses his full body weight to jump,land on, and rake across her hind flank and rear left leg. Viperstar screams, curling her body away swiftly, and limps backwards once Pearpelt released his hold. Cricketsong had resumed holding pressure on Skyfall.
Pearpelt panted but stood his ground. “Stand down, Viperstar. I have no reason or want to kill you.”
Cricketsong’s tears fell and mixed with Skyfall’s blood in her fur. She could hear their breath shudder. “I’m so sorry. I am so sorry, Hornetdance.” They looked to the sky letting tears fall, pausing. Then their head shot to look at the yellow and grey speckled cat. “Pearpelt, she forced my brother to sire her kits. For moons on end.” Their voice broke and more tears fell. Skyfall could feel their paws shake.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing!” Viperstar laughed. “He never asked me to stop, in fact he usually thanked me!” Her eyes narrowed again. Her claws digging into earth as she spat, “It should’ve been you, Cricketsong.”
Pearpelt gasped. Then, he could only see red, his anger overflowing. He pounced and tore at the leader. She fought back immediately and bit into his forearm. He screeched. In an instant, his other arm’s claw whipped through the air and raked across her throat. She releases her jaw from his arm and gurgles, attempting gasps that were filled with blood. She fell to the ground after Pearpelt pushed her away. He favors his left arm and stands in front of and above her.
“Don’t watch,” he tells the other two cats. He wishes he could make them not listen either. She gargles repeatedly and convulses. Pearpelt hadn’t held back, at all. She drowns sloppily, choking on her own blood.
Viperstar dies, her last life melting away from her body. Her stiff, angry body eventually becomes limp without life.
Pearpelt gasps, suddenly breathing in hard breaths. “What have I done?” He asks no one.
“Did she draw blood on you with her teeth,” asks Cricketsong through tears that still fall onto Skyfall’s pelt. They sniffed and coughed to regain breath. Skyfall felt no better and still felt drugged.
“Yes, she bit my left arm. Why? I’m not injured badly.” Responds Pearpelt after taking a deep breath, turning to face them now.
“I think she laced her saliva earlier with a venom that makes your blood flow non stop. We need to get you both back to camp immediately. Stay here and hold pressure on her scar and on your arm, I am uninjured and can run to get help.” Cricketsong beckons him to her body. He does as instructed. Skyfall can tell he’s still in shock from his stiff arms she feels pressing into her shoulder, and she is even more impressed with how calm Cricketsong was, bar the tears. Time passes, but Skyfall can’t tell how long. Just like when she fell, she presses her ear farther into the ground, listening for footsteps. Cricketsong returns, three warriors in tow. Rippleclaw, Hornetdance, and Puddlesplash. Some of the strongest they had. Skyfall hears gasps, and she knows they’ve seen the dead leader and then her and Pearpelt.
“Please, I will explain everything back at camp, help me get these two home. I will bring Viperstar home after they are safe.” They all nod, though one hesitates for a split second. Hornetdance.
We are carried and assisted back into the gorges' open space.
“Any cat with free paws, help us. Hold pressure against all of Skyfall’s wounds. We must keep her from bleeding out, she’s been poisoned and her blood is flowing freely. We have to help her body work through the poison and remember to clot the wounds,” Cricketsong cries to the clearing, holding pressure on her shoulder again. “Same goes for Pearpelt. Help hold pressure on his wounds, it shouldn’t take long for him to stop. Do not take your paws off either cat for any reason.”
Cats swarm them from all over the clan. Gossip spreads and cats chatter softly above Skyfall and Pearpelt.
Sunflare bounds forward, coming back from a patrol. Moonshadow follows him, rushing up to Skyfall. Before her brother could ask it, her father did instead.
“What happened?” He booms, worriedly.
Cricketsong speaks up after the clearing falls silent. “You all will not like this, but it is the truth. Both Pearpelt and Skyfall were injured and poisoned by Viperstar. She went crazy, I think she genuinely had something wrong in her mind after she died in kit birth, but I do not know. Pearpelt defended Skyfall and myself and in doing so, he did kill Viperstar. This was fully out of self defense and he saved us.” They paused, new tears falling down his dark pelt. Cats were gasping, a couple cried, many emitted anger.
“Please keep holding the pressure on their wounds,” they said to the shocked warriors on the injured cats.
Sunflare shook his head, shaking the shock off his face and said, “Where is she? I will return her. You are needed here.” Cricketsong’s eyes pleaded with Sunflare’s. They responded softly.
“Where the forest kisses the gorge. Rippleclaw can show you.” Sunflare nods and bounds out of the clearing with Rippleclaw.
Milkthistle runs up to Cricketsong and Skyfall. “Is she going to be all right?” She asks in a hurry.
“Skyfall should survive this, so long as we keep her from bleeding out,” he says softly to her.
“And Viperstar? Is she really dead,” Milkthistle asked. Cricketsong nods softly. Milkthistle squeaks then sobs. She pads briskly back to the queen’s den where Mantiskit mewed loudly from.
More time passes, most cats sniffling from tears or speaking in hushed breaths with one another. Then Sunflare returns, Viperstar hanging limply from her scruff in his jaw. Yowls of grief ring and echo the gorges’ walls. Rippleclaw followed him, his grip helping support her flank so she didn’t drag on the ground.They laid her body under the High Boulder.
“Finish helping the injured,” booms Sunflare. “We have all night to mourn our leader.” His meaning was clear: Don’t rush her body and focus on the emergency already at hand.
It took longer than Cricketsong expected, but once Skyfall and Pearpelt drank water from some moss and nibbled some fresh prey, their bodies were able to start processing through the venom. Their wounds were cobwebbed and they could stand and walk again by sundown.
Sunflare waited at the medicine cat’s den. Cricketsong, Skyfall, and Pearpelt approached him.
“I want the truth,” he said calmly. They all nodded. “Let’s go on a walk,” Sunflare said, walking past them, heading to the camp’s entrance. They all shared a look and followed their clan deputy.