“Alderheart!” Lilyheart’s panicked mew jerked him awake.
He jumped to his paws as Lilyheart shook Snowbush. The white tom’s head lolled back, the whites of his eyes showing. Alderheart leaped across the pebbles and skidded to a halt beside the nest. “Jayfeather!” His wail echoed along the shore. Where had he gone?
He touched his paws to Snowbush’s chest. The white tom jerked suddenly beneath them. Heat burned through Alderheart’s pads. “We have to cool him down!” He ripped a wad of moss from the nest and shoved it toward Lilyheart. “Soak this in the lake and bring it back.” Lilyheart snatched it between her jaws and raced for the water’s edge.
Snowbush jerked again, flapping from one side of his nest to the other, his eyes staring blindly. Foam frothed at the corners of his mouth. “Help me hold him still,” Alderheart yowled desperately.
Poppyfrost leaped to help, throwing herself over Snowbush’s hind legs. Bumblestripe hurried to the nest and pushed his paws against Snowbush’s chest. Alderheart tried to hold Snowbush’s head still, but the tom was thrashing too wildly. His thoughts spun. Was there an herb that would stop this? He tried to think as Snowbush struggled in his paws. Had Jayfeather ever mentioned one?
“What’s wrong with him?” Poppyfrost wailed, her eyes glittering with fear.
“The fever.” Alderheart glanced at Snowbush’s broken leg, flailing while Poppyfrost tried to pin it down. Could Snowbush feel the pain? Was he aware of anything? Desperation showed in the tom’s frantic gaze. Spit dribbled from his mouth.
Suddenly, the tom fell still. Alderheart slumped with relief. The fit was over. Then he saw Snowbush’s eyes. They were dull. Grief stabbed Alderheart’s chest as he recognized death in them.
Pebbles swished as Lilyheart reached him. She dropped dripping moss beside the nest. “Is he okay now?” She gazed at Snowbush.
Alderheart dragged his gaze from the tom to the small, dark tabby she-cat. “He’s dead,” he croaked.
“Dead?” Lilyheart backed away. “But he survived the rockslide. His leg was broken, that was all.” She blinked in disbelief.
“We couldn’t cure the infection.” Alderheart gazed at her. He felt helpless. “It was inside. We couldn’t reach it.”
As he spoke, Jayfeather hurried toward him, weaving past Poppyfrost and Bumblestripe, who were staring in horror at Snowbush. The blind medicine cat reached the nest and touched his nose to Snowbush’s throat. With a sigh, he gently closed the tom’s eyes with his paw. “StarClan will protect him now.”
Lilyheart’s eyes flashed with anger. “Why didn’t they protect him before?”
Jayfeather bowed his head wordlessly.
Alderheart searched for something to say that might comfort the she-cat, but her question rang in his mind like the plaintive cry of an owl. Why didn’t they protect him before?
The journey to the island was slow. Alderheart’s paws felt as heavy as his heart. Back in the makeshift camp, Millie and Graystripe were sitting vigil, to be joined by the rest of the Clan when the Gathering was over. His Clanmates moved silently around him, as though drained of words by the horror of the past few days. Jayfeather had also stayed behind for the vigil.
Sparkpelt padded beside Alderheart, her pelt brushing his. He felt her looking at him from time to time, but she didn’t speak; neither did he.
Bramblestar led the way over the tree-bridge and into the clearing. WindClan was already waiting beneath the Great Oak, their pelts rippling with anticipation. RiverClan wasn’t here. Had Alderheart secretly hoped they would come? Perhaps. But he knew his hope had been empty.
SkyClan paced near the center. They seemed different from the lost Clan that had followed ThunderClan to the island a moon ago. This time they met the gazes of WindClan and ShadowClan cats without apology. They walked with their heads up, purpose in their steps.
ShadowClan kept to the edge. Rowanstar sat in the shadows, away from his Clanmates. Had something happened? He remembered the tension he’d seen in their camp when he’d visited with Willowshine. Alderheart tried to catch the gazes of Puddleshine and then Tawnypelt, but it was like trying to catch butterflies in the wind. His belly tightened.
Alderheart took his place beside Kestrelflight and Leafpool. Puddleshine joined them but still avoided Alderheart’s eye.
“How’s Snowbush?” Leafpool asked.
Alderheart blinked at her, wishing there were a way to break the news more gently. “He died this afternoon.” He still could hardly believe it.
Her eyes clouded. “The infection?”
“We couldn’t stop it spreading.” Guilt pricked at Alderheart’s pelt.
Puddleshine shifted beside him. “I’m sorry,” he meowed. “I didn’t realize.”
He noticed Puddleshine glancing at Rowanstar. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine.” Puddleshine shifted his paws uneasily.
Alderheart glanced questioningly at Kestrelflight.
Kestrelflight shrugged but didn’t comment on Puddleshine’s nervousness. Instead he returned the conversation to ThunderClan. “What caused Snowbush’s infection?” he asked.
“A mudslide destroyed our camp during the storm,” Alderheart told him. “Snowbush was crushed by falling rock.”
Kestrelflight’s eyes widened. “Do you think it’s the prophecy?”
Alderheart returned his gaze. “I don’t know,” he mewed. “But I hope we find the six-toed cat soon. If the dark skies brought this, then what else will they bring?”
Puddleshine looked away quickly, as though hiding his thoughts.
Bramblestar leaped onto the lowest branch of the Great Oak, moving so that Harespring and Leafstar could take their places beside him. Rowanstar crossed the clearing wearily and jumped up beside them.
“It feels strange without Willowshine and Mothwing,” Kestrelflight whispered, glancing at the empty space beside them.
Alderheart suddenly realized how many cats were missing. Not just RiverClan, but Dovewing and Snowbush. He glanced to the place where the deputies usually sat. The she-cat was alone beside Crowfeather. He guessed that Hawkwing had not yet returned from his quest to find SkyClan’s missing Clanmates. But where was Tigerheart?
Bramblestar’s mew interrupted his thoughts.
“We are here tonight with StarClan’s blessing,” he meowed. “The rains, which have battered every Clan, have brought special tragedy to ThunderClan. A mudslide pulled down part of the cliff that has always protected our camp. Snowbush died today of his injuries.” Shocked whispers rippled through the Clans as Bramblestar went on. “Our camp will take a long time to clear. But the rest of the Clan suffered only minor injuries.” He nodded to Leafstar. “SkyClan has kindly helped us by providing much-needed herbs.”
“It was the least we could do,” Leafstar dipped her head. “SkyClan is sorry for your tragedy. We will always be grateful that you have let Leafpool live with us while we are without our own medicine cat. Because of her, Tinycloud has brought three healthy kits into our Clan. Our camp is nearly finished, and we are enjoying our new territory. We hope to have more Clanmates soon. Hawkwing’s patrol is expected back any day, and I feel certain he will bring with him old friends left behind at the gorge.” She lifted her muzzle. “SkyClan will be a whole Clan once more.”
“WindClan has also thrived, despite the weather,” Harespring announced. He bowed to Bramblestar. “I am sorry for your loss. If there are any moorland herbs you need, Alderheart and Jayfeather are welcome to gather them. StarClan has blessed WindClan. The rains left us unscathed. Indeed, they have kept Twolegs and their dogs away. We have been able to hunt in peace and safety.”
Alderheart felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps he’d been too focused on ThunderClan’s tragedy. WindClan and SkyClan seemed to be thriving. There were new kits in the Clans. ThunderClan had suffered in the mudslide, but the camp could be repaired. Snowbush’s loss was heartbreaking, but the past moons had been filled with so many deaths; perhaps the loss of a single cat this moon was a sign the storms that had beset them were easing. Had the Clans avoided disaster without realizing it?