The End of the Story

Markstar lay in his den, his breathing laboured. He had been coughing up blood for the past day. His time was coming to an end. Strongspirit sat near by, her eyes glazed over. Markstar had one life left. All the others had been taken by the sickness. It had never healed though.

"Strong...spirit"

Markstar spoke softly. Her eyes shot to Markstar, and she padded over to him quickly.

"I love you. You've helped me be the leader I am, and was. Take good care of our kits."

Strongspirit nodded, and layed down beside Markstar.

"I will. I love you."

Markstar smiled, and closed his eyes. In the corner of the den, Silhouettepaw, Wanderpaw and Blazedpaw watched. Shatteredpaw was in the medicine cat's den. Markstar's breathing slowed, and he breathed in a deep sigh, and slowly let it out. His moons of sickness were over. His time of leading, ended. Strongspirit lay beside him for a long time as his pelt cooled, silent tears running down her face. Nestflame came in and prodded Strongspirit.

"We have to bring him into the clearing. Here are some herbs, eat them."

He gave the same herbs to the three apprentices, before helping Strongspirit carry Markstar's body out into the clearing. Cats slowly padded out of their dens, ears back. Grin watched, then slipped out of the camp to get his nine lives. Cats lay down in a circle around Markstar, only family, or friends, laying right beside him. Nestflame bowed his head. Winds started to lash, and the rain started to pour down. The clan closed their eyes, and stayed out in the rain.

::---::

A great storm rained down upon them. As Grin closed his eyes at the MoonCrest, thunder shook the earth.

Grin gasped and found himself in front of a StarClan cat.


"Grin. Welcome, I can not explain here, but you must go back to your clan."


"What about my nine lives?"


The cat shook his head.


"All your questions will be answered when you get back. Now go, and hurry."


Grin nodded.

He woke up beside the MoonCrest, very confused. But he ran back to the camp, listening to the StarClan cat.

::---::

A yowl split through the air. Cats raised their heads, but didn't move. Nestflame narrowed his eyes and saw Rippleblaze go to where the yowl came from. He followed. He saw Rippleblaze standing rigid behind the LakeRock, all his furs on end. 

"Rippleblaze...? What's wrong?"

Then Nestflame gasped. There was a she-cat, surrounded by a pool of blood. She was gasping, looking around wildly. She had fresh claw marks, and a wound at her neck, though it was healed. Nestflame's legs shook, and threatened to give out. He backed back into the clearing, and called the closest cat he saw.

"Frostysky! Where did you last see Dreamsea?"

"Dreamsea and Jetblaze went out hunting a while ago with Wakesong. Wakesong came back by herself..."

"Go look for them!"

Frostypelt nodded and grabbed Falcon before running out of the camp. Nestflame looked back at the bleeding she-cat. Rippleblaze was beside her now, licking the wounds. Nestflame closed his eyes, and after a while, he would speak.

This was the end of the story. The story we all knew. Now, the super-natural was taking place.

"Dreamstar..."

Is This How it Happens?

Markstar shook feverishly in his den. His pelt was sticky and hot, yet Nestflame had no idea what was wrong. He was confused, and distracted by his conversation with Ridgefeather on the half moon. Marktstar was getting worse fast, and no herbs worked.

This didn't seem like any sickness he had seen before. Nestflame thought of everything that could have caused this, though nothing came. He made sure there was fresh water in Markstar's den, some herbs and prey, before he padded back to his den. He curled into a ball, and fell quickly to sleep despite his head buzzing.

::---::

Burst lay awake in between Flash and Singe, watching her. He didn't know what had happened to him. but he felt a pull to her. Maybe that's why he hadn't killed her that snowy day.Burst shook his head, and watched as she jerked away, her eyes searching cautiously in the dark until, she found Burst's eyes. He didn't look away. That would just prove to himself that he felt something for her.

Ebonywing got up and padded out of the den, her tail flicking slightly. Burst got up and slunk after her. He padded out of the camp, and followed her scent, leaping in the trees. He stopped when her scent was strongest, and looked down at her. Her ears flicked upwards, and soon her eyes followed.

Burst stared back, his eyes, and maybe his whole life changing....

::---::

Flash sat inside the warriors den, waiting. He looked up as Burst walked in. He spat.

"What are you doing Burst!?"

Burst's head turned slowly to look at Flash.

"What I do away from our commitment has nothing to do with you Flash. Maybe I'm trying to fit in like Singe. You do nothing."

Flash rolled his eyes.

"'Fitting in'. Sure. That's what you were totally doing."

Burst snarled, and started to walk to his nest.

"Just remember what we are here to do Burst..."

Then, Flash walked away, his tail lashing angrily.

::---::

Grin padded into Markstar's den to visit.

"Markstar. How are you today?"

Markstar looked closely at Grin.

"Don't pretend with my Grin. We both know I'm dying."

Grin flinched back.

"Markstar, you can't speak like that."

Markstar hissed in irritation.

"Have I gotten better!? No! I keep getting worse! Please Grin. I know I'm dying..."

Grin looked away.

"Markstar. I want you to do this for me. Let me run the clan. I want you, to be the warrior you should have been. Start where you left off. Please. You're too young to die thinking of yourself as being old. You're not. I mean it. try as hard as you can to be a young warrior, until you're too sick you can't."

Markstar looked at Grin, sorrow in his eyes.

"Grin... what would my clan think of me?"

He shook his head.

"You're not contagious Markstar. Sleep in the warriors den. Beside your clan mates. I bet it would do you a world of good."

Markstar looked away.

"Please bring Strongspirit and my kits in here. Bring Wakesong and Bladedflame after them."

Grin nodded, and went to get Strongspirit.

::---::

Strongspirit padded into Markstar's den, Blazedpaw, Wanderpaw and Silhouettepaw followed. Her eyes were filled with worry. 

"Markstar..."

Markstar got to his feet. Luckily he was still able to stand. He padded over to Strongspirit and pressed his nose into her shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

He then looked at his kits.

"I-i don't think I'm going to survive this..."

Strongspirit's breath caught.

"B-but Nestflame said it would get better!"

He shook his head.

"Nestflame can't do anything. He has no idea what's wrong with me. I'm sorry."

Strongspirit looked back at Wanderpaw, Silhouettepaw and Blazedpaw. They huddled together, their eyes turning wide. She whispered.

"You can't die. You have you family to look after..."

He hung his head.

"Those three are strong, and so are you."

"Not them Markstar. I'm expecting kits..."

Markstar stiffened.

"Oh no.... Strongspirit..."

"Don't worry. We'll all be okay."

Markstar sighed, and looked at the three apprentices.

"I'm sorry. You're too young to know this. But you need to know. I'm dying. I can feel it. I'm sorry I won't be there to see you become warriors. You will make fine ones. Can one of you get Wakesong and Bladedflame?"

The three of them nodded and left together. Markstar rested his forehead against Strongspirit's and sighed.

::---::

Singe saw Silhouettepaw pad out of Markstar's den, her eyes filled with tears. He padded over to her.

"Is something wrong?"

His voice conveyed worry, while he was smirking inside. 

"No... nothing..."

"You want to go for a walk? We can hunt."

"Sure. It may take my mind off things."

Singe smiled, and padded after Silhouettepaw.

::---::

Grin padded into Nestflame's den.

"I think I know what is wrong with Markstar."

Nestflame jumped and looked around at Grin.

"What!?"

"He's been poisoned."

"No, he would be-"

"Rat poison. It kills slowly. It takes away the blood clotting, making the poisoned one bleed internally. It takes only a few days with rats, but with cats, obviously longer."

Nestflame thought the possibility through, then he took a sharp intake of breath.

"Maybe we can still cure it!"

Grin shook his head.

"It would be to late. If we found out soon once it started. Then ya, but. It's been in him for too long now. It's set into him. It's running through his veins, through his muscles, and especially through his heart."

Nestflame closed his eyes.

"I'm a horrible medicine cat. It's my fault he's going to die!"

Nestflame snarled, and dug his claws into the ground.

"No! Someone in this clan poisoned him! You did all you could. Obviously whoever poisoned him, wanted me dead too. I shared some prey with Markstar. I was sick for a few days, but I got better. I only had a bite or two. Markstar ate the whole thing. They were targeting both of us! Cause I also remember that I didn't eat this piece of prey. I took a bite, and that's all."

Nestflame shook his head.

"Who...?"

"I don't know. We just have to keep our guard up."

"Thank-you Grin."

Grin dipped his head, then padded away.