Poisoned Fangs, Scenes 37-39:

Summary: (none written yet)
Turtleflower groaned. She opened her eyes and saw three kits squirming around at her belly. Three kits. Both apricot and one of them was a cream white. She stared at the cream tiny kit for a long time. Lavenderberry stood at the edge of nursery impatiently.

A bright tan she-cat peered into the nursery, and walked in. The three tiny kits squirmed at their mother’s belly, crying for milk. She looked at them with love in her eyes. They’re so small and fragile, but have so much love in their little bodies... she sighed. I can’t help but envy Turtleflower, she gets to create life with a mate that she loves...

Sparrowstar walked out of his den and shook out his fur. He looked around camp to searching for the cream she-cat.

Lavdenderberry jumped as she realized she had to give Sparrowstar his herbs. She congratulated Turtleflower before running out of the nursery toward the medicine den. She slammed into something and fell backwards. She blinked in surprise and saw Sparrowstar looking at her with confusion. Lavenderberry flushed. “I-I’m sorry Sparrowstar! I was trying to get to the medicine den!”

"ah it's alright, Lavenderberry," Sparrowstar said, keeping his gaze fixed on the she-cat as she fumbled to get up. Sparrowstar's eye soften as she staggered her way into the medicine den.

Lavenderberry grabbed the bundle of herbs she had prepared for the leader and rushed back over to him, carefully minding her paws. “H-here’s your herbs, Sparrowstar. Sorry for being a mess...”

Sparrowstar looked at the bunch of herbs. Something didn't sit right with him. He would usually just walk out with the herbs and be done with it. But, a part of him makes feel weird. What is it? Is it a feeling of pity or something else? Maybe to forgive? "Um...Lavenderberry," Sparrowstar quietly muttered. "I-" He froze. His ears and face started to heat up.

Lavenderberry blinked with confusion. “Is something wrong?”

Sparrowstar sighed. "I'm..sorry" he finally said. "I'm sorry for what I said to you the other day from before," He shuffled his paws uneasily. "Your....your idea was great." He turned his face away. Hiding his flushed face. Forgiving someone else is hard he admitted to himself. Espeically to her

Lavenderberry raised an eyebrow. “Hmm? Really?” She stood up and let out a purr. “I’m surprised you let down your pride for more than 5 seconds.”

Sparrowstar flatten his ears. He spun to face Lavenderberry, "Well at least I'm not a clumsy cat unlike someone here," he rolled his eye.

Lavenderberry snickered at him

“Whatever you say, Sparrowstar.”

"hmph, I am your leader after all" Sparrowstar flicked his tail and grabbed the bunch of herbs.

“And I’m you’re medicine cat, aren’t I?” She teased him

"sure" he coughed. He stood for a moment to look at Lavenderberry and then trotted off back to his den.

“See you later, Sparrowstar. Make sure to actually eat them and not throw them behind your nest like you used to.” She called to him

He grunted in response

She let out a purr as the angry tom walked into his den. He never changed, did he? He’s always been so closed about his feelings, it’s strange to see him open up a little more. Hope I didn’t scare him off too much

Blossompaw stuck her head out of the apprentice den, followed by Beepaw, the young cat cowered after her with their tail between their legs. Blossompaw scoffed, her tortoiseshell pelt bristled with fury, she glared at the two deputies in the center of the camp and felt a pang of jealousy. that should have be me and parrotpaw, if two deputies are allowed! she thought furiously, her mind racing back to Parrotpaws untimely illness and death. She shook her head sadly and stomped over to Bumblestrike, at least she got some joy making fun of this loser. She snickered and glanced at him, "how's our faithful deputy? How exactly do you plan to lead the clan if you become leader?"

Bumblestrike turned to the she-cat and motioned "you shouldn't talk to warriors like that"

Blossompaw hissed her disapproval, "Awwee, if you really thought that you'd say it out loud." She snarled unpleasantly and leapt away from the deputy, approaching her mentor proudly.

"Blossompaw! what were you doing?" Rushtooth scolded the apprentice "you shouldn't talk to Bumblestrike like that! No less the deputy!"

Blossompaw dipped her head, but smirked sarcastically, "sorry your highness, what do you want me to do go on patrol or some mousebrained thing like that?" She let out a sigh.

Rushtooth flatten her ears. "No, I'm going to make you do something even more mousebrain than that" she snickered

"clean out the elder's den for a moon"

"if you can't do that, then you're not worthy of being the next deputy of echoclan"

Blossompaw took a step back and growled, "you cant do that!" She cried out, panicked, "she can't make me do that right?" She turned over to Bumblestrike with pleading eyes. of course I'm a worthy deputy! More worthy than anyone else here!

Bumblestrike looked at the apprentice before motioning slightly "she's you mentor she can do what she thinks is necessary" he turned

Blossompaw glanced over at her mentor again, her eyes wide. Quickly, she narrowed them and grumbled, "fine, do as you'd like, if parrotpaw were here she'd have your pelts!" She stormed over to the elders den.

“yeah, yeah right. Parrotpaw this, Parrotpaw that. When will you ever get that arrogant head of yours out of the past?” A voice ridiculed from behind Rushtooth. A sleek cream, black striped, battered scar tom emerged from warrior’s den.

Blossompaw felt her stomach twist with anxiety and looked over at the tom, she took out her claws and rooted them into the ground, scowling at him and trying to keep from crying.

"Insensitive mousebrain! Who do you think you are!?" She spat, leaping toward the tom but Rushtooth put her paw in front to trip her and sent Blossompaw face planting on the ground.

"Watch it! I want to tear that cat open for what he's said!" She snarled.

Rushtooth turned her gaze to the sleek tom. "Wrencreek! How could you say such a thing!?" Rushtooth gasped. She turned to Blossompaw, "Blossompaw, I know you're mad but you shouldn't lash out an attack your clanmates like that!" Wrencreek let out a low growl "Even if that little kit did fight me, I would've ripped her to sherds! What I said was only true! You need to stop living in the past already, it's what make cats like you weak!" He flatten his ears.

Blossompaw got up off the ground and looked over at her mentor, her gaze softened and she padded away, "whatever, I don't care what you have to say. Its time I did stupid chores already." Blossompaw entered the elders den and dipped her head in greeting at the elders.

"Hello, Blossompaw." Purred a white and grey elder she-cat, her blue eyes warm. "What has you so down?"

Blossompaw smiled sadly, crouching down to grab the moss so she could replace it, "it doesn't matter. Just some cat being a foxheart." She stood up and pushed the moss out, padding back inside to get more.

Whistlewind looked at her sympathetically. "Oh, Blossompaw. You have always been so troubled, you remind me of my son. Now who was making you so upset?" She brushed her large fluffy tail against Blossompaw's side.

Blossompaw shrugged, flinching at the old She-cat's touch, "just some warrior named Wrencreek," she mewed irritably," she flopped down beside whistlewind and put her head on her paws. "He was taunting me about parrotpaw's death..." She shook her head and flattened her ears.

"what was that?" Sparktooth asked the old tom had almost lost his hearing "he shouldn't be acting like that now should he?" He turned to Whistlewind

Whistlewind nodded. "Where is that pile of fox fur? I'll teach him not to joke about such measures!"

Blossompaw sighed and flicked her tail towards the cream and black tom, "over there." She murmered, turning quickly away so the warrior didn't notice her looking at him.

Blossompaw's eyes got big and she giggled, "he's gonna kill you!" She jumped over to the other side of the den, watching carefully.

He felt a hard smack on the back of his head. "Listen to your elders when they're talking to you, you pile of dung!"

"what do you want" he grunted

Whistlewind hissed. "I  want you to stop picking on the apprentices! Her best friend died because of an illness and you're using her death like a joke!"

He scoffed. "joke? Is that what she told you?" He laughed. "She's not the only one who's lost a friend, and she's just being over dramatic over something that's happened long ago"

Blossompaw pricked up her ears and let out a hiss, "says you." She muttered under her breath.

Whistlewind growled. "Dwelling on the past is completely natural when someone is grieving! The pain doesn't just go away like a thorn in your paw!"

"'Dwelling on the past is completely natural when someone is grieving!'" Wrencreek mocked "you sound just like a kit! What gives you the right to lecture me! I'm stronger than you, I can kill you right here and right now if I wanted too!" He unsheathed his claws, his tail lashing back and forth.

“Someone needs to teach you some respect!” Whistlewind launched herself at the angry tom, barreling him onto his back. She let out an angry yowl and bite his ear

Blossompaw was taken aback and stared at the elder with wide eyes, "why is she doing this for me?" She muttered, although she watched the fight with great interest.

"yeah right! says the one who attacked me first" Wrencreek took his hind legs and scracthed the puffy she-cat's stomach. He then pushed her off of him and started to charge after her.

Whistlewind braced her self for his blow but blinked in surprise as a cat slid infront of her

Suddenly a big pale yellow tom stepped in the way and stared at Wrencreek

Blossompaw scoffed and looked away, "what does that mousebrain think he's doing."

"move it you stupid mouse-brain! Just because you're deputy doesn't mean you can stop me! You can't even talk!" Wrencreek growled. He raised one of his claws, but then he felt something yank him back from the neck.

"Haven't you done enough?" the cat growled. Wrencreek spun his head back for a headbutt, hitting the cat holding him back.

Whistlewind huffed. “I can fight my own battles! I have more experience than all of you combined!”

Whistlewind pushed past the cat and leaped back onto Wrencreek with a snarl. "I hope you suffer for your insensitivity!" She sliced her claws across his face. "And I'll make sure of it!"

As Wrencreek was preparing for another attack, a voice rose from the back of the clan "what is happening here?!" The cats turned to see the brown scarred tom, furious. A small dark ginger she-cat hid behind him.

Blossompaw dashed out of the elder den and over to Whistlewinds side.

Whistlewind was biting the neck of Wrencreek, and looked up at Sparrowstar. She jumped off of him. "This insensitive piece of dirt is making fun of the death of one of his clanmates! And teasing the cat closest to her!"

Blossompaw nodded and glared at Wrencreek harshly

"yeah! And this old dirtbag was killing to kill me!" Wrencreek defend

"Yeah because you deserve it, foxheart!" Blossompaw snarled.

Whistlewind scowled at him. "I don't need to waste my energy doing that on a dirt pile like you! I would just hurt you enough for you to remember it, unless you want me to kill you!"

“You two shut up! Listen to what sparrowstar has to say you mouse-brains!” Snarled the chestnut tom cat, appleperch, who was holding Wrencreek back from earlier. Sparrowstar turned his glare to Wrencreek, “wrencreek,” he said. Sparrowstar’s tone made the slick cream tom jerk his head up. “Is what Whistlewind said is true?” Wrencreek shuddered. The glare of the brown tom was making him feel anxious.

Wrencreek stood in silence. Sweat was dripping down from his face as the imitating tom continued to glare at him.

“Answer the question!” Sparrowstar roared. “N..no! What that o..old hag said is not true!” Wrencreek whimpered, he shirked back in fear.

“Really now? Then let’s see how many cats are willing to vouch for you!” Sparrowstar said

Sparrowstar turn his gaze around camp. None of the cats spoke up.

Whistlewind brushed her tail against Blossompaw's side. "I know Parrotpaw never would..."

Blossompaw stood up straight, "I out of anyone can confirm what happened, he was taunting me!"

“Funny to hear that from the same cat who mocked my deputy” sparrowstar growled

Whistlewind stepped infront of her. "That doesn't matter right now, leave that out of this."

Blossompaw laughed, "what do you want me to do? Apologize? I'm telling you the truth, I didn't ask for your opinion."

“Huh, now you’re acting like the victim now?” Sparrowstar growled

"Calm down, Blossompaw. Focus on the task at paw!" Whistlewind turned to her

She rolled her eyes, "He's the one that brought it up, what do you expect me to say!?"

“Even if you are telling the truth with that attitude, I will punish you too.” Sparrowstar turned his glare to blossompaw

Whistlewind let out a hiss. "Wrencreek, regardless of Blossompaw's actions, treated the death of a clanmates worse than the dirt we walk on! He has no respect for any cat and seems to treat everything like fox dung! Parrotpaw didn't deserve this and no cat would! HE must be punished!"

Blossompaw nodded, "exactly. And besides, Rushtooth has already punished me for making fun of Bumblestrike..."

“Fine. Wrencreek,” he turned his gaze to the sleek cream tom who was shaking in fear. “You, need to be punish for you actions,” sparrowstar sat down. “You will need to take of the elders from now on. As for blossompaw, your time for cleaning the elder’s den will be extended for another half moon”

“Any objections?”

Blossompaw took a step back and growled, "but I didn't do anything! Why would you make me clean for another half moon!? That's a moon and a half!"

“Then would you rather be wrencreek’s apprentice?”

"Yes! There is an objection! He should be cleaning the apprentices bedding! I don't want him anywhere near my den! If he does  come near, I'll tear his ears off!" Whistlewind snarled

“That’s exactly why I’m letting him clean the elder’s den. Whistlewind, you were the first one to attack Wrencreek. I want my clan to get along”

Bumblestrike thought about objecting "elders need to be treated with respect" he thought but he didn't want to argue with Sparrowstar

"But then I'll have to see him!" Blossompaw hissed, "he was taunting me!"

Whistlewind let out a growl. "There's no sense in this entire clan, is there? Oh yeah, put the insensitive monster next to a bunch of old cats! Great idea, Sparrowstar!" She stalked off toward her den.

Wrencreek let out low growl “if only appleperch and that stupid cream cat didn’t get in my way, I would’ve killed that arrogant brat” he muttered under his breath.

Whistlewind dragged her claws against a stone, causing a sharp screeching sound. "Would you like to run that by me one more time?"

“Hah of course, I would. Wait- aren’t we supposed to ‘get along?’” He snickered

"Yeah I think we are. So why don't I give you a BIGGG hug?" She charged at him with a snarl and leaped onto his back, knocking the wind out of him.

Blossompaw tried to hold back a laugh, "look at how well they're getting along, Sparrowstar!"

Sparrowstar leaped into the two cats. Grabbing the old she-cat back. He laid her down then headbutted Wrencreek until he fell to the ground. Sparrowstar’s forehead started to bleed. His blood started to boil. “WHAT DO YOU WANT THEN?” He stormed “Do you want to see parrotpaw too? Do you want to die?!” He unsheathed his claws

Bumblestrike's eyes widened as the large tom yelled

"All of you, stop!" An angry yowl sounded from the medicine den and out trudged Lavenderberry, her fur sticking up at weird points as if she hadn't slept for moons. "Stop acting like sour apprentices or you'll both end up dead!" She drug her claws through her own fur. "GREAT STARCLAN i'm living in a clan of lunatics! Can you not kill each other for at least five seconds! I'm trying to sort my herbs and at least TRY to get at least a 5 second rest, but you all keep yowling and giving ME more WORK! Those 5 seconds of sleep are ruined by your inability to STOP KILLING EACHOTHER! I AM SO TIRED, TRIED OF ALL OF YOU AND TIRED OF YOUR MOUSE DUNG!" She breathed heavily, her eyebrows furrowed with anger

"Well it's not my fault my clan is just a bunch of mouse-brains!" Sparrowstar yowled. Wrencreek laid on the ground, unconscious his blood streaming from his forehead as well.

We can't have our clan divide again! We can’t even have another leaf-Bare without everyone attacking one other!” She cried “We’re all nothing but rogues! How can you even call yourself a clan if when you’re all turning on each other!” She turned to blossompaw with pleading eyes “blossompaw I’m sorry for your loss about parrotpaw but it doesn’t give you an excuse to lash out at others! It hurts me to see you upset but you shouldn’t be doing this to the clan you grew up in!” Her gaze softened, then turned to face Sparrowstar who’s forehead was bleeding and looked like he was ready for bloodshed. “Snap out of it, Sparrowstar! You’re the leader! You shouldn’t be dividing your clan like this! Then you’re no better than Heatherstar!” The mention of Heatherstar snapped Sparrowstar back to reality. He shook his head. Mallowrush then turned to face the rest of the clan

Lavenderberry walked into the clearing with a nod to Mallowrush and grabbed Wrencreek’s scruff. “I will go heal him while you all think about how you are living.” She drug him off to the medicine den

Mallowmush huffed catching her breath. She looked around to see every cat staring at her. "eep! Did I really just yell at Sparrowstar?" She began sweating and ran to hide behind Rushtooth.

Bumblestrike looked at the clan....his clan he couldn't give a speech no cat would understand him

Blossompaw looked back at Whistlewind and started padding to the elders den. May as well help the clan that's completely hopeless

Bumblestrike watched the she-cat he couldn't help but feel bad for her losing someone hurts he thought of Cherrypaw

Whistlewind was laying in her nest on her side, heaving. Her eyes were open though her expression was pained. “H-hello, Blossompaw.”

Blossompaw flicked her tail and sat down beside her, "are you doing alright?" She mewed, trying to be sweet despite her frustration.

The elder shook her head. “I’m fine, just tired.” She winced and curled up in pain. “Stupid fox dung...” she cursed under her breath.

Blood began pooling onto the den floor from the elder she-cat’s stomach.

Blossompaw quickly got to her paws and mewed with dismay, "You need lavenderberry! I'll go get her!" She winced and dashed out of the den, not looking forward to seeing Wrencreek again.

Whistlewind let out a groan. “I’m fine, I promise!”

The calico she-cat looked back at the elder, shaking her head at the pool of blood, "you're not! Please! Let me help you, this is my fault too." She continued toward the medicine cat den.

She suddenly began to stand, her stomach dripping large amounts of blood and began fumbling toward the medicine den. Blossompaw could see anger in her blue eyes as she reached the den. “If I go, I’ll take him with me!”

"Lavenderberry!" Blossompaw yowled, "Whistlewind needs help, please!"

Lavenderberry’s head shot up and she ran over to help the old she-cat. “Whistlewind, lean on my shoulder!” Whistlewind growled at her. “I’m you’re medicine cat and you will listen to sense!” Lavenderberry shot back. “You can discuss this later, you’re going to die if that bleeding keeps up!” Whistlewind let out a snort and followed her orders. Lavenderberry helped her into a nest, far away from Wrencreek behind a curtain of ivy. She flipped into the nest, her breathing becoming shallow and her eyes misty. Her head suddenly flopped over

Blossompaw ran over and looked down at her, screeching with grief, "Is she dead!?" She started sobbing, "Stupid foxheart! You've got to kick him out now! Lavenderberry listen to me!!"

Lavenderberry shook her head. “Calm down, Blossompaw! She’s not dead, she passed out! She bled enough to fill the river, she’s gonna pass out! She will die if everyone keeps yowling in my ears!” Lavenderberry’s voice softened. “It’s not your fault, Blossompaw. I’m sorry for yelling, it’s just stressful.” She automatically got to work, crushing up poultices and placing cobwebs. After a heavy amount of cobwebs and leaves, the bleeding completely stopped. “She should be weak when she wakes up, but she should be fine. That doesn’t excuse her and Wrencreek’s actions though.” Lavenderberry brushed her tail against Blossompaw, “I’m promise I won’t let her die.”

Blossompaw let out a shaky breath, "you'd better not..." She left the den and walked slowly to the apprentice den, flopping down onto her nest and sobbing.

Blossompaw took out her claws, clawing at the moss bedding angrily, "Leave me alone! The entire clan is filled with mousebrains and foxhearts! I don't want to talk to you!"

She shoved her mentor away and closed her eyes, resting her head on her paws.

The brown she-cat flinched at her apprentice's words. Rushtooth sat there, she turned her head away. "you know, Sparrowstar and I lost our mother when we became apprentices. We never got to meet our dad, and our brother died at birth." Her eyes started to swell as she recollected her memories. "I got betrayed by a cat I thought I could call 'friend'. I felt so hopeless, I couldn't do anything, all I could do was suffer. " She sat up. "I know how you feel Blossompaw, I hope some cat can help you get through this." She patted her head then walked out of the den

Blossompaw watched her leave, sighing sadly.

“Sparrowstar?” Sparrowstar turned and saw a familiar light tan she-cat looking at him from the entrance of his den. “I want to talk to you.” She mewed

Sparrowstar wiped the blood dripping from his head. His eye were starting to show they were weary. "Of course, come on" He sighed.

She looked at him, her deep lavender glance soft. “I came with healing herbs, and to talk to you.” She motioned for him to lay down and began softly rubbing the poultice onto his head wound.

Sparrowstar obeyed lavenderberry’s orders. He laid down, but when lavenderberry began rubbing the poultice on his head, he flinched. Not because of the pain, but because of something else. Sparrowstar’s face started to turn red a bit. “So, what do you need to talk to me about, Lavenderberry?” Sparrowstar softly muttered, keeping his gaze away from her.

Lavenderberry nodded. “I came here to talk about a few things. First, I want to check your eye, I haven’t gotten to check it in awhile and it gets infected pretty easily. Next, I wanted to say that I think you’re a great leader and no one could do better than you have been doing.” She sighed. “You seem to be going even harder on yourself lately then before and you need to learn to cut yourself some slack. The clan has been fighting due to my sister’s doings, not yours. We’re all scared for the future and you shouldn’t blame yourself for that.”

Sparrowstar let out a small laugh. “What can I do now? Time is slowly slipping away because of my illness. Heatherstar is still alive out there somewhere too. And of course I blame myself, the safety of clan is in my paws and I’m not supposed to making it fall apart. But I already failed.” Sparrowstar’s eye soften.

Lavenderberry looked him in the eye with a stern glance. “Don’t say that! You haven’t failed your clan, your clan failed you! They make no effort to adjust to change when your trying your best to live and adapt with everything that’s happening!” Her eyes softened. “You’re strong. Heatherstar left us in shackles and no lone cat can put us back together. We need to work together, every cat.”

Sparrowstar let out a purr “encouraging words, lavenderberry.”  He chuckled and laid his head “You know, I have faith in my deputies. I think they’ll be great leaders once I’m done.” He turned to Lavenderberry, “you’re a great medicine cat. Did you know that?” He smiled, then let out a small cough of blood.

Lavenderberry rubbed against him, resting her chin on his shoulder. “I try my best, Sparrowstar. I try to be strong, like you.” She felt tears drop from her eyes as she rested her chin on the sick tom’s shoulder. “I really try.”

Lavenderberry stayed for a moment before shaking her fur. “I know what’s going to happen but I’m not ready. I’m not ready to loose you. I wish I could do something but nothing I do ever works, I’m not as great as a medicine cat as you say I am.” She let out a sad laugh, tears still streaming down her cheeks. “Or else you wouldn’t be dying.”

Sparrowstar looked at the she-cat, he left out a sigh. “It’s cold outside, why don’t you stay here? If I’m going to die soon, might as well spend time with the cats I love” he smiled, but then realized he what he said. His face quickly flushed a scarlet red.

Lavenderberry looked up at him, her large violet eyes shining, still wet with tears. “I like that idea.”

“I..if you want that is” he blushed

Lavenderberry turned away, her face flushing. “W-well you kinda said- I just kind of figured-“ she stuttered

“Ah, it was mistake! I didn’t mean to say t-“ sparrowstar quickly explained, at this point his whole face was red. “I mean you can stay here if you want...But! You don’t have to heh” Sparrowstar hastily said

Lavenderberry sat up straight. “Well- I- Umm...” she stared at him, her face completely flushed pink

“I guess that was really bold of me wasn’t it?” Sparrowstar shuffled his paws nervously.

She placed her paw on his when he opened his mouth to continue sputtering meaningless words. “I think I’d like to stay with you.”

Sparrowstar slowly put both of his paws on Lavenderberry. He set them down then approached her, then rubbed his head against her cheek “that’s great to know then,” he purred

“Y-yeah.” She purred back, nuzzling him