"Here's some cobwebs, I'll go get more."

"Thank you dear."

Now she was going back to the woods, she had found a hollow tree with lots of webs and had been running too and from it for the better part of the day. She was incredibly tired. Her efforts had so far not been in vain, Llano was still alive.

Barely.

The young tom had lost consciousness from the blood loss, and though he was still alive, he would have to really fight to avoid death.

I'm sure he can, Llano has always been a fighter. It was a struggle when he was younger. Perhaps Static has died from her wounds, there is no healer for her. That would be nice.

She was just walking now, more cobwebs were still needed, but not as urgently, and everyone was looking for them. And I'm so incredibly tired. I really need a break but there's no time for that.

Reaching the tree, she scooped more cobwebs out with her good paw. Packing as much together as possible, she picked it up and began to walk back.

Her own wounds, the scratches on her front legs and her twisted paw, throbbed. Snapdragon had quickly packed herbs around them, but it wasn't as much as she would normally do. I don't have the energy to care about that right now.

Back at Snapdragon and Llano again, she dropped her cobweb and moved to leave.

"I think I'm good on the cobwebs for now, go take a nap," the healer mewed.

"Are you sure? Is Llano awake?"

Junco could already tell he was not. Why did I ask?

"No, but the bleeding has mostly stopped. And you really need some rest."

"Okay, thank you, Snapdragon."

"Have a nice nap."

Junco walked to a nice patch of grass, far away from the smell of blood. Lacking the energy to pull together a nest, she fell on the ground where she stood.

Oriole is dead. Static killed your mate. Llano is going to die. Static killed Llano. Static killed Oriole. Static is still alive. Static is coming for you.

"I can see the sky," Junco began, "I can see the branches of the tree above me. I can see my paws when I stretch them up, the dead leaf next to me, and the sap on the bark."

Amber and Branch and Oriole and Granite and Llano–

"I can feel this grass and the cool breeze. I can feel my scratches throbbing and the stickiness of the leaves on them," Junco's voice came more forcefully this time.

Oriole is dead. Static-

"I can hear a bird in a nearby tree, the swaying of the leaves, and the rustle of the grasses."

Llano will–

"I can smell sap dripping from the tree and the stench of the herbs on my scratches. I can taste the cobwebs I was carrying." Now chill out, mind!

Junco curled up, and fell asleep.

...

The coughing from the hollow tree was so constant, Junco thought it would be ingrained in her mind. Her little paws wandered closer to the den with the sick cats. Amber grabbed her scruff and pulled her away. She sat with Oriole and Static, in the shade of a tree. Her mother had told them to stay there.

The others were talking. Whispered words reached her kit ears.

"We must go..."

"...will die, we have to..."

"Think of the kits..."

"...vote for a new leader when we get farther..."

Again she tried to approach the den filled with sickness. Curiosity filled her, but again, Amber noticed and pulled her away.

"Junco, you must not go in there. We will leave soon. Stay with your sister and Oriole."

"Okay, mama."

Amber joined the others again. Junco sat down in defeat next to Oriole. "What do you think they are talking about?"

Static stood up and walked in front of them. "Isn't it obvious? Bellflower, Driftwood, and Frog are all gonna die."

"Static!" Oriole reprimanded.

"She's right though, I heard some of them talking. We're gonna leave," Junco mewed.

Static smirked, "And leave those sick, useless mouse brains behind."

"They aren't useless!" Oriole shouted, "It's not their fault they got sick."

Static rolled her golden eyes, "Well Bellflower is useless, what kind of healer can heal?"

"Of course she can't heal something she's never seen before! Why do you have to be so mean all the time?"

Her sister snorted and was about to say something when Junco interrupted, "Come on Oriole, let's go over here. Let her be angry by herself."

The two kits walked to a nearby tree. Oriole laid on her back and began batting at a millet plant, the thin stalk bent over by the fluffy end. Junco sat down and watched her.

...

When Junco woke up from her nap, the sun was starting to set.

Maybe times were always tough for us, I was too young to understand.

Oh Oriole, I loved you even then.

Maybe I just didn't realize yet.

Resting
By KittyPeep on deviantART (me)