“Don’t act like such a kit,” Alderheart mewed teasingly to Jayfeather, “just because we have a lot to do!” Alderheart thought for a moment. “You know there’s hardly any watermint left in the border stream. We might have to find another supply,” he added.
“And you need to chew that chervil root more thoroughly,” Jayfeather added irritably, prodding at the pulp with one paw. “The chunks are far too big. How do you think you can force that down Whitewing’s muzzle? Any apprentice knows that!”
Alderheart stopped himself from pointing out that it was Jayfeather who had interrupted his chewing. “We ought to talk about the prophecy,” he meowed instead, hoping that with so many cats to treat, Jayfeather wouldn’t be likely to wander off, and at last they could have a useful discussion. “Without ShadowClan and with RiverClan closing its borders . . .” StarClan had made it clear that they needed all five Clans.
But Jayfeather waved his tail dismissively. “I don’t care about that right now,” he responded. “It’s more important to get all these cats better, so that they can get back to their duties.”
Leafpool was lying beside Plumkit, licking her gently when she whimpered from the bellyache.
Now the medicine cat raised her head. “Alderheart, this sickness spreads so quickly, I think we should move Briarlight into the nursery. It could be especially dangerous for her, if she catches it.”
Briarlight, who was drowsing in her own nest, roused at Leafpool’s words. “Don’t worry about me,” she mewed. “I’ll be fine.”
“No, Leafpool’s right,” Alderheart declared. “It’s a good idea.”
Even while he spoke, he couldn’t help thinking of Whitewing, the most seriously ill of the cats. She seemed to be missing her daughter Dovewing, who had disappeared more than a moon ago, so much that she hadn’t the will or the strength to fight the sickness. Day after day, Alderheart had to encourage her to eat her herbs.
“It’s going to be pretty crowded in the nursery,” Jayfeather pointed out.
Since there was no room in the medicine-cat den for all the sick cats, Alderheart had sent all of them except Plumkit into the apprentices’ den, and moved Twigpaw and Finpaw into the nursery.
“There’s room,” he murmured. “The apprentices are helping over there, after all. And if we move Briarlight, we’ll have space over here for Whitewing. I’d like to keep a closer eye on her.”
Jayfeather’s only response was a grunt.
Alderheart stuck his head out through the bramble screen, wincing at the cold rain that showered down on him. Glancing around, he spotted Lionblaze padding past, his golden pelt darkened and plastered to his sides, a squirrel dangling from his jaws.
“Hey, Lionblaze!” Alderheart yowled. “I need your help.”
“Okay,” Lionblaze mumbled around the mouthful of prey. “Whatever it is, I can’t get any wetter. Let me just drop this on the fresh-kill pile.”
“Find another cat to help too,” Alderheart called after him.
A few moments later, Lionblaze returned with Bumblestripe, Briarlight’s brother; Alderheart guessed he had been on the same hunting patrol, because he looked just as wet as Lionblaze.
“Don’t even think about shaking your pelts in here,” Jayfeather snapped.
“How can we help you?” Lionblaze asked Alderheart, ignoring Jayfeather’s irritable tone.
Alderheart explained about needing to move Briarlight to the nursery. Immediately Bumblestripe’s eyes stretched wide with alarm.
“You mean she’s in serious danger?” he asked, then went on rapidly without waiting for an answer. “Yes, of course she shouldn’t be around sick cats. Let’s get her out of here right now!”
“For StarClan’s sake!” Briarlight hissed at her brother. “There’s no need to get your whiskers in a twist. Maybe my back legs don’t work, but I’m still a strong cat. It’ll take more than a bit of sickness to finish me off!”
“We’re going to move you anyway,” Alderheart meowed, hoping to calm both cats down. “Better safe than sorry.”
With Lionblaze’s help, Alderheart hoisted Briarlight onto Bumblestripe’s back. Then, with the other two toms steadying her on either side, Bumblestripe padded out of the den and splashed through the puddles to the nursery on the far side of the camp.
“You should thank me,” Briarlight murmured into her brother’s ear. “I’m keeping the rain off you!”
It did look fairly crowded in the nursery, Alderheart thought, as he and the others maneuvered Briarlight down the tunnel into the heart of the bramble thicket. Blossomfall and Cinderheart were there with their kits, along with Ivypool, her belly bulging as she drew close to giving birth, and Daisy, who always stayed in the nursery to help the queens with their litters. The two apprentices weren’t there; Alderheart guessed they were away somewhere, training with their mentors.
“Of course she must stay with us!” Daisy responded when Alderheart had explained. “Briarlight, you’re very welcome. Look, there’s a nest for you over here. The moss is nice and thick.”
“Yes, it’s great to have you here,” Blossomfall, who was Briarlight’s sister, meowed. “Our kits can help you with your exercises.”
“Yes, we will!” Eaglekit squealed excitedly.
“We’ll be good at it!” Flykit agreed.
All the kits hurled themselves at Briarlight; Daisy reached out with her tail to stop them before they scrambled all over her. “Gently, kits,” she mewed. “All of you at once will be a bit much for Briarlight.”
“No, they’ll be fine,” Briarlight told her. “Come on, kits. Who can play moss ball?”
“Me!”
“Me!”
“And me!”
This might be the best idea Leafpool has had in moons, Alderheart thought, with a mrrow of amusement.
Since Briarlight was clearly settled, Alderheart was about to follow Bumblestripe and Lionblaze out of the nursery when Blossomfall reached out a paw to stop him.
“How is Plumkit?” she asked.
“Doing fine,” Alderheart told her, hoping that was true. “She was sleeping when I left.”
Blossomfall shifted uneasily in her nest. “I should be with her.”
“No, that’s the last thing you should do,” Alderheart mewed gently. “Suppose you caught the sickness and brought it back here to the nursery?”
Blossomfall shuddered. “That would be terrible. You’re right, Alderheart,” she added with a sigh. “But it’s hard.”
“I know. But she’s getting the best care possible,” Alderheart reassured her.
Heading back to the medicine cat den, Alderheart wasn’t sure that was true, either. The best care meant giving the sick kit watermint, and now they didn’t have so much as a leaf left.
“Alderheart,” Leafpool meowed as soon as he reached the medicine cat den. “We could really do with more watermint. It’s by far the best thing to treat this sickness.”
Her thoughts exactly matched Alderheart’s own, but he was still doubtful. “That means going to RiverClan,” he responded. “The only other place I know it grows is by the border stream between RiverClan and WindClan. And RiverClan isn’t exactly being a friendly group of cats right now.”
“I know all that,” Leafpool retorted. “But our cats haven’t been getting better, and we need watermint if we’re to contain the sickness and stop it spreading.”
Alderheart knew she was right. And after giving himself a moment to think, he even felt a tingle of excitement at the thought of going to RiverClan.