Catmint Glow

Chapter 1: New Leaf

Firestar stared out into the camp, listening to the hushed sounds of his clan as they slept. The moon cast a bright glow over the hard trodden earth, generations of paw prints forever sunk into the dirt floor. Firestar looked down at his pelt, which had turned a light yellow from the moons shine.

I wish I could sleep, Firestar thought to himself. His belly rumbled with hunger, the lack of food making his bones show in a sickly way. He blearily shook his head to clear his thoughts, trying to push fresh kill out of his mind. He forced himself to not look over at the empty fresh kill pile.

It's like a tempting dream, Firestar thought, resting his head on his paws. His head felt too heavy for his neck, and his paws felt like they were full of rocks.

I don't know how much longer we can last.

Our warriors are starving. Every scrap of food goes to the kits and elders.

Firestar was woken out of his depressing thoughts as he heard a cough, coming somewhere near the nursery. It was a kit who coughed, Firestar could tell by the way its tiny mew crackled.

Starclan, Firestar looked up at the sky, glaring at the starry night. We are starving and cold. We will soon no longer be able to fight to survive. Are you really going to throw a sickness into this terrible mix?

Firestar waited for Starclan to reply. A few seconds later, a drip of water landed on his nose. Rain started to pour, and he could feel the wind ripple through his pelt.

Up above, the stars in the sky remained still.

Hollyleaf woke up uncomfortably, a damp chill making her bones feel like an elders. She stretched, looking around.

Great, Hollyleaf thought miserably, staring out at the wet den. It rained. Again.

Beside her, Lionblaze started to rustle, blinking open his eyes. He too looked uncomfortable, and Hollyleaf watched as he looked around in the same way she did.

"It rained," Lionblaze commented, rolling his eyes subtly. "That's terrific."

"At least it's not raining right now," Hollyleaf said with a failed bright tone. Lionblaze scoffed angrily.

"Well now we have to get Jayfeather to mix us something for our sore bones on top of the traveling herbs," he snapped. "I'm going to get a bellyache from all these different medicines."

Hollyleaf shrugged, glancing out of the den to across the clearing, where the medicine cats den was. By the looks of it, other cats had woken up stiff as well, because they were lining up outside of the den.

"Poor Jayfeathers got his work cut out for him today," Hollyleaf commented. "He must have been up at the crack of dawn from complaints about sore bones."

"Prepare yourself for his wrath," Lionblaze joked, climbing stiffly to his paws. He nudged his sister affectionately before he pushed his way out of the den. "Come on, we might as well get in line before the rest of the camp wakes up."

"I'm coming," Hollyleaf replied. She followed her brother out of the den, wincing as a sharp cramp of hunger pierced her like a claw.

I can't wait to eat my traveling herbs, Hollyleaf thought. Hopefully it'll numb some of this hunger for a few hours.

Ever since leaf bare, prey had been scarcer than a flower growing in the snow. Hunting parties were out at all hours, but they always came back with a disappointing amount of fresh kill. There was usually enough to feed the elders and kits, but sometimes even they went hungry. The rest of the clan got to share a few measly scraps.

It's more of a tease than a meal, Hollyleaf thought angrily. Soon we will be so malnourished, the warriors won't even be able to hunt anymore.

Ever since the outbreak, Firestar had ordered Jayfeather to prepare a traveling herb for every warrior and apprentice, to curb some of the stabbing hunger.

"I can hear Jayfeathers cranky voice already, and we're not even in the den yet," Lionblaze commented in Hollyleafs ear. Hollyleaf didn't have to strain her ears to hear it. Inside, Jayfeathers snarky voice was on full sarcasm.

"No, you're not getting more," Hollyleaf heard him snap at someone she couldn't see. "Does it look like I have time to mix up more for everyone? No! I'm up nearly all night to make what you got. So just take it."

Hollyleaf watched as a disgruntled looking cat stomped out of the den, traveling herb in his mouth. It was Berrynose.

"Your brothers in a terrible mood," he said through his mouthful. "All I did was ask him one simple question and he nearly ripped my head off."

"Stupid questions deserve stupid answers," Lionblaze whispered under his breath as Berrynose walked out of earshot. Hollyleaf giggled.

The line seemed to take forever, but Hollyleaf didn't blame them. Jayfeather must have been completely unprepared for the rain, and he must have had to make each cat a herb mixture for it from scratch.

Finally, after what seemed like several moons, it was Lionblazes and Hollyleafs turn.

Hollyleaf pushed her way inside, preparing herself for a wave of anger. Jayfeathers ears were flat against his head, and his eyes were narrowed. On the floor around him, leaves and different berries were scattered, and everything was terribly unorganized.

"Good morning," Hollyleaf blurted out, trying to lighten the mood. Jayfeather turned to stare at her.

"Good morning," he snapped, voice dripping with sarcasm. He grabbed two travelling herb bundles and dropped them at his siblings feet.

"If one of you breathes one word about being sore, I'm going to lose my mind," he growled.

"But Jayfeather," Lionblaze started, stretching out his sore hind legs. "We are sore."

"Fine!" Jayfeather turned around pointedly and started throwing things together. "Every freaking cat here seems to be."

"It's not our fault," Hollyleaf replied glumly, feeling sad at Jayfeathers spitting tone. Jayfeather was silent for a few moments, and Hollyleaf could tell that he was trying to calm down.

"Here," he said, pushing the herbs towards them. His tone had softened, and Hollyleaf blinked at him to show that she accepted his unspoken apology.

"Are you two going hunting now?" Jayfeather asked.

"Yeah," Lionblaze replied in a dull tone.

"Don't get too excited now," Jayfeather replied flatly.

"Hopefully we catch something today," Hollyleaf put in. "I don't think I can handle much more disappointing hunting trips."

"Yeah, well, don't hold your breath," Jayfeather said. He sighed and looked away, eyes filled with anger.

"I don't know why Firestar doesn't just go ask one of the other clans for help."

Hollyleaf shrugged, not knowing what to say. Beside her, Lionblaze coughed uncomfortably. Jayfeather stared at them like they were idiots.

"Why doesn't he?" He snapped. "How long is he going to make us suffer?"

"He's a proud cat, I guess," Lionblaze replied. "I'm assuming he doesn't want to look weak."

"Yeah, well," Jayfeather snorted. "I wonder how weak he's going to look when we all die. That'll look so much better than asking another clan for help."

"I guess that's a good point," Hollyleaf sighed. She looked at Lionblaze. "We should probably go now. The rest of the patrol will be waiting."

"Right," Lionblaze said, looking not excited at all. "See you later, Jayfeather."

Jayfeather twitched his tail and didn't respond.

Hollyleaf followed Lionblaze out of the den, trying not to stare at the lineup of her sickly clan mates. She shivered, ice cold already.

Please, Starclan. Let us catch something today.

Leapordstar sighed as she watched Mothwing, impatience running through her pelt. The medicine cat was slowly pulling a wad of cobwebs together, preparing a cast for the scratch on Leapordstars pelt. The webs were sticking into Mothwings claws, and she couldn't seem to untangle them.

"Where's Willowshine?" Leapordstar asked, looking around for Mothwings apprentice. "She could help you untangle that mess."

"Willowshine said she was out looking for herbs," Mothwing mumbled, not meeting her leader's eyes. "Even though our stock is quite good right now."

Leapordstar detected a weird tone from her, and she looked at her quizzing.

"Why do you sound so skeptical about it?" Leapordstar asked. Mothwing shrugged and continued picking webs off her paws.

"She's been more than a little distant lately," Mothwing confessed at last. "And her mind seems really cloudy a lot of the time. I haven't the slightest clue why."

"Maybe she's just stressed out," Leapordstar suggested gently, wanting to ease the anxiety that she was picking up on. "About Dawnflower suddenly getting greencough."

"Well, I'm stressed about that too!" Mothwing burst out. She slammed her paws on the ground, getting dirt in the webs. "Great," she hissed.

"The catmint will grow in newleaf," Leapordstar said. "We're just getting out of the last of leaf bare."

"Exactly," Mothwing exclaimed with frustration. "It rains every day, so why are all the crops dead?"

"I don't know, Mothwing," Leapordstar said slowly.

"If the greencough spreads, many cats will die from sickness," Mothwing whispered. "We have enough fish for every cat to eat as much as they want. We have every herb in the world. Except for the one we need."

Jayfeather sat in his den, too angry to go outside. His head was spinning from hunger, even after eating another traveling herb. This world sucks, Jayfeather thought, glaring at nothing. Newleaf isn't supposed to be like this. Has every freaking mouse and squirrel just suddenly died?

Jayfeathers belly rumbled sharply, and he swore in frustration. He rolled over onto his side, staring at all his herbs laid out on the floor. The only thing he was really short on was poppy seeds, but he knew that there was a bunch of them in a bush not far from the camp.

I'll pick some up later, Jayfeather thought to himself. If I don't die before then.

He looked over at the biggest pile, which consisted of a giant stash of catmint.

It makes perfect sense, Starclan, Jayfeather thought angrily. We have enough catmint to cure greencough for seasons and seasons. But food is apparently too great of a gift to give us, hm?

Now that he was thinking about it, Jayfeather was suddenly more aware of it. The sweet scent wrapped around his nose, and he found himself getting up.

He approached the pile of stems, and he picked one up with his teeth. The taste of it was unbearable.

I'll just eat one, Jayfeather thought. We have plenty, and there's a garden of it where I can find more.

He quickly ate it, feeling his heart race at the sudden burst of food. He felt a little better, but not by much.

I wish I had greencough, so I could eat this every day! Jayfeather jokingly thought. Actually, that's a terrible thing to wish for. I take it back.

He laid back down on the ground, suddenly feeling strange. His paws felt heavy, but his head felt lighter than a feather. His body felt as though sparks were burning the tips of his fur.

His mind felt loopy.

But the hunger had strangely disappeared.

Is this what happens when you eat catmint when you're not sick? Jayfeather thought. He stood up, suddenly feeling full of energy. This feels really cool.

A sudden noise distracted him, and he shot up to his paws at once. It's like I'm alive again.

"Hey, Jayfeather."

It was his sister, standing at the doorway to his den. She had a tiny, shriveled up mouse in her jaws. Jayfeather looked at Hollyleaf, feeling sad. Her ribs stuck out, and her pelt was dull. She looked terribly miserable.

"You can have it," Jayfeather said at once. "Eat the whole thing and don't share it with anyone else."

Hollyleaf stared at him, confused. "You look better than when I last saw you," she said. "What happened?"

"I nibbled on a stem of catmint," Jayfeather shrugged. "It smelled so sweet and I couldn't help myself."

"Jayfeather," Hollyleaf scolded. "That catmint is for cats with greencough! What if we run out?"

Jayfeather made a big show of waving his paw to the heaping pile of catmint stems.

"Want me to take you to the catmint garden too?" he said sarcastically. Hollyleaf thought for a moment, and then shrugged. "Whatever."

"Now eat that," Jayfeather instructed. He couldn't bear to see her so weak and hungry. The catmint was also making him feel very friendly, and he wanted to help.

"I should go split it with the others," Hollyleaf said sadly. "There's hardly anything else."

"Eat the damn mouse, Hollyleaf," Jayfeather snapped. "As your medicine cat, I am giving you an order."

"But the others-"

"The others can wait until later," Jayfeather cut her off. You give away your share too often. You're probably hungrier because of that so you deserve it."

"Well," Hollyleaf still looked skeptical. "Okay."

Jayfeather watched proudly as she ate the mouse in a few bites.

"That was awesome," Hollyleaf said. She looked up at him, and Jayfeather could already see the light in her eyes again.

Jayfeather just smiled, but he stopped when Hollyleaf got a concerned look on her face.

"Are you… okay?" she asked, leaning in closer to him. "You're pupils are really big."

"I'm good," Jayfeather said. Freaking great is more like.

"Okay, well," Hollyleaf started to back out of his den. "I'm glad you're feeling better. And don't eat anymore of the catmint stems; I think it made you feel weird."

"Alrighty," Jayfeather waved his tail in goodbye. When she was gone, he started jumping up and down. I've got so much energy! I just want to do everything at once!

He started mixing traveling herbs for tomorrow morning, going at an extreme pace. This way I don't have to do it in the morning. Everyone will be so impressed!

He mixed seven herb bundles, placing them neatly in a row. He was just about to mix the eighth, when his bones suddenly felt heavy. He felt tired, and he slumped to the ground.

He fell asleep on the pile of traveling herbs.