"Featherwhisker, stop refusing," Spottedleaf mewed as she pushed catmint over to the medicine cat. Featherwhisker was only to push it back to Spottedleaf.

"Save it for the Clan," he rasped after a cough. "They need it more than I do."

"But they need you, too," Spottedleaf pointed out. "How can they cope without you?"

"They have you," Featherwhisker minded. "Did you forget you were a fully trained medicine cat?" Spottedleaf shook her head.

"I'm just not as good as you. If there is one cat who is supposed to have greencough, it should be me instead of you." Featherwhisker gave a slight smile.

"Sometimes you cannot change things," he mewed. "StarClan brings life and decides when that life is over. I feel that StarClan is pulling me towards them now, and that I will walk with them soon."

Spottedleaf remained silent as she stared at her dying mentor with sad eyes. She looked over her shoulder as she could feel a shadow loom over her like a tree.

"How is Featherwhisker?" Sunstar asked. "I could hear him coughing from the leader's den." His eyes were showing signs of worry for his brother.

"He's not too good," Spottedleaf reported. "The greencough is killing him. I think he's had it for longer than today because I would have expected him to have caught whitecough instead."

"Why does StarClan have to decide to take him now?" Sunstar sighed.

"Spottedleaf," Featherwhisker managed to say through coughs, "I am proud to have chosen you as my apprentice. I know you will be a great medicine cat to ThunderClan."

"Featherwhisker, I can't be the medicine cat without you," Spottedleaf replied. "I'm afraid I'll mess things up."

"You won't," Featherwhisker assured his apprentice.

"I know you can fight this greencough," Spottedleaf mewed. "Then you can carry on living." Featherwhisker shook his head slightly and then remained still as his eyes stared unblinkingly ahead of him.

"He's dead," Sunstar mewed quietly as a few tears ran down his face. Spottedleaf just stared unblinkingly at her deceased mentor's body. "He served ThunderClan well and we will all remember him."

Spottedleaf closed the pale silver medicine cat's amber eyes for the last time. Sunstar rested his bright ginger tail-tip on the dark tortoiseshell she-cat's shoulder. There was a silence in the medicine den and then Sunstar walked out. Several heartbeats later, Spottedleaf could hear Sunstar addressing ThunderClan to gather beneath the Highrock. Spottedleaf walked out of the den and settled down as she watched cats racing towards the Highrock.

"Featherwhisker has died a few heartbeats ago from greencough," Sunstar began. "He has served ThunderClan well and now it is time for Spottedleaf to follow in his paw steps."

"Spottedleaf! Spottedleaf! Spottedleaf!" the Clan chanted as they turned their heads to look at the dark tortoiseshell.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Bluefur mewed. Spottedleaf blinked.

"It was just his time," she mewed. "He will have a happy life in the ranks of StarClan." Bluefur nodded in agreement and then walked away as she kept Mistykit, Mosskit and Stonekit close to her.

"Brindleface!" Spottedleaf called. The tabby queen lifted her head up as Spottedleaf began walking over to her. "How is your coughing now?"

"It's better," Brindleface replied. "Thanks, Spottedleaf." Spottedleaf gave a dip of her head and began to walk away.

"Spottedleaf! Spottedleaf!" Spottedleaf turned her head and noticed Larksong running over to her, panting. "It's Mumblefoot and Weedwhisker. Something's not right with them at all."

Spottedleaf began to trot swiftly into the elder's den, Larksong following slightly behind. She noticed Mumblefoot and Weedwhisker's bodies still curled up in there nest. Maybe they're just sleeping.

"Larksong, are you sure they're not sleeping?" she asked the elder. Larksong shook her head.

"No, I am quite sure. They have been sleeping since moonhigh and haven't moved at all. Are they dead?" Spottedleaf walked over to their bodies and began to examine them. She noticed they weren't breathing and she looked at Larksong.

"Larksong, I'm sorry, but Mumblefoot and Weedwhisker are dead," she announced with sadness.

"I will miss them," Larksong mewed sadly, "but I can have a few moons of peace without their bickering until I join StarClan." Spottedleaf gave a nod.

"Well, I have to see to cats with their greencough. Do you need anything before I go?" Spottedleaf asked the tortoiseshell elder.

"A fresh bedding would be nice," Larksong replied. Spottedleaf left the elder's den and saw Sunstar talking with his deputy Tawnyspots. The ThunderClan deputy had a look of worry on his face as he talked.

"Spottedleaf, can you come over here?" Sunstar called as he had noticed the medicine cat. Spottedleaf began to walk over to the two cats.

"Spottedleaf, I have this strange lump on my stomach that is painful. Do you know what it is?" Tawnyspots told the medicine cat.

"I don't have any idea what it is," Spottedleaf admitted. "I've never heard of a cat getting a lump before. I'll ask the other medicine cats if they know the next time at the Moonstone."

"Okay," Tawnyspots said. "I think I'll have to retire soon. It's started to weaken me and the pain gets worse each day." Sunstar gave a nod.

"Hopefully it will go away soon," he mewed.

"Oh, Mumblefoot and Weedwhisker are dead. They died in their sleep," Spottedleaf announced.

"Thank you for telling me, Spottedleaf," Sunstar mewed.

Spottedleaf began to walk over towards the medicine den. She walked through the tunnel and walked over to the freshly-collected moss. She picked up some of it and began to head towards the elder's den. She entered the den and placed the bedding onto the ground.

Larksong circled around on it and then lay down. Spottedleaf picked up Larksong's old bedding and began to walk out of the den.

"Thanks, Spottedleaf," Larksong mewed.

After treating to the cats who had greencough, Spottedleaf returned to the medicine den and lay down on her mossy bedding and closed her eyes.