Chapter 23

Nutwhisker's POV:

Nutwhisker's mind was blank. He seemed to be dreaming but he couldn't comprehend where he was. He could barely move. At last, he opened his eyes and was met with Watersplash's blue eyes staring down at him. They were less than a mouse-length from his muzzle and they were stretched wide with concern.

"Nutwhisker. You're awake." Watersplash's breath ruffled Nutwhisker's whiskers and he blinked his eyes silently up at her. "Are you okay?"

Nutwhisker finally managed to find his voice and stuttered, "I-I'm fine." His head throbbed but other than that, he felt fine.

"Oh good." Watersplash breathed and raised herself away from Nutwhisker, allowing him to sit up. Nutwhisker glanced to his right to see Shinepaw staring at the two of them with a weird expression.

"You two are a weird pair.." Shinepaw mumbled and turned back to sorting herbs.

Nutwhisker felt his skin grow hot beneath his fur and he stumbled away from Watersplash. "W-we're not a pair. It's against the medicine cat c-code."

"Well then, you better stop it before you end up doing something stupid." Shinepaw placed some withered goldenrod in a disposal pile.

Watersplash mumbled, "It's too late."

Nhtwhisker turned to fix his green gaze on her's. "Is it?" He queried nervously, not wanting it to be true even though he knew it was.

Watersplash padded towards Nutwhisker and placed a gentle lick on Nutwhisker's muzzle. "After you hit your head, I feared for your life. I was so blinded from the panic and terror that you wouldn't wake up that Shinepaw did most of the healing. I just sat gazing at you, hoping that you would awaken. Now I know that you weren't injured but for some reason, I lost all logic and sanity when I saw you hurt. That's when I realised..."

Nutwhisker was speechless and he swallowed thickly, unsure how to respond. He knew he had strong feelings for Watersplash but he didn't realise she returned the feelings. He was about to open his jaws to reply when Ashleg raced into the den. "Snowshadow is expecting kits!!" He meowed happily.

"You're the father?" Shinepaw questioned with a beaming smile forming on her lips.

"Yep!" Ashleg grinned proudly and puffed out his chest.

"Congratulations!" Nutwhisker meowed, trying to force as much enthusiasm into his voice as possible.

Watersplash mirrored Nutwhisker and smiled brightly, "Where is she now?"

"Sleeping in the warriors den." Ashleg meowed, "She has been complaining of being tired lately." The silver-grey tom glanced over his shoulder briefly.

Watersplash pricked her ears, "I can check her over if you want."

"That's mainly why I came here." Ashleg admitted. "Snowshadow said she didn't need you or Nutwhisker but I'm a little worried about her."

Nutwhisker turned away as Watersplash and Ashleg trotted out of the medicine den. He looked at Shinepaw to see his apprentice was eyeing him. "What?"

"You're not setting a very good example by falling in love with Watersplash." She muttered and sat back from the herb stock.

"B-but.. I'm not in love with Watersplash!" Nutwhisker retorted quietly, knowing that he was lying.

"Whatever. It doesn't matter since Starclan can't see us. So right now, all you need to do is keep it a secret from the clan and you're fine!" Shinepaw snapped and lashed her tail as she reached down to pick up the pile of old and withered herbs in her jaws. She padded out of the den to dispose the useless herbs with her tail held high and her head raised.

Nutwhisker sighed and decided to give some coltsfoot to Silverstar, Stormflame and Wildkit. He started with Wildkit, coaxing the small she cat to swallow the herb. She mewled in protest but it didn't take much persuasion to get her to eat it.

Then Nutwhisker nudged Stormflame and Silverstar up. Silverstar coughed loudly when she awoke and her breathing was wheezy. Nutwhisker frowned and mumbled, "Now Silverstar has greencough too."

Stormflame pricked his ears and wheezed, "What? Oh no."

Silverstar sighed, "It's okay. I have two lives left."Stormflame frowned but nodded as he licked up the coltsfoot Nutwhisker pawed at him.

Satisfied that he had done what he needed for them, Nutwhisker padded out of the medicine den. He pricked his ears when the sound of coughing came from the elders den and padded inside to see Bigstep wheezing and spluttering while Slowsky urged him to stop.

Nutwhisker's blood ran cold as the faint scent of sickness reached his nose and he immediately blurted, "Bigstep has whitecough!"

Bigstep shook his head as he fought to catch his breath, "No I don't. It's just a feather stuck in my throat." Slowsky glanced at Nutwhisker fearfully.

Nutwhisker sighed and padded closer, "The scent of sickness is in the den. There is no denying that you have whitecough. Now I need you to move your nest into the medicine den so that you won't pass the sickness to anyone else."

"No." Slowsky meowed, "Bigstep stays with me." The sick tom's mate wrapped her tail protectively around him and glared at Nutwhisker.

"But you will get sick." Nutwhisker meowed, his voice slightly annoyed. He wasn't at all in the mood for cats to cause problems. He already had too much on his mind. One of the mains problems being Watersplash.

"I'm already sick." Slowsky meowed confidently, "I've been in the same den as Bigstep the entire time he has been coughing."

Nutwhisker sighed; the old she cat had a point. At last, he rolled his eyes and replied with, "Alright. You're both coming to my den."

Slowsky growled, "I want to stay here! It's much nicer than your stinky, cramped up and dark den!"

Nutwhisker forced down an angry growl and sighed again, "Fine. I'll be right back." He trotted back to the medicine den to see Watersplash padding inside.

"Snowshadow seems healthy, no signs of sickness. I think she's just feeling a little down and unwell. It is her first time having kits, afterall." Watersplash reported as she padded to her nest, avoiding Nutwhisker's gaze completely.

"That's good news." Nutwhisker meowed as he padded into the herb store to collect some coltsfoot. He noticed there wasn't much left and made a mental note to collect more coltsfoot next time he went out. "Bigstep and Slowsky have whitecough." He mumbled as he rushed past Watersplash and back into the elders den.

"What?" Watersplash yelled after Nutwhisker but he didn't bother answering. He just placed the coltsfoot in front of the two elders.

"Eat up." Nutwhisker ordered softly before turning away and padding out of the den and back into the medicine den. He noticed Shinepaw wasn't around and narrowed his eyes. "Where is Shinepaw?"

"Out familiarising herself with the herbs in the forest." Stormflame mumbled from his nest. "Sorry I forgot to tell you."

"It's fine." Nutwhisker decided to head out to find Shinepaw. He could help her and take his mind off the stress inside camp. He trotted out of the medicine den and hurried out into the forest.

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