rats. [open]

[→ONYXSTAR]

The dead creatures were everywhere.

Onyxstar had gone out alone. She needed time to think. Time to work. Time to learn. The rats had returned, as they did every year, but it was different, this year at least. They were dying. RoseClan did not need to suffer from this, of course; whilst PineClan and StoneClan relied more heavily upon the rats, mice and other such creatures in their territory, RoseClan was lucky enough to be as their ancestors were; the river, the ponds, the lake; they would provide food enough for their clan. Koi would be wonderful for the next moon or so, at least until whatever was killing the small mammals disappeared.

Seeing the dead creatures worried her slightly. She had forbidden her clan from touching them, for fear they would get infected with whatever they had. If anyone were to bring a rat or a mouse to camp, they would be told to take it as far away as possible. They had new kits; the kits would be more likely to get infected by the disease, whatever it was. It wasn't Red Bite; Opalcloud had said. Red Bite was more prevalent in StoneClan territory. RoseClan should be safe. For now, anyway.

Onyxstar continued to slink through RoseClan territory, watching quietly. Hopefully this sickness would pass before too much prey was lost. StoneClan and PineClan would pull through. She could even offer them help. In Greenleaf, RoseClan had plenty food to go around, and fattened up on the koi and other such fish. That was why they were called "kittypets", simply because they had more than enough food to go around.

It would be a long, long day.

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