Rustyfoot's scream echoed in Snowstar's ears. What happened? Was he hit by a twoleg monster? He wasn't by the Thunderpath, but he was by the swamp- oh no. Snowstar panicked in her mind as she ran to Rustyfoot's screams. She burst through the undergrowth to find Rustyfoot's limp body tossed just out of reach of a towering mud serpent. She let out a cry of sympathy for her unconscious friend, then hoisted him over her shoulders. She began to walk back to camp, but something stopped her. She turned back to the mud serpent. This one was particularly large, it most likely could have finished Rustyfoot off. So why didn't it? She set Rustyfoot down gently and padded cautiously up to the huge serpent. Its breathing was heavy, and it stared at her with pain in its eyes. She refused to feel sorry for it. The serpent had a long gash underneath its chin, and the gash was bad. This serpent was dying. Snowstar turned around without reacting. Behind her, the serpent let out a pathetic whine. She stopped in her tracks. "I'm sorry, but you've probably killed my closest friend. I-" She didn't turn around because want to look at the serpent. "I can't forgive you." She said, picking up Rustyfoot and carrying him back to Troutpool. Snowstar sat in her den with Rustyfoot's mate, Sparrowlight. Snowstar had her tail wrapped comfortingly around Sparrowlight. "Snowstar, I found out yesterday that I'm going to have kits." Sparrowlight said in between tears. "I was going to tell him when you two got back-" she took a few deep breaths before continuing. "but now I might never get to tell him!" She cried harder. Snowstar wasn't very good at comforting others. "Why don't you go to the nursery with Mintmoss? You can get some rest and talk to her and I'll bring updates on Rustyfoot's condition." She recommended. "Mintmoss moved back to the warrior den." Sparrowlight said. "She thinks she wasn't fit to care for kits." She explained. This was bad. Mintmoss was having a hard time with Fluffkit's death and blamed herself. "Well... Maybe you can cheer each other up." She said distantly. Her mind wasn't quite focused. "I think I'll do that." Sparrowlight responded. She got up, got a mouse to eat, and sat down in a shady spot next to Mintmoss and Toadstone. So many in the last few days have been lost. She hoped Rustyfoot wouldn't add to the losses. She got up to check on him. He lay awake on a mossy bed, and his bright green eyes were covered with cobwebs and herbs. "Sparrowlight has important news for you, but I'm sure you would want to hear it from her." Snowstar said. "Snowstar? Is that you?" He said, turning his head in her direction. "I can't see a thing." He said. Snowstar's eyes filled with tears as she realized what had happened. He was okay, but he had been blinded. Those mud serpents were going to pay. End of Part Six
Next: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/503517996 Previous: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/501248777 First: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/489682159 I think these chapters might be getting shorter
