The sickness (TBS)

"I'm very worried about this illness. All the trouble with One Eye distracted me, but now that it's quieted down I can see that the biggest danger facing us is exactly that: the sickness that's killing Morning Whisker. I'm afraid the other cats were exposed, and I'm keeping my eye out for any signs that any other cat is getting sick. The trouble is, even if one of our cats starts showing symptoms, I have no idea what do to for them."

— Clear Sky to Thunder about the mysterious sickness in The Blazing Star (book), page 121

The sickness
General information
Book	The Blazing Star, Riverstar's Home
Timeframe	Leaf-fall
Event	An unknown sickness
Place	The forest territories
Outcome	Wind Runner sets up her own camp The sick cats survive with the Blazing Star curing them The leaders begin to understand the spirit cats' meaning of the Blazing Star prophecy
Participants
Key characters	Pebble Heart, Cloud Spots, Star Flower, One Eye
Affiliations involved	Tall Shadow's camp Clear Sky's camp River Ripple's camp Wind Runner's camp
Chronology
Preceded by:	The Great Battle
Concurrent:	One Eye's oppression
Followed by:	Founding of the Clans

The sickness was an epidemic caused by an unknown yet fatal disease that affected the Early Settlers during The Blazing Star and Riverstar's Home. The sickness impacted both prey and cats alike and its only cure was the Blazing Star.

Summary

Premise

Moon Shadow: "But there's still more work to be done. Only the Blazing Star can blunt the claw."

Bright Stream: "Yes, the Blazing Star. To survive, you must grow and spread like the Blazing Star."

^{The Blazing Star (book), page 35}

Following the first battle, the spirit cats order the leaders to return to four trees under the next full moon in peace. The spirit cats warn them that something is coming with a message to grow and spread the Blazing Star to survive. The living cats are confused by their riddles, and a mysterious cat takes part in their discussions. The groups part with promise to share news of what the spirit cats' message could mean. One Eye, a powerful and notorious rogue, also joins Clear Sky's group.

Overview

"It's true that cats have died. But there are many of us who have crossed Thunderpaths and survived. And some of us have been to where the Blazing Star grows and survived. It's vital that we fetch the Blazing Star. If we can't cure this illness, then sooner or later, we will all die. It's as simple as that."

―Gray Wing about fetching the herb ^{The Blazing Star (book), page 173}

The sickness begins infecting and killing prey in the area, and the cats are initially wary of its shocking symptoms. They avoid catching prey tainted with the sickness, though Morning Whisker, Wind Runner's daughter, is the first to fall ill. The groups wonder if the Blazing Star has something to do with it, and learn that it's a herb. However, they are unaware of its healing prosperities and is pushed aside. One Eye is aware of the illness but refuses to reveal anything about it, and he eventually commandeers Clear Sky's group and exiles him. Without a cure, Morning Whisker dies. Holly, Birch, Alder, and Petal also fall ill. Star Flower reveals to Thunder that the Blazing Star is a healing herb, though One Eye and his rogues prevent them from gathering the vital herb. After killing One Eye, Tall Shadow and Gray Wing gather the herb and share it with the groups. However, Petal dies after prioritizing the kits over herself.

Description

Discovering the sickness

"Sickness. Sickness too powerful for healing herbs."

―Pebble Heart's shock at the mouse ^{The Blazing Star (book), page 61}

During a training session, Pebble Heart discovers a mouse that had died from a mysterious illness, and he warns that it's a sickness that no known herbs can treat. Gray Wing and Thunder bury the mouse away from the camp. The moor cats inform their new members, Holly, Mud Paws, and Mouse Ear, how the spirit cats informed them to grow and spread like the Blazing Star. The group wonders if the spirit cats were warning them of the illness and if a mysterious plant with five petals across the Thunderpath. While traveling to the Thunderpath, the group runs into One Eye, a member of Clear Sky's group, and warns him against eating a dead bird infected with the illness. One Eye is unfazed by the sickness, but the others find the herb and take some back to their camps. One Eye hints to Clear Sky that he knows more about the sickness than he's revealing and that some of his cats are exposed.

The early infection

Pebble Heart: "I can't let you touch her. I'm sorry. But even now, you could catch the sickness."

Wind Runner: "She's my kit! I can't lose another one!"

^{The Blazing Star, page 124}

Morning Whisker is one of the first cats to fall ill and Thunders orders his cats to avoid hunting prey that's been near sick animals. Only Pebble Heart and Cloud Spots are allowed to be near her, though eventually Morning Whisker dies. They wrap her body in leaves and bury her under a gorse bush. While the sickness initially remains in Thunder's group on the moor, Clear Sky worries what will happen if it comes to the forest since they don't have a cure and that some of his cats might fall ill soon. The group leaders meet at four trees to discuss the sickness and share news that more prey has been found dead with the disease. River Ripple recalls how the rogues dispersed after a severe illness killed several cats, and the sickness seemed to go away on its own. The others brainstorm possibly isolating the sick cats elsewhere and maintaining boundaries to prevent it from spreading. Elsewhere in the moor, Slate and Cricket's mother and sister fall ill to the sickness and die.

The sickness spreads

Main article: One Eye's oppression

"They weren't even hers. But she was dedicated to them, right up to the end."

―Clear Sky about Petal's death ^{The Blazing Star (book), page 252}

Alder from Clear Sky's group is the next to fall ill, though One Eye takes over Clear Sky's group and chases him and Sparrow Fur out. Thunder learns from Star Flower that the Blazing Star is a healing herb, and after Holly falls ill, Thunder shares what he's learned from Star Flower and the group decides to fetch more of the herb. However, One Eye and his rogues ambush the patrol, forcing them to retreat without the herb. The cats decide they must defeat One Eye before they can secure more of the vital herb. They manage to kill One Eye, and Clear Sky returns to his group. However, Petal and Birch have caught the sickness from Alder, and One Eye had forced them to make camp away from the others. Petal dies shortly after reuniting with Clear Sky, and Acorn Fur reveals how Petal prioritizing caring for the kits over herself. Cloud Spots, Shattered Ice, Acorn Fur, and Clear Sky quickly bury her body. Tall Shadow and Gray Wing fetch the herb, and the sick cats recover from the illness.

Symptoms and treatment

The sickness spreads from animal to animal, either from eating sick prey or coming into contact with a sick cat. Prior to the Blazing Star being used, healers used tansy to attempt to treat the symptoms. They were careful to avoid touching the open sores or having the sick cats breathe on them. For prey, victims develop a swollen belly, white foam around the mouth, pus oozing from the eyes, and open sores over its body. Birds lose their feathers and prey lose a significant amount of fur as well. Similar symptoms display in cats, with swollen bellies, blood dribbling from the mouth, and open sores with blood oozing out of them. Cats may also loose focus during the early stages of the illness.

Cats who were infected

• Tall Shadow's group
  • Morning Whisker (Died)
  • Holly (Recovered)
• Clear Sky's group
  • Alder (Recovered)
  • Birch (Recovered)
  • Petal (Died)
• Others
  • Slate and Cricket's mother (Died)
  • Slate and Cricket's sister (Died)

Aftermath

"You said we had to unite or die, and you were right. We united against One Eye and defeated him. And we shared the Blazing Star to fight off the sickness. What now? Why did you summon us in our sleep?"

―Thunder to the spirit cats ^{The Blazing Star (book), pages 265-266}

Shorty after the cats secure the Blazing Star, the spirit cats summon the leaders in their dreams. They repeat that they must not forget to grow and spread like the Blazing Star, which has five petals. The leaders are confused that the spirit cats were not referring to how they united to combat the illness and One Eye's treachery. Clear Sky believes it means that the groups must join together in a literal sense, though Gray Wing believes it means they must split into five groups, one group for each petal of the flower. This gives Tall Shadow the motivation to live in the pine forest across the Thunderpath, and eventually Thunder splits from Clear Sky to form his own group in the forest. Prey remains scarce since the sickness killed much of it so close to leaf-bare.

Characters

Pebble Heart and Cloud Spots

"This is really serious. I feel it in the depths of my belly. It would be wrong for me to leave now."

―Pebble Heart to Gray Wing about him treating Morning Whisker ^{The Blazing Star (book), page 109}

Pebble Heart is a young healer in Tall Shadow's group and is the first to identify the illness

Pebble Heart and Cloud Spots are healers within Tall Shadow's group on the moor. Pebble Heart is the first to identify the sickness in a dead mouse and warns that it has no known cure. While searching across the Thunderpath for the Blazing Star, Pebble Heart prevents One Eye from touching an ill bird. When Morning Whisker falls ill, Pebble Heart and Cloud Spots treat her with tansy, with Cloud Spots trusting Pebble Heart for the young tom to watch over the kit while he gathers more herbs. He and Cloud Spots prevent others from touching Morning Whisker out of fear of the illness spreading, and when she dies, they wrap her body in leaves. Cloud Spots is the one who hypothesizes that the Blazing Star might cure the illness. Later, Pebble Heart tends to Holly when she falls ill, and Cloud Spots goes with Clear Sky to his camp to treat the sick there.

Wind Runner

"I can't bear it! I can't lose another kit! Why couldn't it be me instead?"

―Wind Runner after Morning Whisker falls ill ^{The Blazing Star (book), page 96}

Cloud Spots (right) is a healer in Tall Shadow's group and is the first to propose that the Blazing Star might cure the sickness

Wind Runner is a member of Tall Shadow's group on the moor. When her daughter Morning Whisker falls ill with the sickness, Wind Runner becomes frantic for her kit since she already lost Emberkit, and she verbally lashes out at Pebble Heart for going near her. Wind Runner knows her kits will die without a cure, and she heavily grieves when Morning Whisker passes away. Pebble Heart prevents her from touching Morning Whisker's body, and her mate Gorse Fur comforts her in her grief. After a few moments, Wind Runner wishes for Morning Whisker to be buried to join with the spirit cats, and Pebble Heart and Cloud Spots wrap her body in leaves. Wind Runner decides to leave the group with her family, wondering if joining the group led to her kits' deaths. She eventually forms her own group on the moor, using what she learned from the mountain cats.

One Eye

One Eye: "Your so-called rules are a joke. No cat really cares about anything but himself. Pretending otherwise just causes heartache...and sickness."

Clear Sky: "What do you know about the sickness? That bird was very ill. Do you know more about it than you told us?"

^{The Blazing Star (book), page 92}

One Eye is a rogue leader who joined Clear Sky's group. At first, One Eye dismissed the illness as another part of the forest, though he soon revealed to Clear Sky that he knew more than he originally let on. He reveals that some of the others are exposed and will soon fall ill, but refuses to tell Clear Sky since the rogue only cares for himself. When Alder falls ill, One Eye takes over Clear Sky's group to protect them from the illness, and he exiles Clear Sky and Sparrow Fur. One Eye banishes Petal and the kits from the camp when they fall ill, and he is eventually killed in battle.

Star Flower is One Eye's daughter who informed the mountain cats of the Blazing Star's healing properties

Star Flower

"My name is Star Flower. I was named after the white flowers that glow at night with their five petals. If you look closely at my eyes, you'll see the five petal shapes."

―Star Flower introducing herself to Thunder ^{The Blazing Star (book), page 135}

Star Flower is a rogue living near the mountain cats. She becomes intrigued by the cats from the mountains and listens in on their meetings at four trees. Star Flower introduces herself to Thunder after another meeting, revealing she was named after the flower with five petals. Thunder quickly becomes enamored by her. She eventually reveals to Thunder that the Blazing Star is a healing herb, and Thunder believes it might be beneficial against the sickness. Thunder shares this revelation with the others, though Lightning Tail greatly distrusts her. They decide to follow Star Flower's advice and fetch the herb, which eventually cures the sick cats.

See also

• The Blazing Star (book)
  • The Blazing Star (book)/Cliffnotes