𝚂𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜 || 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚜 #1

Chapter Twelve

The silver tabby's gaze flickers over the scarring lacerations on Hailwatcher's face, and he looks a bit smug.

Disregarding the dreadful notion that the ShadowClan leader feels satisfied with his suffering, the small gray tom nervously gives his chest fur a few licks.

Raggedfoot roughly jabs Hailwatcher's shoulder with an extended paw.

"Seems like that didn't work out too well for you," he taunts, eliciting a snicker from Slightstar; the young medicine cat draws back with a whimper, a throbbing pain shooting down his foreleg.

Fervently hoping that RiverClan will arrive soon if only to spare him from further embarrassment and injury, Hailwatcher sits stiffly between the ShadowClan leader and deputy and fidgets with a stray pebble.

A commotion rising up at the camp entrance catches Hailwatcher's attention; Slightstar and Raggedfoot rise to their paws and pad toward the origin of the noise.

The small gray tom breathes in deeply, relieved that the leader and deputy are gone.

He eventually follows, willing his trembling to subside, but it doesn't.

Approaching the cluster of cats gathered at the camp entrance, Hailwatcher finds Ivyhawk and ambles up to him.

The golden tabby looks extremely tired, as usual, and has a look of blatant exasperation on his striped face.

"Hey, Ivyhawk," Hailwatcher mews quietly, glancing up at the golden tabby.

Ivyhawk pricks an ear, his gaze landing on Hailwatcher.

"Oh, hey.."

The RiverClan medicine cat pauses, examining the small gray tom's face through narrowed green eyes.

"..You good?"

"Um- yeah," Hailwatcher lies in response, forcing a smile.

Ivyhawk looks concerned but concedes, shaking out his pelt; bits of leaf and reed shafts fall to the ground.

"..Alright then."

Hailwatcher eyes Shellstar talking quietly with Slightstar and Raggedfoot; RiverClan's deputy, Snowflash, stands beside her leader and appears to be pressed up against him.

"So...what have you been up to, Ivyhawk?" the small gray tom mews, trying to change the subject.

"I've been teaching a kit about the herbs that grow in our territory," Ivyhawk replies with an earnest chuckle.

"Looking into making her my apprentice in a few moons' time."

"That's nice," Hailwatcher replies, twitching an ear as he sees Slightstar motion toward both medicine cats.

"If you all would follow me," the silver tabby mews, flicking his tail toward the leader's den at the very back of camp.

Shellstar falls into line behind the ShadowClan leader with a nod, sneaking a glance at Hailwatcher and whispering something into Snowflash's ear.

Ivyhawk raises a brow, leaning in a bit closer.

"You sure you're okay?"

Hailwatcher nods vigorously, realizing only after the fact that he's starting to come off as a bit desperate.

"Yeah.."

Still unconvinced, Ivyhawk casts a skeptical glance in Slightstar's direction but says nothing further.

The six-cat group pauses at the entrance to Slightstar's den; the silver tabby pauses to let the RiverClan cats enter.

Hailwatcher tentatively steps closer after Raggedfoot, almost expecting to be told to leave, but to his surprise nothing is said.