StormPelt's Challenge

Chapter 3

The two cats hissed at the trespassing beast and clawed at it in hopes of the fox backing of, but it did the opposite, lunging at Stormpelt and nipping at his throat. He managed to pull away but a small speckle of blood dripped from his neck onto the floor, in retaliation Pineleap jumped at the fox, scratching at its snout ferociously. It reared back, swiping blindly at the cat Infront of it. Stormpelt saw his opportunity and ran into the stumbling attacker's side. It stumbled over, and in its wild attacks grazed Stormpelt's already damaged shoulder and He hissed in pain, catching a worried look from Pineleap. However, the fox had already stabilised itself and charged back at Stormpelt, but this time, Pineleap ran and bit into its neck. The fox howled in pain and ran past Stormpelt into the trees, nearly hitting him, as soon as the fox left a pain grew apparent in his shoulder like a burning fire and he stumbled onto the ground.

"Stormpelt?" She yelled anxiously, after fighting with the pain, he shakily stood up. The damaged leg held above the ground.

"I shouldn't have been fighting with this open wound." He winced, Stormpelt thought he would be safe hunting, but the forest was turning out to be a much less safe place than he imagined.

"Come here." At once she pushed up against his weak side and started walking with him back to camp, her fur glowed in the evening sun and it comforted him from the deep lacerations he had received in battle, Pineleap was relatively unaffected apart from bruises and the crimson fox blood that lined her mouth.

Once the two battle scarred cats made it too the entrance of the camp, a small crowd gathered as they reached the passage inside, notably Birch fur who shoved himself to the front of the crowd.

"A fox attacked us, his shoulder, The already scratched one... He was barely able to walk." Pineleap sounded the most solemn Stormpelt has ever heard her. She moved from his side and his wound was revealed, it still stung like a snake and Pineleap's fur had been soaked with the blood dripping from it. Birchfur barely had to look at the injury to bring him into the medicine cat den, urging Pineleap to follow.

Once inside, the medicine cat beckoned him to sit down, as he started inspecting the damage Birchfur started to scold him.

"I told you specifically not to get into a fight and this is what you do?"

Stormpelt reeled in embarrassment, it wasn't technically his fault he had been attacked, but he should've thought more carefully before heading out of camp. In the den entrance Pineleap looked down at her paws, obviously as embarrassed as he was. The Medicine cat didn't wait for an answer and finished checking on the wound.

"It looks dislocated, eat these." The grey cat handed him a few unfamiliar berries and held his shoulder. Without warning, he pushed Stormpelt's shoulder back into position, Stormpelt yowled like a kit for a few seconds before the pain subsided, much to the concerned amusement of Pineleap.
"Seeing as I can't trust you to stay in camp, you should stay here while you rest. Ill need to apply cobwebs everyday anyway." Birchfur ordered, patting a lump of them onto his wound. Soon Thornstep appeared behind his sister.

"Pineleap! Are you alright?" though his face had concern for both cats in the medicine den.

"I'm fine, its this lump of fur that took the most Hits." Despite her jeering she still looked concerned about him, which confused Stormpelt.

"I'm also alright." He attempted to lift himself up, but his still weary leg gave up on him and he laid back down, still exhausted from the fight.

"I'll let you rest, would you like anything to eat Stormpelt?" He accepted hastily and Thornstep walked off to the fresh kill pile.

"You seem in good shape." Birchfur said to Pineleap after a quick eye around her sides. "You may leave."

Taking one last look at Stormpelt, she disappeared into the clearing, just in time for Thornstep to drop a plump rabbit Infront of him.