Into the River

Into the River Chapter 19

At moonhigh, Lavapaw padded to the river. "Hello, Lavapaw," Leafpaw said, "So you finally made it.""Have you been waiting here every night?" Lavapaw asked."No," Leafpaw said, "Ok, yes. You said on that night though and you never actually came.""Well, I kinda forgot," Lavapaw admitted."Forgot," Leafpaw said flatly."Ok!" Lavapaw mewed, "Do you want to know or not?""Yes." Leafpaw sighed."I have been having strange dreams," Lavapaw began. "Yeah, you're amazing at that." Leafpaw mewed sarcastically. "Are you going to listen?" Lavapaw asked. "Yes," Leafpaw answered. "A cat from StarClan came to me and told me she was going to teach me how to fight." Just then, Clawpaw padded into the clearing, "Lavapaw? What are you doing here?" Leafpaw glared at her, Not now! "We were talking about Nightshade," "Yeah," Lavapaw agreed, "We weren't talking about weird dreams or anything." "Lavapaw," Leafpaw sighed."Weird dreams?" Clawpaw mused, "Were you in a dark forest, with trees blocking out the light?""Okay, Clawpaw, stop pretending you don't know anything," Leafpaw sighed. "Wait, the Dark Forest?""Ok, fine," Clawpaw said."Actually, yes, Clawpaw," Lavapaw said, "How did you know?""Lavapaw. You can never go there again," Clawpaw said, avoiding the question. "That was the Dark Forest.""Yes," Leafpaw added, "I remember now. Was that cat, by any chance, named Mapleshade?""Yes," Lavapaw answered, "How did you know?""I am guessing that Clawpaw learned from the elders but doesn't want to admit it." Leafpaw answered the previous question, "As for how I know, I learned from Marshleaf. I am going to become a medicine cat.""I thought so, the way you knew exactly what herbs were needed to heal my paw after the fox," Lavapaw didn't show any surprise, "What were they? Gollumreed and something?"Clawpaw was super shocked, "Since when? And how did you know about this Lavapaw?""Weren't you paying attention?" Lavapaw asked, "It was so obvious!""Gollemreed?" Clawpaw asked."That was my pronunciation." Lavapaw sighed, "Do you only remember the unimportant stuff?" "Maybe," Clawpaw answered, "But I remember the Dark Forest.""Yes," Lavapaw said, "I guess you did.""You must not go there again," Leafpaw reminded, "I will have to ask Marshleaf how though.""I could just not sleep," Lavapaw mewed."No, you have to sleep," Clawpaw said."I've already made up my mind," Leafpaw interrupted. Leafpaw padded back towards camp, leaving Lavapaw and Clawpaw at the river."Marshleaf?" Leafpaw called."Is that you, Leafpaw?" Marshleaf asked, "It's just past moonhigh.""Yes," Leafpaw answered, "it's important.""Well?" Marshleaf prompted."Lavapaw got a visit from the Dark Forest," Leafpaw explained, "We need to stop it from happening again.""The Dark Forest," Marshleaf muttered, "I was hoping we wouldn't see them again for a while.""Well, can we stop it from happening?" Leafpaw asked."There is a way," Marshleaf answered, "I will get to you after the half-moon tomorrow night. I need to consult the other medicine cats. For now, make sure either you or Lavapaw stays awake. If Lavapaw starts getting wounds, wake her.""Ok," Leafpaw mewed."Take these," Marshleaf added, pawing a bundle of herbs toward Leafpaw, "In case she gets hurt.""Shouldn't I ask you?" Leafpaw asked."No, you have a great knowledge and memory of herbs. I trust you to care for your littermate without my help. I have been watching you." Marshleaf answered."Thanks," Leafpaw mewed. She returned to the den, finding Lavapaw and Clawpaw already there. Clawpaw was already dozing, while Lavapaw was washing."You can sleep now," she told Lavapaw, "You might end up in the dark forest, but I will wake you if you get hurt."Lavapaw nodded, then curled up in her nest. Leafpaw gazed up at silverpelt, where StarClan cats lived. Marshleaf had told her some about Leafpool, who had been her friend and kept her secret - that she doesn't believe StarClan - when Marshleaf told her. Leafpaw didn't think that Marshleaf wasn't supposed to be a medicine cat because of that, instead, she thought Marshleaf was a great medicine cat and would love to learn from her. She unwrapped the bundle that Marshleaf had given her. Lavapaw twitched in her sleep, and a small scrape appeared on her shoulder. As Leafpaw healed it, more scratches appeared, so Leafpaw shook Lavapaw awake. When that didn't work, she pushed her into the lake.Lavapaw awoke, stumbling, "Good news, I'm never going back there.""What?" Leafpaw asked, "Why? What happened?""Mapleshade figured out that I'm so completely useless at fighting, so she shoved me out of the Dark Forest faster than you could say 'mouse'" Lavapaw answered.Leafpaw didn't know what to think about that, but she knew that Lavapaw needed her help. She settled down in her own nest, watching Lavapaw through the night. As the first light of dawn began to filter into the den, Leafpaw realized that she had not slept at all. She was exhausted, but she had kept Lavapaw safe from the dangers of the Dark Forest. She knew she would do whatever it took to protect her littermate, even if it meant sacrificing her sleep.Lavapaw stirred in her nest, stretching her paws and yawning. "Did I sleep through the night?" she asked."Yes, you did," Leafpaw replied, her voice hoarse from exhaustion."Thanks for staying up with me," Lavapaw said, nuzzling her sister."Of course," Leafpaw said, returning the affection. "We'll get through this together.""Hey!" Lavapaw said, "I didn't go to the Dark Forest that time!""Wait, what?" Leafpaw said, "We better tell Marshleaf.""I'll go. You catch up on your sleep," Lavapaw said, padding towards Marshleaf's den."Good morning Marshleaf!" She called.Marshleaf padded out, "Good morning. I figured out how to stop the Dark Forest. You just need to make them kick you out.""It seems like I already did," Lavapaw said.Leafpaw closed her eyes and slept.