Warrior Cats: Shadows into Light (book 1)

Chapter 10

Nightpaw awoke scared, hungry, and a sharp pain in her paw, she looked down and saw her sprained paw wrapped in cobwebs and poultices over her scratches. "Oatpelt," Nightpaw called out feeling a bit drowsy. "Yes," he muttered looking through herbs. "Do my brothers know I'm injured yet," she mewed from her mossy nest. Oatpelt shook his head and walked out to get Dawnpaw and Duskpaw. The three cats returned and Oatpelt went back to sorting herbs. Dawnpaw bolted over and pushed his muzzle into his sister's fur affectionately. Duskpaw sat down beside them and gave Nightpaw a swift lick behind the ears. "What happened," Duskpaw asked. "I went for a walk in the rain, and then I accidentally step on loose undergrowth. Then I fall down and thats how I got here," she meowed in response. "Oatpelt, I'm hungry," she meowed to him. "Ok, keep your fur on. Dawnpaw go get something to eat for your sister," Oatpelt said with annoyance in his voice. Dawnpaw nodded and walked out to get some fresh kill. "You're lucky you aren't dead. Did your mentor ever tell you, look before you walk," Oatpelt muttered. "Yea, I'm sorry. Is Heatherheart going to be visiting today," she questioned. Oatpelt nodded and picked up some dock and chewed it up and placed it onto Nightpaw's wounds. Nightpaw winced in pain from the dock luckily by the time Dawnpaw returned with a large squirrel. Nightpaw took swift bites from the squirrel and cleaned her mouth after. "Do you have trying today," she asked her brothers. "I'm supposed to go on a hunting patrol with, Thornnight," Duskpaw meowed. "And I will be training with Iceheart on how to fight," Dawnpaw finished his brother's sentence. "Oh we have to go, our mentors our looking for us," Duskpaw meowed while looking out of the entrance of Oatpelt's den. Nightpaw said goodbye and they walked out. "I wish I could go with them," Nightpaw sighed. "Well don't fall down holes and next time you will," Oatpelt said with a purr of amusement in his voice. Heatherheart walked in and mewed a greeting to her apprentice. "Once you recover, you are going to train hard," Heatherheart meowed. "I understand," Nightpaw meowed in response. Hollypaw walked into the medicine cat's den and sat down waiting for herbs. "What happened to you," Nightpaw mewed. "I was chasing a mouse and got stuck in brambles. Why do you care half-clan," Hollypaw meowed. Nightpaw looked hurt and Oatpelt whispered into her ear. Hollypaw then glared at the floor and winced as the medicine cat put on Cobwebs and other herbs so it wouldn't get infected. Nightpaw let out a hiss and went back to her thoughts. I may be half-clan but it doesn't mean i'm not loyal. That crowfood eating cat should get stuck in brambles again for it. Maybe I'm taking this too seriously it was just a word nothing more. Nightpaw thought harder and harder and soon got a headache. "Don't think about it. She doesn't understand she is an apprentice just like you of course," Oatpelt mewed. "How did you know I was thinking about that," Nightpaw asked. "You look like you want to rip in to her fur and make her into crowfood," Oatpelt responded "I was called weak but look at me now, I am a medicine cat." She looked down feeling guilty that he knew and nodded in response to him. She curled up in her mossy bedding with a headache and a stabbing feeling of guilt in her chest. Even though she felt terrible from all of these emotions the sunlight that peaked in through the leaves was comforting. 

Art by: Finchwing