ShadedOak's Story

Chapter Sixteen

Minnowflame crouched up in a tree, watching her two clanmates with narrowed eyes. What is Honeythistle up too? She wondered. Duskgaze was beside her, suspicion all the same in her eyes. Then she leaned forward silently, listening.

"Why did you even expect to stay in SkyClan?" Honeythistle paced around her sister.

Her sister's eyes flared, flashing in annoyance, "We had nowhere to go! Can you even remember when we were starving, struggling to survive after Mother died?"

The light-ginger she-cat snorted, shaking her head, "Oh Mintglade, you must be more blind than I thought. I was so much stronger than you. I always have been. This clan has made me even stronger, and I have risen up to have power."

"Really? Power is more important than family?" Mintglade stared in disbelief at her sister.

Honeythistle shoved her muzzle in her sisters face, eyes flashing, "Power is what makes you stronger! How weak can you be?"

Her light-blue eyes flashed, anger beginning to grow in them, "If power is more important to you than family, then you are no longer my sister." She growled, turning to walk back to camp.

Minnowflame hissed softly, digging her claws into the bark of the branch. Duskgaze laid her tail over her shoulders, getting her attention, "Relax, let's see what happens, and then you can go help."

"I guess," Her eyes flashed with anger when she looked over at Honeythistle, "But I don't trust her to be gentle."

"I know, Minnowflame. Just wait," The medicine cat murmured softly.

A low hiss drew their attention, and Honeythistle leaped at her sister, claws unsheathed. Before Mintglade could jump away, she had landed on her back, raking her claws along her spine.

The light-gray she-cat let out a pained, angry hiss, trying to throw off Honeythistle. A blur of light-ginger fur, she leaped away, lunging for her sister's eyes. Minnowflame crouched to leap at the young warrior, but was too late. Red blood began running from scratches on Mintglade's eyes.

A blur of ginger-dappled fur, she leaped down from the tree, bowling Honeythistle over. "Leave your sister alone!" She hissed furiously, pinning her down. "You've caused her enough harm."

The she-cat curled her lip, tossing Minnowflame away, but the lean warrior jumped to her paws. "Your just as weak as my little sister, Minnow."

She snorted, green eyes flashing, "Excuse me? Do you even know who my father is?" The pale-gray she-cat stepped in front of Mintglade, teeth bared.

"He was probably just as weak as you," green eyes flashed maliciously.

"No, he wasn't. And he isn't," Minnowflame shot back, "My father is Stone, a very important cat in Thorn's rogue group." She curled her lip, even if she didn't like her father, he clearly wasn't weak.

Honeythistle merely shrugged, padding away to camp, tossing words over her shoulder, "Makes no difference to me."

A pained groan from behind her made her turn to Mintglade, and Duskgaze leaped down from the tree. Worry glimmered in her eyes, and Minnowflame began to wash the blood from her eyes. Mintglade had become like kin to her, so it would be devastating if she died.

"I need cobwebs, now!" Duskgaze looked up worriedly from inspecting a deep gash in the light-gray she-cat's belly.

"I'll be right back, I saw some on the way here," Minnowflame darted into the forest, locating the cobwebs quickly, the raced back to give her clanmate the cobwebs.

The cobwebs were quickly soaked with blood, but the blood flow slowed, eventually stopping. Duskgaze sighed in relief, "Thank StarClan, if the blood didn't stop she would have...not made it."

The pale-gray she-cat sat down by Mintglade again, worry still pricking in her gaze, "She could still die." Her voice was soft.

"I must go get some herbs from my den, there's nothing I can do without them," The medicine cat murmured, "watch over Mintglade for me please."

"Of course," the warrior answered softly, her gaze worried still as her clanmate disappeared into the night.

The young cat opened her eyes, just slightly, "Minnow...where are you? I can't see...it's all dark..."

The ginger-dappled she-cat gasped, then answered softly, "I'm right here, little one." She touched the tip of her tail to the injured cats shoulder.

"Will I ever have my sight back?" Mintglade asked uncertainly, voice weak.

Minnowflame took a deep breath, answering, "Do you want me to say it out right?"

The young warrior's face fell, and she shook her head, replying softly, "I already know the answer...even if I don't want to believe it." Then she stiffened, ears pricked, "Someone's coming!" Mintglade hissed, unseeing gaze fixed in the direction of the noise of paw steps.

Honeythistle led a small patrol, with three rogues behind her. Raven and Stone were included.

The SkyClan warrior stepped in front of Mintglade protectively, fur bristling, "If you plan on hurting her again, you'll have to go through me," She hissed softly, eyes narrowed.

"What exactly happened here, Minnow?" Stone asked, casting a withering look at Honeythistle, "she told me that you attacked her sister, but I couldn't believe you would do that."

Minnowflame sniffed, shooting a glare at the light-ginger she-cat, "She's lying, I saw her attack Mintglade with my own eyes. And my name is Minnowflame," She growled, also correcting her father.

Raven stepped forward, eyes glinting, "I believe my dearest," Minnowflame bristled when he said that, "is telling the truth."

"Don't call me that, Raven," The pale-gray she-cat curled her lip, eyes flashing. "Hawkgaze is the one whom I took as my mate, I will never take you as mine." She glanced up, hearing a rustling in the branches.

Duskgaze jumped down, a bundle of herbs in her jaws. The medicine cat coolly ignored the rogues, beginning to treat Mintglade's wounds.

Stone narrowed his eyes, suspicion in his gaze when he looked over at Duskgaze, "What are you doing out here? You're not supposed to leave the camp without an escort."

She sniffed, tossing her head, "I'm a medicine cat, I go where I please, rogue filth." Then she promptly began to continue treating the injured cat without a second glance at the dark-gray tom.

Silver padded up to her campmate, eyes narrowed, "Let's get them back to camp and we'll deal with her later." She shot a dark look at the SkyClan medicine cat, and stalked away.