Warriors: A New Beginning #2: Midnight Rising

Chapter 28

"Where's Midnightsky?"

Midnightsky was sorting herbs when she heard Greeneyes's gasping call.

She ran out of the den. "What is it?"

"A fox attacked us when we were patrolling." Greeneyes's eyes were wide. "Elmwood's hurt! We would bring her here but we're worried it'll aggravate her wounds."

"Okay, hold on." Midnightsky rushed into the medicine den and grabbed some horsetail and goldenrod. She also got some poppy seeds just in case. At least we have herbs!

She rejoined Greeneyes. "Where is she?"

"Follow me." Greeneyes dashed out of the camp, Midnightsky at his heels.

"What's wrong with her?" Midnightsky asked.

"She fell against a tree," Greeneyes explained. "She has a wound on her flank and her back leg is at an odd angle.

Oh no. Midnightsky swallowed. It might be broken.

"Okay," she replied. I should have brought comfrey.

Soon they reached the patrol. Elmwood was lying on her side, breathing hard. She was still conscious, but she looked like she was in pain.

Midnightsky ran over to examine the she-cat. Her leg was at an odd angle, but it didn't look broken. She felt around it for any cracks, just in case. There weren't any.

"I think your leg's just dislocated," she told Elmwood. "Hold on, we're going to put it back into place." She looked up at the other members of the patrol besides Greeneyes: Featherdapple, Speckledfur, and Riverpaw.

"Featherdapple, Speckledfur," Midnightsky instructed. "I want you to hold Elmwood down while I put her leg back into place. Elmwood," she looked at the injured she-cat," this is going to hurt, but you'll feel a lot better afterward. Are you ready?"

Elmwood nodded, determined.

Midnightsky took a deep breath. Thankfully, Mintleaf had shown her how to put back a dislocated joint, and she remembered it clearly. I just hope I do it right.

"Okay," she meowed. She placed her paws on Elmwood's leg, and with a massive heave, she pushed it back into place. Elmwood let out a scream of pain and tried to move as Midnightsky pushed, but Featherdapple and Speckledfur held her down.

But then it was done. Midnightsky breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"Does it hurt as much now?" she asked Elmwood.

Elmwood tested her leg gingerly on the ground. "It hurts a little still, but it's much better now. Thanks, Midnightsky."

"Before you go I'll treat that flank wound," Midnightsky told her, getting some goldenrod and horsetail and chewing it into a poultice. Then she spread the poultice on Elmwood's injury, covering it with cobwebs.

"There we go," she declared. "You are free to go. Come see me in camp if it gets worse, okay?"

Elmwood nodded. "Okay."

Midnightsky picked up the rest of the goldenrod and horsetail she had brought and started heading back to camp.

***

When she was back in the medicine den she remembered that it was the half-moon gathering that night. I should prepare the travelling herbs.

Midnightsky started to do that while thinking about the medicine cat meeting. It would be her first time going alone...

...because Mintleaf was dead. She sighed. I've taken the path to Highstones many times. But she was a little paranoid ever since the rogues had attacked her alone.