The air was brisk, and somewhat chilly. Honeypaw stepped outside of the medicine cat den, looking up at the sky. The sky was pale, with darker clouds covering the sun. Honeypaw looked around, the trees shimmering with drops of rain, falling into the forest floor. It must have rained the night before while the Clan slept. Honeypaw was somewhat grateful for the rain, the weather had been rather hot lately, and Honeypaw enjoyed this calm, morning chill. Honeypaw turned back into the medicine cat den where Pebblestep was doing a bit of cleaning, sweeping up herb scraps with her tail and organizing balls of moss.
Honeypaw let out a yawn, her sleep had been uneasy the night before. Her fight with Falconpaw clawed her mind and her heart, preventing her from sleeping peacefully. Even after her conversation with Snakewhisker, Honeypaw couldn't shake the pain of knowing her brother thought she was useless. It clung to her like burrs, unable to claw it away while it poked and dug into her skin. Honeypaw wasn't sure what she would do now, things were certainly going to be awkward between her and Falconpaw, she hadn't left the medicine cat den since the night before. After she was sure that Falconpaw was gone, she did get prey for her and Snakewhisker but remained in the medicine den for the rest of the night.
"Are you alright, Honeypaw?" Pebblestep's voice caused Honeypaw to jump. "You're normally wide awake in the morning. I heard you tossing and turning in your nest last night." Honeypaw felt Snakewhisker looking at her, she hadn't told anyone else about hers and Falconpaw's fight, and she didn't want to. Snakewhisker told her that she should, but she didn't want to cause any more problems.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Honeypaw's tail twitched. "I just had a belly ache last night." She lied, guilt instantly clouding her when Pebblestep gave her a questioning look.
"You could've taken something for it, you live in the medicine cat den." Pebblestep mewed. "I wouldn't have minded, you're allowed to have herbs as well."
Honeypaw shook her head. "It's fine, It's gone now and I didn't want to wake you and Snakewhisker." Honeypaw turned back to her nest, tidying up the moss around it.
"Well next time, take something for it." Pebblestep brushed up against Honeypaw slightly. "I need you awake and focused, last thing I need is you mistaking borage for yarrow." Pebblestep's voice was light, and somewhat joking, but Honeypaw could sense a hint of worry in her mew.
"I will," Honeypaw promised, lifting her head higher. She hated lying to Pebblestep, she hated lying in general but knew that Pebblestep would talk to Falconpaw about what he said, and that was the last thing their relationship needed.
"Good." Pebblestep looked at her herb store. "I'm going out for herbs," She replied. "I'm not sure how long this rain will last, I want to prepare for the worst." Pebblestep turned her blue gaze to Honeypaw. "You'll be alright here with Snakewhisker?"
Snakewhisker yawned, stretching out his forelegs. "We'll be fine, Pebblestep. We always are, she takes good care of me." Pebblestep's eyes glittered, she dipped her head and exited the den. Honeypaw sat down in her next, dropping her head low. "You should've told her about what Falconpaw said, she can help you."
"Falconpaw hates me enough as it is right now, I don't want to cause anymore problems between us." Honeypaw replied.
Snakewhisker sighed. "I'm assuming you won't want to tell Dawnstar or Lionclaw either?"
Honeypaw looked up. "No, I don't. Telling our parents would be even worse." She replied. "You're the only one who needs to know right now."
"You can't let Falconpaw think this is okay, Honeypaw." Snakewhisker mewed, concerned.
"If--if it doesn't get better..." Honeypaw lowered her head. "I'll tell my parents." She said quietly.
"I hope you're not lying to me." Snakewhisker mewed. "I don't want you and your brother to be fighting constantly, sibling relationships are important. You've seen how close Pebblestep is with Cinderflame and Yarrowtail, or your mother with Turtleblaze and even Earthpaw and Mudpaw. Siblings are important, Stormwind and Flowerstar were incredibly close."
"Did you have any siblings?" Honeypaw questioned, not sure if Snakewhisker's siblings had passed or not.
Snakewhisker shook his head. "No, I was a single kit. Rare, but it happens." He looked up, his green eyes getting nostalgic. "However, Rustpelt and his brother Barkclaw were like brothers to me. We were born very close together and we remaind friends for as long as both Barkclaw and Rustpelt were alive for."
Honeypaw laid down her in nest. "You've lost a lot of cats in your life, haven't you?" She questioned, feeling a pang of empathy for Snakewhisker.
Snakewhisker nodded. "That is true, but so have many warriors. The hardest deaths were definitely my mate and my daughter."
Honeypaw tilted her head. "You had a daughter?" Honeypaw had never heard of Snakewhisker's daughter, only his son Adderstrike.
"Dovetail," Snakewhisker nodded. "Pebblestep, Cinderflame and Yarrowtail's mother." He explained.
Honeypaw's eyes widened. "You're Pebblestep's grandfather? I had no idea!" There was a lot she didn't know about her Clan!
Snakewhisker let out a light laugh. "Yeah, though you couldn't tell. She treats me just as a normal patient, not because she doesn't like me but because she doesn't want to show any special treatment."
Honeypaw thought about that, her grandparents all in StarClan now, but would she show special treatment to Lionclaw, Dawnstar or Falconpaw if they were injured? Or even Turtleblaze, Fawnheart, Mudpaw and Earthpaw? They were all her family, she would like to think she would treat them the same she would treat a cat who wasn't family, like Snowtail or Rainears. Honeypaw wanted to change the subject away from loss, so she looked at Snakewhisker who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts.
"Why is Pebblestep so concerned about the rain? It's just a light drizzle out there." Honeypaw questioned, pulling Snakewhisker back to the real world.
"A while back there was a long period of rain, it caused a lot of flooding and killed a lot of herbs. Hunting was hard, and it destroyed the old apprentice den. That's why the apprentice den is outside of camp." Snakewhisker explained. "She's just taking precautions."
Honeypaw knew where the old apprentice den was, she just didn't know how it was destroyed. She tried to imagine that much rain, flooding the rivers but she just couldn't form the image in her mind, especially in this light of a storm.
Honeypaw heard pawsteps and looked over her shoulder to see Pebblestep returning to the den, a bundle of herbs in her jaws. Honeypaw watched as she set them in the store and then turned to her apprentice. "Honeypaw, would you mind grabbing some moss from the moss hollow? I'd like to get some before it gets too soaked."
Honeypaw nodded, slowly standing up. Honeypaw approached the entrance, peering outside. There was no sign of Falconpaw, maybe he was already out hunting. She hoped he wasn't out getting moss.. Honeypaw took a step outside and quickly; yet trying not to draw too much attention to herself, made her way to the back of camp and out the back entrance. Honeypaw padded through the forest, the lush flora of the forest brushed against her pelt leaving water droplets behind on her gold and white pelt. Honeypaw enjoyed the chill of the water, it slightly relaxed her nerves about everything that happened.
Honeypaw approached the moss hollow and peered into it, there was a cat at the bottom but much to her relief, it wasn't Falconpaw. Instead Earthpaw stood in the hollow, collecting moss silently. Honeypaw stepped down the incline into the hollow. "Hi, Earthpaw." Honeypaw greeted quietly. Earthpaw looked over her shoulder, her green eyes sparkling.
"Hey there, Honeypaw." Earthpaw purred. "How are you?" She questioned with a light tone in her mew.
"Oh," Honeypaw walked towards the moss covered walls of the hollow. "I'm alright." Honeypaw replied, lying once again. She began clawing the moss off the stone walls.
"You sure about that?" Earthpaw questioned, Honeypaw could feel her eyes gazing into her pelt. She stiffened, not taking her eyes off the moss.
"Of course." Honeypaw mewed, forming a ball of moss at her paws.
"Honeypaw, I'm not as stupid as I look." Earthpaw mewed, Honeypaw couldn't help but turn to look at her. "I know something's up, just like I know when something's bothering Mudpaw. We're kin, so tell me what's going on."
Honeypaw's ears dropped. "I got into a fight with Falconpaw." She admitted, nudging the moss balls with her paws.
"Siblings fight all the time, Honeypaw." Earthpaw mewed, resting her tail along Honeypaw's shoulders. "I get into arguments with Mudpaw every other day."
Honeypaw stood up, turning away from Earthpaw. "This is different, Earthpaw." Honeypaw lowered her head. "Falconpaw hates me, he told me that I was wasting my time by becoming a medicine cat."
"Falconpaw is an idiot." Earthpaw followed Honeypaw, standing beside her. "He thinks he knows everything, he hasn't been an apprentice for a full moon yet and he think he knows everything there is to be a warrior. I don't where he got that mouse-brained idea but he won't keep it forever. One day he will wake-up and things will get better, I promise." Earthpaw nuzzled Honeypaw.
Honeypaw looked at Earthpaw, her green eyes soft and caring. "Thank you, Earthpaw." She lifted her head, looking up at the dreary sky. Perhaps Earthpaw was right, maybe one day Falconpaw would realize that medicine cats weren't what he thought they were. He would realize that they do help, Honeypaw just wished it wouldn't happen when his life was in danger, she just wanted her brother to be her friend.
"And if he doesn't change his mind--" Earthpaw nudged Honeypaw, causing her to slightly lose her balance. "Then I'll claw some sense into him." Mischief sparkled in her eyes and she slashed her claws at some lose moss. Honeypaw couldn't help but let out a purr of amusement at Earthpaw. The two of them sat, collected moss and continued a conversation. Earthpaw talked about being a warrior apprentice and Honeypaw told her what it was like being a medicine cat apprentice.
Honeypaw enjoyed talking to her, the only cats she ever really talked to these days were Pebblestep, Snakewhisker, the kits and the elders. She enjoyed Earthpaw's company, but she truly did wish she could talk like this to Falconpaw.