The Warrior Within: #2: Fallen Stars

Chapter 2

"Come on, Plumepaw."

Plumepaw rose from rustling with his siblings to find his leader standing over him. He immediatly sat up and followed.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"We're going to see to that paw of yours," Bramblestar replied.

"My- Oh," Plumepaw mewed.

They entered a wide cave, where a pale-gray tom had his paw in some leaves. Why would he want to eat leaves, Plumepaw thought.

"Jayfeather," Bramblestar meowed, "a word?"

Jayfeather jumped.

"Oh, Bramblestar! You can't sneak up on me like that! You scared the whisk-

ers off my face!"

"Er, sorry. What are you mixing there?"

"It's okay. And I'm mixing borage leaves, colts foot, feverfew, Juniper berries, lavender, a few poppy seeds, tansy, and some water mint. And I'm mixing them all in some thick honey. It should cure Skunkface. All this stuff will help a bit of cough, and fever, which I know she has, and a very bad case at that. The water mint is for the afterward bellyache."
"I see. Is it. . . life-threatening?"

Jayfeather looked around the cave.

"Plumepaw, out for a minute."

"Yes."

He waited until he was out of earshot, and then spoke.

"Yes. I am doing what I can. I rarely mix this many herbs at once, especially in honey this thick. If it doesn't cure her, then. . . . Then, I don't. . I don't know what will. That is all up to StarClan."

He looked down at his paws, ashamed as if he could do more. But he couldn't.

"V. . Very well." was all Bramblestar could manage to say.

"Plumepaw!"

"Yes! I'm here. Jayfeather?"

Jayfeather looked up from his paws, and put a smile on his face for the young cat.

"Give me your paw, Plumepaw. I need to see that bend."

He investigated his paw for a good hunt-long. "Hold on," he said, and walked over to a corner with many plants. He came back with plenty.

"Okay," he mewed, dropping the plants in his teeth, "I've got quite a lot here. Cobweb, comfrey, dock, oak leaf, poppy seeds, thyme, and water mint. I'm going to wrap this cobweb around your paw; it will hold it in place while I do the rest. Eat this comfrey. It doesn't taste good, but it will adjust your out-of-place bones."

"But how will eating it help my bones?"

"Ah, that's why I'm going to rub it on your paw as well. The juice will soak through to your skin and it will go all the way to your bones if the leaves you ate don't. Now, this is dock. I'm going to spread your fur and rub it on your skin, like this. It will sooth and close all of the scratches that have built up over the moons. Eat this dried oak leaf. It will stop and prevent any infections. These poppy seeds will help you not feel the pain, and help you sleep. Chew them up good."

"Eww! No!"

"Yes!"

"Ugh!"

"There you go. Chew this thyme into a pulp. It will calm the shock to your nerves. Now this water mint, don't worry; it tastes good. You can just chew this however you want, as long as it goes down! It will help with the bellyache caused by the other herbs. I'll be right back."

He came back with a cup-shaped leaf.

"This is, I call, is 'maple one' syrup. It's called that because it is thinner than 'two' and 'three' maple syrups. It comes from the smaller trees. It is also stickier. Now, I have some ice over here that hasn't melted yet. I am going to put this syrup on your paw with the cobwebs, then you need to keep your paw on the ice for two hunt-longs."

"What?!"

"Yes, Plumepaw! Now here, do it, and no pulling back!"

"Can I let go now?" Plumepaw mewed.

"Uh. . . . Yeah," Jayfeather replied.

Plumepaw lifted his paw up from the ice. "It's aching!" he complained.

"Here then," Jayfeather meowed, pushing a herb to him, "have some more of this. Not much."

"Thanks, Jayfeather."

"Come on, Plumepaw," Bramblestar purred, "I've got a special mission for you."

"Really?"

"Yes. But first we need to hold a mentoring meeting."

"Okay."