Colours in Shadows: Book 1 Flooding and Fury

Chapter 23

"Branch, are you done yet? We've got to go!" Sapphire sat outside the cave and looked around at the trees, the sky, and the grass before turning around and looking in the cave. He was sitting just by the entrance of the cave and he had his back to her.
"Don't rush me, Sapphire, please! Do you not want Tide's arm to heal properly? Because that's what is going to happen if I don't replace the poultice!" he meowed, as he worked. She walked to his side. In front of him there was a flat rock with some leaves on it and in one of his paws, he was holding another rock. He began grinding the two rocks together.
"Sapphire!" she turned her head and saw Tide looking at her from the back of the cave. She walked over to him.
"Leave him be." Tide whispered, calmly. She saw him look at Branch and then back at her. "He's just making sure I get better... don't bug him." Sapphire gave him a small smile. His arm was out in front of him and there, she saw the cut. It seemed to have been washed off and no longer had the mixture that Branch had applied before. It definitely looked much better seeing as a thin layer of his ocean blue skin had formed over it already.
She heard pawsteps from behind her and she moved, knowing it must be Branch. He was carrying a leaf in his mouth and then he set it down on the ground. Inside of it was a smooth, green paste. She examined it at a distance and she thought that she saw some pieces of leaves in it. Branch scooped some of the paste onto one of his paws and then carefully rubbed it onto Tide's cut. Once there was enough, she saw him grab a fern that he was holding in his mouth and wrapped it around the arm where the cut was as he had done before. "There you go. That should be healed by tomorrow morning." he said.
"Thanks, Branch." Tide meowed, getting back to his paws. Sapphire thought he was going to lose his balance by the way he was leaning over and she ran to his side, not wanting him to fall. She realized that she would hurt him if she touched him so she stopped herself. Branch got closer, realizing she had stopped and caught him. Tide finally managed to stand, taking small steps and slowly walked normally. "Take it easy, Tide." Branch said, calmly.
Once they left the cave, there was nothing left inside, except for two small stones. Branch carried the leaf and quickly dashed off into the forest. 'Where is he off to?'
Misty was already waiting by a tree and calmly grooming her fur. She looked up to see the others heading toward her. "Ready?" she asked.
"Yep." Tide meowed, "I might walk in the back this time so I can get used to walking again. It's been a while... Sapphire, you take the lead this time."
"Are you sure? You can take it... I don't need it." she meowed.
"It's your turn... take it." Tide meowed, "I'll be fine without it. You know the way."
"Okay." Sapphire said.
'Tide is nice. He has already thanked us for helping him. But there is no need for thanks. He needed help, isn't that why we're together? We are known as the Chosen Four and we are back together. I met four new cats... if this is the start of a quest, what will lie beyond this?'

To be continued...