Paws in Talons: The Chosen Five

08: Back at the cave

The Next Day..
Raven yawns, waking up earlier that everyone else.
She giggled, "So much romance- Yuck!" Raven was never into romance. She couldn't quite grasp about how so many wolves fell victim to it, but she found it funny to watch them make such a fuss over one another.
Melody shivers from her dream. It woke her up. Her eyes darted to Midnight. He was sound asleep. Raven giggled in the background.
Twilight woke up. She got to her three paws, wincing.
"Isn't it funny how so many wolves fall victim to love?" She teased in a friendly way.
"I uhm.." Melody blurts out random words.
Twilight shook her head.
"Good morning, Twilight!" She immediately changed the subject.
Twilight narrowed her eye. "Fine, you?" She finally said.
"Good." She tried to keep her eyes from darting to Midnight. You could tell she was stressed about something.
Blitzer rose to his paws. Raven glanced at her paws, avoiding him. She still couldn't believe the anger and courage had built up inside her to splash the water in his face.
Instead, she trotted over to Melody and Twilight. Twilight limped over towards Midnight.
Melody sighed, "Oh no.."
"Here we go..." Raven grumbled.
"Shouldn't he be awake by now?" Twilight asks.
Midnight was still on the ground, he twitched in his sleep. He had a nightmare, Midnight quietly howled. Finally, his eyes opened and he looked around.
He held back the fear of the nightmare. The black wolf clumsily rose to his paws.
Melody's gaze dropped to the ground.
"Good morning!" Twilight smiled.
Raven brushed her fur against Melody, "Cant be that bad!"
Blitzer took a sideways glance at the golden she-wolf. Raven pinned her ears back, it wasn't clear that she was still terrified of the red he-wolf. Raven had learned to not show her fears and weakness.
Melody ignored Blitzer, her weariness was too much to go worrying about him. Although, she felt like she deserved this.
"Bah, just go and talk to him already!" Raven grumbled, getting impatient. She pushed Melody closer to him, "It's only going to get worse the longer you wait!"
Twilight, showing half of her face, limped over to Blitzer. She still felt embarrassed by her scarred up face.
Raven nodded a greeting at her. Midnight flicked his tail, clearly waiting for what Melody had to say.
"I-I can't.. he's not going to forgive me, Raven! What's the point if I already know the answer?" She pleaded. Midnight tilted his head, he started to become confused.
Melody couldn't move, it was almost like she was frozen, she knew what was coming for her.
Raven walked outside, she knew that Melody needed some space. Melody walked up to Midnight, "Um-hello- sorry... I-I uhm...." She started jumbling out words.
Twilight turned to Melody, "Just say what you want to say," Twilight advised. Melody nodded gratefully to Twilight.
"I shouldn't have thought of that... I shouldn't even have considered it..." Melody confessed.
Midnight smiled, "It's okay. At least you didn't do it-"
"Last night I was about to apologize.. then..... then....."
"Then?"
Melody felt like a million eyes were watching her.
"Just say it." Midnight said softly. Raven's words rang in her head, 'Can't be that bad! Just say it and get over it!'.
"I jumped in the tree, because I saw you with another wolf.. and I really didn't want to believe Blitzer.. I wanted to run, run as far away as I could, but something kept me there. I-I don't know-but I heard you talking-" She darts off into the woods, the pressure was too much. She should know better, she talked to millions of wolves in her pack. She talked to leaders of other packs at Pack Meetings! This felt so much different though..
"Wait!" Midnight called, he wasn't able to understand what Melody had said. The he-wolf watched her run.
Raven jumped down from a ledge, "Back! I brought some food- Oh no.. she ran away... I'm sure whatever she said she didn't mean it."
"I think she meant what she said-" Midnight mumbled.
"Oh no.. Well, I'm sure it was just an accident!" Raven tried to cover for her friend, all the while trying to do what Melody did whenever a wolf was hurt.
"Should anyone go after her?" Twilight asked.
She saw Raven look at Midnight. "I'll go," Midnight volunteered. Before anyone could protest, he ran out of the cave and into the woods. Raven sighed, and Twilight stumbled to sit down.
"Anyone want a rabbit?" Raven asked.
"This leg just makes everything else difficult..." Twilight mumbled, looking up.
"No thanks." Blitzer said, turning away from Raven and towards Twilight. Twilight shook her head, denying the rabbit.
"Maybe I can help you with your leg." Raven offered.
"Um... I think I'll pass..." Twilight mumbled, memories of the attack replayed in her head.

Her, on the ground, with a red vision, watching a wolf fight the dragon. Her, when the dragon first came. She remembered when the dragon scratched her face then deeply wounded her leg.
She shoved away those memories.

"You sure?" Blitzer's eyes widened. Twilight hesitated, then she slowly nodded.
Raven nodded, but dropped a vine with berries attached to it, "If you change your mind, you can wrap your leg in the vine. Chew the berries to stop any pain. If you eat six or more in one serving your leg will begin to heal."
Twilight looked away. "I don't really want the other wolves to...to... ask me how my leg healed. I've kind of gotten used to it, I've had it for a long time now."
"I understand that.. but the option is always here." Raven said softly.
"Thanks.." Twilight mumbled, then limped out of the cave. Blitzer seemed to scowl.
Blitzer looked at Raven, then followed Twilight out of the cave.
Raven stiffened herself, her heart was racing but she wouldn't let Blitzer push her around anymore.
Tonight, Lichen couldn't come- it was too risky.

Twilight blindly stumbled into the forest. Her head hung on the horrifying memories she had experienced when she was younger.
Blitzer watched as the forest seemed to swallow Twilight in completely.
"Twilight, where are you going!?" Blitzer called. It took some time before the she-wolf responded, "Nowhere, I'll be back at sunset."

Raven sat under a tree, she started reading the parchment Melody had given her.