**OLD** Valley Cats: Of Sky and Stone 2- Poison Clouds

Chapter Nine

"Hello? Galesong?" Palepaw called as she trekked upwards. Ahead, she could see the roof of the healers' cave, which was spiky with stalactites that glistened in the eerie light.

 "Cyclonespirit? Is that you?" a timid voice reached out. 

 "No, sorry." Palepaw said awkwardly as she ambled into the cave. Her uncle sighed tiredly as he turned back to where he had been sorting a pile of various berries.

 "Oh." he said flatly, the hope drained from his already-faint voice.

 "I disappoint you, too?" Palepaw accused, flattening her ears as she stalked closer.

 "No, of course not." the healer sighed, not looking up. "But would you mind helping me sort these?"

 The she-cat felt an edge of guilt as she declined the suggestion. "Actually, I wanted to talk to Shattersweep. Is he still here?"

 Galesong paused in his work for a moment, remembering. "Yes, actually. His wounds were surprisingly invasive, so we gave him some herbs to help with the pain. If you want to see him, he's in that cave next to the bundles of bark." the gray tom flicked his tail at the pile of spare bark that Dawnlight always saved up for the leaf-bare.

 As Palepaw walked away, she hooked a fleeting thought with a mental claw. It would be nice to sit down and sort berries for Galesong and hear all he had to tell her. The poor healer's kits had just gotten apprenticed, his own former apprentice was mentoring one, all while his sister hadn't seen the sun in a moon. It was no wonder the stressed tom looked like he hadn't slept in days. 

 Inside the den was a nest of yellowed, dried-out grasses in which Shattersweep was curled up in, his scratched face covered by one paw and his tail curled over the foreleg that Sapphirestar had bitten so harshly. The ornery warrior looked almost peaceful, except for his restless twitching. He must be having a nightmare, the apprentice concluded internally.

 "Hello? Shattersweep?" Palepaw sat down at the edge of the nest and leaned over her slumbering mentor. He had been sleeping since midmorning, but would usually be awake by now, especially if he was having such agitating dreams. Instead of sleeping, he would be patrolling the borders and ordering everyone around while sneaking in stinging comments. But then she remembered that Galesong had given him herbs... but what kind?

 "Palepaw, what time is it?" the senior warrior grumbled suddenly, one hawklike yellow eye pinning her to the cold floor. 

 "A little after sunhigh. It's been a bit since we got into that skirmish." his apprentice filled him in.

 "Ah, yes. That seems like a lifetime ago." all of the usual sharpness had fled from the fierce tom's voice, and he sounded almost sorrowful. "I hope I wasn't too badly hurt. That frost-licking healer must have given something to keep me in my nest. But at least it isn't too cold in here." he seemed to reflect for a moment, then focused sharply. "Did you need something?"

 "I was just wondering... I know you're mean. Like, to everyone. And fearless, too. You'll talk back to leaders from other Clans, even! And it's no secret that, now that Lightshine has stepped away from conflicts, you're the best fighter in CliffClan."

 "Aw, thanks." the intoxicated barbarian purred.

 "But today, you were ready to sacrifice everything to save me. I don't think I've ever seen that kind of bravery. It's just so unusual for such a distant and cold cat to do that. Thanks, I guess."

 Shattersweep seemed to digest this for a minute, lifting his head to see her more clearly. "You mean you were surprised when I helped you out of a tough spot?" he said boldly.