Behind The Mask

Five: The Wounded Cat

Fernpaw's PoV~~

Fernpaw frowned, shoving the marigold into a separate pile from the pansy.The scent of chewed poultice was fresh in her nose.

Flyingfeather had treated Badgerswipe's sore paw pads, and sent him off to his den a few moments ago.

Fernpaw growled at the thought of her mentor.Flyingfeather had forbid her from talking to Violetpaw ever since she had told her about her dreams.
She hadn't wanted 'friends' to get in the way of work.

The truth was, deep, deep down, Fernpaw liked Violetpaw a little bit.
She knew she shouldn't, and it was against the warrior code, but she couldn't help it.Ever since she started sharing her dreams with Violetpaw, and showing her the cool places, she'd felt different around the beautiful black cat.On the one paw, she didn't think becoming mates with another she-cat was aloud, and plus she was a medicine cat apprentice.But on the other paw, she liked Violetpaw sooo much! Shouldn't you be with someone you liked?

"Woah, Fernpaw, you're getting ahead of yourself,"she scolded herself. "You're not even sure if Violetpaw cares about you like that at all!"

She wanted Violetpaw to like her, but at the same time she didn't.
She was afraid of what would happen.

Cats will judge us.Everywhere we go, someone will look down on us with disgusted faces.

And the worst part was, her own mentor didn't support her.
Flyingfeather was a straight, asexual cat who was determined to do her job and do it well.Sure, she seemed like a softie to the naked eye, but once you spent enough time with her, you saw the true cat.

Sure, Flyingfeather was a good teacher, but she had her faults.The worst one being she kind of unintentionally abused Fernpaw.She'd yell and accidentally hurt her apprentice often, mostly when she did a job wrong.
Fernpaw tried to have patience with her mentor, and surprisingly, it was pretty easy.Fernpaw wasn't really an angry cat.She was usually always calm, collective and bubbly.

"Fernpaw,"Flyingfeather collapsed on the ground. "please....take over for me while I sleep.."she mumbled, her chest rising and falling.

Fernpaw rolled her eyes, mumbling under her breath, "Like I'm not doing anything?"But nonetheless, she made her way over to the mess of crushed herbs and unused stalks her mentor had made. "Of course you don't want to clean up after yourself."she snorted, picking up a the usable herbs and shoving them back in the storage shelves.

"Who're you talking to?"Ashenpaw asked, his voice laced with amusement as he peeked his head into the den.
His beautiful greyish white eyes seemed to have a light glow to them as he gazed at her.

"Myself,"she shrugged. "About unimportant things."
She nodded to him, asking him silently what he needed.

"Oh, right! Beepaw and I were out battle training and I might've accidentally shoved him too hard and he cut his leg open on a sharp rock."
Ashenpaw smiled sheepishly, entering the den with Beepaw limping behind him.

The gold and black tom's fur was messed up, sticking out in all directions.His tongue was sticking out of his mouth, and a very pale orange colour.His back right leg was a bloody mess, and looked very painful.
Fernpaw could tell from his narrowed eyes that it was indeed.

"Lay him in a nest and I'll be right there."she ordered Ashenpaw sharply as she hurried to the storage.
Of course Flyingfeather decides to go to sleep right as Beepaw hurts himself!

She grabbed a huge wad of cobwebs and made her way over to the nest that Beepaw was laying in.
His whiskers twitched lightly, but his mouth seemed to be smiling, which was good.

"Ashenpaw,"she turned quickly to the white tom. "Mabye I'd be best if you leave?"

"No! Please let him stay!"Beepaw whimpered, as Ashenpaw got up to stand.Beepaw hooked one of his front paws around Ashenpaw's legs, stopping the tom from moving.

Fernpaw let out a sigh. Great.
All she needed was more and more cats to watch her while she worked, not knowing if she was even doing anything right.

They won't know if I am though, they'll just trust me, the medicine cat.

"Fine, you can stay, but you're helping if you do."she gazed sternly at him. "And you listen to me."

Ashenpaw nodded quickly. "What can I do, boss?"

"Keep Beepaw steady, I don't want him flinching about while I try to apply the cobwebs.I also must search the wound for infection and clean it with water.First of all, actually, can you get me some wet moss? There's some moss just outside and a pool of water in the far corner of the den."
she meowed.

Ashenpaw wordlessly dipped his head and bounded out of the den, returning a moment later with a small clump of moss which he then soaked in the puddle and brought to Fernpaw's side.

"Now, sit beside Beepaw and keep him from moving."she waved a paw at the whimpering cat.

Ashenpaw slid in behind Beepaw and placed his front paws on Beepaw's side.

Fernpaw grabbed the moss in her jaw and leaned over the wound.
She held his leg ever-so-gently while she dabbed the wound with the moss.
Beepaw whimpered and flinched as red water ran down his leg and settled in a puddle on the floor.

"Just a bit more."she hissed through the moss, applying a bit more pressure.
She watched in satisfaction as the last of the drying blood washed away.
She set the moss down and leaned closer to his leg.

She gaze it a light sniff, which made Ashenpaw crinkle his nose.
It smelled fine, not of infection.
She gazed into the bright red line. "It's not infected.It looks rather healthy.It'll heal up in no time, but it might leave a scar."

Beepaw seemed to relax at those words, his leg muscles going limp. "Thank StarClan! I thought my leg would have to be bitten off!"

Ashenpaw rolled his eyes, gazing fondly down at the fellow apprentice. "You always think the worst."

So does Violetpaw....

Fernpaw then began wrapping the wound in cobweb after cobweb, sticking the good amount on.
She was thankful for Ashenpaw, as he was keeping Beepaw distracted by talking to him.

"Then the CattailClan warrior said to me-"

"Thank you for your help, Ashenpaw.I'm going to keep Beepaw here for at least three days, to see this he is healing correctly and not doing anything to difficult."she interrupted him, placing a paw on his paw.

"Oh, alright...."he dipped his head.
He then turned to look at Beepaw. "You sure you'll be fine without me?"

"I'm good,"Beepaw chuckled. "I'm older than you, I think I can handle myself.The real question is, will you be alright without me?"

Fernpaw smiled at them both, taking the rest of the cobwebs back to the storage.She then glanced at her mentor, still asleep in her nest.

How'd she manage to sleep through all that?