Featherlight's lover

Encounter

"Just about right Featherpaw. Make sure to keep you hind legs tucked in" Poleice said. Featherpaw was trying hard to balance while bending her legs to prefect her hunting crouch. "Alright, now walk to that leaf as if it's prey"
         Featherpaw  sneaked up to the leaf, getting her hind legs ready to leap until she smelled a foul stench. "Featherpaw! Watch out!" Poleice yowled. Featherpaw turned around to see a orange creature walking up to her. It snarled and gapped its jaws at her. Featherpaw backed away slowly, her legs trembling. Oh Starclan help me! Featherpaw prayed. Featherpaw turned away to run to Poleice but the fox snapped its jaws at Featherpaw, making a long, deep gash on Featherpaw's flank. She caterwauled in pain. Poleice leaped and slashed the fox's muzzle. It howled as Poleice spring on the fox's back and gripped it as it tried to shake him off. Poleice dugged his claws deeper and the blood was leaking hard. Then, the fox managed to fling him off. Poleice slammed into the tree and fell to the ground, but he was ready for the fox's next move. Featherpaw tried to claw at its side but the fox noticed her and bit her body. She screeched in agony and fell to the ground. The fox returned back to Poleice. As the fox drew closer, he sliced downward with his front paw at the eyes. Then, he raked it's ears. The fox howled and knocked Poleice over and snapped at his revealed belly. Though the blood welled, Poleice made no expression and continued slashing at the fox. It got enough of him and barked. Then it ran away into the bushes. Poleice panted, and then turned around and walked to Featherpaw. Featherpaw tried to get up, showing Poleice she was strong but then slumped back on the ground. Poleice nuzzled her flank. Featherpaw's eyes started to feel heavy. No...stay awake! Featherpaw tried to open her eyes but was too exhausted. She let sleep overtake her and fainted.

           Featherpaw woke up to a sting in her body. Alderheart was bending over her and was extracting marigold juice into her wound. "Featherpaw?" he speaked calmly. She lifted her head up and looked around, trying to recognize her surroundings. She was inside the medicine den, back at camp, and Alderheart was treating her wounds. Behind him, Poleice was laying in a nest, breathing slowly as Spiresight treated him. Featherpaw tried to get up, but lay back down. "Rest for now Featherpaw. You need it" Alderheart said and chewed up some dock leaves into a pulp. He spat it in his paw and rubbed it into Featherpaw's bite marks. Featherpaw winced. Alderheart then spread cobwebs onto her wounds and bandaged it. He grabbed some glossy leaves and offered it to Featherpaw. She sniffed it cautiously. "What is it?"
            "Thyme." Alderheart said, "To help calm you down from shock." Featherpaw hesitated but then licked them up. Alderheart cleaned up the herbs and went outside. Featherpaw lay back down and winced. She felt like she couldn't move her body. Just then, her littermates ran inside the medicine den. Firecloud and Spotflower walked in the meet Poleice, their littermate. "No running please!" Spiresight said. Honeypaw was the first to reach the nest. "Featherpaw! Are you okay?"she asked, worried. "We heard you got attacked by a fox! Did you really see it?" Nightpaw said, eyes wide. "I brought you food!" Bristlepaw said and placed a squirrel next to Featherpaw's nest, " Was the fox big?" "You guys better not exhaust her by showering her with questions" Alderheart said. Featherpaw leaned over, trying to reach the squirrel but her neck ached from being shaked in the fox's jaws. She whimpered in pain, laying back in the nest. Just then, Cinderheart and Flinchpelt trotted in the medicine den, going to Featherpaw's nest with concern. "Featherpaw!" Cinderheart said worried. She licked her flank hard. "Hey Cinderheart" Alderheart said, "Don't lick her body. It won't suppress the ointment." Cinderheart looked ready to protest for her kit but Flinchpelt put his tail on her shoulder and murmured something into her ear. Cinderheart's fur started to bristle but turned to Featherpaw. "We're just glad your okay Featherpaw." Flinchpelt said and gave Cinderheart a knowing look. She nodded with love in her eyes. Then, Flinchpelt led her to Poleice's nest to give their thanks. Lilyheart walked in with herbs in her mouth and walked to their herb store. "Alderheart, can you sort them out for me?" Lilyheart asked, dropping the herbs next to the shelves and walked over to Featherpaw. She looked at her wounds carefully and looked at the squirrel. "Do you guys know how to feed her?" she asked her littermates. Bristlepaw looked confused. "Feed her? She can feed herself can't she?" Nightpaw said. "She can't with her body limp." Lilyheart said and started ripping portions of the squirrel and giving them into Featherpaw's mouth. Honeypaw looked disgusted. "I wouldn't want to become a medicine cat if I had to do this." Honeypaw said and looked away. As Featherpaw chewed the juicy flesh, her stomach ached less. "It's like I haven't ate prey in moons!" Featherpaw chuckled softly. "You have been asleep for a long time" Honeypaw said. Cinderheart and Flinchpelt came back. "We are going on a hunting patrol Featherpaw. Get some rest okay? And you'll be better in no time." Cinderheart said softly. Featherpaw touched noses with her mother and father and they walked away. Flywhisker walked in. "Poleice, Featherpaw, you guys are off from your duties until you recovered. I sent a patrol to hunt the fox down, making sure it's off our territory. Apprentices, why don't you go back to your mentors and pratice whatever they tell you." he said. "But our mentors say we can talk to Featherpaw for a bit" Honeypaw protested. Flywhisker looked at them hesitant. "A bit" he said, finished and walked out. "Like he can boss us around. He can't do that to us because we're his kin" Honeypaw scoffed. Miraheart and Brightheart, who were part of the New Birth of Thunderclan, were littermates. Miraheart was Sparkpelt's mother, and Sparkpelt was Flinchpelt's mother. Brightheart was Flywhisker's father so they share the same blood. "Anyways today was so boring for me and Nightpaw" Honeypaw continued, " We had to clean Briarlight's ticks and change the beddings of every cat in the clan. The mouse bile was icky and it was so tiring to throw away the moss into the river." Nightpaw nodded. "I hope we actually go out in the forest. I'm sick of being stuck at camp!" Nightpaw complained. Bristlepaw and Featherpaw looked at each other, with the same expression of how the littermates' day have been. "Really? We went to explore our territory and hunted." Bristlepaw said. Honeypaw and Nightpaw both looked grumpy. "Hey, it's time to go back to your mentors!" Spiresight grumbled, "Some cat is trying to take a nap here!" "Bye Featherpaw!" Nightpaw said and they left. Featherpaw tried to get comfy in her nest for a nap without making her body wince. She tucked in her front paws and put her tail on her nose. I guess this works Featherpaw insisted herself and began falling asleep.