"Is she okay?"
Leafwillow gazed, worried, at Poppypaw's still body. Honeydusk rose to her paws, nodding slowly. She opened her mouth, meowing, "she's only asleep. I can't find any open wounds or injuries, either. I think she's caught a cold — I can smell it on her."
Leafwillow nodded along. She spoke, "understandably so, in this weather. Her body must not have been able to tackle the cold."
It was a long time since she had spoken so comfortably with Honeydusk. Though it was rather cruel, the sight of a SkyClan apprentice, laying, unconscious, on the bare ground, soaked in rain, had eased the tension between them when even the final blow had not. Leafwillow knew she would give her life for her sister, but it was difficult to maintain a good relationship between them in times like these. Even on her own, Leafwillow found it hard to control her mood. More than anything, she wanted to lie down and yowl to the stars that this was all just so unfair. She had decided, however, to stay strong, if only to convince her sister that she had hope that they would find a way out of this. And then, if their mom happened to be alive, too, she would show her that she could, in fact, keep her emotions contained.
"Do you think we should wake her?" asked Honeydusk, her voice soft, questioning. Leafwillow sat back down, then shrugged.
"You're the medicine cat."
"I know, actually." Honeydusk sounded both sarcastic and somewhat annoyed in her reply. "She needs sleep, but she also needs prey, herbs, and, most importantly, a drier place to rest."
"Don't we all," meowed Leafwillow, moving toward Poppypaw. She placed a paw onto her flank, gently as to not frighten the small she-cat. Poppypaw's body gave a sudden heave. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking away the water droplets landing on her face.
Honeydusk sat opposite them, her green eyes clouded. "It's okay," she mewed, in her usual honey-like voice, looking down at Poppypaw.
Poppypaw woke fully with a start. Her eyes widened, as if scared. Her pelt was ruffled. Honeydusk nodded to Leafwillow, then began stroking her soft tail along Poppypaw's spine.
Leafwillow drew her paw back toward her.
Poppypaw seemed to relax under Honeydusk's touch and presence — it was part of what made her such a great medicine cat, though Leafwillow would never tell her that. After a while, Poppypaw asked, "who are you?"
"Clan cats," meowed Leafwillow. Poppypaw purred, though it sounded forced. "Yes, I understood that much. Please—" her gaze moved to Honeydusk, or, as close as it could get, seeing as she was laying facing away from her, "let me get up. No need for massages."
Honeydusk quickly drew her tail toward her, looking embarrassed. Leafwillow stifled a purr of laughter. Poppypaw sat up, meeting Leafwillow's gaze. Her eyes were big and wondering, sad and misty.
"Sorry, I'm Leafwillow. This is Honeydusk, my sister. We're WindClan."
"Oh, wait, I recognize you now," mewed Poppypaw lightly. "You're deputy, and you're medicine c—" she broke off, coughing. Honeydusk watched, worry clouding her usually clear gaze, as Poppypaw fell to the ground yet again. "Water," she croaked.
Honeydusk hurried toward a particularly mossy stone in the twoleg garden they appeared to be in. The rain had already done a good job at soaking the moss, so Honeydusk returned quickly, carrying a piece in her mouth. She placed it in front of Poppypaw, who was still coughing, though quietly. Leafwillow did not know what to do, so she did nothing at all. She stood and watched Poppypaw recover from her sudden coughing fit, with the occasional help of Honeydusk.
"Thank you," mewed Poppypaw then. "Sorry. I've always had them. The coughing. My medicine cat didn't think there was anything wrong with me, so she never tried to help me get rid of it. Maybe she should have..."
"Hm. I always got the impression that this would be the exact thing Almondwish would fret about... Anyway, are you okay now? Do you need anything else?" Honeydusk helped Poppypaw to her paws.
"No, I'm good, thank you," replied Poppypaw, sounding mildly embarrassed. Leafwillow thought their whole ordeal was kind of cute. Poppypaw reminded her so much of her own kit, Larksong. Larksong, who had left WindClan to live with her rogue mate. Oh, if only she had been with them now.
"Are you OK?" Honeydusk asked her, pressing up at her side. Leafwillow gave her pelt a shake, sending small water droplets flying off her, like flocks of birds escaping from their predators. Then she nodded.
"Yes, I'm good. We really need to find some food — come on."
And so they walked, together, further into the twolegplace.
YOU ARE READING
The Surviving Few (Warrior Cats)
FanfictionThe five clans lived by a lake. Until one day, they didn't. The clans have been destroyed. Rogues have claimed the land surrounding the lake as their own. When the clans refused to give up their hard-earned territory, the rogues fought. They fought...
