𝚂𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜 || 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚜 #1

Chapter Six

Hailwatcher stirs underneath the herb shelf, relishing a few heartbeats of nebulous thought before the grim memories of the previous day crash down on him, seeping into his pelt like cold water.

The taste of blood remains on the back of his tongue, nauseating him and making his chest tighten up.

Though he tries to ignore the reality of the previous day, he finds the grim and bitter truth staring him back in the face.

Hailwatcher feels the warmth of another body near him, and his pelt prickles with dread.

He lifts his head, blue-green eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light, and silently prays that whoever stands before him isn't Slightclaw waiting to kill him.

Hailwatcher finds himself somewhere between annoyance and concern for his safety as he recognizes the mottled brown figure standing before him.

"Well, look who's finally awake," Kestrelwing mews, gleefully impaling a stray leaf with his claws.

Hailwatcher glances skeptically at the older warrior, shrinking further underneath the herb shelf.

"Do you need something? Like medicine?" mews the young medicine cat, hoping that his visitor is in fact here for herbs.

"Actually, I'm here on an assignment," Kestrelwing replies with a smug grin, looking rather pleased with himself.

"Slightclaw put me in charge of makin' sure you don't squeal."

"...Oh," Hailwatcher replies numbly.

Kestrelwing creeps a little closer, crouching down a paw's length from Hailwatcher's face.

"You should really watch yourself," he mews, dropping his voice down to barely a whisper.

"Otherwise.."

The mottled warrior draws a claw over his neck, head lolling to the side as he lets out a choking noise.

Unsure of how to respond to this aside from nodding in acknowledgment, Hailwatcher coughs weakly before pulling himself out from underneath the herb shelf and sorting through his pre-bundled herb wraps- borage for Rosebush, and a mixture of chamomile, sorrel, and poppy for Quietwater, the Clan's elder.

"What do you do with these stupid things anyway?" Kestrelwing interjects harshly, moving over to Halwatcher's seedlings.

The mottled warrior reaches out with a claw, scoring the stem of the tallest plant.

"Don't- don't touch those!" the gray tom mews hurriedly, stopping himself after realizing he sounds incredibly desperate.

Having found another way to provoke his companion, Kestrelwing begins flicking the plant with a claw with a toothy grin.

A shaken up Hailwatcher takes in a breath to steady himself before scooping up both leaf wraps and shuffling toward the mouth of the medicine den.

-=-

Hailwatcher pads along the camp wall with Kestrelwing close behind, stiffly placing each paw on the ground.

Even though it makes him feel bad to consider the possibility, he finds himself hoping that his unplanned companion has patrols to attend to.

Hailwatcher pauses in front of the elders' den, feeling annoyance brew within him.

"This is boring," groans Kestrelwing, kicking a stone and striking Hailwatcher with it.

"What was- why?" the small gray tom protests, ears flattening.

The mottled warrior rolls his eyes, though looks a bit smug.