Warriors: Escaping Fate

Chapter 5 Thorn

By the time Redpaw stirred herself awake in her nest, it was already noon, and the warm sun was filtering in through the fern tunnel. As she stood up and stretched, her muscles rippled beneath her tabby pelt, emphasizing the twist and turns of her uniquely shaped stripes, which seemed to almost dance in the sunlight. Her yellow gaze swam around the den, which was as silent as a mouse, and instantly she noticed that Willowbranch wasn't around. She must be out doing whatever medicine cats do.

"Umm..." Excuse me?

Redpaw's ears twitched as she recognized Blossomheart's voice. She padded in, along with her apprentice Dewpaw, who stumbled in awkwardly while holding up her front paw.

I stepped on a thorn, and I need help." She mewed pitifully.

Blossomheart licked between her ears in order to comfort her. The tortoiseshell and white she-cat was her mentor, but the way she fawned over Dewpaw like a queen made Redpaw cringe.

"She stepped on a thorn while she was helping Sparkpaw repair the nursery," she mewed gently. "Could you take it out for her?"

Redpaw let out a sigh of frustration and sat back down, folding her paws underneath her chest. "Can't you just do it yourself?"

Blossomheart hesitated, her ears flattening against her head, but Redpaw's impatient expression spurred her into action. "I think I can," she replied calmly, before returning her attention to her apprentice. "Now try to stay still."

Dewpaw obediently held out her paw, which had a large thorn embedded in it. Although it looked intimidating, Redpaw could easily tell that it was harmless. It was a shallow prick, with minor swelling around its edges. Bracing herself, Dewpaw winced her eyes shut as Blossomheart grasped the thorn tightly between her teeth, and with a single, swift tug, she managed to dislodge it.

"OOOOWWWW!!!" She screeched in pain as soon as the thorn was pulled out. Blossomheart quickly soothed Dewpaw with gentle licks to the wound, while Redpaw watched until the younger cat gradually began to calm down.

"You'll be alright," She murmured softly. After a moment, she turned her attention back to Redpaw, as if she were expecting something.

"What?" She asked, her eyes narrowed into tiny slits.

"Doesn't Willowbranch normally treat the wound in order to prevent infections?"

The fur on the back of Redpaw's neck bristled as she realized the she-cat might have a point, but she dismissed the idea with a wave of her tail. "It's just a thorn," she mewed, "It's not like she was bitten or clawed. She'll be fine."

Blossomheart's expression fell, and she shook her head. "But she could get an infection."

"We have limited herb supplies!" Redpaw snapped. She sprang to her feet, her tail thrashing behind her like an angry snake. She was beyond frustrated with Blossomheart's persistence. "We have to prioritize what cats to treat, and we shouldn't be wasting herbs on an apprentice who will heal almost immediately!"

Redpaw's outburst echoed throughout the den as Dewpaw's blue eyes welled up with tears. She tried to hold them back, but a few trickled down her face, betraying her emotions. Sniffling, she rubbed her paw over her eyes. "I'm sorry..." she mewed in a small voice. "I'll try to be more careful next time."

Great StarClan, no wonder she's so weak. Don't these cats realize she became an apprentice yesterday? She let out a heavy sigh and gestured with her tail towards an empty nest by the entrance. "Lay there and don't move. Let the bleeding stop, and I'll look for something that will treat it."

"Thank you," Blossomheart replied, relief flooding her voice. She took a step back, giving Redpaw more space to move around.

Redpaw turned to face the herb storage, which was meticulously located in a crack in the rock. Her eyes widened as they ran over the vast array of dried herbs, berries, and seeds, and the thought of using any of it suddenly became overwhelming. It was clear that Willowbranch had done a thorough job of keeping the supplies fully stocked, and although Redpaw was hesitant to admit it, she felt a swell of pride for her mentor's diligence in preparing for the harsh leaf-bare season ahead. Before long, she selected a pair of yellow flowers and took them over to her patient. "Rub your paw on these."

Dewpaw did as she was told, making sure to cover her paw thoroughly with the pollen. She winced as the petals grazed against the wound, but it did little to ease her pain or stop the bleeding. She sniffed back tears as they stained her fur. "It still hurts."