Warriors: Powers of The Clans ~ Paws of Life (Book 2/6)

Chapter Five

(cat featured above is Thistlekit)

Dockkits eyes opened slowly, as she stretched her front paws out, smiling. Her heart stopped when she realized she was alone in the nest. Her mother was dead, and her brother was in the nursery. Oh, StarClan, why did you have to do this to me? She thought, her heart aching. Tansypool was busy at work, rolling berries into a small pile in a hole.

"Tansypool? Are you here?" A voice called from the entrance. The thick brown fur of Ivypaw stepped in, one of her light brown paws lifted as she limped into the den.

"Yes? What do you need?" She asked, returning from her piles of herbs. Ivypaw limped in further, not glancing yet at Dockkit.

"I stepped on a wasp, and the stinger is now lodged into my paw." Ivypaw explained, her teeth clenched. "It really hurts." Dockkit watched as Tansypool delicately sniffed it, and nodded to herself.

Tansypool turned to her herbs, and grabbed a plant, chewing up a poultice. Ivypaw turned to Dockkit, her eyes warm. "I'm really sorry about your mother, Dockkit. I...can't imagine losing Cinderstripe, or Sunpelt." Dockkit mewed a thanks, her ears twitching.

"That's okay." She shrugged, her heart aching. Ivypaw wrinkled her nose as she sniffed at the poultice Tansypool had been smearing on her paw, which she had pulled the stinger out of.

"What is that awful smell?" Ivypaw growled, flicking her long brown tail.

"Smells like the paste of a dandelion." Dockkit shrugged, glancing at a pile of shriveled dandelion stems.

"How did you know that, Dockkit?" Tansypool asked, pausing her licking, and flicking her ears.

"Well, there's some dandelion in that corner, and the paste is all squeezed out." Dockkit explained, glancing over at the corner. "And dandelions smell rancid, and taste worse. I didn't know it was used for bee stings, but I knew the yellow bit is chewed for painkilling."

Tansypool stares at her, in shock. "How did you know that?" Dockkit shrugged, and Tansypool began to walk over to her, her eyes slanting. "What is poppyseed used for?"

"Painkiller, and sleep."

"Catmint?"

"Bad cases of coughs, but we haven't had any in our supplies in some time."

Tansypool stepped back, her eyes widening. "Dockkit..." She started. "I think you have heard me the whole time you were in a coma...you've obtained the knowledge." Dockkits heart skipped a beat, and she widened her eyes.

"Wow..." She breathed.

"I'll go then..." Ivypaw stuttered. "See you! Thanks, Tansypool."

Dockkit stumbled, limping across the clearing with her brother, and father pushed up against her on either side. She felt awkward, limping without a hind leg, but she began to find a rhythm, and hope flared through her, excitedly. Cats surrounding her are watching, their eyes wide with curiousity.

Flameclaw and Nettlefoot began to leave her side, and soon enough, Dockkit was slowly limping across the clearing, wobbling slightly. The cats around her in the clearing began to cheer, making Dockkit feel better than ever.

Marblekit joined her at her side, smiling wide. "Do you think you can go faster?" She whispered. Dockkit slanted her eyes, and sped up, tripping and losing her balance. Sootkit raced to her side, catching her.

"I'm not sure you are quite ready yet for that." Sootkit joked, bumping her side slightly. "Let's bring you back."

Dockkit, Marblekit turned around, Sootkit at their heels. As they stumbled into the den, Marblekit gave a long sigh. "I cannot wait until we become apprentices together!" She smiled.