Words Of Wisdom From A Medicine Cat

^^Chapter 1: Pawprints on the earth^^

    My eyes blinked open to reveal the warm and empty medicine den. The dew on the edges of the vines on the cave entrance looked like white highlights edging the plant. It wasn't long past dawn, only cats joining the dawn patrol were awake. My eyelids felt like a kit's paws were pulling at them to keep them shut. I flexed my claws into the mossy nest filled with sheep wool, feathers, cotton, and a few reeds here and there. I saw my mentor's empty nest, Sunpelt must've been awake by then. The strong scents of marigold, alder bark, and fresh chervil filled my nostrils. The foul scent of dock leaves almost made me flinch. I rose my head from my nest, laying comfortably. Suddenly, thoughts swirled in my head, and my remembrance of the missing  cat joined them in their dance. Maybe, just maybe, a medicine apprentice could leave and find a missing cat. Gingerblaze popped into my mind.

     Great StarClan, we can't lose this cat.

      I felt like frustration was picking off my fur one by one. Reluctantly, I got up. My legs seemed to differ as I winced at my sore legs. Yesterday was the half moon, so EmberClan's Medicine Cat and apprentice had to journey to the MoonFlower. I stretched, feeling my muscles clench. Relaxation soothed me with the nice green-leaf breeze. I licked dirt from my pelt, I knew I must've looked like I had fallen into a clump of brambles. My ears perked up suddenly when I saw the shadow of a cat on the ground. Glancing up, I saw Falconbreeze, Silverstar's deputy. He had a sidelong smile as he noticed her.

      "Hello  Whitepaw." Falconbreeze meowed. I hoped he wouldn't ask where my mentor was, because as much as I hated to admit it,  I didn't know where she was either.  It didn't take long for me to notice a reopened scar. Falconbreeze looked like he wanted to wince, "Could you take care of this?" He licked the wound with a few rasps of his tongue.

     "Yeah. You just opened a scar, right?" I asked. I wanted to make sure it wasn't infected already, and I examined the wound. A trickle of crimson blood fell from his shoulder wound, it wasn't terrible.  "Yup. I wounded it a half-moon ago. It brushed against some thorn bushes and I plucked the thorn out of it, but the wound is still there." Falconbreeze yawned. He watched the clan from afar, whilst I grabbed some herbs from the shelf. I chewed up some horsetail, marigold, and goldenrod. As expected, they mixed throughly into a herb poultice. I picked up the poultice and started my way towards the deputy. I licked his shoulder to clean it, the salty taste of blood on my pallet. I grabbed the poultice with my teeth, and without warning, pressed the stinging herbs to his brown tabby shoulder. The brown tom flinched, his shoulder jolted.

      "Good grief." I teased a small ripple of laughter in my voice, "Can a full grown deputy not handle a little sting?"

      "It's not that, it just surprised me." Falconbreeze meowed in his defense. I shrugged and searched for my cobweb beside me. Picking up the fluffy and white string, I bandaged his clean wound. I examined his pelt for anything else.

      "You're all good." I said, "Try and be gentle on that shoulder though." I checked it one last time, and then watched as he left. The skilled tabby deputy left the den, and his mate, Gryffindusk ran over to him, whispering something and then laughing. The two of them touched noses affectionately. I felt like something in my life was missing. It didn't matter, I had a crime to solve, anyways. I couldn't wait for Sunpelt to get back forever, I had to leave soon. I tapped my white paw against the forest floor impatiently. A sparrow flew over the sky, a sun rose high above, masked by fluffy gray clouds. I watched bracken sway in the leaping breeze. Moments later, that's when I could see a recognizable golden shape in the clearing. I jumped to my paws, padded across the clearing to the figure, and stopped at her paws.

      "You're back!" I meowed, welcoming her.

      "I'm sorry for being late! I thought I'd be back before you woke up. But I did get some burdock root and I found a growing patch of catmint, they'll be fully grown by leaf-bare!" Sunpelt smiled, as she dropped the burdock.