A betrayal

Stempale Chapter 2

Stempaw dropped the bundle of herbs onto the cold rock slab. Her mentor, Sagefeather, stepped in, bringing a shivering kit with him. He glanced at Stempaw before moving past her to fetch the chervil root. Sagefeather didn't talk much, only giving instructions or direct commands. But his stories of Starclan were magnificent, teaching her to look for signs in the smallest things.

Suddenly, a yowl echoed from the camp entrance. A blue-furred apprentice and a red tabby tom rushed in, the tabby carrying the apprentice by the scruff like a kitten. He slowed as he reached the medicine den and gently laid Jaypaw on the moss bed meant for patients.

"What happened?" Sagefeather asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"A heavy branch fell on Jaypaw's legs while we were out hunting," Rushclaw answered, worry etched on his face.

Stempaw watched as Sagefeather's eyes widened with concern, glancing at Jaypaw, who was trying to catch his breath.

"Stempaw, help me with the bandages," Sagefeather instructed.

"Got it!" she replied, springing into action.

As they worked together to wrap Jaypaw's leg in cobwebs, Stempaw tried to lighten the mood. "Hey, Jaypaw, if you keep this up, you might start a trend. 'The injured apprentice look' could be the next big thing!"

Jaypaw managed a weak smile. "Great, just what I wanted. Fashion advice while I'm stuck here."

"All part of my job," she teased, finishing up the bandage. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a piece of prey that got squished," Jaypaw admitted, his eyes drifting shut.

By the end of the day, their treatment was complete. All they could do now was wait for the blue-furred tom to wake up.

Eventually, the camp settled down, and every cat retreated into their dens. Stempaw plopped down onto her comfortable mossy nest, grateful for its warmth in the crisp leaf-fall air.

She woke to a sound coming from the den. A silver lump of fur revealed itself as Sagefeather, so he wasn't the source of the noise. Stempaw moved to the patient's side, only to find Jaypaw trying to get out of his nest, struggling miserably with his injured foot.

"What's going on?" she asked, stifling a laugh.

Jaypaw nearly fell at the sound of her voice. "Oh, hi, Stempaw. What was I doing? Ummm... nothing?" He sounded uncertain, glancing sheepishly at her.

Stempaw raised an eyebrow. "Nothing, huh? You looked like you were auditioning for a clumsy squirrel."

Jaypaw sighed. "Okay, okay. I was trying to go outside. My spirit animal, like me, longs for the outdoors!"

"Your spirit animal? Seriously?" Stempaw rolled her eyes. "One, it's common knowledge that you shouldn't move much when your legs have been crushed by a branch. Two, what's a spirit animal? And three, 'longs for the outdoors'? Really? Sappy much?"

"Hey, it's not sappy!" Jaypaw protested. "A spirit animal is an animal that has the same qualities as you. My ma, Firewisp, says mine is a lion. You're probably a deer."

"Why am I a deer?" Stempaw asked, crossing her paws, intrigued.

Jaypaw shuffled his feet, a blush creeping across his face. "Deer are gentle and graceful... like you, I guess?"

"Gentle? Graceful? You're pushing it, Jaypaw," she said with a smirk. "I can be fierce when I need to be!"

"Sure, fierce like a—"

"Don't say 'kitten,'" she interrupted with a mock glare.

"Okay, okay! Fierce like a—um—really fierce rabbit?" he replied, trying to hold back a laugh.

"Better," Stempaw said, chuckling. "Can I go outside? Please?" he pleaded.

"Fine, but be quiet. Sagefeather would have my ears if he found out," she relented, rolling her eyes but unable to hide her smile.

They quietly scrambled out of the den, Jaypaw pressing into Stempaw's fur for balance.

"Thanks for sneaking me out," he said, gazing up at the stars. "I didn't want to be stuck in there all night."

"Anytime. Just try not to get into more trouble, okay?" she teased.

"I make no promises," Jaypaw replied with a grin.

As they sat together in silence, gazing at their twinkling ancestors, Stempaw nudged him playfully. "You know, if your spirit animal is a lion, mine should be a hawk. I'm going to soar above all this."

"When I can move again, we'll see who can climb the highest tree!" Jaypaw challenged.

"Deal! But don't blame me when you can't keep up," Stempaw laughed.

When the wind grew too harsh, they eventually returned inside, curling up on the same nest, their pelts mingling as they slept peacefully.