Wasp's Orchid

Chapter 6. When you don't succeed try something else.

Rattle'sPaw was curled up in a mossy nest, his head raised as he looked at his paw.  The medic of the Hemlock's clan was Crab'sMoss.  His paw was covered in wet moss and cobwebs, the thought of his paw made him sick to his stomach. 

"Hmph.." Crab'sMoss felt Rattle'sPaw's paw.  He winced at the other Tom squeezed his paw and felt around his wrists. 

"Bad news Rattle'sPaw." Crab'sMoss rose up to his paws, a serious expression on his face.  Rattle'sPaw didn't expect much, bad news could just mean it was broken, and he already knew how to fix a broken paw. 

Rattle'sPaw looked at his paw's makeshift bandage with interest, as he waited for Crab'sMoss to tell him that it was broken or sprained. 

"Now, Rattle'sPaw before I say for sure, how exactly did you acquire this injury?" Crab'sMoss asked curiously.

"I fell down a hill on my way back from- what's it's called..? Spring stones?  and my paw hit a rock." Rattle'sPaw explained.

"Ah.. steep hill.. home of the tripping rocks." Crab'sMoss murmured to himself.  "Well you're not alone, tons of cats get injured on that hill.  Its jagged rocks held climb upwards but.. the often rainfall makes the grass wet and the rocks slippery.. I've seen one or two cats get worse injuries on that hill Y'know."   Rattle'sPaw was fascinated, but the thought of all this made it feel like his heart was rattling inside his stomach.

He shook off the feeling gently and stared at Crab'sMoss.
"So what's wrong with my paw then?"  They tried to turn the conversation back to the matter at paw.

"Oh yeah," Crab'sMoss looked up in remembrance. "Fractured Joint.  You're gonna need a lot of physical therapy to be back to normal speed."

Crab'sMoss said causally, as if it was no big deal.  Rattle'sPaw blinked at him with a shocked expression. 
"But ugh- you can just heal it right now..? Right?" They asked in a small panic.  He didn't want to be useless!

"No.  Unfortunately you took too long to reach me, and i took way too long to diagnose what happened your paw," Crab'sMoss explained. 

"Gee, no sugar coating huh?" Rattle'Paw attempted to sound humorous through his nervous thoughts. 
"I don't coat things with sugar.  You shouldn't expect anyone to do so in this clan.  That is something you will learn." Crab'smoss explained to Rattle'sPaw. 
Rattle'sPaw looked at their mangled paw. 

"But don't worry, within a day I'll have you on your feet.  You just will be.. very wobbly." Crab'sMoss described simply as if he were trying to be optimistic. Wasp'Whisker slid through the log entrance, a slippery slope that was hard to get in from those who weren't used to it.

"How's he healing? Orchid's going to kill me if my newest recruit can't serve the clan after their first mission." Wasp'Whisker asked a bit worried but still serious and questioning. 

"Wasp'Whisker, Orchid's not going to kill you for an injury, much less since you weren't on the mission." Crab'sMoss explained blankly staring at Wasp'Whisker if a collect demeanor.

"Answer my question already." Wasp'Whisker held back a hiss.
"He'll be on his paws by next sunset, just rather shaky, He won't regain full speed... for a long time."
Crab'sMoss explained.

Wasp'Whisker seemed agitated, she raised her claws at Crab'sMoss who didn't flinch. She Quickly turned and clawing a rock slab shelf containing multiple herbs making it fall.

"Thank you. Now I have to organize these herbs again." Crab'sMoss blankly stared at Wasp'Whisker. "Why don't you get Orchid to make you a break den? Then you won't delay my treatments."