Warriors - Burnt Skies

Chapter 18

Nightstorm bent her head down to nip the fragile stems of watermint growing near the stream. She carefully added it to the pile she had helped Dawnbreeze gather, and realised that Dawnbreeze was still talking.

"-And when chewed into a pulp, it can be used to treat bellyaches," the brown tabby was explaining, waving her tail excitedly. "Are you even listening?"

Nightstorm pricked her ears. "Mm," she replied over a mouthful of watermint. Upon dropping it, she meowed, "you were explaining the uses of watermint."

Dawnbreeze flicked an ear, satisfied. "We have enough herbs collected now. It's important to gather them before leafbare because the cold will kill quite a few off."

Nightstorm nodded, noticing the frosty edge to the air around her for the first time. She shuddered under her pelt as a somewhat morbid thought crossed her mind - leafbare always brought death in the Clans. Would their Clan be any different?

Dawnbreeze gave a sideways glance at her, and paused before picking up the watermint. "I'm sure everyone will do fine in leafbare. After that, it'll be newleaf, and we'll feel the sun warm our backs once again," she mewed cheerily.

Nightstorm raised her eyebrows. "I didn't know the power of reading minds came in the medicine cat package," she gave a light purr.

Dawnbreeze grinned. "We always have to be able to tell if our patients are telling us the full extent of their symptoms," she explained. "So I guess it does."

Nightstorm had to admit, she admired Dawnbreeze's passion for her role. Then again, if you were willing to give up your freedom to love to StarClan, you sort of had to be dedicated.

They headed back to camp with their jaws full of the herbs, Nightstorm resisting the urge to spit the foul-tasting herbs out of her mouth. She followed Dawnbreeze into the medicine den, looking around the dim shade of the space.

Nightstorm hadn't been in there before, as she had been focused on the building of the warriors' den instead, and it was impressive. Small piles of various herbs lined deep scratches in the dirt walls at the back, in an array of colours and scents.

"I see you've been busy," Nightstorm commented, flicking her tail towards the herb piles.

Dawnbreeze shrugged. "It's my job," she pointed out.

Nightstorm pricked her ears as loud hisses sounded from outside the medicine den. She bounded out in a few leaps, narrowing her eyes at the sight before her. Snow and Blizzardfrost were crouched low to the ground, facing each other in the middle of camp, with backs arched and fur on end.

"You pick your prey last!" Blizzardfrost was growling, spitting furiously at the white tom.

"B-but-" Snow glanced anxiously at Nightstorm, eyes wide with fear.

Nightstorm walked over, standing between the two hissing toms. "What's going on?"

Blizzardfrost straightened up, his fur flattening slightly. "I just went hunting, and this rogue tried to take a fish that I had brought back!" He meowed indignantly.

Nightstorm narrowed her eyes. "And what's wrong with that?"

"He shouldn't be able to eat first," Blizzardfrost stated, lashing his tail slightly

Nightstorm sighed. "Snow is as much a part of this Clan as everyone else, Blizzardfrost. If you bring back prey for the Clan, he is allowed to take it; there is no order."

"He doesn't even have a warrior name, for StarClan's sake!" Blizzardfrost spat.

"He is still a part of this Clan," Nightstorm meowed firmly. "Besides, just because Shadow and Spirit have loner names, do you hold them in any lower regard?"

Blizzardfrost's eyes fell to the ground, studying his snow-white paws. "No," he conceded.

Nightstorm stepped slightly away from the two toms, so that Blizzardfrost could now face Snow directly. "What do you have to say to Snow, then?"

Blizzardfrost's eyes up, glancing at Nightstorm before resting his ice blue gaze on Snow's own blue gaze. "Sorry, Snow. You are part of this Clan, and I shouldn't have treated you like you aren't," he mewed, somewhat sincere, but from his tightened jaw, Nightstorm could tell he didn't like it.

Blizzardfrost's tabby tail stilled slightly, calming to a slight flick whilst he picked up the fish between his jaws. "You can have this," he meowed to Snow, dropping it at the other tom's paws.

"Thank you," Snow meowed, dipping his head respectfully. "I would live it if you could teach me how to catch fish, and then I would be able to contribute more to the Clan."

Blizzardfrost tilted his head, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "Maybe I'll teach you sometime."

Snow picked up the fish, settling in a corner of the camp to eat it. Emberheart then came trotting into camp and, upon seeing Snow eating the fish, quickly dropping his frog on the small fresh kill pile and making his way over to the white tom.

"I don't trust him," Blizzardfrost murmured, flicking his tail to where Emberheart and Snow were talking animatedly.

Nightstorm raised her eyebrows. "I know - you make it pretty obvious. But you should really give him a chance."

She flicked his tail lightly over his flank. "Anyway, I was thinking we should bring Spirit, and possibly Shadow, to the Clan today."

Blizzardfrost pricked his ears. "Good idea."

"I was discussing it with Dawnbreeze whilst we were collecting herbs, and she suggested that some of us should stay in camp with Snow," she meowed.

"I'll stay," Blizzardfrost growled, flexing his claws. "I'd like to keep an eye on him."

Nightstorm looked doubtfully at the tom's long, unsheathed claws. "Are you sure?"

Blizzardfrost followed her gaze, quickly sheathing his claws. "I'm sure. You can leave some other cat with me. Actually, I'll ask Emberheart if he doesn't mind staying - he seems to be having a great conversation with Snow right now."

Nightstorm looked over to where the calico tom was conversing with Snow. Emberheart seemed to be telling a story, every once in a while doing a few actions to demonstrate what was happening.

"You can go and ask him then, if you don't mind interrupting his amazing storytelling," she mewed, nudging Blizzardfrost gently.

"Sure," Blizzardfrost shrugged, trotting over to the two toms.

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Nightstorm jumped up onto a tall fence, claws scrabbling for a hold on the smooth wood. Dawnbreeze stood next to her, lean body easily balancing on the narrow frame.

"Where should we start?" Nightstorm asked, glancing back at the birch forest they were heading away from.

"I guess we can check out the patches of grass at the back of Twoleg dens," Dawnbreeze suggested, flicking her tail at the neatly boxed off patches of grass around them.

Nightstorm nodded, slowly padding along the fence they were standing on. "It would be more efficient if we split up, but it's definitely a lot safer if we stay together."

"Yeah," Dawnbreeze agreed, and they both pricked their ears as a frenzy of barking sounded in the distance.

They continued padding along narrow strips of fence until the sun started to dip slightly in the sky, and Nightstorm looked up in dismay.

"We'll have to get back s-" she was cut off by loud growling coming from the direction a few Twoleg dens over.

Nightstorm narrowed her eyes, and Dawnbreeze voiced her thoughts. "That doesn't sound like a dog." The brown tabby mewed, starting to pad in the direction of the sound.

"If you lay a claw on him, you will be sorry that your flea-ridden, dung-filled, mangy pelt ever existed!" A familiar voice was growling.

Both she cat's pricked their eyes at the voice, bounding over, whilst still precariously balancing on the fence. Below them, a large, long furred tortoiseshell she cat was cornering two cats - a smoky black she cat and a small flame point tom.