Warrior Cats Fanfiction- Ripples of Fear

Chapter 17

The patrols had returned. No cat was in sight. Stormpaw was staying. Shadedpaw glanced up from her nest in the medicine cats' den. The new ginger tom was eagerly listening to Foxpaw's battle-training tips. Stormpaw leaped up, claws slicing through the air, then fell back down on top of Foxpaw, tackling him and rolling over and over in the dirt until his dark ginger pelt was clotted with mud.

Shadedpaw blinked, yawned, then sniffed the air. She could move more easily now, but Tornshadow still wouldn't let her go outside of the Medicine Cats' den. Now, the sun was slinking lower toward the horizon, tainting the water of the river at the edge of the camp with a blanket of pink and orange. Her pelt was itching with anticipation. All the cats were in their dens except for the two young toms. Even Tornshadow and Moonpaw had fallen asleep a while ago.

Finally, though, when the sun reluctantly fell and the sky was tainted black, the beautiful and serene colors of sunset being chased away by the darker forces of night, the two apprentices trotted toward their den. Shadedpaw could barely hear Foxpaw promise the younger tom that he would teach him more moves in the morning.

Shadedpaw glanced about her, ears perked to hear even the smallest noise, then stood slowly and shakily, and stumbled forward, suddenly feeling sick again. She shook her head and trotted determinedly out of the camp entrance, lashing her tail in an attempt to keep herself balanced. She had something she simply had to do tonight. She knew that Tornshadow would be appalled if he ever found out, telling her that it was "against the warrior code" or something like that, but it was the only way she could get better. It was her duty. It was-

"Shadedpaw!" A voice mewed. Shadedpaw' eyes widened, awakening from the deepness of her thought. She watched as a figure emerged from the bushes- a young, yellow tom cat with black dapples. His yellow eyes danced teasingly.

"I didn't mean to startle you," he meowed, dropping a bundle he was carrying on the ground. "Honestly, you looked like you had been in the Dark Forest."

"Er-sorry." Shadedpaw muttered, but Beetlepaw just rolled his eyes, grinning widely.

Suddenly, his gaze grew stern, and he twitched his tail-tip anxiously. "Okay, are you feeling any better?"

Shadedpaw nodded slowly, purple eyes narrowed in thought. "I-well-yes... yes, I can walk better!"

"Not much better," Beetlepaw teased again, then cautiously picked up the bundle he had been carrying and began to sort through it. "Here, have some more of these." He decided, nudging a couple thick, shiny leaves toward her, which she obediently ate, almost eagerly. The FireClan apprentice snagged a flower on his claw, and gave that to her too. "And that..." he turned back to his work, and pulled out one more leaf. "And this to lessen the pain."

Shadedpaw licked up the herbs, then glanced back up at him. "Thanks." She muttered, "I've been feeling much better since you offered to help."

"No problem." Bettlepaw returned, studying a bush for a few moments, then flicking his ears and turning back toward his own territory. "I should get back now. Lilyfur would want me to be well-rested for the Medicine Cat meeting in a few sunrises. Bye!"

  Without waiting for a response, the dappled tom rose and trotted back toward his border.

  Shadedpaw rolled her eyes. Beetlepaw... she thought, tail lashing in annoyance. He's not the nicest cat to be around, besides the fact that he stinks and he comes from some stupid, forest Clan. I can't believe I'm so desperate I have to get his help, but... she sighed, dropping her gaze. At least he knows how to help me, when my own Clan failed.

Hi everyone!!! This won't be my best chapter, but, in my defense, I only got 4 hours of sleep last night, lol :3 So anyways, so y'all trust Beetlepaw? Why do you think he would even help Shadedpaw in the first place? Do you guys have any ideas? Comment what you think!!! Have an awesome day or night or whatever! Byeeee!