The Lost Prophecy: Book 2: Broken Destinies

Chapter 9

Early morning sunlight filtered into the elders' den through the brambles, flecking the interior with bright spots. Ravenpaw sat next to Dappletail.

"I can apply a poultice to your leg if it's hurting," he volunteered.

Dappletail snorted. "It's fine. Don't waste your herbs." Halftail grumbled to himself; the old tom had been trying to sleep for most of the day, but Dappletail's complaints had stopped him.

"It's no trouble. And Yellowfang's here to help." Ravenpaw glanced at the old medicine cat, who had agreed to join him to convince Dappletail to get treatment for a sore leg after going back and forth with the tortoiseshell elder all morning. Still though, a comfrey root sat untouched at his paws, and Ravenpaw knew he needed to get on with hunting soon as well. If Yellowfang couldn't persuade Dappletail then no one could.

Yellowfang twitched her tail impatiently. "I can collect more comfrey. ThunderClan has a medicine cat for a reason."

Dappletail's patchy tortoiseshell fur was ruffled. "There's nothing wrong with me," she meowed, shifting her body and wincing when she put weight on her hind leg.

"Then quit complaining," Halftail meowed, laying his head back down.

Patchpelt flicked Dappletail with his tail. "You won't get any better if you don't let them treat it."

Finally, Dappletail nodded. "Okay, fine. But don't you use all of that," she added in Ravenpaw's direction, flicking her ear at the comfrey root. "It's leaf-bare; ThunderClan can't afford to waste herbs."

Ravenpaw was about to reply that it wasn't wasting, it was using, but Yellowfang rolled her eyes. "Just do it," she mouthed when Dappletail looked away.

Ravenpaw got to work, quickly chewing the entire bit of comfrey into a poultice. He was used to it now; in the short time he had taken on sole elders duties he had made several poultices, although not with this specific herb. Yellowfang pointed with her nose. "See there. Dab it with the poultice; you'll want to lay it on pretty thick around the knee joint itself." She turned to Dappletail. "Your leg will soon feel better." The old medicine cat backed out of the den, leaving Ravenpaw alone with the elders.

Dappletail turned back, her eyes narrowing. "You didn't use that whole thing, did you?" she demanded. "I told you, I don't need all that."

"Yellowfang took the rest," Ravenpaw replied, thinking quickly. Halftail and Patchpelt shared a knowing glance.

Now that Dappletail had finally agreed, Ravenpaw was able to apply the poultice in a matter of moments, and once he was done, he dipped his head and made to leave; he still needed to find a hunting patrol to tag along with.

Slipping out of the elders' den, Ravenpaw saw Bluestar talking with Yellowfang. When she noticed his gaze she motioned with her tail for him to join her.

As he approached Bluestar rose to her paws. "Ravenpaw, I have decided that your punishment is over. You may return to your warrior training today."

Ravenpaw glanced at Yellowfang, concerned. "What about the elders?"

"I will take care of it," Bluestar replied. Ravenpaw wondered if she meant that she would hunt for them herself. He learned the answer a moment later when Sandpaw walked past, a squirrel clutched in her jaws. "Sandpaw, would you take that to the elders please?"

Sandpaw gave an affirmative grunt through the mouthful of squirrel fur, and turned to pad to the elders den.

Whitestorm had been a few tail-lengths behind her when they padded into the camp.