Emberstar's Journey

Chapter 18

Emberspirit let out a hiss as a thick poultice was slathered on the claw marks on his shoulder. 

"Couldn't yo-you be a bit gentler?" He snapped, tail flicking. He wasn't angry at Riverpaw, but the pain made him irritable. 

"Sorry," Riverpaw murmured, she lathed his wounds with cobwebs before she blinked. "It's swollen." She told him. 

Berrywish nosed over some cobnuts, "Smash those into a paste and mix with some goldenrod and stinging nettle and put it around the swell." She told her apprentice. "Raggedpaw is complaining about his leg being sore and Darkpoppys ear is infected." She told her apprentice, "Mix the herbs and dress them." She glanced outside, "I'm going to get something to eat, want something? You need to get your strength up for Highstones." 

Riverpaw nodded, "I don't care what you bring me, so long it's good." She rubbed the paste on Emberspirits shoulder, "You're good to go. Take it easy on that shoulder. If it becomes sore and stiff come back."

"When it becomes sore and stiff." Berrywish snorted before she padded out of the den.

Flexing his shoulder muscles, Emberspirit winced as pain shot up his shoulder. "Can you do an-anything for the pain?" 

"You're a strong warrior, Gorsekit needs those herbs more than you." Riverpaw snapped, tail twitching. "Go organize patrols or something. If it becomes unbearable come get a poppy seed." With that, she turned her back on the tom and began to mix a variety of poultices as Darkpoppy and Raggedpaw squeezed into the den.

Emberspirit nodded to both of them then tossed a glance back at a sleeping Gorsekit. He hadn't moved much and his cough was getting worse. Mucus caked his nose and his breathing was raspy. 

Frowning Emberspirit padded out of the medicine then, uncertainty making his paws tremble. He cringed at the rankness of Darkpoppy's ear and padded up to Trouttail, who was mewing to Reedkit. 

"Care to lead a patrol?" The deputy asked, ear flicking. "I want t-to che-check on Sunningrocks. With the recent battle with Br-BreezeClan..." He trailed but his explanation was unneeded as Trouttail nodded. 

"Sure thing, deputy!" His eyes glowed with amusement before he turned to Reedkit, who was almost five moons now, "I'll practice battle moves with you when I get back." He promised.

The toms eyes glowed with delight as Antbranch padded up to him.

"What are you doing scamp?" He purred, "Get inside!" He chased his bit snarling playing as the kit squealed with delight as his father chased him into the reed den. 

Trouttail watched them fondly, "Don't you ever wish you had that?" He asked. "Everyone here tells me you and Lilycloud have been mates since you two were apprentices!"

Emberspirit found his face growing hot. His pelt prickled with warmth and embarrassment. "T-The Cla-Clan can k-keep their noses t-to th-themselves!" He cried, voice squeaking. 

Trouttails whiskered twitched with amusement, "I'll go gather someone else." He padded towards the warriors den, leaving Emberspirit blustering. 

A moment later he padded out with Heronpaw while Darkpoppy emerged from the medicine cats den, a fresh coat of cobwebs on the tip of her torn ear. 

Emberspirit noted, with satisfaction, that the skirmish between her and her kits was now over. Emberspirit had awoken in the middle of the night to see her leaving camp, a few heartbeats later Tigershade and Lionscar followed. Emberspirit, worried, followed from a safe distance to find the she-cat sitting on the edge of the bank leading to the island, almost invisible in the darkness of the new moon. Lionscar and Tigershade seemed to hesitate from a new fox-lengths away before they padded up to her and sat with her.