Warriors- A New Era: The Lost Clans

Chapter Seven

Sorry this one took so long! Enjoy!

Petalpaw's world was full of pain. She opened up her cloudy eyes so she could see her surroundings, but she immediately regretted it when a wave of dizziness cascaded on to her. She shut her eyes tightly, praying for the pain to go away. She let out a low moan.

"She's alive!"

Petalpaw recognised Silverbreeze's voice right away. She swallowed back a high piched mew of longing for her mother's pelt and curled up into a small ball. The next was she realised was Birdwing's.

"Hush," she mewed soothingly to the relieved queen. "If you want Petalpaw to recover, the least you could do would be for you to give her some space so she could sleep." Birdwing appeared nonchalant, but Petalpaw could detect a small note of relief in her mew as well.

Was I really that hurt?

Petalpaw tied to roll over into a more comfortable position but she smacked her shoulder on the bedding, pausing her movements. She screeched in anguish and she felt a gash in her shoulder reopen and gush out blood. She heard Silverbreeze let out a terrified yowl and Petalpaw felt fur brush her own as the silver tabby pressed against her. She let out a high pitched wail as Silverbreeze crushed her wounded foreleg.

"Oh, get off her!" Birdsong sounded exasperated. "You're going to hurt her!"

"But - !"

"No buts!" hissed Birdsong. "Out."

Petalpaw managed to open her eyes enough to see her mother slink out of the medicine cat den, her tail drooping wearily. She winced at Birdsong's harsh behavior to her mother. The last thing she heard from her mother was, "I don't want her to sleep alone though!"

Petalpaw listened to Birdsong sigh. "I'm not sleeping with her," she muttered to herself.

"I can!" a voice piped up. Petalpaw's ears pricked up when she recognised it as Cedarpaw's. "You know I feel lonely sleeping alone, without Maplepaw.

"Are you sure?" questioned Birdsong. Petalpaw willed him to say yes.

"Mmm - hmm!" Cedarpaw purred warmly. "I can lie with her now, if you want. She looks pretty tired."

Birdsong dipped her head thankfully to the apprentice. "That would be good, Cedarpaw."

Petalpaw sucked in a breath and tensed as she felt Cedarpaw's scent wash over her and his fur brush her pelt. She closed her eyes and moved closer to the tom after a moment's hesitation. She relaxed and sank deeper into her bedding, giving in to the darkness.

***

"You've been neglecting your training."

Petalpaw blinked open her eyes. She was in StarClan territory with Snowtuft leering over her. His lips were curled in an annoyed scowl. She flinched under the white tom's glare. "You can't blame me!" she retorted. She revealed her wounded leg and stared defiantly into his eyes. "Right?"

Snowtuft looked mildly bored. "So?"

Petalpaw took a paw step backwards. "So?! That's your reply?" She could here the surprise in her own voice.

Snowtuft snarled. "Don't talk to a StarClan warrior that way! All of the others come, even when they're injured!"

Petalpaw pricked her ears. "Others? There are more in training."

Snowtuft looked uncomfortable. "Yes," he mewed hotly.

"And they all have you as their mentor?"

"No!" he snapped. "There is more then one warrior in StarClan, you know!"

"Okay, okay," Petalpaw meowed soothingly. "Keep your fur on."