Warriors: A New Beginning #1: The Beginning

Chapter 45

Wavepelt blinked, her surroundings clearing around her. A grey and brown cat... who was it?

Then the cat cleared completely. Mintleaf! She was still alive!

She moved her legs and tried to stand up, but fell back into her nest. Her muscles ached terribly.

Wavepelt glimpsed Wheatwing as well, sleeping peacefully in the neighbouring nest.

"What happened?" she managed to ask Mintleaf. "How did you find Wheatwing and I?"

"Smokestorm's hunting patrol found you both almost dead, curled up against a tree," Mintleaf explained. "What happened on the walk?"

"Bloodclaw and five other rogues attacked us," Wavepelt sighed. "Berrytail wasn't there."

"So the rogue with a Clan name again," Mintleaf mused. "And with company. Very strange." He didn't say anything else, just slowly walked over and began sorting herbs. Wavepelt realized just how old the medicine cat was getting. Maybe Goldenkit, Elmkit, Raykit, or Patchkit will be his apprentice, Wavepelt thought. But Curlyfur's kits had never taken a particular interest in herbs and the medicine den.

Wavepelt shook her head. Why was she concerned? Mintleaf has time... Maybe another litter of kits will be here soon.

Pawsteps told hera cat had entered the den. She looked up. Silverfang.

The former kittypet ran to Wheatwing's side immediately. "Is she okay?"

Um, no, Wavepelt thought. She's almost dead, if you haven't noticed.

"She'll be okay," Mintleaf assured him.

"Who did this to her?" Silverfang demanded.

"Rogues," Wavepelt explained softly. "They attacked us on our walk."

"It's strange that rogues are attacking now," Silverfang mused. "Wouldn't they have attacked multiple times since they captured Waterfall?"

"Uh... yeah." They'd be attacking to get him to join them again.

Wavepelt closed her eyes to try to sleep again. Her muscles ached, and all she wanted to do was rest.

I haven't been like this since... I went to bring Waterfall back, I think, she thought.

Then she fell asleep.

***

She was woken up with a stinging pain in her side. A paw was prodding her.

"Hey," she muttered, keeping her eyes closed.

Excited squeaks replied to her. Wavepelt opened her eyes and saw Raykit and Patchkit staring at her.

"That hurts," she whispered. "Please don't do that. Why were you, anyway?"

"We wanted to see if you were alive." Patchkit's eyes were bright.

"Well, I'm alive," Wavepelt meowed.

"Sorry if we hurt you," Raykit apologized.

"It's okay," Wavepelt assured him. "Where are your littermates?"

"Goldenkit and Elmkit?" Raykit shrugged. "No idea."

"Does Curlyfur know you're here?" Wavepelt closed her eyes in exhaustion.

"She said we could go out of the nursery," Patchkit replied.

"But into the medicine den?"

"Um..." Raykit looked guilty.