Wild Shadows (Book Two; Series One)

Chapter 13

Branchstalk poked his head around the corner. "Alan?" He called nervously. Branchstalk hopes that was the proper name. A tiny black tom faced him. "H-Hello! Are you.. are you Alan?" Branchstalk asked anxiously. "This is he." Alan mewed. "What do you want big cat?" He asked. "Does your wound hurt?" Branchstalk asked. The tom blinked. "Yeah, really bad. But Burr said in order to be strong, I have to let it heal on its own." He replied. "Oh no! You should let someone take a look at it! I can, I'm a medicine cat." Branchstalk mewed. The young kit blinked.

"Burr says I should be home before the Feeding starts.." Alan murmured. "I'll bring you back. But that's a nasty wound, and it looks like it could get infected." Branchstalk tried to sooth comfortingly. He rested his tail on the young tom's flank. "Okay! I guess I could let you look at it." Alan purred. Branchstalk smiled. He almost forgot why he was here. "Have you seen a gray she-cat? She has black stripes and brown eyes." He asked. "No, but I bet Dogsnap has." The kit replied, walking ahead of Branchstalk. "Dogsnap is an old rouge that lives around here. I don't like him though, he's scary and mean." Alan added. "Alright, where is he?" Branchstalk asked softly. "I don't know. Probably hanging out with his Clan friend or his dog friends. No one else likes him. He smells bad from all his infected wounds." He mewed. "Alright, good to know.." He murmured. Clan friend?  Branchstalk thought. Who could that be?

At camp, he revealed he didn't find Pebbleheart, but showed a kit that needed help. Badgersight was disappointed, but still allowed Branchstalk to help him. "This'll sting a bit.." He murmured. "Okay! I'm a brave cat!" Alan purred. Branchstalk chewed up some horsetail and pressed it to Alan's shoulder wound. The kit winced, but stayed still. "Wow, you're the best kit I've worked with." He stated. "Burr puts me through a lot." Alan replied. "This just feels like a bee sting!" He purred. "Bee stings still hurt.. a lot." Branchstalk murmured. "Yeah, But compared to what Burr tells me she went through, it's nothing. I don't like to argue with Burr." Alan murmured with a yawn. Branchstalk felt concern fill him. This poor kit. What had this "Burr" cat done to him? "What has Burr done, Alan?" Badgersight asked. "Oh, you know. Normal alley cat things. I make her bedding and bring her food. Tonight I was going to get the biggest scrapping of food ever! Than I found you." Alan replied. Branchstalk told him to stay there, and he got up. He padded into the clearing and took a nice sized rabbit. "You eating that all by yourself Branchstalk?" Purred Webbedfoot. He shook his head. "It's for a kit I found. Speaking of kits, how are yours?" He asked. Webbedfoot smiled. "Perfect. Whitekit and Sweetkit opened their eyes, can you believe it? Lilackit is having a bit of trouble, but she'll get there!" The tom purred. "Good." Branchstalk smiled, grabbing the rabbit again. He was about to head into the den, when he heard Silvermoon. "Look!" She cried.

Silvermoon threw two bodies off her back. Whitestripe and Goosewing. "Oh my StarClan!" Gasped Webbedfoot. "What happened?" Pineheart asked. "We don't know! But it smelt awfully like StoneClan!" Smallpaw cried. "Branchstalk, go get Badgersight. She always knew how to investigate bodies." Snow-whisker quickly demanded. Branchstalk nodded, running to the den. "Badgersight," He called. "You're needed." He whispered. Badgersight looked confused, but padded out.

"What's happening?" Alan asked. "Nothing.. just eat this rabbit." Branchstalk murmured, dropping it in front of the kit. Alan quickly ate it. Branchstalk looked at the tom. He was awfully skinny. His ribs looked like they'd burst out. "Branchstalk," Alan mewed. "Yes?" He asked. "I like it here. Everyone is much nicer than in the alleys. And I don't have to serve anyone. Maybe I can finally grieve for my mom." He purred. "What do you mean?" Branchstalk murmured. "Dogsnap and the Clan cat killed my mom.. it really made me sad, but Burr wouldn't let me feel sad. She gave me chores and tasks. It distracted me, but didn't make me happy." Alan murmured. "Well, you can be sad here. No one will stop you.. okay?" Branchstalk quickly replied. "You're not going back there, not while I'm here."