Shattered Roots #1: The Last Leaf

Chapter 15

"Leafpaw, carry Quailpaw to Molestripe so his wounds can be tended to," Pebblestar ordered.

In a flash, Leafpaw bit the back of Quailpaw's neck and dragged him to the medicine den, his fur brushing against the thin layer of snow. Leafpaw placed him on top of a moss bed. She could see the injured cat's chest rise and fall slowly, indicating that he was still alive.

"Great LightClan! Quailpaw's as wrecked as a crumpled log! Is this another attack?" Robinpaw exclaimed with a sense of urgency. Leafpaw nodded in response. "Nightpaw, can you pass me some cobwebs?"

Nightpaw emerged out of a dim corner in the den, her mouth full of cobwebs. She limped to Quailpaw's motionless body and dropped them gently.

"Remember what I taught you, Nightpaw. Patch up the open wounds with the cobwebs. Make sure they're tight and cover the whole area."

Using her steady paws, Nightpaw wrapped the cobwebs around Quailpaw's scars. Her face frowned at the work she had to do, drooping like a saggy rabbit. Despite her negative attitude, she worked effectively. In little time, Quailpaw's wounds were covered fully.

Leafpaw praised, "You did a great job! Did Molestripe teach you?"

"A little bit."

Silence filled the medicine den. Only the sounds of worried murmurs from outside could be heard. Leafpaw watched intently while Nightpaw continued to work.

Breaking the silence, Nightpaw whispered awkwardly, "Er, can I tell you a secret?"

"Um, sure, I won't spill any of it." A tinge of confusion laced Leafpaw's voice

After a glance around the den, Nightpaw confessed, "Ever since my leg was torn off, it's been painfully obvious to me that Pebblestar wants me to be a medicine cat."

"Really? That's great news!"

"No... it really isn't. Not for me at least. I don't want to be forced into this position!"

"Why not? Medicine cats get to help other cats and talk with LightClan! That sounds cool."

"It's not as simple as the role sounding cool, Leafpaw. As great as being a medicine cat may be, I just... don't want to go down that path. I've always dreamed of being a warrior since I was a kit and a missing leg isn't going to change that."

"Wait, isn't that dangerous-"

"Leafpaw, you can return to your duties now! We're grateful to have helpful cats like you around here," Molestripe mewed.

Leafpaw trotted back to her moss bed. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop pondering Nightpaw's words. 'I admire her determination but I doubt she could be live her life as a warrior with her injury,' she thought.


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Leafpaw could smell the Stream of Leaping Fish nearby. Large sheets of snow covered the ground, making her legs seem invisible. Her paws constantly sunk into the white mass. Trying to maintain her balance, she wobbled with each step.

Even though the sounds of her own steps distracted her, she couldn't stop wondering about what happened the night before when Quailpaw returned to camp injured. Her thoughts flooded her mind as she reached no answer.

"Uh, Leafpaw you've been pulling weird faces all day," Owlpaw commented. "Did you see a flying mouse or something?"

"No. It's just that I noticed something weird after Quailpaw was found injured yesterday." Owlpaw perked his ears up, curious of what Leafpaw was talking about. She shook her head. "I don't know. It sounds stupid, it's not worth mentioning."

"If it's not worth mentioning, why are you still thinking about it?

Leafpaw simply recoiled her head with uncertainty.

Owlpaw persuaded, "C'mon, you can tell me anything. I won't judge."

Leafpaw slowed down her pace. "Well, I saw Birchpaw return right after Quailpaw was found injured. He returned alone and there were no night patrols! Don't you think that's odd?"

"Huh, that is odd. I've never trusted that cat the first time I laid my eyes on him. He's a well-skilled fighter for a kittypet - too well-skilled in fact."

"He has been acting weird ever since he showed up in FrostClan. But I'm sure he has good intentions! I still don't know why he came back that late, though." Owlpaw simply huffed in response, a sour expression placed on his face. Leafpaw concluded that it would take a million moons for Owlpaw to trust Birchpaw in the slightest.

The two apprentices stopped walking once their paws could feel the rough dirt of the Stream of Leaping Fish. The frozen river glistened softly, its icy surface reflecting the sun's light. Cold winds were stronger in the area due to the lack of trees.

"Doehoof said we should hunt near here," Leafpaw reminded. "Maybe we can look under pockets of snow! Some rabbits might be sleeping in their burrows."

Owlpaw nodded his approval. The two cats immediately started to track down any prey they could find.

Leafpaw kept her body low to the ground. Her eyes scanned the snow. She soon spotted a tiny gray lump of fur which seemed to be a mouse. With a large leap, she lunged herself onto her target, only for the rodent to scamper away.

Leafpaw chased her prey. It made its way into a small hole, making it impossible for her claws to grab it. She sighed in defeat. As she walked away, she heard a soft rustling noise. Before she could figure out where it came from, a large cat jumped on her.

The cat tugged at her neck, almost piercing through her skin. She sunk into the snow, her back pushed against the freezing soil. Leafpaw wriggled her body under her attacker and climbed onto a tree. Once she was halfway up the trunk, she jumped off, landing on the cat's back. To her surprise, the cat tackled her in retaliation and set its claws into her neck

"Birchpaw, what are you doing?!" Owlpaw screeched from a distance.

The cat, who turned out to be Birchpaw, stopped in an instant. His eyes were wide with shock, as if he didn't realize that he was attacking his fellow Clanmate. His thorn-like claws released Leafpaw. Like water to a dry throat, she was relieved, letting out a sigh.

Owlpaw rushed to the scene. He helped Leafpaw to stand up then scolded, "You nearly ended Leafpaw's life, mouse-brain! Were you planning on murdering her?"

"You dare assume me of doing that? I was on a hunting mission and I simply thought she was an intruder."

"Yeah, you totally thought she was an intruder. No cat I know would mindlessly attack someone from their own Clan!"


"I wasn't thinking clearly, okay?! If I knew Leafpaw was the cat I was attacking, I wouldn't even dare to hurt a whisker on her!"

Flicking his tail, Owlpaw muttered loud enough for the tabby to hear, "We'll let LightClan decide if yours words speak truth. Let's continue our hunting mission, Leafpaw."

Leafpaw followed him, her legs still shaking. 'That cat is up to no good,' she thought.

A/N: Sorry for the late update! New year of school has been fun but tiring and i've barely gotten the time to write this so hope yall like this chapter (i'm still highly invested in finishing this so i wont stop writing it anytime soon!!)