Title: Leafpaw's Day
Author: GoddessJess
Summary: Leafpaw goes about a day of herb gathering with Sorreltail.
Leafpaw blinked her eyes against the sunshine coming into the medicine clearing. She stood and stretched, yawning greatly but quietly as not to disturb Cinderpelt. Last night she had decided to start the day early and go herb gathering to surprise her mentor. Oh how Cinderpelt would be proud by all the herbs she would find! Leafpaw padded out of the clearing with that thought eagerness making her paw steps quick.
Once out in the sunshine fully she stretched once again and heard her stomach growl when the scents of fresh kill flooded her senses. She quickly padded over to the fresh kill pile and grabbed a small mouse for a quick meal. The faster she ate the faster she could start her gathering. Leafpaw dipped her head and before she could take her first bite heard, "Good morning, Leafpaw!"
She looked up as Sorreltail padded towards her. "Hello, Sorreltail."
"What are you doing up so early?" She sat wrapping her tail around her and over her paws. "You're usually still asleep around this time."
Leafpaw took a bite of fresh kill and mumbled around it, "I'm going herb gathering to surprise Cinderpelt and wanted an early start."
"That sounds like a good idea. Do you need any help?" Sorreltail mewed, her tail swaying behind her. Leafpaw held back her laughter at seeing her eagerness. If no one knew, it would seem that Sorreltail was asking to go on an adventure.
"I was about to find you and ask if you wanted to come along actually."
"Yes!" She got up and padded around in a circle as Leafpaw hid more laughter behind another bite of fresh kill. "I would love to tag along!"
The medicine cat apprentice got onto all her paws and stretched. "Let's go then."
"What about these?" asked Sorreltail.
Leafpaw looked up from the sprigs of thyme she found and padded over to her side. Sorreltail waved her tail at the purple-black berries on a bush she found. Her eyes brightened. "Juniper berries! Nice find, Sorreltail."
Her ears pricked up and she stood a little straighter. Leafpaw carefully bit the stems and was soon copied by Sorreltail. After a few minutes a pile of berries were at their feet. They gathered them together along with the thyme, poppy seeds, and other herbs they had found on their search.
"I think this is enough and it's after sunhigh. Let's go back to camp."
Sorreltail nodded and they gathered their packets of leaves filled with herbs and headed towards the camp. Somewhere off in the distance there was a yowl of pain and Leafpaw froze in her paw steps. The yowl came again and she dropped her packets of leaves. Telling Sorreltail she'll be right back, she dashed into the woods following the yowls of pain.
Leafpaw broke through the underbrush into a clearing to find Spiderpaw on the ground almost curled up into a ball. He yowled in pain again and she quickly went to his side nudging him slightly mewing, "Spiderpaw, what's wrong?"
He yowled again and managed to croak, "Bellyache. Just all of a sudden_" Spiderpaw yowled again and she winced. Remembering the juniper berries she gave his head a quick lick. "I'll be right back."
She ran back to where she left Sorreltail and looked for the juniper berries they had gathered. Once she did she licked them up and started to chew them into a paste that she spat back onto a leaf. Sorreltail mewed worriedly, "What's going on? What was the yowl?"
"Spiderpaw has a bellyache." Leafpaw picked the leaf up and ran back to where she found Spiderpaw curled up on the ground. She dropped the leaf by his muzzle and pushed it towards him. "Eat this. It'll make you feel better."
Spiderpaw slowly lapped at the paste and collapsed when it was gone. "Thank you, Leafpaw."
"You're welcome." She licked his shoulder affectionately. "Do you think you could make it back to camp?"
"I'm not sure." He got onto his stomach and winced slightly before pushing himself up onto his paws. Spiderpaw wavered slightly and she darted to his side pressing up against him to support him.
"Is he going to be okay?" Sorreltail muttered around a mouthful of leaves. She came closer and Leafpaw could see the concern in her eyes. She nodded and she seemed relieved. "I'll carry the herbs and follow you two to camp."
"Ready, Spiderpaw?" Leafpaw asked. He nodded and they headed towards camp slowly.
Sorreltail ran ahead of her and Spiderpaw as the entered the camp and entered the medicine den. Leafpaw led the sick apprentice there who had started to complain of bellyache again. Cinderpelt appeared at the mouth of the den and, seeing them, headed over immediately and took her place supporting Spiderpaw.
"Sorreltail told me about Spiderpaw. I'll take him into the den." The medicine cat started to lead the apprentice through the opening. "Once you help me prepare some juniper berries into a paste you can take the rest of the day off if you like. It seemed you've done a lot today for one apprentice."
Leafpaw's paws stopped moving as she heard the praise in her mentor's voice. Cinderpelt looked back at her with amusement in her eyes. "Coming, Leafpaw?"
"Yes, Cinderpelt!" She ran to catch up with her and followed her into the den. Cinderpelt took Spiderpaw to the nest where sick cats stayed and she automatically went to the piles of herbs Sorreltail had made when she dropped them on the floor. She chewed several berries together and spat the paste onto a leaf before taking it to where her mentor was.
Cinderpelt took the leaf and pushed it to Spiderpaw. "Go get some rest. You deserved it."
The medicine cat apprentice nodded and went to her next. She stretched and curled up reflecting on her day. Her eyes closed and she sighed contentedly; her day had been great.