Cinderpelt sighed as she watched Dustpelt and Ferncloud leave to go patrolling together, tails entwined. It had been a couple of months after Firestar and Sandstorm returned from Skyclan and made a family. Their absence had been noticed by the other clans, but Graystripe had been more than enough to keep Thunderclan strong and flourishing after Firestar had gone. After the duo's return, Graystripe was demoted to deputy again, but more than happy his best friend and mate returned safely.
Currently Sandstorm was cooped up in the nursery caring for her's and Firestar's young: Leafkit and Squirrelkit. Though the kits were lovely enough, Cinderpelt had to admit they were troublesome little ones. More than once she found them in her medicine stores messing with her stocks of herbs. Leafkit was the one to drag her sister inside many times over.
"That one's going to be trouble when she ages," Cinderpelt murmured.
She shifted her gaze to Cloudtail as he picked out a piece of fresh kill to take to Brightheart in the nursery. Spiderkit and Shrewkit appeared in the nursery entrance, leaping around Cloudtail as he sauntered inside. After all, they were old enough to eat prey now.
It looked like a peaceful day for Thunderclan. No border skirmishes. No wounds to treat. Fresh-kill's stocked high. Everyone's happy. Cinderpelt's stock of herbs were full to think brink and ready for any treatment her clan may need. And the sun's shining down with it's rays of life.
How very boring.
Cinderpelt yawned wildly, then leaped to her paws and limped outside Thunderclan, exiting the gorse tunnel with the intention of a walk through the forest. She climbed the ravine and brushed through the brambles to clear her head.
It's not like I can't share tongues in camp, Cinderpelt thought darkly. But currently the whole Thunderclan camp just seemed to have been made up of only couples that she had to leave. And anyway, there was too much pent up energy within the medicine cat to just sit and talk. Without even realizing it Cinderpelt had strayed over to Sunningrocks by the Riverclan border. She eyed the structure for a few moments before shrugging and limping lightly to sit atop the rocks.
She didn't know if the rocks belonged to Thunderclan or Riverclan anymore. It was so confusing: one clan might inconspicuously scent around the area and leave the other clan guessing until they come back that, for all she knew these pieces of rock might belong to both clans at the moment!
The gray she-cat stared out the river, expecting a Riverclan patrol to come by and say something to her. Though she did love peace between clans, at the moment Cinderpelt wouldn't mind having a discussion (or argument) with any of them. She'd probably make up some excuse that she felt a calling to speak with them if it came to that. She grinned inwardly: sometimes snarling at one another across borders took the edge away.
But no one came. She waited for a long while, half-heartily wondering if she had either just passed by a patrol. Maybe even Riverclan's patrols were feeling rather lazy today.
Cinderpelt flicked a stone beside her and watched it tumble down the rocky stones.
"Hello?"
The medicine cat looked up. Standing right in front of her, as if unsure of what to do, was a broad shouldered muscular black tom. Blackclaw. Of course.
Cinderpelt flicked her ears. "Yes?"
"You're, um... trespassing Riverclan territory."
"I didn't know I was," she yawned, looking about her. She was probably too distracted with her thoughts to have realized Riverclan took back Sunningrocks yet again. And her being a medicine cat gave the she-cat the privilege to not have her fur clawed off by the now bemused Blackclaw, who had no idea what to do now that he found a Thunderclan medicine cat in Riverclan territory.
Blackclaw shifted his paws, waiting. When Cinderpelt still did nothing, he sighed and mewed. "Can you move now? I can't exactly harm you since you're a medicine cat." He then added, "But if you continue to stay here I will have to." A low growl escaped his throat and his hackles rose a bit. He meant it.
Cinderpelt knew Blackclaw enough that he wouldn't exactly attack her if she stayed. But he might gloat her enough to give him a chance to fight back if she made the first move out of anger. She had to be careful.
"Blackclaw? Who are you talking to?"
Both cats whirled to see a tortoise-shell she-cat coming their way. She gave Cinderpelt a curious but cautious look as she padded to stand beside her clan mate.
The gray she-cat flicked her tail. "Evening, Mosspelt."
"What are you doing in Riverclan territory?" Mosspelt replied sharply.
Cinderpelt padded a few steps behind her until she was past Riverclan's marker. Now that she was paying attention the signs were evident. She flopped down just outside Riverclan's new border and shrugged.
"Hey, do you guys want to do something?" she asked out in the open. Both Riverclan cats cast surprised glances at each other before turning back to Cinderpelt. If anything they were now twice as cautious, if possible.
"Is Thunderclan so boring that you're willing to go to Riverclan for entertainment?" Blackclaw spat.
Cinderpelt huffed. "Can't we stop thinking about what clan whose from and just talk with each other like neighbors?"
"No."
Narrow-minded fools!
"Fine," she muttered. With a flick of her tail the she-cat limped away from the Riverclan cats.
Blackclaw called after her retreating figure, "You're lucky you're a medicine cat. But if we catch you on our territory again we will attack. You have been warned!" Without turning the gray she-cat raised her tail to show that she heard.
The trail Cinderpelt followed, worn a bit from many Thunderclan paws, was beautiful in appearance. Sunlight dappled the leaves golden and sent shafts or spidery light spiraling through trees. Birds sang happily of the day and prey rustled left and right as if there was no worry in the world.
Oh how bored she was.
She decided to practice her hunting skills. Sure, there was the broken leg that only allowed her to limp (and wobble if she tried running), but it was worth a try. Her thoughts strayed to Deadfoot, the deceased Windclan deputy who, despite having a broken fore-paw was still able to have been a very good cat to Windclan and make a name for himself before the whole Bloodclan problem.
The thought of almost losing the forest forever still sent shivers down her spine.
But if Deadfoot could do it, why not I? Cinderpelt thought to herself, ignoring the fact that she had a twisted hind-leg, completely different from his broken fore-paw.
With a bit of a snort of amusement at her predicament,she opened her jaws and drank in the scents around her. It didn't take long for her to detect prey.
Mouse!
She quickly got in her Hunter's Crouch and stalked quietly through the undergrowth. Her twisted leg dragged quietly on the ground, while its wielder tried with all her might to be as quiet as she could. But it was enough to alert the mouse that it quickly hid under tree roots.
Mousedung!
Cinderpelt stood and glared down her leg, as if it knew it was the cause of her troubles. Which it was. She stared off into the trees, thinking. Her hunting skills were not bad; it was just the leg that slowed her down. But what could she do about it?
Something in her head told Cinderpelt there was nothing she could do, that it was useless. Cinderpelt ignored the message and continued to think.
Maybe...
She drank in the scents. In no time she detected squirrel and quickly crouched again. Yellowfang's message crept in her mind yet again. She could even see the knots of gray fur, squashed face and orange eyes of sympathy.
"You'll never be able to become a Warrior, I'm so sorry."
Cinderpelt angrily compressed the thought and shoved it away. She already knew she couldn't be a Warrior, but for Starclan's sake it didn't hurt to try hunting for once!
She lowered her belly to the ground. When she got into position, she tried raising her twisted leg off the ground just high enough so that it wouldn't drag on the undergrowth. She wobbled a bit, but sinking a bit of her weight on the other side evened her body out somewhat.
Now for the difficult part.
Cinderpelt crept forward slowly, twisted leg still raised, towards the squirrel. The going was tough, and if the wind shifted even slightly away from her the squirrel would know and there would be nothing Cinderpelt could do about it. Chasing was out of the question.
She was just two tail-lengths from the squirrel now. She then wiggled her haunches a bit. Excitement coursed through her body at the thought of catching something. Adrenaline rushed though her, something she never thought was possible anymore. Her eyes glinted for a moment at the thought of the squirrel's neck in her teeth. She imagined every moment. And leaped.
She crashed clumsily into the squirrel. It tried to flee, but Cinderpelt had her claws out to prevent it's escape. She bit down hard on the neck and it lay still.
For a long while the gray she-cat stared down at the piece of prey-now-fresh-kill. She couldn't believe it! She had actually caught something! She purred as she took the squirrel in her mouth and stood, about to bring it to camp to show everyone.
"Cinderpelt?"
The medicine cat turned, squirrel still in jaw. There was a rustling on the other side of the brambles. Sandstorm popped her head out.
"Hi! I thought I scented you over here. What are you..." Sandstorm stopped in mid speech when she saw the squirrel in the medicine cat's jaws. The ginger she-cat's eyes widened. Cinderpelt stood more proudly.
"My, that's an impressive squirrel!" Sandstorm mewed, impressed. "Who caught it for you?"
the medicine cat puffed out her chest. "I did, of course."
If possible, Sandstorms' eyes widened even further. "YOU did? But how could you if-" she quickly shut her jaws in embarrassment. With a flash of annoyance directed towards herself, Cinderpelt understood. But she wasn't going to let it ruin her moment.
"I understand what you're getting at," she mewed, dropping the squirrel and covering it with dirt. Great Thunderclan did that feel good! "But I'm not a completely helpless kit." She looked up, amusement in her eyes that she didn't feel in her heart.
Sandstorm nodded silently.
Something clicked. "Why aren't you in the nursery with your kits?" Cinderpelt asked suspiciously.
Sandstorm shrugged. "They were asleep, and I was bored so I decided to go for a walk. My whole life does not have to be devoted to staying in the nursery; I can find some time away for myself too," she mewed briskly but good-naturally.
Cinderpelt shrugged. She could tell the pale ginger she-cat had something in her mind and waited patiently. "Say, Cinderpelt. Would you..." she looked at the twisted leg with a frown, but averted her gaze away again. "Um.. like to go hunting with me?"
Wow...
The gray she-cat blinked. She knew Sandstorm was trying to make her feel like a warrior again by the offer. But it warmed her pelt nonetheless. "Sure!" she mewed happily. "But don't think I won't catch any more prey than you just because of this leg!"
Sandstorm purred in laughter and flicked her tail for Cinderpelt to follow. They soon came upon the Owl tree, with the gray she-cat limping as fast as she could to catch up, and hunted separately. Amazingly, Cinderpelt was able to at least catch a mouse and shrew. Though Sandstorm caught at least three mice and a bird the medicine cat reasoned that she had not hunted since she was an apprentice.
That, and today's just filled with prey because of Green-leaf. Cinderpelt doubt she'd do much better when Leaf-fall arrived.
They retracted their steps for Cinderpelt to pick up her squirrel, then took their prey back to Thunderclan, much to the astonishment of the cats when they saw Cinderpelt carrying prey she herself captured. A warm feeling back to creep up in the medicine cat's heart.
A few cats drifted to the pair, congratulating Cinderpelt warmly on a job well done. She felt a mixture of happiness for their praise, and glum because of the pity she knew resulted in their kindness.
She set the prey in the pile, then picked out a vole for herself as Sandstorm carried a squirrel to take back to the den. For a long moment Cinderpelt stared at the nursery entrance. Her thoughts strayed to the skies, trying to find something to do; there were still no injuries to treat, and she didn't want to go back to her den just yet.
What to do. What to do...
Suddenly, just like that, an idea came to her. A very mischievous idea to help with her boredom. No, I probably shouldn't, she thought.
Cinderpelt was surprised the thought even occurred to her. But then again she had rarely seen Thunderclan so content and her bored. Usually she was always busy or had something in her mind.
Perhaps Starclan honored this day for me as a sign that I should relax, she figured. After all, Cinderpelt did come off unscathed from entering another clan's border. And she was actually able to hunt today, something she never thought possible.
Mind made up, Cinderpelt padded to the nursery with her vole. She ducked her head inside. Brightheart, Sandstorm and Ferncloud were inside the nursery, chatting away as the kits played together. They looked up when the gray she-cat cleared her throat.
"Mind if I join?" Cinderpelt mewed.
Brightheart waved her tail at a spot beside her. "Go right ahead."
Cinderpelt dipped her head and, instead of sitting where Brightheart intended, sat beside Sandstorm instead. Leafkit and Squirrelkit instantly appeared before her, jabbering away.
"Cinderpelt, Cinderpelt, do you have to treat any cats today?" Leafkit asked excitedly.
The medicine cat purred. "Not at the moment. Thunderclan is as safe as it can be for today." She began munching hungrily into her vole. She forgot how tiring it was to hunt. And it tasted twice as good because she caught it herself!
"Why is your leg twisted that way?" Squirrelkit asked. Cinderpelt rolled her eyes as Sandstorm scolded the kit. She had already asked the medicine cat the same question so many times it was unbelievable. Squirrelkit quickly grew bored and drifted off to tackle Whitekit to the ground while Spiderkit and Shrewkit cheered.
Throughout her whole meal time, Cinderpelt had her tail draped over Sandstorm's shoulders. The pale ginger she-cat did not seem to have minded much.
That is, until Cinderpelt began rubbing the back of her neck did Sandstorm grew cross and shrugged the tail away.
With nothing but bones picked clean Cinderpelt stood, swiping her pink tongue around her jaws. She groomed herself thoughtfully, thinking about the next stage in her plan. This is going to be so strange... but I can tell it's going to be funny too.
After her grooming, the medicine cat sighed and lay her head on Sandstorm's shoulder, purring. The ginger queen did not seem to mind.
Hmm...
For an added affect Cinderpelt rubbed her head on Sandstorm's shoulder and swished her tail gently. She bit back a laugh when the ginger she-cat shifted uncomfortably beside her. This is too rich.
To further Sandstorm's uneasiness, Cinderpelt snuggled herself more closely to the her, hips pressed against the ginger queen's while Leafkit tried to talk with her mother. "... I'm sorry, what was that Leafkit?" Sandstorm mewed distractedly. She looked at Cinderpelt from the corner of her eyes, a frown on her face. Cinderpelt bit back another snort of amusement and gazed innocently back at her.
"I was asking how come the other cats get to go out into the forest but I can't?" Leafkit asked again loudly.
Sandstorm blinked. "Um... you're not... old enough for that. And―uh" By now Ferncloud and Brightheart had taken their kits outside to enjoy the sun while it lasted with Squirrelkit in tow, leaving the nursery empty with Sandstorm, Cinderpelt and the curious Leafkit. This did not go unnoticed to Sandstorm, who looked as if she were stuck in a Twoleg nest; Cinderpelt felt as if she was having the time of her life.
By now the gray she-cat had her tail entwined around Sandstorm's while the ginger she-cat tried to pull away. She gave an uncomfortable look at the entrance to the den. "And―uh―it could be very dangerous to go off on your own," she continued carefully. "You'll have to be a bit older before you can even think about leaving the den to―HUNT!"
Cinderpelt had breathed into Sandstorm's neck.
Leafkit jumped from her mother's squeak. She opened her mouth to say something else, until Squirrelkit popped her head back in the nursery.
"Come on, Leafkit!" the ginger kit mewed. "Whitekit, Spiderkit and Shrewkit are going to be Shadowclan and we're going to be Thunderclan to defend the clan!" Leafkit skipped outside the den to play with her friends, the conversation with her mother completely forgotten. Sandstorm and Cinderpelt were left alone.
The medicine cat sighed. "Lovely kits, aren't they?" she murmured as she began to lick Sandstorm's neck. By now the ginger she-cat was looking flustered and unsure. She twitched a bit from Cinderpelt's tongue and gave the medicine cat another uncomfortable look.
"Cinderpelt?" she sounded hesitant. The gray she-cat looked into her pale green eyes and waited.
"Are you... feeling okay?"
Cinderpelt's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Never better!" she thought for a moment before adding, "Now that I'm here with you."
Sandstorm shook her head slowly. She was about to say something else when she was interrupted by a loud call outside in the clearing.
"Sandstorm?" It was Firestar.
The look of relief was evident on the ginger she-cat's face. "Looks like I have to go." She announced, pulling herself free from Cinderpelt's clutches.
The gray she-cat pretended to pout. "Oh. So soon?" She flipped herself onto her back and stretched. "We have the den all to ourselves for now. Wouldn't you like to have some fun before you go?"
"Cinderpelt!" Sandstorm looked shocked and appalled. "What are you saying?"
As she lay on her back, leg twisted awkwardly in the air, the medicine cat shrugged formally. She was staring at the roof above with interest. "Just thought you'd want to do something exciting after being with the kits for so long..."
"What?" Sandstorm mewed in disbelief. "If you haven't forgotten Cinderpelt―you're a medicine cat! And anyway, I'm a she-cat and-"
"It's my leg, isn't it?"
"What?"
"Or maybe Firestar's more fun?"
"What are you-"
Cinderpelt sighed. "I knew it." She got up and limped past Sandstorm to leave the nursery. She gently bumped her hip to Sandstorm's flank and winked before departing to the medicine cat's den, leaving an even more confused Sandstorm to stand by the nursery for a few more moments until the call form Firestar woke her from her reverie.
The next day Cinderpelt acted like her "normal" self. And when Sandstorm confronted the medicine cat about her supposed behavior back in the nursery yesterday, Cinderpelt mewed that she had no idea what she was talking about and maybe Sandstorm was feeling sick.
"Would you like to sleep in the medicine cat's den in case you're unwell?" Cinderpelt mewed in a false worried tone. She flicked her tail at the entrance to her den. "I could look over you while you sleep for signs of symptoms."
"No!" Sandstorm screeched. She closed her jaw in embarrassment and mewed carefully, "Thanks, but, no thanks." She uncomfortably dipped her head and padded away to join the patrol.
Cinderpelt purred with laughter. Though she was a medicine cat and had responsibilities, that didn't mean she still lost her humorous spark for mischievous. She chuffed with laughter as she made her way back to her den.