Chapter 3
Ravenpaw woke up, but kept her eyes closed. She was in a much more comfortable spot than she was before, where was she? She opened her eyes, and she was in a den. Home? she thought. Had they brought her home? She stretched in delight, but realized this wasn't the apprentice's den. Where was she? She walked out of the den, and sunlight wrapped itself around her. She sighed, and soaked in the beautiful light, not knowing if she was in really in reality. "You are better I presume?" a voice said behind her. She turned around and faced a silver she-cat. "Where am I? It's so beautiful here!" Ravenpaw gasped. She got to look at her surroundings, and she was in a clearing. In the center of the clearing there was a pool, and the clearing was surrounded by lush green trees. But it was fall? The flowers were still perked up, not wilting. Is this a dream? Ravenpaw thought. "This is a dream, this is Starclan," the silver she-cat. "But you feel nourished though, don't you?"Ravenpaw nodded,"So I'm not dead?" "No you are not," she replied, amused. "By the way I am Silverstream, and I will help guide you if you ever need help." Silverstream stood, and walked to Ravenpaw, she was so close to her, Ravenpaw could see little stars in her fur. Ravenpaw breathed in her scent. "Watch for the Stars that plunge," Silverstream whispered. Ravenpaw awkwardly said thank you. Then Silverstream slowly faded, and everything was dulling. "Wait I have a question!" Ravenpaw yowled in desperation. And that was when she returned to reality. All her energy collapsed, and her pain increased as she crept back into reality. She looked at her surroundings, and she was now by the dead tree. But the surroundings didn't smell like Thunderclan anymore. She groaned at reality. "Why did Amberpool not show me the borders and the territory? I've seen her be responsible!" she mumbled to herself.
She got up, and her back shot with pain. She struggled to not screech in pain, for she knew if she did it woud bring attention to her. She gritted her teeth, and she trudged forward in the fall cold. She sneezed and coughed all the way to the border of Thunderclan. When she was about to cross, she saw a puddle. What do I look like? she thought. She peeked at her reflection, and she gasped in horror. Her reflection was a bloody cat, and mud caked her face. Her fur was messy and unkept. Leaves were in her fur, and she was half wet from the muddy, wet puddle. She shook her pelt, and looked in again. The leaves were gone, but she still looked like a kitten who was wet, and just got thorns in it's nest. She sighed with relief, she was on the Thunderclan moor now. She walked across the half way through the moor, and that was when she felt the pain in her paws for the first time.
She staggered across the moor, and stumbled over her bloody paws. She noticed splinters in them, but she didn't care. Her pelt was torn, and a huge gash was on her right side. She had mud crusted and stained on her pelt and face. She knew she was sick, and she graoned in pain. Her fur was a mess, and it was sticking out in all places. She needed help, she wanted her mom even if she was really strict. She wanted Starpaw to curl up beside her, and comfort her. Starpaw, HER best friend. The thought of him made her go on. She was striving on for him, for her clan. She was at the entrance to the forest, and she stopped. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't move, and pain overwhelmed her so much, that she fell to the ground paralyzed. She tried to yell, even if it was useless, but it didn't work. She struggled to stand up, but her legs were locked in place. She was there for a long time, and pain kept coming.
She finally heard shouts, and felt herself being picked up. Relief swept over her, she hoped it was her clanmates carrying her. But it didn't matter, she felt Silverstream near her and Ravenpaw knew that if Silverstream was there, it was safe. "I promised you I would always be here when you need help, and I have guided you out of death," Silverstream purred. Thank you, Ravenpaw thought before everything went black.
Starpaw paced around the camp, waiting for the search party to come. "Keep still will you? Go make yourself useful," Lilypool grumbled. Starpaw tilted his head, Lilypool seemed to get tired, and grumpier everyday. The Lilypool he used to know was patient, and quiet. He headed out of the medicine cat den. "Sorry," he muttered before he exited. Starpaw looked around and heard Mudface coughing. "I need to get some more Tansy and lavender. We also need to stock up on Yarrow," he muttered to himself. "I'm going to get some Tansy, Lavender, and Yarrow! Is that okay?" Starpaw called back. Lilypool grunted an approval, and he went on his way to find the herbs he just recited. Should I leave Lilypool behind? She might snap an innocent kit, and she would be in trouble with the mother! he thought. He shrugged off the thought, and kept going on his quest.
The forest rustled with tiny noises, the trees were in color, the air was brisk, and the sky was the color of Ravenpaw's eyes. Ravenpaw where are you! he shouted in his mind. His everyday dream showed that he and Ravenpaw would entwine lives with each other forever. He sighed in happiness. He wanted to see her so much! "If only Amberpool taught instead of gossiped!" he spat. He checked his normal spot for Yarrow, and found a clump near his oak tree. He put the yarrow in his mouth and made sure that none of it got swallowed. He collected Tansy and none of the Lavender he was growing was there. Starpaw frowned, and sniffed around. Some animal had eaten his Lavender. He shook his head in frustration. He turned around and saw Whisperpaw was running towards him. "We found Ravenpaw," she gasped for air, "there at the camp!" That was all he needed to know. He ran with full speed towards the camp. Is she okay? What happened? Where has she been?! he thought desperately. Starpaw had so many questions racing through his head!
He got to the camp, and he saw a cluster of cats. "Ravenpaw! Get away!" he shouted. Cats parted, and he saw Sweetfern bent over a brown ball of fur. But it wasn't only brown, but red and black. He realized with horror that it was Ravenpaw. "Get her to my den, now!" he shouted. Sweetfern picked her up, and carried her to the medicine cat den. "Ravenpaw is here Lilypool! We need to help her!" Starpaw called for his mentor. There was only silence, and nothing stirred in the dimly lit den. He growled in frustration. Fine, I'll do this myself! he thought angrily. He grabbed some Dock, Feverfew, Daisy leaves for Ravenpaw's aching joints, a ton of Marigold, a couple of cobwebs, and Lavender. Wait, he didn't have Lavender! What am I supposed to calm her down with! he thought, panicking. He looked around at his herb storage. Chamomile! he thought in delight. He grabbed and stuck it in her mouth. He moved her jaw up and down, and somehow managed Ravenpaw to swallow the pulp. He dressed her wounds with the marigold and cobwebs, he soothed her pads with the Dock, he gave her some Feverfew to help with her fever. Ravenpaw settled down and didn't jerk anymore. Starpaw sighed in relief and sat proudly. I saved a cat without my mentor's help! he thought. "Thank you Starpaw!" exclaimed Sweetfern. She started licking Ravenpaw's fur and Starpaw knew that Ravenpaw would be well cared for. He needed a quick meal and then he would track down his mentor.