Chapter Three

"Redpaw. Back. Away. Slowly." That was Owlflight.

"O - okay," Redpaw hissed, barely moving his mouth. Eaglepaw had never heard his brother sound so frightened. Redpaw took a step back, keeping his eyes fixed on the adder the whole time.

"Take another step," Owlflight urged. Eaglepaw admired the way the long-furred warrior sounded so calm. On the other side of the rock, Snowpaw gave a little squeak of terror.

Redpaw took another step. The adder drew its head back an inch, flicking its long tongue out.

Eaglepaw wanted nothing more than to help his brother, but there was no way he could. If he moved toward Redpaw, the adder would strike. If he stayed where he was, the adder might strike anyway. He ground his teeth in frustration, tortured by the terror in his brother's eyes.

Redpaw's jaw was clenched in concentration as he slowly moved his paw back to take another step. The adder's long, sinuous body twitched and its tongue flickered out again, exposing two curved, hollow white fangs.

"Be careful, Redpaw!" Snowpaw exclaimed suddenly. Redpaw jumped at the sudden noise and leaped backward, crashing into her. At the same moment, the adder reared its head back and struck the bundle of white and ginger fur.

Eaglepaw didn't know which of his siblings had been bitten, so he yowled both their names. "Snowpaw! Redpaw!"

"Stay back, Eaglepaw!" Tawnyspots yowled. "You can't help them!"

Snowpaw and Redpaw had stopped trying to scramble away and had dissolved into a shivering bundle of fur. The adder's pointed head flicked from one pair of frightened eyes to the other - then finally, at last, it slithered back into the undergrowth.

Eaglepaw leapt forward at once and covered his siblings in relieved licks. "We're all right, Eaglepaw," Redpaw grumbled, straightening up.

Snowpaw was still shivering in terror. Eaglepaw gave her a comforting lick on the shoulder. "All right, Snowpaw?"

She gave no answer, and instead slumped silently against him.

"Snowpaw!"

Oakfur leapt up onto Flatrock and nosed the still apprentice's fur with concern in his eyes. Eaglepaw buried his nose in his sister's scruff, taking comfort in the shallow rise and fall of her chest. "Is she gonna be all right?" Redpaw mewed timidly.

"We've got to get her to Larkspur," Oakfur murmured. Picking up the white apprentice by the scruff of her neck, he jumped down from the Flatrock, followed by Eaglepaw and Redpaw. Together the small envoy of warriors and apprentices headed back to camp.

Oakfur, Owlflight, and Tawnyspots disappeared into the medicine cat's den with Snowpaw the moment they got back. Eaglepaw tried to follow them, but Larkspur firmly ordered him out. Trudging glumly back to the apprentice's den, he looked around and found himself alone. "Redpaw?"

He had thought his brother was with him the whole time. "Redpaw?" he called again, inwardly cursing his bad luck. One sibling bitten by an adder and the other missing...how much worse could his first day of training get?

To his relief, when he entered the den, he saw a ball of dark ginger fur curled up in the corner. "Redpaw? You all right?"

His brother didn't answer, so Eaglepaw sat down next to him, curling his tail over his front paws. "Snowpaw's going to be okay. She will, I promise." I hope I'm right.

"It's my fault," Redpaw murmured.

Surprised, Eaglepaw glanced down at his brother, who didn't meet his eyes. "What?"

"It's my fault. If I hadn't panicked, we might have gotten away safe."

Eaglepaw nudged him with a paw and tried to sound reassuring. "It's not your fault, Redpaw." Is that all you can think of, mouse-brain?

Redpaw turned away. "Leave me alone."

Eaglepaw sighed. "All right. I'll go and ask Larkspur if I can check on Snowpaw." Backing out of the den, he trotted back over to the medicine den. Part of him felt guilty for leaving Redpaw in one of his moods, but Snowpaw needed him more.

Spotting Owlflight by the entrance, Eaglepaw sped up until he was a pawstep away from the entrance of the den. Just as he was putting a paw into the bramble tunnel, Owlflight's voice sounded behind him. "Eaglepaw?"

With yet another sigh, Eaglepaw turned reluctantly. "Yes, Owlflight?"

He expected to be turned away from the den or even told off for allowing Snowpaw to be hbitten - although it hadn't been his fault at all - but Owlflight's eyes were wide with concern. "Where's Redpaw? I haven't seen him since we came into camp."

"Back in the den. He's sort of...upset."

"Thanks, Eaglepaw." Without another word, Owlflight broke into a run toward the apprentices' den.

Eaglepaw watched him go, a little confused. Shouldn't Owlflight be more worried about Snowpaw? On the other hand, Redpaw was his apprentice. He probably wanted to be the best mentor possible and not neglect him. Or maybe he wanted to check and make sure he hadn't been bitten as well.

He proceeded cautiously into the bramble tunnel, slinking around the side of the little hollow and trying to stay out of sight. Oakfur and Tawnyspots were off to one side, conversing in low voices, and Larkspur was collecting herbs from a store at the back of the den.

Eaglepaw, however, had eyes only for the limp white bundle of fur in the grassy center of the hollow. Creeping closer, he glanced sideways at Oakfur and Tawnyspots to make sure they hadn't seen him, and buried his muzzle in his sister's fur, taking comfort in her familiar scent.

"Eaglepaw!"

He jumped up and turned around, lowering his head in preparation for a scolding. Tawnyspots's voice, however, was low and soothing. "You all right, Eaglepaw?"

"I'm fine." It's my sister I'm worried about. "Is Snowpaw going to be all right?"

Tawnyspots sighed. "I'm not going to lie to you, Eaglepaw. An adder...it's serious. We won't know for a while."

Larkspur bustled back over, her jaws full of leaves. Dropping them beside Snowpaw, she mewed, "I'm going to try some yarrow. It might help flush the poison from her system."

Ew. Glad I'm not a medicine cat. "All right. Just..." Eaglepaw trailed off, not sure what he was going to say. Make sure she doesn't die? "Take care of her, okay?"

Larkspur nodded. "I will." With that, she turned back to Snowpaw and began feeding herbs gently into her mouth.

Feeling miserable with dread, Eaglepaw left the den, but stood for a while outside the entrance. He could faintly hear Snowpaw coughing inside the den, and Owlflight and Redpaw's voices across the clearing, though he couldn't hear what they were saying. More than anything, he felt cut off from everyone, as if he was useless, a burden.

Tawnyspots emerged from the den, her strangely dappled fur reflecting the sunlight. Spotting Eaglepaw, she came over and sat beside him. For a while, neither of them said anything.

"Not the best first day of training, huh?" Tawnyspots mewed at last. Eaglepaw was turned away from her, but he felt sure there was pity in her green eyes.

"You could say that." That's the biggest understatement I've ever heard.

"I know how you're feeling, Eaglepaw. No, really!" she added in response to the skeptical look he sent her. Lowering her voice again, she said, "My brother died of greencough when we were apprentices, about your age."

"I'm sorry." His voice was so hollow - he hoped it carried enough sympathy to not make him sound like a zombie.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Snowpaw will be all right. If she's anything like you, she's a strong cat."

Eaglepaw turned, a little surprised at the praise. "What do you mean?"

Tawnyspots' eyes gleamed. "You know, I specifically asked Amberstar if I could mentor you. Even when you were a kit, I could see how you led your siblings and kept them out of trouble. As apprentices, you'll have a harder job, but I know you can do it."

"Thanks, Tawnyspots." He really meant it this time.

Tawnyspots smiled and gave him a rough lick on the shoulder. "Anytime."

There, the third chapter at last. Hope you liked it.