Chapter 7

I opened my eyes and yawned widely, clawing forward into a long stretch. The sun was already up; a thin stream of gold poured in through the light-holes, illuminating several patches of the floor. I shook the scraps of moss from my fur and glanced around. Twister was sleeping in his nest; everyone else was gone.

I had been with the outcasts for nearly a moon. It was a hard life, but better than my old one back in FireClan. We had taken in another loner named Brush, but she had died soon after from the wounds she had sustained in a dog attack. I glanced up at the light-holes, watching as the beam of light slowly swept across the floor as the sun rose to its height. I thought back to my brother; he would soon be old enough for his warrior ceremony by now. I felt a pang of longing that I had felt often since my banishment. How I wished I could be with Coyotepaw when he became a warrior.

I shook of the clinging cobwebs of the past and padded over to the fresh-kill pile. I could smell Wild and Weather; they had already been hunting. A hawk lay at the bottom of the pile, but I ignored it, pulling out a plump water vole instead. I carried it back to my nest and settled down to eat, nudging a golden eagle feather as I did so. I felt a surge of pride and glanced at the feather again. It had taken a lot of practice with Wild, but I had managed to bring down my first bird-of-prey. Wild had been extremely impressed; she herself had never caught an eagle before. I wanted to protest--I had really only pinned the eagle for her to finish off--but of course I couldn't.

I finished the vole and was about to take the bones to the special corner of the cave where we buried the bones of our prey when I heard rapid pawsteps coming from the tunnel entrance and harsh, ragged breathing. I stood in shock as Icefrost and Dragonfly appeared, dragging a young tom between them. I flinched; his fur was matted with blood.

"Song!" Icefrost gasped. "I need you to fetch some cobwebs, now!"

I nodded and sprang towards the medicine niche, where we kept some herbs that might come in handy. Of course, no one among us was a medicine cat, so we just knew the basics. I grabbed a wad of cobwebs and wrapped it around my paw. Limping back to Icefrost, I handed him the cobwebs. He nodded in thanks and teased them off my paw, beginning to press them onto the worst of the wounds. I looked more closely at the cat, and instantly I recognized him. Eaglepaw!

"Easy there," Dragonfly growled, laying down next to the shivering apprentice to share some warmth. "You look like you've been through a lot."

Eaglepaw coughed and spat up a mouthful of blood. "Not really," he whispered weakly.

"What happened to you?" Icefrost asked as he moved on to the next wound.

Eaglepaw shuddered violently, and I pressed up against him to comfort him. His head swung around in surprise and his eyes widened. "Shadowpaw!" he choked. "What're you doing here?"

"Shadowpaw?" Icefrost asked, looking up for a brief second to pass a glance between Eaglepaw and me. "Is that your real name?"

I nodded, glad to have finally sorted out that part.

"You didn't know?" Eaglepaw gasped, dropping his head against the floor.

"No," Dragonfly replied. "She's mute; Shadowpaw wasn't able to tell us her true name before."

"Oh," Eaglepaw said, a note of amazement in his voice. He paused a moment, then added, "You and Coyotepaw did a good job of hiding it at the Gathering."

I felt comforted by his words.

"You haven't answered the first question," Dragonfly pointed out gruffly. "What made Darkstar ban you?"

Eaglepaw closed his eyes, as if afraid of the truth. Then he opened them again, and his eyes burned with a new-lit amber flame. "I...I attacked my mentor. We were fighting WaterClan, and I had already gotten a large scratch above my eyes. I couldn't see very well, and I thought I was attacking a WaterClan warrior." His body shook with silent sobs. "I nearly killed Windracer before I knew who he was. Darkstar drove me out immediately."

I heard Icefrost draw in a sharp breath. "That's bad," he muttered. "The AirClan deputy?"

"Yes," Eaglepaw replied softly.

Icefrost shook his head. "Well, you're welcome to stay with us, at the very least until you get better. We can always use more cats around, especially if some of us are used to living in a larger group."

"Thank you," Eaglepaw mewed, closing his eyes. I watched as his flanks rose softly up a down in a more regular rhythm, making sure that he wasn't about to greet StarClan yet.

"Song--I mean, Shadowpaw," Icefrost stuttered. "Go and see what other types of herbs we have. I don't know what'll help Eaglepaw best, but you might have an idea."

I nodded and padded off to the medicine niche. There wasn't much there; a small pawful of marigold, even less catnip, though a lot of cobwebs. I stood there for a moment, contemplating the store and thinking. I had spent some time with Sorrowcry when I was ill, so I had learned some treatments, if not everything. What was good for wounds like this? She had once made a poultice with goldenrod to heal Oatfoot after a battle, but I wouldn't know how to make anything as good as that. Horsetail or chervil would work, especially since we were running low on marigold. For now, I scooped the rest of the marigold up and padded back to Icefrost.

"Thanks," he mewed. Picking up several of the leaves he began to chew them into a pulp. Once it was ready he spat them out onto a large wound on Eaglepaw's flank. "At least we know he won't die from infection now," Icefrost sighed. "Shadowpaw, do you know any other herbs that might help? Not many of us know much of what happens in the medicine cat's den."

I closed my eyes and concentrated. A vision came to me, one of when I had fought a badger with Tawnyclaw, Lightningstrike, and Coyotepaw. I had gotten a sharp wound that bled a lot then, and it seemed like it would never stop. But no, Sorrowcry had stopped it somehow. I squeezed my eyes tighter and thought hard.

Of course! She had dipped some cobwebs into horsetail before applying it to my wound. That had stopped the bleeding much better than cobwebs alone. I opened my eyes again and nodded in confirmation to Icefrost's question.

"Good," Icefrost mewed. "Do we have any?"

I shook my head, then flicked my tail to the tunnel entrance, indicating that it'd be best if I go look for some.

"Be careful," Icefrost warned, and I blinked comfortingly before bounding out along the tunnel. I knew for a fact that no horsetail grew in the valley despite the stream; perhaps there wasn't enough sunlight reaching between the mountains for it to grow.

I emerged onto the ridge over-looking the forest, blinking in the bright sunlight. I traced the river downwards, glancing back and forth as I passed the boulder that marked the edge of our boundary. It would do no good if I got caught.

I darted beneath the trees, my heart pounding. This was EarthClan territory; they had always had a rather hostile reputation. But not all the cats are bad, I reminded myself, thinking of Icefrost.

There! A rather large clump of horsetail was growing on the riverbank just up ahead. I darted forward and began scrabbling at the dirt. Eaglepaw was going to need as much as I could carry.

"Hey! You there!"

I froze, the stems of horsetail I had dug up clenched in my teeth. My heart pounded faster than a mouse's as I watched a pair of she-cats pad from the undergrowth. One was a delicate tawny-brown, and her amber eyes flashed dangerously. The other was a dark silver-gray colour; with a jolt I recognized her as Ivyfang, one of the most hostile cats of EarthClan. I had seen her once at a Gathering.

"What are you doing stealing our herbs?" Ivyfang demanded, her green eyes flashing angrily. "And who are you? You don't smell like a Clan cat."

I crouched and bared my teeth as best as I could around the horsetail in warning.

"Well?" Ivyfang snarled. "Speak!"

I spat the horsetail on the ground, crouched, and unsheathed my claws. I couldn't talk my way out of this, so it seemed like I was in for a fight.

Ivyfang's eyes widened. "I know you!" she hissed. She swung around to the other she-cat. "Bayleaf! Go back to camp and gather reinforcements. It's that renegade mute cat, Shadowpaw, from FireClan! If we catch her, FireClan will be in our debt!"

Bayleaf growled in acknowledgement and bounded off into the underbrush.

Ivyfang turned back to me and hissed a warning. "Take one step away from that riverbank, Defect, and I'll claw you to bits!"

I shouldn't have let something as trivial as an insulting name provoke me. I had heard cats call others names before, and none were worse than 'Defect'. It meant scarred, different from all others. It was the worst name one could call another, and it infuriated me. Before I knew what was happening I was charging at Ivyfang as fast as I could.

Ivyfang was so surprised that she didn't even react until I slammed into her. But the she-cat was quick, leaping away and regaining her footing in a heartbeat. I snarled angrily and crouched, my tail lashing back and forth. She was larger than me, but not by much. Our speed was well-matched, though I sensed that I was slightly faster. My eyes narrowed. I could win this.

Ivyfang let loose a battle cry and rushed at me. I waited until she was nearly upon me before I sprang straight into the air. Ivyfang hissed in momentary confusion. That was all the time I needed. I thundered straight down on to her back, hooking my claws into her fur. I slashed at her back and sides, tearing great clumps of fur off. Ivyfang growled in fury and flipped on to her back. I didn't anticipate the move; the she-cat's weight crushed all the air from my lungs. I lay on the ground, winded, as Ivyfang twisted from my grasp and lunged on me. She snarled angrily, pummeling at my belly with unsheathed hind claws.

I thrashed like a fish, slashing at her flanks with my paws. But the she-cat was unfazed, slicing at my face in a brutal blow. I gritted my teeth in pain and bounded at her. Ivyfang was too close; I couldn't give her a good, solid blow. The silvery-gray she-cat bared her teeth, knowing this fact, and landed a harsh blow on the side of my head. Gasping in pain, I scrabbled at the dirt around me, searching for something, anything, that might give me the advantage.

My paw met a pebble, and I scooped it up and aimed it at her head with all my might. Ivyfang gave a screech of pain and tumbled off me, a long gash bleeding freely on the side of her head. I scrambled to my paws and leaped on her, pinning the she-cat to the ground.

Paws thudded in the undergrowth, and I smelt the scent of EarthClan. I lunged forward and sank my teeth into Ivyfang's neck, just hard enough to hold her still but not kill her. My eyes flicked to the right just in time to see Bearclaw, the EarthClan deputy, bound from the undergrowth with Bayleaf right behind him. Two dusky brown toms appeared after them, one significantly smaller than the other; I guessed he was an apprentice.

Bearclaw skidded to a halt when he saw me on top of Ivyfang, and signaled to the others to do the same. The apprentice snarled at me, hatred flashing in his amber eyes. The other tom--presumably his mentor--snapped at him, and the apprentice fell silent.

"What do you want, outcast?" Bearclaw demanded, his amber-black eyes glittering.

I flicked my ears, indicating the pile of horsetail I had dug up.

"Some herbs, in exchange for the life of one of my warriors?" Bearclaw inquired evenly.

I nodded.

"Then take them and go."

I felt a sudden surge of energy ripple through Ivyfang's muscles, and at once I doubled my hold. The she-cat hung limp again, panting.

"What are you doing, Ivyfang?" Bearclaw snarled. "You don't go and break a deal I just made!"

"She's stealing from us!" Ivyfang snapped. "How can I just let her go?"

"You can and you will," Bearclaw growled threateningly. "I won't gamble my warrior's life against a pawful of herbs. Shadowpaw, release Ivyfang, take your herbs, and go. If we find you on EarthClan territory again, we will not be so forgiving."

I let go of Ivyfang and stepped back. She sprang to her paws at once and snarled wordlessly at me before limping over to the patrol. Bayleaf murmured something to her, but Ivyfang just snapped in return.

I backed away from them towards the horsetail, never taking my eyes from Bearclaw's. The tabby tom held my gaze without flinching, his eyes narrowed. My paw brushed the pile of horsetail, and I bent to gather it up before I whirled away and raced off into the undergrowth.

I ran as fast as I could, following the river the entire way. I was lucky to have gotten away with nothing more than a scratch. I felt a surge of pride at my new skills; before I was banned I would never have been able to execute such moves against a seasoned warrior.

I paused, right at the edge of EarthClan territory. What if they sent someone after me? If I went straight back to our hideout, EarthClan could easily wipe us out. A plan formed, and I gingerly stepped into the river, now narrow enough to be deemed a stream. The water would wash away my scent, and even EarthClan wouldn't follow me into another Clan's territory. If I headed straight for the edge of AirClan territory, the wiry cats would think I was just a rogue.

I floundered out of the river on to the AirClan bank, shaking water from my fur. I double-checked to make sure I had all the horsetail before I continued to follow the river, splashing back and forth every now and then to confuse any trackers. Because I was walking against the current, it took a long time for me to return to our cavern. When I did, Eaglepaw was fast asleep in a nest with Moon curled around him for warmth and comfort. Icefrost was pacing back and forth, no doubt anxious for my return.

He glanced up when I entered and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank StarClan you're back," he growled. "I was getting worried." He made to take the horsetail from me when he took an alarmed step back. "You're bleeding," he hissed, his eyes narrowing. "Where did you go for the horsetail?"

I ducked my head in embarrassment, then flicked my ears at him and patted the floor with one paw. Hopefully he would understand.

"EarthClan territory?" Icefrost guessed.

I nodded shamefully.

The white tom let out a low growl. "You shouldn't have gone there. Someone was bound to recognize you, and it looks like they did. Are you badly hurt?"

I shook my head.

"All right then," Icefrost rumbled. "Give the horsetail to Moon; she'll know what to do."

I nodded in submission and padded over to the white she-cat while Icefrost bounded out of the cave. Moon took the bundle and blinked with her dark blue eyes. "Don't take it personally, Shadowpaw," she mewed. "He cares about all of us, but you most of all."

I cocked my head back and forth in a so-so indication, then went to my nest to lay down. I closed my eyes; it had been a long day. I was ready for a rest.