Dawn: Sorry 'bout the delay. Been away for a while and writing new stories. Plus, there has been plenty of writers block going around. As my friend once put it: "Writers block is when characters get fed up with all you put them through and go on strike." But, hey, if you've waited around this long to read my next chapter, you either must be really dedicated or really board. Either way, thanks for sticking with me.
Nightpaw: Can we get on the story and um, ME WITH A BROKEN PAW!
Dawn: How did you get access to my account?!?!?!?!
Nightpaw: No matter. But my paw hurts, bad. Can you hurry up and fix it?
Dawn: Fine, double Oreos this week, sheesh!
Nightpaw: Yay!
Dawn: Shut up and go back to the story. Sorry about that, folks. My characters usually do what their told as long as I bring them Oreos. I swear, that kid has too much spunk in her for her own good...
Chapter 14
Nightpaw stretched her tired limbs, careful not to stretch her injured paw too far. The rain had subsided during the night, leaving the clearing sparkling with dew and full of fresh air. She turned to see her friends sleeping peacefully. Breathing in deeply, Nightpaw started out to do some hunting. As soon as she placed her paw on the ground, pain like searing fire ran up her leg. She recoiled, jumping back a bit. How in the world was she supposed to get all the way back to Thunderclan on this foot? Guess I just have to tough it. Nightpaw thought bitterly. She tried another step and this time managed a hobble. She kept trying until a voice behind her sent her into the air.
"Somethin' wrong?" It was Les. His fur was tussled from sleep. The tom had just woken up.
"What do you want?" Nightpaw growled, glaring at the young ginger cat.
Les took a step back, looking with mock hurt. "Now, why would she speak to me like that?" He smiled.
"Not in the mood, Les." Nightpaw tried to walk normally, not wanting Les to know she was hurt. As she turned to walk away, her paw gave out, sending her toppling to the ground. Les was at her side in an instant, blocking most of the fall. She looked up at him to see him smiling gently. Nightpaw turned away, exhaling sharply.
"Your hurt." Les observed.
"Thank-you, Captain Obvious. Really helpful." Nightpaw huffed.
"Your welcome, Lieutenant Sarcasm." Les looked at her sceptically, then bent down to examine the paw. He laid his paw on hers, softly probing the wound. "Ow, ow, ow!" Nightpaw pulled her paw away, wincing in pain. "That hurt." She pouted.
"I could tell. Now let me see. I'm no healer, but I'd say you've cracked the bone clean in half." Nightpaw jerked her head back in surprise and shock at Les's observation. "I don't know anythin' about healing it, but I do know someone who might. Si' tight for a moment. I'll be righ' back." Nightpaw sat down as Les trotted towards the trees. She watched is retreating frame as it slid into the undergrowth. Suddenly craving his company, she sighed softly, then shook herself slightly. Whatever she was feeling would pass. But he's so sweet... Nightpaw, get a hold of yourself, silly she-cat. He's simply wants to make sure everyone is fit to travel, that's all.
The sun started to slid above the distant mountains before Les returned with a strange she-cat following him. "Hello!" Called the new comer with just the slightest hint of the same accent that Les had. She had dark brown fur with small wisps of white and black and bright green eyes. Her lithe frame moved in a small, trotting gate and her smile was truly genuine. Nightpaw could detect a slight scent of wild flowers and honey when she approached her. "My name is Rochelle. I call these woods my home, but I travel often. I only come here during the cold leaf-bare when the snow and ice make hard goings. How 'bout you?" Rochelle cocked her head to one side, inviting Nightpaw to give her side of the story.
"I-" Nightpaw shook her head, getting her bearings. "I'm Nightpaw. I live with Thunderclan, still an apprentice. I never really travel around much, but this is an exception. Those sleeping lumps are also of Thunderclan, all full-fledged warriors." She nodded to the side to show where the others were. "Except him." She pointed to Firestar with her tail. "He's our leader."
"Do I hint a note of jealousy in your voice?" Rochelle teased.
"Maybe. If I wasn't away from the clan, I'd be a warrior by now, and they wouldn't have to treat me like a defenseless little kit." Nightpaw looked down.
"Old cats are like that, I guess." Rochelle sat down next to Nightpaw, staring up at the sky. "I have always found the sky is always a bit more interesting than the forest floor." She mewed softly. "It changes from day to night and never stops. It reminds me of days gone by and days to come." She looked back at Nightpaw. "Climb high, climb far, your goal the sky, your aim a star." She smiled an odd little half smile. Nightpaw began to like this quirky she-cat. "Now, Les tells me you have a paw that needs a fixing up. What's hurt?"
Nightpaw shot Les a whithering look. Before she could refuse her help, Les answered for her. "I think she broke 'er paw. Can you fix it?" Nightpaw's gaze intensified. "Sorry, but you've go' to get home." He gave a non-committal glance to Nightpaw, rolling his eyes slightly.
"Sure! Let's see here." Rochelle gently rubbed her paw up and down Nightpaw's injured leg, ignoring Nightpaw's frequent winces. "Here, tell me when it hurts real bad, 'k?" Nightpaw nodded, bracing herself. Rochelle softly pushed her paw up her lower leg, bit by bit.
"Owowowow, that's where!" Nightpaw jumped back, neck fur bristling. Rochelle closed her eyes and shook her head with a smile. She probed Nightpaw's leg again, locating the break. Her face sighed with relief. "What, what's wrong?"
Rochelle opened her eyes. "Your leg bone is snapped directly in half with no shards missing, but some muscle tissue is ripped." When she saw both Les and Nightpaw giving her strange looks, Rochelle laughed. "Her bone is cut like this-" She sliced her paw horizontally in the air for emphasis. "It'll heal quickly, but your muscles will take a while to get it together. I'll get it bandaged up and you'll be up and hunting in about nine, ten day. Whoever's your enemy, he sure knows how to take a cat down hard."
"Ten days!?!?" Nightpaw stepped back. "Ten days is a long time! Can it heal any faster?" Nightpaw looked from Rochelle to Les in desperation. Rochelle shook her head and turned.
"I'll go get some supplies to make a splint, but you don't need to worry. I'm sure you can be on your way in a week or so." Rochelle gave Nightpaw a sweet smile and turned back into the bushes. When Nightpaw was sure she was gone, she looked at Les.
"Well, ain't she just peachy?" Nightpaw growled. Les gave an obnoxiously huge smile, then winked. This won a smile from Nightpaw. After a few moments of comfortable silence, Rochelle poked her head from the side of a tree.
"Place your paw out like this, all stiff and straight-like, so I can get started." The dark brown she-cat pulled some cobwebs and started adding some herbs into the mixture. Nightpaw complied, resisting the urge to yelp when Rochelle fitted the first part of the splint to her paw. When the cast was just finished, a growl from behind her sent shivers up her back. Whatever it was, it wasn't feline.
"Rochelle?" Les's voice was barely a whisper, ragged and scared. "Look up, real slowly." The she-cat replied, moving very slowly. Her eyes grew huge, and her fur started to quiver.
"What? What is it!?" Nightpaw hissed in a low voice. When neither Rochelle or Les responded, Nightpaw slowly turned around. A yowl of fear caught in her throat, threatening to break loose. Barely two fox-lengths away, the biggest badger Nightpaw had ever seen was clawing up the dirt, daring a cat to make a move with it's beady black eyes. It's powerful claws could easily tear straight through a cat; it's jaws adorned with small sharp teeth could do the same feat and then some. Slowly, ever so slowly, the two she-cats tried to work their way towards the trees, Les already starting up one. Then pandemonium took hold of the clearing. The badger leaped for Rochelle, who easily side stepped, rolling away and clawing up the nearest tree. Nightpaw wasn't too far behind, but her splinted paw couldn't climb worth beans. She desperately clawed at the tree as the badger charged again. She jumped with all her might, but didn't grab for a branch. Instead, she tumbled down, getting ready to spring off the badgers back to get even higher leverage.
Her hind paws never hit the target. Gravity just didn't seem to work as fast as it should, because the badger had time to roll to the side. But it didn't go for Nightpaw, but for the stand of trees where the others were still sleeping. Without thinking, she tore after the badger, ignoring the pain in every step. "WAKE UP! BADGER!" Nightpaw screamed, leaping at the badger. Satisfaction sent a bolt of energy to her as she felt her claws rake down the badger's back. Keeping her hind paws in place, her front ones beat mercilessly on it's head, splint and all. The badger let out a furious roar, shaking his head to get rid of her. By now, Firestar and the others were out of the den, ready for battle. Graystripe lunged for the badger, hind paws churning up the grass where he stood.
"It's giving in! Leave it room to escape!" Came Rochelle's firm mew. Nightpaw almost would have smiled at the look on Firestar's face of surprise at Rochelle's appearance, but she was too busy avoiding getting her head ripped off. The badger started to blunder away, sending Nightpaw rolling in front of it. The badger scooped her up in it's jaws and sped out of there at top speed. Nightpaw let out a yowl when she realized that the badger was taking her away.
"Let me go, you over-grown rat!" She shrieked. After some struggling, she was able to free herself. The badger tossed her into a pond and tore away, nursing it's wounds. Nightpaw felt the icy cold water suck her down, so she paddled upward like she did so many times before in the lake. But the surface wasn't getting any closer. In fact, it was slipping away! Nightpaw struggled to reach the surface, but it just kept getting farther and farther away. My splint must be weighing me down!Nightpaw thrashed about like a fish on a hook, but soon her vision went tunnel.Is this seriously how I'm going to die? At the bottom of a pond? Starclan, if you can hear me, make Firestar tell Thunderclan that I died by saving everybody from a badger. That would be more heroic than this.Nightpaw was about to give into the pounding shriek of her lungs when a muffled splash interrupted her thoughts. A shape was swimming towards her, light blue eyes full of determination. Her vision faded to black just as the cat reached her, pulling her towards the surface.
Dawn: How'd you like it? If you did, click review and tell me about it. If you didn't, still click review and tell my what you didn't like about it. If you can't decide, click review and tell me about your last experience with talking sea cucumbers. Keep reading!