Ok, i've updated a bit more.
Shadepaw's ears woke before her eyes. Voices drifted to them.
One was Fallenstar. "But, Swallowfeather, you haven't answered my question. Will she be able to come?"
Swallowfeather sighed. "I've told you Fallenstar, I don't know! If she wakes up maybe; if she doesn't, I'm not going to put her life in danger by prodding her while she's recovering."
"I see you're right, Swallowfeather," Fallenstar said. "But this is going to be an important gathering tonight. Shadepaw has done well this moon and I think she deserves to come."
"We'll see," Swallowfeather mewed, respect in her voice. "It is only dawn. There's the whole day to go before the gathering."
"I know. Goodbye Swallowfeather." Footsteps sounded as Fallenstar padded away.
Shadepaw flicked her ears. All she wanted to do was sleep away the pain that was beginning to throb in her shoulders. Half-awake, she tucked her front paws under her and settled down to sleep...
Wait! Had Fallenstar said gathering?
Suddenly memories flooded the injured apprentice. Fembrook's forbidden romance; the longing to go to the gathering; the assessment; the eagle's talons ripping her flesh; the WaterClan cats explaining the decline of their clan and then nothing.
Shadepaw's eyes snapped open and she leapt to her paws, before crumbling with a yelp of pain. Her eyes watered as fire ripped through her wounds and she turned to see her shoulders swathed in cobwebs. She whimpered.
A tail was stroking her side and a strong voice was whispering, "Hush, it's ok."
"Foxwhisker?" she mumbled, recognising the smell of his fur.
"Yes," he murmured. "I'm here, it's alright." His voice rose to a yowl. "Swallowfeather!"
The medicine cat rushed into the den, closely followed by Silkpaw. There was a shine in the medicine cat apprentice's eyes. "Shadepaw," she mewled in delight. "You're awake!"
Swallowfeather sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws. "Now Silkpaw," she warned. "It's not good to excite Shadepaw when she's only just woken up."
Silkpaw scuffed her paws. "Sorry Swallowfeather." She turned to Shadepaw. "How are you feeling?"
"Like my shoulders are on fire," Shadepaw purred. "That was a nasty eagle." She fixed her gaze on Swallowfeather. "I will be able to go to the gathering won't I?"
The medicine cat looked at her paws. "We'll have to see. But first we have to replace your cobwebs."
The black she-cat disappeared into the rocky overhang and came out with a fresh wad of cobwebs. She padded over to Shadepaw and began to peel the old cobwebs off the black and white cat's wounds. Shadepaw leant against Foxwhisker, taking comfort from his warm fur. "So," she asked Silkpaw, tilting her head to look at her littermate. "What happened?"
Silkpaw waved her tail. "The two WaterClan apprentices brought you back to camp, unconscious and drenched. Rootheart leapt on them and accused them of killing off WoodClan cats."
"But Sunpaw and Featherpaw saved me!" Shadepaw protested, wincing as Swallowfeather removed a cobweb from a particularly deep puncture wound.
"Yes," meowed Foxwhisker. "We know that now. They told Fallenstar all about the eagle and he told the clan."
"Don't worry," Silkpaw added. "They went back home unscathed and with the thanks of the clan."
"Or most of them," Foxwhisker growled and Shadepaw knew he was thinking about his father, Swiftclaw and maybe even Lilacpaw. Yes, definitely Lilacpaw. The brown tabby was one of Rootheart's group now.
"You've been asleep for two days," Swallowfeather mewed, slapping cobwebs onto Shadepaw's shoulders. "Rustpaw, Shadowpaw and Finchpaw have been to see you every day and Foxwhisker stayed whenever he could."
Shadepaw purred and rubbed her head against the ginger tom's.
The moss was shifted in the nest next to Shadepaw's and Creekpaw's voice, asked, "Hey, why is all the attention on that nest today?"
"Shadepaw's awake!" called Swallowfeather. She turned to the black and white apprentice. "That's done. Rest until they stick and then we'll see how well you can walk. Then we'll decide if you can go to the gathering."
Shadepaw's heart fluttered and she watched Swallowfeather go over to Creekpaw, nosing a sleeping Sagekit on the way. She had to go to the gathering.
"It's good to see you're awake," Creekpaw meowed. "I thought you'd sleep forever."
"Thanks Creekpaw." Shadepaw suddenly remembered that it was his last day in camp. Her heart gave a lurch as she thought about Finchpaw. "Have you thought about what to do?" she asked Creekpaw.
Creekpaw sighed. "Don't worry. I've got it covered."
Shadepaw was about to push him further but the bushes rustled at the other side of the den. Shrewfur entered. "Foxwhisker," he yowled. "You're needed for dawn patrol..." His voice trailed off as he saw Shadepaw. "Shadepaw, you're awake! This is great news. I'll go and tell every cat."
He beckoned to Foxwhisker and padded out of the den. Foxwhisker got to his paws and nosed her ear. "I'll come and see you later."
"Ok." Shadepaw touched noses with the ginger tom and watched as he walked after Shrewfur. She put her head on her paws and sighed. She was safe.
