"Tigerpaw? I heard about the incident." It was Littlepaw. Tigerpaw sighed and flopped down on the ground. I can trust her to do what's best.
"Littlepaw, am I a danger to the clan? Should I be exiled, killed, or care for Bramblepaw?"
Littlepaw sighed, "You are not a danger to the clan. And I care about you, so you can't die or leave. So care for the dense furball!"
Tigerpaw groaned. "Fine. For you, Littlepaw."
Frostheart's voice was still ringing in her ears.
'He needs to die. He needs to die.'
"Tigerpaw. What is your choice?" Songfur asked, her eyes cold and her tone indifferent. With a gulp Tigerpaw noticed her unsheathed claws.
"I will care for him." EVEN IF IT WAS HIS OWN DUMB FAULT! She added angrily in her head, although she couldn't tell if it was her thoughts, or Frostheart at work. Songfur nodded, with the same icy demeanor, and gestured towards the medicine den.
"What's wrong with him?" Tigerpaw asked the senior medicine cat.
"Left paw in the front is sprained, back leg is broken on the right. And a variety of scratches, including one with a sharp rock wedged in it." Speckleheart retorted angrily, not glancing up. Bramblepaw was curled up in a nest in the corner, sound asleep and snoring softly.
"You'll have to get fresh moss, hunt for him, and check on his wounds every day. Since we have no queens or kits at the moment, he will reside in the nursery. You'll also be in the nursery to make sure he is always comfortable. Go set up a nest in the nursery, then head out hunting to get him a warm piece of prey. After you give that to him, you'll come here so I can tell you about what to do with each herb that he'll need." Speckleheart said in response to her unspoken question.
Tigerpaw suppressed a sigh and nodded obediently, walking out of the den.
Her claws neatly closed through the moss, separating it from the tree and dropping it beside her. She glanced down at the mo
und of moss beside her, and started bundling it up and setting it on her back to take back to camp. There was bracken near the entrance to camp, which she grabbed and shoved under her chin.
She slid into the nursery and carefully formed a nest, precision in every paw swipe. The bracken she put under the already layered moss nest to add more volume. Once she was done, she stepped back to acknowledge her handiwork.
Now hunting.
A squirrel was chattering happily, stuffing nuts in its mouth. It hadn't seen Tigerpaw, slowly creeping up on her prey. She leapt, landing squarely on it, and carried it to where she had buried her first catch, a vole. She walked back to camp and dropped the prey in front of Bramblepaw, who was still asleep. Muttering to herself, she padded towards the medicine cat den for her first lesson.
Speckleheart was sitting, her back towards the entrance. Her head was leaned against the stone wall of her den. She was shaking slightly. The air seemed to be filled with quiet rage.
"Sp- Speckleheart?" Tigerpaw asked softly, never having seen the gentle medicine cat so angry. Speckleheart swung around, a surprised expression on her face. Her ear was dripping blood onto the dirt floor, a deep scratch in the top of her ear, and her green eyes flashed dangerously. Tigerpaw stifled a gasp as another drop of scarlet splashed onto the ground.
"Your ear." Tigerpaw said softly.
"Is none of your business. Why are you here?" Speckleheart snapped, a growl in the back of her voice. She looked tired, a haunted look in her eyes. Tigerpaw hesitantly stepped backwards, nearly tripping as she tried to exit the den. Speckleheart looked down at her white paws.
"Sorry. I remember. I'll teach you the basics."
The calico pulled out a pile of green leaves from a cleft in her wall, and a tangy smell filled the air. Tigerpaw walked over to the medicine cat and licked her injured ear tenderly. Speckleheart sighed sadly, and collapsed to the ground beside the herbs, her eyelids shutting hesitantly.
"Hush, Speckleheart. Sleep. You can explain it to me some other time."
The medicine cat protested, her eyes still closed.
"No, I can't! They'll find me! They'll find me!" She yelped softly. Gradually, her protests fell away, and the only sound was Tigerpaw's tongue rasping over the she-cat's wound. In her sleep, Speckleheart groaned, and rolled over, revealing a long, but thin, scratch on her stomach. Tigerpaw stifled a gasp and grabbed cobwebs out of a corner, and hurriedly started to apply it to the calico's stomach. From behind her, she heard a tiny whimper, and Littlepaw rushed past her, a black-and-white blur. Tigerpaw's little sister started anxiously licking Speckleheart's fur, the same way her older sister had been doing not too long ago. Then Littlepaw turned, her eyes cold.
"Go. And don't tell anyone. Please."
Tigerpaw nodded. Whatever was happening, she trusted her sister. She silently padded out of the den, bumping right into Bramblepaw.
QUICK NOTE: I will make a shorter story with Littlepaw and Speckleheart. Or maybe just this from Littlepaw's POV? Anyways, just thought you guys should know.
His eyes brightened. "Tigerpaw! There you are!" Tigerpaw's tail twitched nervously, and she stepped on it to force it to stop. Her heart wrenched as she saw the sorry shape he was in, and she tried to stifle her guilt. But she didn't do a good job. Tigerpaw started to open her mouth, and a string of words came out.
"I'm so sorry! I never wanted to hurt you! I'm so sorr-"
"It's fine, Tigerpaw! You didn't mean to. And I'm sorry that Songfur probably bullied you not this. She's jst overprotective, since Blossomheart, um, died when I had just been born."
Tigerpaw nodded understandingly, and licked his ears gently. She jerked back. Why did I do that?! He's an annoying mouse-brain. Right?
Tigerpaw flinched. Why in the world would she do that? She turned to leave.
"Tigerpaw?" Bramblepaw said softly, his eyes a soft shade of hazelnut. Tigerpaw exhaled, bracing herself for whatever came next.
"Will you go on a walk with me? I need to exercise my legs." Tigerpaw glanced down, then instantly regretted it. He was balanced, and looked as though a breeze might blow him over.
"Sure!" It's the least I can do for him.
The two apprentices padded into the forest, their pelts nearly touching, their strides perfectly aligned. They went deeper and deeper into the forest, out of sight of the clearing where their home was. Anyone who saw them might have thought, at that moment, that they were completely in sync. That they were connected in a bond too powerful to break. Then that moment ended as a growling filled the air.
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A fox's slobbering muzzle stuck twelfths out of a bush, twitching as it smelled the air. Tigerpaw's thoughts were panicked. Bramblepaw! Frostheart, if you did this, I will personally shred you. I can't let him die. Songfur will kill me. Deep down, she knew there were more reasons. The fox's beady eyes came into view, and Tigerpaw murmured to Bramblepaw, "When I yowl, get away as fast as you can. Please. I'd rather I die than you dying. So run." A look of shock barely had time to register on the brown apprentice's face before the fox lunged, Tigerpaw meeting him in midair and slashing his muzzle with startling vigor. Anger shone clear in her eyes, and she let out a fearsome battlecry as she sliced through the fox's think fur. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a wad of brown fur. Bramblepaw hadn't moved, and the fox was heading straight for him.
"Move!" Tigerpaw screeched. Bramblepaw shook his head stubbornly.
"I won't leave you behind. I couldn't."
The fox lunged for Bramblepaw's exposed throat, and Tigerpaw, without another thought, leapt in front of the fox. She was barely aware as the fox's jaws closed around her leg, and a sickening crack and rip echoed around the clearing. She tumbled to the ground, wincing as she rose shakily to her feet. The fox was attacking Bramblepaw, and Tigerpaw lunged at it, a hissing ball of fury. With a quick glance back, she saw the gash on Bramblepaw's stomach. She had been angry before, but this was a new level of rage, one that seemed to give her strength, even in her weakened state. She slashed at it's eyes, it's ears, it's throat. It turned to leave, it's tail between it's legs, and Tigerpaw caterwaul a warning after it. She turned around, and saw a trail of a scarlet stream leading to where she was. Huh? Who's bleeding?
She followed the trail up to her hind leg, or what was left of it. The fox had torn away a large chunk of fur, as well as some flesh. This is it. I'm going. At least Bramblepaw has a chance of surviving. She stumbled over to him, her vision blurring as her rage wore off, and collapsed next to him in a sorry heap of blood and fur. Her eyes closed, and darkness consumed her mind, her thoughts, her vision, her everything. She fought to regain herself, just to make sure Bramblepaw was alright. But nothing would ever be alright again for her, or so she thought.
Ha! Cliffhanger! Who wants to know what happens next? Yeah, me too. :P although I guess I get to see it before other humans do…. Eh. (:
~Dawny
She gradually awakened to the soft lapping of a tongue. Her first thought was that the fox had come back for more, but she groggily opened her eyes, and glimpsed an outline of a cat.
"Hush. You must rest." A melodic, stern voice said softly. Tigerpaw opened her mouth to respond, but couldn't seem to make her muscles obey.
"You'll be fine, and your mate, too."
Mate? So.. Confused… She thought, a slight feeling of outrage in the back of her mind, although she couldn't remember why. She slipped back into the comforting darkness, her mind and body both at peace for once in her life.
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She woke up to a feeling of panic, and tried to sit up. Her head was spinning, and her leg hurt. Then everything that had happened came flooding back to her.
"Bramblepaw!" She gasped. Her eyes flew open, and what she saw shocked her. Bramblepaw was sitting right in front of her, a concerned look on his face, but that wasn't what had surprised her.
"Hello, Tigerpaw. We've been expecting you.
YAS! Ok, first of all, I apologize for the wait. 2nd of all, the winning name was... (drumroll please!) Stripes Of Shadow! Thanks to all who voted, and happy existence!
Also, PLEASE check out the stories from FreeEcho and KrazyKube! They are amazing authors, and deserve some good reviews. Chop-chop, people! ?