Willowpaw's gaze shifted between Mothwing and the entrance to their den.
"Leopardstar wants us in camp," Mothwing said. "She's worried because...well, you know."
Willowpaw groaned. "Can I at least collect herbs? We're running out of burnet."
Mothwing sighed. "You have to go almost to the lake for burnet, Willowpaw."
"I'll be fast! And I'm a medicine cat, and we just did battle practice, I'll be fine, I promise." She bunted her head against her mentor. "Please?"
"Fine," Mothwing said. "Just be back by dusk, and if Leopardstar asks, it is essential we collect more, okay?"
Willowpaw purred. "Thank you!" she said, running out of the den before Mothwing could attach any more restrictions to her journey.
She kept pace through the territory, avoiding areas where warrior patrols were likely to find her. They wouldn't stop her, of course, but it was best to stay out of their way. Leopardstar probably wouldn't punish her, since she had Mothwing's permission, but it was better not to test that limit.
The sun was shining, and Willowpaw darted around the stream shore, enjoying the breeze running through her pelt. It felt like she hadn't left camp for a moon, and she liked the rush of the water.
As long as she grabbed at least a mouthful of burnet, and was back before dusk, she'd keep her promise to Mothwing, and get to enjoy a nice day outside of camp. A win-win.
Hollypaw raced through the reeds, wincing at the noise.
She hadn't meant to come this far, but dog that was chasing her was vicious, not giving up. It had already clawed her side open, and she knew as soon as she stopped, she would have to deal with the wound and pain.
For now, though, she was running as fast as she could. She was pretty sure she had lost the dog, but it was hard to be certain, and Leafpool had warned her about animals who attacked like this.
If it bit her, she was dead.
So she would run until she was sure it wasn't after her.
Even if that meant leaving a blood trail around the lake.
Willowpaw's ears flicked, involuntarily at first.
She heard the sound of pawsteps, frantic.
Well. She could see her quiet day slipping past the riverbend.
Willowpaw collected herself, then stalked slowly in the direction of the sound. Reeds rustled, and she could smell blood.
"Who's there?" Willowpaw said.
More pawsteps.
"Are you in danger?"
Hollypaw's face broke through, and she made eye contact with Willowpaw. "Oh, good," she said. "It's you."
And she promptly fell over, nearly hitting her head on the rocks.
Hollypaw woke, smelling herbs.
"Leafpool?" she said, trying to figure out why she felt so stiff.
She stretched out once leg, and winced. Memories started to trickle back — getting attacked, running around the lake.
"You're in RiverClan," Willowpaw said.
The rest flooded in.
"I'm sorry," Hollypaw said. "There was a dog, and..."
"I figured," Willowpaw said. "You were really hurt, and then I had to carry you back. What were you doing all the way over here, anyway?"
"It chased me. Didn't stop. Its mouth was foaming, and I didn't want to risk it."
Willowpaw's eyes widened in understanding. "Did it bite you?"
"No, thank the stars. It only got me with its claws, and then I ran so far, I must've made it worse."
"I'll tell Mothwing and Leopardstar," Willowpaw said. "How're you feeling?"
"Like I ran halfway around the lake after getting clawed open."
"Poppy seed?"
"I'll take two."
"Why is there a ThunderClan apprentice in camp?" Leopardstar asked.
"She was hurt?" Willowpaw said.
"And how did you find her?"
"I was collecting herbs?"
Leopardstar sighed. "ThunderClan has been threatening war with us ever since...well, you know," she said. "What on earth could have possibly made you think taking her here was good idea? You aren't even supposed to be out of camp without an escort."
"Well," Willowpaw said. "In my defense, if I hadn't been out there, she probably would have died."
Mothwing groaned.
"So look," Willowpaw said. "Here's the thing. RiverClan is, like, really mad at you."
"Why?" Hollypaw asked.
"They're not mad at you, per say," Mothwing cut in. "They're mad at both of you. But mostly you, Hollypaw."
"Right," Hollypaw said. "I got that. But why?"
She couldn't see into camp, but it didn't sound like an enraged camp. That usually had a lot more shouting, and a lot less kits playing.
"Because of...well, you know," Mothwing said, like that explained everything.
It explained nothing.
"So anyway," Willowpaw said. "You're, uh, not allowed out of the den without me."
"And Willowpaw isn't allowed out of camp," Mothwing said.
"For how long?"
"Until you can return to ThunderClan."
Hollypaw looked at the wound on her side. Even if it had healed enough that just existing with it didn't hurt her, she was at least a moon away from being able to travel that far.
"So...I'm confined to this den, with you, indefinitely?"
"Sorry," Willowpaw said, and Hollypaw couldn't actually find it within herself to be angry.
"Do you want to play?" Willowpaw asked. She had placed two pebbles down between them.
Hollypaw struggled to sit up. "Play what?"
"Flip," Willowpaw said, as if that explained things. "You don't play in ThunderClan?"
"No," Hollypaw said.
"Here, it's simple."
Willowpaw turned, sitting against Hollypaw. Her tail wrapped around Hollypaw, and she nudged the pebbles.
"This is the starting position," she explained. "And then, well, usually you'd go first, but you don't know how to play, so I'll go first."
She reached for a pebble with her paw, explaining the rules and scoring. Her pelt was catching the sunlight. It didn't have the golden quality most ThunderClan pelts had to it, but it was still beautiful.
"Okay," Willowpaw said. "Are you ready?"
Hollypaw blinked. "Uh, sure," she said. "Yeah."
"Ears or tails?" Willowpaw asked.
"Ears?"
Willowpaw sighed. "I'll explain it again."
(It wasn't any easier to listen.)
Hollypaw tended to spread out when she slept.
That was why Willowpaw kept waking up next to her.
Because Hollypaw always stretched out, limbs sprawling out of her nest, the moonlight catching her fur, making it look silver.
And Willowpaw just kept waking up next to her.
With Hollypaw curled around her.
Because Hollypaw just spread out like that.
It was a ThunderClan thing. Presumably.
"Hollypaw. Hollypaw, wake up."
She blinked, blearly.
"Willowpaw?"
"Shh," someone said. Squirrelflight? "She's still asleep."
"What're you doing here?"
"Saving you." Her mother pressed her nose to Hollypaw. "Come on, we don't have a lot of time."
"M'fine," she said. "Willowpaw's gonna wake up if I leave."
The RiverClan apprentice was curled into her side.
"Hollypaw," Squirrelflight said. "Let's go."
Hollypaw extracted herself from the nest, and Willowpaw sighed, rolling into the empty space. Her paw twitched, and Hollypaw longed to press her nose into her fur, to tell her where she was going. But Squirrelflight was practically dragging her out of the den, and...Hollypaw should probably go.
"Were you able to get out of camp alright?" Willowshine asked.
"Of course," Hollyleaf said, touching noses with her mate. "As long as I'm back by sunrise, they won't look for me. What about you?"
"It's a new moon," Willowshine said.
"So there's a celebration?"
"Right, so I won't be missed."
Hollyleaf purred. She wasn't happy to hear that no one would notice Willowshine was gone, but if it meant they got to spend the night together, she would take it.