Disclaimer: I do NOT own Warriors. It belongs to Erin Hunter.

'Thoughts' Dreams Memories

For the next week and a half, Sandpaw was forced to stay in the medicine den, her wounds taking long to heal, with every movement she made burning intensely. During that time, Whitestorm would come often to visit her. The big white warrior wasn't happy that she disobeyed orders but at the same time he was overjoyed that his apprentice made it out alive.

However this also had the affect of the demon kit earning his ire, every time he came to see Sandpaw, his eyes would narrow and the pale ginger molly would see his claws digging into the ground of the den. Sandpaw was also the talk of the camp, being the only cat known in ThunderClan to survive an encounter with a demon. Most would come to ask her how it was fighting with such a monster. Sanpaw would try to answer but she would also just stay quiet. The experience wasn't something she was actually fond of recounting.

Spottedleaf was a great healer, listening to any hurts the young cat had while being as gentle and comforting as she could. She made the pain somewhat bearable and Sandpaw would sometimes be able to move without her body feeling like it was fall apart at any minute.

The demon kit on the under hand was carefully guarded, a warrior was always stationed at Spottedleaf's den entrance and anytime she had to leave the den, mostly to make dirt, three warriors flanked her in a tight formation.

As she came and went, Sandpaw noticed that the kit had some deep wounds on her neck that looked fresh and Spottedleaf barely did anything more than putting cobwebs on them to stop the bleeding. She also saw the medicine cat and the kit did everything they could to stay as far from each other was possible. IT was so strange, seeing the normally kind and demure Spottedleaf care so little about someone, even a young demon. Sandpaw wanted to ask but thought it better to keep her mouth shut.

On her last day in the medicine den, Bluestar herself came to visit her. Her leader, much like Whitestorm was disappointed that Sandpaw had defied an order but was relieved that the young cat made it out alive. Bluestar was rather brief, asking her if she was okay and giving her a gentle nuzzle before her attention was pulled to the demon kit.

This time, said kit was awake but brooding, glaring at them both. Sandpaw then noticed for the first time that the little one seemed even worst now. If possible, she looked even hungrier and after a moment, Sandpaw could hear her belly rumbling.

"Aren't you hungry? Why do you not eat?" Bluestar asked while Sandpaw gave her a certain look, didn't her leader know what these creatures ate. The younger molly then noticed that Bluestar seemed tense, as if she was waiting for what the kit would say.

Sandpaw's hunch seemed to be correct as the kit scowled and bared her fangs, snapping at Bluestar's leg to her credit, the leader didn't flinch. "I will not eat your disgusting mice food! Give me a nice young cat or even your dying! Give them that and I will gladly eat."

"Not on your life. I'll shove the fresh-kill down your throat if I have to, but I won't allow you to consume one soul here!" Bluestar growled, flattening her ears and taking a step forward.

Surprisingly, the kit flinched at the show of force and backed away, turning her head away from the older molly. Bluestar, though not happy, nodded to this and looked over when she heard someone coming in the den. Spottedleaf. The pretty medicine cat was holding herbs in her mouth and tilted her head when seeing Bluestar who then turned fully to her.

"You've been keeping an eye on her?" she asked, her tail tip twitching.

Spottedleaf only blinked before dipping her head and dropping the herbs. "Yes, I can keep her under control. But I am only one cat, Bluestar, there's only so much I can do. However, even that is better than the alternative."

The blue gray leader glanced over at the kit, her gaze thoughtful. "You're right, but we'll have to be careful. Still, see if you can get her to eat something. She maybe a demon but she is still a kit. I must talk with my senior warriors now. Feed her and continue keeping an eye on her."

"Of course, Bluestar." Spottedleaf muttered, while the kit only hissed at the ongoing conversation. The tortoiseshell heard and grinned but not before sending Sandpaw away. "I'm sure you would like some air. Go on, I want to have a little alone time with this troublesome kit."

Sandpaw's ears twitched and she hesitated, to which Spottedleaf shook her head. "Don't worry, I wouldn't kill a kit, even if it is a demon." she said, a hint of laughter in her voice. It seemed to convince Sandpaw and she shakily got to her paws, thinking of heading the apprentices' den. She wanted to see how the others were doing.

Once Sandpaw was gone, Spottedleaf turned her attention, her eyes full of displeasure. "You'll have to eat soon, you know. Or else you'll starve to death."

The stunted kit snorted and laid down in her nest, trying in vain to lick at the bite marks that Spottedleaf has given her. "Don't want it. I can't eat that slop."

Spottedleaf jeered at that, her claws scraping against the ground. "Won't, not can't. Trust me, I know. It's not as good as cat flesh but it's better than slowly dying of hunger!" She then suddenly left and came back with a large mouse, dropping it in front of the kit. "Eat!"

The kit glowered at the mouse before shaking her head, turning her back. Spottedleaf snarled softly and was about to leap at the kitten but the timely arrival of Sandpaw stayed her and she whirled around to where her stock of herbs were. Sandpaw could see and smell the healer's agitation but something told her to keep her mouth shut.

Her gaze then went to the kit and she then saw the mouse at her side. If she was hungry, why wouldn't she...The pale flame colored molly than snorted to herself, of course she wouldn't eat it, she probably never ate a mouse before.

Steeling herself, Sandpaw walked over to the kit and even though she had tried to kill her, seeing the bones clearly through her fur and hearing the loud rumbling of her belly helped Sandpaw push it aside.

She gently tapped the kit on her shoulder, though she was surprised when the wee thing flinched and hunched her shoulders before stirring. When she saw that it was Sandpaw, she huffed and closed her eyes. "What?"

"You need to eat. I...I know that you probably can't but...you have to try...Slowly starving to death won't be pleasant and I sure...Jake wouldn't want you to die like this." Sandpaw muttered, her eyes lowering as she thought of the one who saved her.

The kit said nothing, only looking at her before bring her gaze to the mouse. She then swatted the mouse away with a hiss and Sandpaw watched it land near the far wall, blinking in amazement.

"You Clan cats have taken so much from me! You killed my father! You taken me from my home to keep me here against my will! You keep watch over me and others follow me like I'm prey to be caught! It's pathetic how low you've already brought me, my pride is all I have left and I refuse to bow down to likes of you!"

Sandpaw stared at her before gritting her teeth and stepped in the kit's face, her fur bristling to make her look twice her size. "Pathetic? You only think it's pathetic because you see us as lesser than yourself and you hate the fact that you are here now! You see it as pathetic because you were beaten by us and now have to face the fact that we haven't killed you yet! You are nothing but skin and bones, teetering on the edge of death and yet you say you have nothing but your pride? You're alive, aren't you?! Spottedleaf could have left you to die!"

"But you say your pride is all you have, well I'll tell you it won't mean much if you're dead! No one else to going to care for you, anyone else will kill you! So if you want to live, you best swallow your worthless pride and eat, you spiteful, arrogant, mange fur!" Sandpaw screeched the last words, panting at the end of it.

The kit stared at her, her green and purple gaze showing an unknown emotion as Sandpaw glared back at her, for once not feeling the ensnaring sensation as she did when looking at the demon before. The kit...then started laughing, her whole body shaking from it.

"You...you would have made a interesting demon, Clan cat!" she howled loudy before calming herself after a few minutes. She then stared right in Sandpaw's eyes, and the apprentice felt like she was suddenly falling. "Fine. I'll dance in your palm. I...I don't want to die, so I will humor you for now. But...when I get my strength back...if you talk to me like that again, I'll kill you!"

Sandpaw flattened her ears at that and hissed, not feeling an once of fear. "And if you do, I won't hold back either."

Spottedleaf watched all of this with a thoughtful smirk and left Sandpaw to it. She could sense that there was no danger now. The kit was going to behave herself. Perhaps, there would be no more need for bloodshed. A good thing too, she was getting tired of the kit's blood in her mouth. The taste of it made it hard to keep herself in check.