CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Where's mother? Where's Dusk and Luna?
Panic flashed through Smoke as she realized her mother hadn't returned for her.
She wasn't expecting to wake up alone. When she had, she found herself back in that same den she had woken up in a few days ago. Back when that strange cat was telling her off. Smoke was still fuming over the fact that he didn't think she was worth much. He'd called her a worthless waste of herbs, and worse names. To make matters even worse, the wounds she had received earlier weren't recovering like she was hoping.
Smoke had never felt more alone than now. She longed to feel the warmth of her mother's tongue as she washed her kits. She longed to hear the voices of Luna and Dusk as they argued. Being stuck in this den was boring.
"Would you quit squirming?" grunted the black she-cat from earlier. "I can't get these cobwebs removed if you keep that up." Smoke only narrowed her eyes once the she-cat let out a sigh of satisfaction before backing away. "You're wounds aren't recovering... strange."
"I just want to go home," Smoke muttered under her breath.
"Well, that isn't going to happen now, is it?" the black she-cat retorted with a roll of her eyes. "Your mother gave you up the moment she stepped foot into our territory. Just be glad we didn't kill you afterwords."
I've got enough sense to figure out what my place here is, Smoke decided after watching the she-cat leave this dark den.
She let out a sigh as she wondered if this was to be her fate. If she would never feel the warm sun on her back and the tongue of her mother as they slept together. Smoke had never realized until now just how much she missed them.
"Don't mind my sister." Smoke nearly leaped out of her fur at the sound of a new voice. She looked around until seeing a smaller gray she-cat with amber eyes staring back at her in amusement. "Ravenpaw's just mad that you took her nest." The she-cat paused as she licked her chest fur, looking rather curious as she watched Smoke. "My name's Snowpaw, by the way." Snowpaw tilted her head to one side when Smoke didn't say anything. "Well, you don't have to tell me your name, but it would be nice to know. Russetstar might not be happy you're here, but we could always use more warriors in the Clan."
"M-My name is Smoke," she replied, sounding a bit hesitant as she wondered whether this cat was crazy or not. Of all the cats she had met so far around here, Snowpaw was the friendliest. Snowpaw let out a purr of approval as she sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws.
"Okay, Smoke. Well, since Russetstar or the others won't show you around, maybe I can. It looks like you could use the exercise," she meowed. Smoke was ready to protest when she thought better of it.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to explore this new territory, she thought warily. Snowpaw was patient as Smoke slowly got to her paws. The pain had become a dull throbbing on her shoulders. By now Smoke was used to it and had learned to walk the pain off.
With a sigh, she followed Snowpaw outside the den and stepped foot into what she thought was their territory. She was surprised to find dens scattered along a murky looking clearing. A broken tree where tall grass grew around was placed in the middle, almost as if it had been dragged there.
"Well, this is ShadowClan's camp," Snowpaw announced in a tone that said Smoke should know this stuff already.
"ShadowClan... camp?" Smoke asked in confusion. This was all new to her. From waking up in that strange den to finding out that this was just a place where everyone slept and shared tongues, Smoke wasn't sure how she should take it.
"Yep. I can show you to the apprentice's den if you'd like. It may not be the warmest den in the camp, but we'll-"
"Snowpaw, just what are you doing?"
Smoke only narrowed her eyes once again as a white she-cat with gray patches approached them. The she-cat blinked in surprise when she saw Smoke standing beside Snowpaw, who looked a bit sheepish as the older she-cat stood in front of them.
"Cloudfall, it's only fair that she gets to see the camp before Russetstar makes his decision," Snowpaw replied, flicking her tail in annoyance. "I don't care if he thinks she's not ShadowClan material."
"I know you've been upset since Ravenpaw became Scorchheart's apprentice, but that's no excuse to disobey what your leader has told you," Cloudfall retorted. "Besides, her wounds are still not fully recovered. You need to get back to the medicine cat's den."
Snowpaw looked like she was ready to argue when she thought better of it. Smoke narrowed her eyes as she wondered why these cats were so intent on keeping her in the 'medicine cat's' den. Whatever was happening with this Russetstar character, she knew it couldn't be any good.
...
"You can't keep her hidden in that den forever," Scorchheart growled as he addressed his leader. "Sooner or later, she is going to find out why she was brought here. And it's time we told her the truth."
Russetstar narrowed his eyes and dismissed the medicine cat's warning. He was tired of cats telling him what was right and wrong. This rogue would only taint the Clan of their pure blood. By the time he had become leader, he was determined to ensure that ShadowClan would forever remain strong.
"Scorchheart, do you know why her wounds aren't recovering?" he suddenly asked, changing the subject. Scorchheart only let out a sigh of frustration and looked away. He was wondering the same question himself. By now she should have recovered from her injuries. But something was keeping her from becoming stronger.
"I don't know," he admitted. "Perhaps StarClan wants us to figure it out for ourselves. Maybe there is more to her than we realize."
For a few moments, Russetstar actually looked as if he was reconsidering his decision. Then he merely lashed his tail and shooed Scorchheart out of his den. He needed time to think of what was about to happen. Something told him there was more to this rogue than even Scorchheart was letting on.
...
Her eyes were half-closed when she heard the sound of pawsteps approaching the den. Upon instinct, her ears pricked forward and she straightened up to see Scorchheart joining her. Ravenpaw hadn't returned yet from whatever she was doing that afternoon. She suspected the apprentice wouldn't make an appearance until it was as late as possible.
"Smoke, do you remember what happened before your mother brought you here?" he asked as he noticed her watching him warily.
Smoke tilted her head to one side as she considered what he was asking. She could only remember waking up in the camp after the horrific incident. Yet she could see that Scorchheart was genuinely concerned for her well-being.
He wants to know why my wounds aren't healing, she realized.
"I-We were exploring the farm just beyond those trees," she explained as she shivered at the memory of the cruel tom's claws lashing at her. "I was attacked by a stranger while we were exploring... I can't remember what happened after that."
Scorchheart tipped his head to one side curiously as he understood what she was trying to tell him. He knew that she was likely leaving important information out, but any was necessary for him to find out what was wrong with her wounds.
Without another word, he suddenly went into his store of herbs and started pushing his nose through piles of leaves. Smoke watched him curiously as she wondered what he was up to.
"I thought there was something wrong," he growled under his breath. "We've been using the wrong herbs!"
"The wrong... herbs?" Smoke repeated, sounding more confused than ever.
"Your wound is infected, and whatever the attacker's claws were infected with spread to your wounds," he explained after returning to her side. Smoke stared at him doubtfully as he began chewing a few of the newly collected leaves into a poultice. "Aloe and chervil should be more than enough to treat your wounds, if I do this right. But it will sting."
Time seemed to slow down as Scorchheart applied the wounds in question. Smoke winced at the sudden pain, but it only lasted for a few heartbeats. Once Scorchheart was finished, he stepped back and rewound cobwebs over her wounds to keep them from getting any worse.
"Are you sure this will work?" she asked nervously.
What if they never heal? she wondered. What if she ended up dying here anyways, despite her mother's efforts? The thoughts sent shivers of fear through her.
"I am certain they will," he reassured her. "All you can do now is rest."
Smoke let out a sigh of relief once he stepped outside the den. She had often wondered if she would suffer for going behind her mother's back. That rogue who attacked her had acted without warning. She never wanted to intrude on his territory, and now she was forced to stay in someone's new territory.
...
Russetstar was watching the kits play while their mother shared tongues with Talonclaw. Kits were always the future of the Clan. But if one of them had the blood of a warrior from another Clan, he would not hesitate to send it away or execute the kit as punishment to its parent's actions. That was just the way he acted and behaved.
Yet his mind was telling him otherwise to do something right with the rogue that was taken in. Russetstar was more frustrated with himself than anything else at the thought. He knew that if he let her stay, it would end whatever plans he had for the future. Scorchheart had made a valid point, and he couldn't ignore it.
With a sigh of frustration, Russetstar decided to ask his senior warriors and deputy for advice. Maybe they would know what to do. He couldn't just ignore the fact that some rogue kit was taken in and suffering at their claws. Even if it annoyed him to no end.
"I think you should let her stay," Cloudfall meowed when he asked her. "Snowpaw seems to really like her, and she could use another friend. Besides, we've already promised her mother that we would take care of her."
But that doesn't mean we have to abide by her promise, he wanted to retort. Russetstar had kept that comment to himself, though. Something told him that arguing with Cloudfall would only end in disaster. She may act all sweet and kind, but when one got on her bad side, it usually ended miserably.
"Letting her stay spells bad news for the Clan," Barktail growled irritably. "I don't understand why everyone is talking about her. It's not like she'd ever prove useful for the Clan."
Russetstar silently agreed with Barktail, but again he didn't say anything. His mind was churning with anxiety as he decided to ask Grayshadow. Perhaps the deputy would know what to do in a situation like this, and having one more thought in mind would help.
"You should give her a chance," the gray and darker gray tom meowed, much to Russetstar's surprise. "If she decides it's too much for her, than she can just as easily leave. We'll just have to send her off, ShadowClan style."
That was enough for him. Russetstar's mind was made up as he discussed the fate of this rogue with the elders last. Pineclaw was the only elder in the Clan, but his thoughts were just as important. And he had told him pretty much what Grayshadow had said.
A day had passed since he started asking around, and by now the young rogue's wounds were finally beginning to heal. Apparently, Scorchheart had found whatever ailments she was suffering from. Either way, this was good news considering what Russetstar was about to do. The Clan was gathered around the branch while Russetstar stood on top of it, addressing them as he always did.
"Now, I have been discussing this decision with just about everyone who's opinion I value," he began, looking sternly at Cloudfall, Barktail and Grayshadow. "And it has come to my decision that the rogue we took in almost a moon ago will stay with us, and become an apprentice."
A few cats were surprised by Russetstar's decision as he explained the situation. Some were happy, while others were outraged. He was expecting this sort of outcome, especially given the way he'd gone on about the Clan remaining pure-blooded.
"So, until her wounds are fully healed, she will remain as Smokepaw. And once she is fully recovered, I will assign you a mentor," he added, looking at the young rogue in question. She was sitting between Scorchheart and Snowpaw, looking shocked that he had accepted her so easily.
Don't take this as a sign that I've accepted you, kit, he thought angrily. If she did anything wrong, if she broke the code in any way, he would ensure that her life as a ShadowClan cat was over. Until than, she would be treated like any other apprentice.
