Foxnose stared at Lighpelt, who was standing awkwardly to keep his weight off his injured leg.
"What? Lightpelt, I can't treat a dog."
"But he needs help, badly! He's dying!" Most of the other cats had seen Lightpelt charge into the camp, and had acummulated around them, and now the remainder of the Clan had gathered also. "Foxnose! You're a medicine cat! You save lives! You can't turn down a wounded animal simply because it's not one of us!"
Foxnose seemed to be shocked by Lightpelt's words. The calico was beginning to wonder if he'd gone too far when the medicine cat turned around toward his den, saying, "I'll go get my things."
Lightpelt waited around for Foxnose to come back and then led him, along with a procession of other cats, excitedly whispering, to the wounded dog. Foxnose immediately saw the seriousness of the situation, and a determined glare came over his eyes. Lightpelt realized just how much his brother had grown up. Lightpelt had never thought the life a medicine cat was right for Foxnose, but as a kit, he'd shown special interest in treating others, and he'd quickly befriended Butterseed.
Foxnose had placed several poppy seeds, more than he would use for a cat, in front of the dog's mouth, knowing the dog wouldn't hurt him, and it seemed to understand what he was trying to say. It lapped up the seeds quietly and layed it's head back down resignedly. Foxnose moved over to examine the wound on the dog's shoulder. Lightpelt now got a better look at it. It looked as if something long and thin had pierced it, but Foxnose seemed to think different. The cat shook his head and Lightpelt stepped up to him.
"What's wrong with him?"
"Twolegs. Butterseed told me something about this that she learned from Suntail. He was a great ThunderClan medicine cat, and she learned a lot from him. She told me that Twolegs had long shiny sticks that made loud noises and caused many creatures great pain, if they did not die immediately. And if that is what has happened to this dog, than there will still be whatever hurt him inside of him."
Most of the cats gasped. Foxnose turned back to the dog and gave him a few more poppy seeds. "Once he's asleep, we'll need to get it out of him, or it'll get infected. But my paws are too big. I need someone smaller." None of the cats volunteered. Foxnose was already a little smaller than most of the cats, so how could they do it. But then, one of Snowstorms nearly apprenticed kits, Tallkit, stepped forward.
"I'll do it, Foxnose, sir." she said bravely. The Clan cats gasped and Snowstorm tried to get her to step back, but she avoided her. Foxnose looked squarely at Tallkit.
"Are you sure?" he asked. Tallkit nodded. "Come here then." Lightpelt watched and wondered if he had done the wrong thing in trying to save this dog, and what would happen to Tallkit. But the black and white cat was hardy enough, and she'd always been long and tall, yet very thin. Her long legs tapered into especially tiny paws.
Foxnose walked up the dog's head and nosed it carefully. The excess poppy seeds were taking effect, and the white and tan dog was sleeping deeply. He led Tallkit to the hole in it's shoulder and was whispering directions in her ear. The rest of the Clan looked on gravely. Then Tallkit took a slightly shaky breath, and reached her paw into the dog's wound. It had barely been a few seconds before she withdrew it, her claws wound around some shiny object, which she discarded on the ground while Foxnose chewed a poultice and carefully nosed it into place.
There was an almost audible sigh of relief from the cats, and the murmuring started up again. Snowstorm nuzzled Tallkit, relieved, and the young cat was beaming at Foxnose, who congratulated her proudly. Lightpelt sighed also. He'd convinced his brother to save a dog's life today. He was happy for now, even with his hurt leg.
Foxnose had said that someone would need to stay with the dog until he woke up, as it would be impossible and dangerous to move him in his current state. So Lightpelt, as it had been his idea to save him in the first place, had volunteered himself immediately. And now he was dozing sleepily several tail-lengths away from him. A sudden cough jolted him awake. The tan and white dog had awoken, and was now sitting up and staring at Lightpelt.
"You. You are the one who saved me."
Lightpelt stood there, not knowing what to think. He couldn't think at all. So he ran. He just ran. Away from the dog, and toward the river, as fast as he could with his odd, limping gait. He stood with his front paws in the shallow water, panting slightly, fully taking in what had happened. It was impossible. Dogs just didn't talk to cats, or the other way around. It just wasn't done!
But at the same time, Lightpelt remembered the elders talking about dogs from long ago that were great friends of cats, and talked with them often. But that was from long ago, and now a dog was talking to him. Him, of all cats! Although, he thought to himself, it would be neat to talk to a dog. And so, led on by his own curiousity and personal ambition to talk to a dog, Lightpelt limped back to the dog, who he now saw had struggled to his feet and was standing unsteadily.
Lightpelt stepped out of the reeds in full view, acting much braver than he felt. "How can you speak to me?" he meowed commandingly. The dog stared back at him and dipped his head. Lightpelt was shocked at this gesture. Only cats dipped their heads to each other; dogs would always touch their noses in greeting.
"Please. I am meaning nothing by it. I want to say thank you." It was rather strange to hear the purrs coming from a dog; they sounded mostly like softer and higher-pitched growls to a dog, but to a cat, it was their language with a rather heavy accent. Apparently, he learned the language, but only just. I was hard to understand him. But Lightpelt managed, and he stood his ground on his three legs.
"Well, your welcome. Now, what are you doing around these parts?" Lightpelt asked, he voice becoming just slightly friendlier.
"In truth, I wanted to see the wild cats." Lightpelt was shocked to hear this. "The cat who taught me to speak told me that there were many wild cats living around here, so I wanted to see them. Are you part of them?"
Lightpelt stared at the dog, then nodded. The dog sank back to the ground and settled himself on the ground. Lightpelt, understanding, layed down next to him and explained all about the four Clans and what it was like living in WindClan. When he finished his tale, he realized something.
"I don't even know your name. I can't just call you dog all the time."
The dog turned to him, a sparkle in his eyes. "It's Talon. Now, should we not be being with the other cats?"
"Right. Wait until they hear you can talk!"
Talon stopped. "Actually, I think it would be being better if only you know. I do not want too much atenchon."
Lightpelt was confused by this gesture, but no so much that he couldn't set the dog right. "I think you mean attention." And he set off back to the camp, Talon limping along behind him.
The pair made quite a sight as the two of them limped across the camp toward Foxnose's den. Luckily, the medicine cat's den held excess room, enough for Talon, a full grown dog, to fit in it comfortably. Lightpelt smirked at Talon, and he realized that he had just possibly made a new friend, and in an enemy, at that.
The days passed quickly for Sharpclaw, and she learned a lot from her long-lost father. Indeed, however mad she had been at him and thought him a lier, she now completely believed him. And now that she did, his attitude toward her completely changed. He stopped staring at for long intervals, and instead didn't hesitate to give her friendly licks. Often, Sharpclaw would be out hunting, and though Carmen was a kittypet now, he still offered helpful tips.
On one day, when Sharpclaw was simply dozing in front of the fire, she realized just how much she had learned from living with a Twoleg, a kittypet who just happened to be her true father, and a dog who didn't want to kill her. She learned the Thunderpath was called a road by Twolegs, and the room with the slippery floor the kitchen, and the soft floor the living room. She'd come to understand several words of Mercedes's language, words such as cat, human, car(which she learned were the monsters on the Thunderpath), chase, and speak. And now, she knew that although Flashfur would always be her true adopted brother, she had a blood brother living somewhere in ThunderClan. What a story she would have to tell at home!
Sharpclaw jolted awake. Had she really thought that? Had she truly wanted to go home, even for a moment? Did she-
"Sharpclaw! Look! Another cat!" The voice of Mercedes was heard, interrupting her thoughts. Sharpclaw ran over to her next to the window to see that another cat was indeed strutting proudly down the Thunderpath. Sharpclaw had never seen him before, not here with the Twolegs, or in the forests at home. With every step, the cat held his head up high and twitched his tail, showing off his light tan fur and lighter tabby stripes. Normally, Sharpclaw would have been disgusted and said he was a big show-off, but she suddenly felt a strange desire to run out and follow him.
Shaking off her feelings as the cat disappered into the forest, Sharpclaw jumped back down to the floor. She shook her head in a confused fashion as Mercedes and Carmen looked at her, signifying that she didn't know who he was. Every day, the cat would return, at exactly the same time, head high, tail waving like a banner, acting like he owned the whole road. Sharpclaw smirked to herself as she remembered how she used to call it a Thunderpath. Now the word 'road' seemed so natural to use.
On one day, as the weather grew colder with each new sun, Sharpclaw found herself restless. She paced the house, ignoring the looks from Mercedes and Carmen. Finally, she simply gave a sigh of frustration and ran out the door. It was bitterly cold, compared to the fire inside the house, but Sharpclaw simply walked. Down the road, through the hole in the fence, past the giant pool, now nearly frozen, and into her favorite tree. She'd discovered it on one of her explorations of the area around the house. It's branches were all close together, so she could easily climb as high as she wanted, and they were all long and thick. It would be rather hard for her to fall off.
She often came here to think, but she'd started staying inside more and more as it got colder. Carmen suddenly appeared through the hole in the fence. Sharpclaw watched him cross the grass past the water and jump up beside her. He turned his gaze slowly to her, but said nothing. The chilled air swirled around them for a few minutes as they sat in silence.
"It's cold." Carmen finally said. Sharpclaw mumbled a reply. "Do you want to talk?"
Sharpclaw didn't look up. "I don't know, Father." she said slowly. "I just don't know what I want to do. Lately I've been wondering about that cat more and more, and I just feel confused."
Carmen waited a moment before speaking. "Sharpclaw, I've been watching you since you first came here. You've changed. A lot. And I'm worried about you. Sharpclaw, you've become tame."
Sharpclaw looked up in astonishment. Carmen was looking forward, not at her. "They say once a cat has been wild, it can never be truly tame. And I believe that. So I've been living on hope, Sharpclaw, hope that you're not truly tame yet." Carmen now turned to look at her. His piercing blue eyes blazed into her own matching ones.
"Sharpclaw, this isn't the life for you. Me, I know this is for me. I left when StarClan told me it was my time to go, and now I've made a new life for myself, helping others learn our language. But this isn't for you. It never was, it never will be. You don't belong here, in houses. You belong in the forest, with your own kind. Run, Sharpclaw. Leave this place. Go follow that cat. You may find a better new life for yourself."
Sharpclaw stared at her father with a great sadness in her heart. But at the same time, she realized he was right. She had to go. She had to get away from this place. She would go and follow that strange cat, and she wouldn't be coming back to this place, ever again. She turned back to Carmen. "I'll miss you. Always. Tell Mercedes...tell her I decided to go away for a few days. She's too young to get involved with all this."
With that, Sharpclaw jumped out of the tree and bounded across the grass and through the hole in the fence, leaving behind her one and only dog friend, and the father she'd lost for so long without a backward glance.