"Okay, we can walk on the ground now that we're away from the Twolegs." Sugar said. Dawnpaw sighed in relief. She hated heights. Without hesitation, she leapt down to the lower branches until she was on solid ground again. Littlekit was right behind her, and the rest of the cats slowly followed. Sugar landed neatly beside them. "Dawnpaw, you and I will lead, as I am quite confident in you fighting ability in case we come across and danger." Dawnpaw nodded, and Sugar turned to the rest of the cats. "Moon, you take the back. Apple, you go on that side, and Caramel, you're over there. Kits in the very center, stronger fighters around them. Sharpest eyes are up with us." Everyone sorted into where the belonged, but Dawnpaw looked over at Littlekit. She turned to Sugar. "I don't mean to disrespect your commands, but Littlekit has very sharp eyes, as well as good hearing." Dawnpaw said, dipping her head. "Okay! Littlekit, come here!" Sugar called. Littlekit, who had been listening in since her name was said, bounded forward. The group set out, watching the sun, which was creeping down, close to the horizon.
Littlekit stopped suddenly, sniffing the air. "Stop." She said softly. Sugar gestured to the rest of the group to stop with her tail. "I smell something.. There! A flash of red." Littlekit said, proud of the fact she saw it. "It's a fox." Dawnpaw said quietly. Sugar nodded, and quietly weaved in and out of the crowd, telling them about the danger as Dawnpaw set Littlekit in the center. Suddenly, a reddish brown muzzle lunged from a bush, heading straight for the kits. Dawnpaw leapt, shoving the fox's muzzle aside just in time. "Willowpaw and Nightpaw! Take the kits and hide nearby! We'll tell you when it's gone!" Dawnpaw ordered, watching out of the corner of her eye as they obeyed. "Sugar, Moon, Cara! Go behind it and try and distract it! Sunpaw, go to the other side and aim for the eyes! Apple, don't let it get near the kits!" She continued, swiping at the fox's head. It swang around, trying to bite all the cats. Tearing Sugar's shoulder in it's jaws, the fox growled, and fled. Dawnpaw ran towards Sugar, who was laying on the ground. "Are you okay?" Dawnpaw asked anxiously. From behind her, Littlekit ran out of the bush. "Sunpaw, Cara, Apple! Get cobwebs! Now!" She ordered, her normally sweet and shy demeanor evaporated. The cats ran off. "Moon, keep her awake. Dawnpaw, stay here. I need you here. Cinderkit!" Littlekit was panting, as she called her sister, and Cinderkit scampered away from Reedkit and the two apprentices, and stopped beside her sister. "What do you need?" She asked. Littlekit paused, then started to speak, "You know what goldenrod and marigold look like, right? Find some, please!" Cinderkit nodded, and raced off. Just then, the cats arrived with cobwebs. "Thanks." Littlekit muttered, unwinding the cobwebs from Caramel's paw. She patted them onto Sugar's wound, then took the rest from the other cats and did the same thing. The bleeding stopped, and Littlekit sighed, relieved. Dawnpaw bent down to Sugar's head, and gave it a reassuring lick. "You'll be okay." She said, nodding at Moon before heading over to where Littlekit was sitting. "You did all you could. Just one thing, how did you know how to heal?" Dawnpaw asked gently.
"Well, Cinderkit knew from Silvermoon, who gave us basic healing herbs. And…. well…." Littlekit was clearly uncomfortable. "It's fine, you can tell me later." Dawnpaw said as Cinderkit raced in with a bundle of leaves in her mouth. Once again, Littlekit put on her healing attitude. Littlekit murmured thanks, taking the herbs from her sister, who went back to Reedkit. Littlekit hesitantly lifted up the dressing, then patted it back down. "Chew those into a poultice!" Littlekit ordered. Dawnpaw started chewing, and gagged at the unique taste. "Good." Littlekit said after a few more seconds. She lifted up the cobwebs, and Dawnpaw set the herbs back on the ground. Littlekit scraped up some of the paste, and spread it onto the wound. Sugar groaned. "Hang in there." Littlekit said, slathering more onto Sugar's shoulder. "Okay. We're done." Littlekit said. Sugar nodded. "Cinderkit, Dawnpaw! Come on!" Littlekit called. The cats stood in front of her.
"Dawnpaw, slide under Sugar's stomach and lead her over there. Her hind legs will be working fine, so she can try and move them. Cinderkit, take Sunpaw, Willowpaw and Cara, and go get some moss for nests." Littlekit ordered. The cats did as they were told, and Dawnpaw carried Sugar across the clearing to under the bush where the kits had hid. Reedkit was still there, with Nightpaw. Dawnpaw set down the injured she-cat, and wordlessly started to weave some of the brambles into a den shape. Once she was satisfied, she headed back out to Littlekit. The black and white kit was laying down, sound asleep. She's probably tired from a long day. Dawnpaw thought as she carried Littlekit to where Sugar was resting, passing off the nap as just exhaustion. She didn't realize how important it could be to Sugar's survival.
Next chapter will be focusing on Littlekit. Because she's such a fun character to write, and I want to add some DRAMA! (A.k.a. I'm bored...)