Rising Moon

Jedi Goat

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors.

Author's Note: Sorry about the wait...I know it's been a long time since I posted, but it's cram for exam time :P

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Chapter 16

"Moonpaw?"

Moonpaw woke up with a jolt. "Huh?" she mumbled blearily.

Cougarpelt's face appeared above her. "Crowfeather and Webfoot are back. They've got the herbs."

"Oh." Moonpaw shook her head, clearing sleep and thoughts of Oakheart from her mind. She had her duty to perform! "Okay. Bring them over here."

Moonpaw gave her ruffled fur a few quick licks as she stepped out into the sunlight. She was just sitting down when two dark gray toms approached.

Rapidly, Moonpaw cast a glance over the cats in her charge: Owlwhisker was still asleep, twitching slightly. Nightcloud slowly chewed some fresh-kill a warrior had brought her. Lying across a flat rock, Weaselfur dozed in the pale leaf-bare sunlight. Snowpaw was wide awake, eyes darting around fearfully.

Crowfeather dropped a bundle of herbs at Moonpaw's paws, returning her attention to the present. "Here," he mewed, "Horsetail, feverfew, marigold, cobwebs and thyme." He peeled the cobwebs off one paw. Webfoot appeared behind him with juniper berries wrapped up in dock leaves and more cobwebs.

"We'll go find extra bedding, too," Crowfeather offered.

"Yes, thank you," Moonpaw said, blinking gratefully at him.

The two toms nodded and vanished through the entrance tunnel. Moonpaw nosed the herbs at her paws. "Cougarpelt?"

The brown tom looked up from where he had been talking quietly with Snowpaw. "Yes?"

Moonpaw flicked her tail at him. "Come. I'll show you how to use these herbs."

She picked up the small flowers of feverfew and padded over to Owlwhisker. "What would you do for him?"

Owlwhisker opened his eyes, groaning, "It's too bright."

Cougarpelt cocked his head to one side, thinking. "Um…marigold for the wound?"

Moonpaw nodded encouragingly. "That's a good start." She placed a paw over Owlwhisker's cheek, feeling head radiating from his skin. "Feel."

Tentatively, Cougarpelt touched his fur and frowned up at Moonpaw. "He's hot!"

"He has a fever," explained Moonpaw. "Did Barkface tell you what to use for fevers?"

"No." Cougarpelt scuffled at the ground.

"Okay, then. Pay attention." Moonpaw chewed up a few petals of the feverfew. "This is feverfew," she continued as she spat it out. "You give it to feverish cats to eat."

Stepping back, she gestured Cougarpelt forward. After glancing at her, he took some more feverfew and chewed it up. Placing the herb in front of Owlwhisker, he coaxed the tom back to the land of the living.

"But I hate voles," Owlwhisker complained, sniffing the herbs.

After he had swallowed down all of the feverfew, Moonpaw returned. "Good job," she purred, making Cougarpelt duck his head in embarrassment. "We'll need to give him some horsetail now, to treat his infected wound."

Moonpaw prodded some green stalks. "We'll have to chew them up, and then we'll apply them to his back."

Cougarpelt picked up one of the herbs, chewed it up, and scraped it out of his mouth. "Eww. That tastes gross."

"At least it works," chirped Moonpaw, taking the horsetail and bounding over to Owlwhisker. "This might sting a little."

She pressed the herb onto the wound as Cougarpelt watched. Owlwhisker twisted around. "What? Ow! That hurts! Stop it!"

Moonpaw shoved his shoulder, forcing him to lie back down. "Stay still!" Owlwhisker continued to writhe under her paws. She grunted, holding him down.

"Cougarpelt?" She flicked her tail toward the collection of bright red berries. "Those are juniper berries. They help weak cats heal, and sometimes put them to sleep. Don't confuse them with deathberries, though."

Cougarpelt nodded, inhaling the berries' scent. "Barkface told me about deathberries."

"Good. Now, give Owlwhisker a juniper berry." She yelped as Owlwhisker pushed her off.

Cougarpelt picked up a big, round berry and trotted over to the brown warrior. "Here," he said, pushing it in front of his nose. "Eat."

"Do I have to?" Owlwhisker sighed and chewed the berry slowly. Cougarpelt waited until he was done and was dozing off, and then headed back to Moonpaw. "What's next?"

"Nightcloud," decided Moonpaw. "She'll need cobwebs."

"Okay." Cougarpelt reached for the cobwebs, wrapping them around one paw.

"Wait!" Moonpaw warned, darting to the black she-cat's side. "We need to clean the wound first. No need getting infection in there."

"Oh. Sorry." Cougarpelt stood by as she knelt beside Nightcloud.

"Can I see your foreleg for a moment?"

Nightcloud raised her head warily. "Not like there's anything else I can do with it." She shifted her leg into clear view, and Moonpaw proceeded to lick it clean of blood.

"Has it given you any pain lately?" she asked as she licked.

"No." Nightcloud closed her eyes, lying back down.

A moment later Moonpaw raised her head. "All right. Cougarpelt, cobwebs?"

He nodded, stepping forward. He swabbed his paw against the wound, covering it with a sticky mass of webs.

"Good," Moonpaw purred. "Nightcloud, try not to touch it for the next few hours. Okay?"

The she-cat nodded sleepily, and the two medicine cats moved on to Weaselfur.

Weaselfur looked up as they approached. "And how are you feeling?" inquired Moonpaw.

Weaselfur turned his head to examine the bloody cobwebs coating his side. "Okay, I guess. I could use some more cobwebs, though."

Moonpaw nodded and asked Cougarpelt to get them. Meanwhile, she peeled off the old layer of cobwebs, sighing in relief when she saw that most of the wound was already healing over. She settled down and began to lick.

"Got them!" Cougarpelt ran up.

"Good." Moonpaw stepped back, looking over the wound. "It's healing well, see?"

Cougarpelt nodded. "You'll need more marigold?" he suggested.

"Yes. You're catching on well," she added with a smile. "We'll need a bit of cobwebs first, for the part that's still bleeding. Then we can move on to marigold."

Cougarpelt nodded and began expertly applying the cobwebs. Moonpaw watched proudly. That wasn't so hard after all!

"Do you want me to get the marigold?" Cougarpelt asked when he was done.

Moonpaw nodded. "Yes, thanks."

While he was gone she cast a quick glance around the clearing. They still had Snowpaw to work with, and Moonpaw was worried about the jumpy young cat. She shouldn't be afraid, so many days after the wolves' attack.

Once Cougarpelt had tended to Weaselfur, under her watchful supervision, Moonpaw brought Cougarpelt aside.

"What happened to Snowpaw?" she whispered, gazing over at the white she-cat.

Cougarpelt's eyes glazed over. "She's my sister," he choked out. "She used to help me in the medicine cat den all the time. Then the wolves attacked camp and she hid in there. One wolf came after her. Barkface jumped in front of her and…and took the blow that would've killed her." Cougarpelt shook his head. "She's been traumatized ever since."

"I'll see what I can do." Moonpaw gave her friend a lick on the ear, and then padded over briskly to the white she-cat. "Snowpaw?"

The apprentice leaped to her paws. "What?" Her blue eyes flashed around the clearing nervously. "Wolves?"

"No." Moonpaw dragged over a herb from the pile. "Here's something for you."

Snowpaw sniffed the herb warily, glancing up at her curiously.

"Eat it." Moonpaw nudged the herb closer, eyes soft. "It won't hurt you."

Snowpaw ate, taking small bites and making faces that told Moonpaw she didn't altogether enjoy the healing herb. When she finished, Snowpaw looked almost sleepy. She curled up on the ground and napped.

"What was that?" Cougarpelt asked, eyes wide.

"Thyme. It calms cats." Moonpaw turned from the sleeping apprentice to examine their pile of herbs. "We should put these in the den."

"Sure." Cougarpelt picked out some juniper berries and carried them inside. Moonpaw was about to follow with the horsetail when Crowfeather and Webfoot burst into camp, panting.

"The wolves are coming!" Crowfeather yowled.

To be continued...

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