Chapter 4

Waking early one morning Milliepaw padded into the stores. Walking right to the back she looked at where she had seen the willow leaf yesterday. It was gone but there was a very familiar smell where it had been. I wonder what that smell is because it certainly isn't WindClan I have smelled it before though. She thought as she headed back to the main area. On her way she bumped into Darkstripe and remembered the question she had meant to ask him. "Darkstripe?" she said cautiously "What do RiverClan cats use willow leaves for?"

"Well… I've always known them to use it for sickness or belly aches." He replied.

"Thanks" said Milliepaw "that's very helpful." Ok she thought Now I know what it's used for I might be able to find out who's scent that is. I just hope the reason that it's there is because Darkstripe went to see Dappleleaf and she gave him this.

Millipaw went out into the camp and padded over to the fresh-kill pile. Taking a mouse she went over and rested beside the medicine burrow. Hearing a noise behind her she saw the cat Jaggedtooth emerging from the warriors den. He padded over to her and whispered to her "I'm not feeling very well can you go and find Darkstripe please."

"Sure" responded Milliepaw and she bounded into the burrow. "Darkstripe," she called "Jaggedtooth isn't feeling very well. He wants you to take a look at him."

"Ok" mumbled Darkstripe "Tell him I'll be there in a minute."

"Sure" said Milliepaw and she padded out of the burrow to Jaggedtooth again. "Darkstripe says he will be here in a minute." She reported wondering what Jaggedtooth had wrong with himself this time. He had been in the Medicine burrow at least ten times in the one moon that he had been with the clan.

She went over to the fresh-kill pile, and grabbed a mouse.

"Milliepaw!" someone called. She realised that it was Jaggedtooth, and padded over.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I don't think I'll be able to eat this fat, juicy rabbit. Do you want it?"

"Ummm… sure?" Milliepaw took the rabbit and settled down to eat. When she took a bite, she noticed a tiny, tiny bit of green fall out. Ew! She pushed the rabbit away, and got up to get something else. When she got there, she didn't see a single piece of fresh-kill left. Sighing, she went back to the rabbit.

She remembered that Darkstripe had promised to teach her how to fight so that she could defend herself if she had to. As soon as Darkstripe was back from treating Jaggedtooth, she raced up to him. "Are you going to take me to learn some fighting moves?" she asked. "I will," he replied "just let me get some fresh-kill first."

"Ok" sighed Milliepaw, it seemed that all Darkstripe wanted to do was eat and sleep. He even sent her to collect the most important herbs from the store now. As soon as Darkstripe had finished Milliepaw jumped up excitedly "Are we going now?" she asked "We are" replied Darkstripe and he lead Milliepaw out of the camp and down to the training hollow.

When they got there Darkstripe took Milliepaw over to a corner. "Ok," he said "I thought that we would start with the front paw blow. This is one of the most basic moves. I want you to swipe your front paw over my nose as hard as you can."

"Like this?" asked Milliepaw as she brought down a stunning blow on her mentors face making him stagger backwards. "Yes, exactly like that," said Darkstripe shaking himself "let's try a more complicated move. I want you to copy me please"

"Sure thing" said Milliepaw as Darkstipe performed a move called swerve kick. "Now you try it on me." He said. So Milliepaw stood in the training hollow completely silent and soon enough she heard Darkstripe creeping up behind her. When she was sure he was close enough she swerved out of the way like she had seen Darkstripe do kicking out with her hind leg as she did so. She felt her leg hit Darkstripe and new that she had delivered a hard blow to his chin. She spun round to see Darkstripe standing up "Well done!" he exclaimed "That was brilliant, but I think we've done enough for today. Come on let's go back to camp."

Milliepaw was very tired and she headed off to sleep straight away. She had a deep dreamless sleep and woke up to find Darkstripe prodding her.

"Come on, get up." he said.

Milliepaw groaned, and stumbled out of the den, only to collapse on the floor.

"Milliepaw? Milliepaw!" she heard Darkstripe's voice shout out…

She awoke in a dream. Looking around she took in everything she saw. she soon realised that this was the place where she had had her dream where she met Yellowfang. Suddenly she felt the same, sharp pain in her stomach. She closed her eyes in pain. Soon the pain faded, and she opened her eyes again. Milliepaw started running, trying to get away from the place, but she couldn't move. Her dream quickly changed, and she was in a hollow. Looking around, she saw jagged edges, and no way to get out. On the edge of the hollow were Willow trees.

A jagged edge is among the chosen, and unnecessary blood shall be spilt until the jagged edge is smoothed.

She woke up, scared from the dream. When she tried to move, a gasp escaped her mouth. Milliepaw hurt everywhere; her head felt fuzzy and heavy, and the world around her was spinning!

"Is she going to be ok? Oh, my dear darling… What happened toher? What's wrong? How did it come on so fast…" she heard her mum panicking, and wanted to lick her and tell her everything. But she couldn't! Why did she have to take that rabbit? Why, why, why!

"Mmarrabbit!" she tried to say.

"Milliepaw?" this was a new voice now. "How are you feeling?" Redtail. Since when did he start caring about how I felt?

"Mmarrabbit… Daggerdooth…" she tried again.

"Mmarrabbit?" Tawnypelt wondered. Milliepaw sighed went back to sleep. She had a deep and dreamless sleep.

Milliepaw felt a little better in the morning, so she got up and carefully stretched.

"Darkstripe…" she tested. Finally! I can tell them what I was trying to say before.

"Milliepaw! You're feeling better then?" Darkstripe walked in, and paused at his nest.

"I have to tell you something."

"Yes?"

"Rabbit."

"I'm sorry. Why did you say rabbit? Are you hungry?"

"No. Jaggedtooth gave me a rabbit…" she paused in mid-sentence. Should she tell Darkstripe, or will it upset him? He had to know, though. She shook her head and started again. "I saw a willow leaf at the back of your store a couple of days ago, as you know. Jaggedtooth gave me a rabbit, and it was so plump and juicy-looking that I had to have it-"

"Is there an infection in the prey?" Darkstripe cut in.

"Nowhere near! Well, when I bit into the rabbit, I saw something small and green fall out of it. I think now it may have been a willow leaf."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because when I had collapsed, I had a vision. I was standing in a hollow, and there was no way out. There were jagged rocks everywhere, and along the edge were many willow trees. They were trying to tell me this, Darkstripe!" Milliepaw took a deep breath, hoping that her mentor saw her point of view.

"You say you think it was willow leaves which you say in the rabbit?" he pulled on a worried expression.

"What? What's wrong?"

"You have to swallow willow leaves and never chew them, let alone with prey."

"Why? What happens if you do?" Milliepaw had finally struck a point, and now she wanted as much information as possible.

"It results in a case of Firebelly Fever."

"And…" she pushed him on.

"And it can cause in death." Darkstripe finished with a gulp.

"How-how long?" there was a long silence.

"It will disappear in one sunhigh-"

"Oh, that's great! I can endure that easy." Milliepaw interrupted.

"This was not on accident, I know that for sure. Perhaps it was meant for your father."

"So you agree that Jaggedtooth did it?" she hoped.

"No. I believe he did nothing wrong." Milliepaw moaned as a sharp pain filled her tummy.

"Get some rest. You've been wandering around too much." Darkstripe sent her back to her nest.

"Why doesn't he believe me?" she muttered to herself. Shrugging, she laid down and tucked her nose under her paw, soon drowned in unconsciousness.