Larkpaw hurried away, checking over her shoulder every once and awhile to make sure that the ThunderClan cats hadn't seen her leave. She figured they knew she wouldn't turn up in the morning, but she didn't want to look like a coward anyway. Once she thought she saw a flitting black shadow, a ways back, but she dismissed it as a trick of the light. It wouldn't do her any good to start thinking about being stalked by shadows….
Larkpaw shivered, and picked up her pace. Stone skittered under her paws, and a few times she barely kept her balance as stones rocked underneath her. The sky was a gloomy, foggy gray, and there was no sun to warm her pale gray fur.
As soon as evening began to set in, Larkpaw had finally reached where the uncomfortable stones stopped, and moorland began. Her slashed paws welcomed the soft, springy turf, and her spirits lifted…but only a little. The air was beginning to get very damp, and little drops of water clung to her fur.
The wind began to pick up when as Larkpaw raced across the moor. It swept through her fur, and sent little chills through her. She continued looking over her shoulder, even though she wasn't in LeafClan territory yet.
Finally, she identified a scent marker, and, even thought it may seem strange, she relaxed. She might have been on another Clan's territory, but at least she was home…almost.
Larkpaw began to slow though, her paws heavy. They thudded against the ground, and soon she was slowed to a trot, then a fast walk, and she still wasn't away from LeafClan territory.
A few moments later, Larkpaw detected the strange scent of one of the Forest Clan cats, and she stopped to look around, hoping they hadn't tricked her and followed her. What she saw waiting for her behind a tree wasn't anywhere near what she had expected.
"Hello, Larkpaw," hissed Blackclaw, unsheathing his claws. Larkpaw's hackles rose.
"What do want?" she growled back, but her voice shook. The black cat suddenly looked very evil.
"Oh, nothing. It's Leopardstar who wants something. But it certainly isn't you."
Larkpaw's eyes glinted with surprise and suspicion, but she relaxed a little bit. She had had such a nice conversation with Blackclaw, how could he turn on her now.
"Oh, no. It's not you at all Leopardstar wants. In fact…" Blackclaw rose to his feet, and Larkpaw watched his long claws uneasily. The warrior's yellow eyes were cold, and he was sizing her up, Larkpaw was sure. "In fact, she wants exactly the opposite."
"What have I done wrong?" Larkpaw asked, wavering, not caring how foolish it sounded.
"Absolutely nothing. Your perfect. But Leopardstar doesn't like cats who are perfect!" screeched Blackclaw. He flew at her in a flurry of claws, slashing again and again at her shoulders and face.
Larkpaw wailed with pain and frustration. She had never been taught the proper way to fight back. She flailed her paws, trying to grasp onto something, anything, but Blackclaw was quick and strong, and he quickly had her left shoulder torn to shreds. Larkpaw sank to the ground, hissing and baring her fangs, but it was no use- Blackclaw didn't want to return with the news that he had left the apprentice alive. For a few moments, Larkpaw just sat, bearing the excruciating pain and humiliation with gritted teeth, waiting with a stout heart for the end. Blackclaw was toying with her, but soon he would have enough and get it over with.
Finally, Blackclaw stopped raking his claws down her back and stood still, his bloody claws poised over her exposed throat. He hissed with triumph, and slowly, oh so slowly, began to bring his paw closer and closer, smiling maniacally at her…. A battle cry rent the air. Blackclaw stopped, and turned, his eyes wide.
A LeafClan patrol came streaking over the hill, their ears laid back and their teeth bared. Blackclaw froze, twitching, obviously deciding whether to flee, and lie to Leopardstar, or deal the deathblow and give himself up to the patrol. Larkpaw flinched when Blackclaw's paw moved, but he seemed to think better of it and dashed away, sprinting for the mountains.
"It's Larkpaw, from FireClan! She's…no, she's not dead!" yowled one of the LeafClan warriors, skidding to a halt beside her and peering at her wounds. "She will be though, in a few minutes!"
Larkpaw chuckled feebly, then blinked. It hurt. She winced, and winced again, because that hurt to. She tried to move her tail, and found that she couldn't without sending white fire up one or another of her torn and bloody limbs.
"Well, let's get her to camp and see what Berrystep can do for her," said Aspenstar. "But don't go getting any ideas, apprentice," he said, bending down and looking Larkpaw in the eye. "LeafClan doesn't welcome trespassers easily. Mark my words, next time your found on our territory, deserter, we will not hesitate like that murderous rogue!" he spat.
Larkpaw barely managed a nod.
"Well, carry her back, unless she can walk." The comment was aimed at Larkpaw.
Her stillness was indication enough of the answer.
"Somebody support her head! Her legs, her legs!" cried Aspenstar, threading through the bewildered warriors. Finally, with much frustration on the warrior's part and much yowling on Larkpaw's part, she was hoisted carefully into the air and born to the LeafClan camp.
Many surprised gasps followed Larkpaw's trip to the medicine cat's den, and a few protesting murmurs were also voiced. Larkpaw's eyes betrayed her guilt at the burden she had just placed on LeafClan, and the warrior saw it, and regarded it with disdain.
Finally, Larkpaw was laid down very slowly at the mouth of the medicine cat, Berrystep's, den. The little brown she-cat was busy in her den, gathering herbs and ordering her poor apprentice around in circles.
Larkpaw listened with growing confusion as the medicine cat dictated certain remedies to Moonpaw, the apprentice, and tried to identify any herbs that she had known Fernclaw, the FireClan medicine cat to use. But it was no use; she couldn't follow the conversation for the life of her. After a while, she felt paws pressing on her wounds, and the cool relief of cobwebs, but she hardly uttered a sound. The pain was so great that she was numb, and she made no protest to all of the pokes and prods.
After what seemed like an eternity to Larkpaw, she heard the command from Berrystep, "Stand up." Larkpaw lifted one leg, then another, and placed them on the ground. She hauled herself up, muscle by muscle, ignoring the little sparks of pain that erupted in her legs and shoulders. She could feel dried everything caked in her fur, and tried to shake, but ended up only twisting her tail around her leg and no being able to undo it without Moonpaw's help. The tom's touch was soothing, and Larkpaw turned to thank him. But her neck was stiff, and every time she tried to move either way, she stopped, because it felt like her neck was being pinched.
"Here, let me help!" mewed Moonpaw, coming round her front. Larkpaw watched him with interest as he placed his one black paw just below her neck, on the spine, and then pushed while he pulled at the base of her neck. Easily, her head swung round, and she was face to face with apprentice. Larkpaw stared. Moonpaw stared. Berrystep laughed.
"Th-thank you," muttered Larkpaw shyly, trying to look away. Her cheeks flushed. (A/N, I don't think cats can blush cause it would be under their fur, but just ignore that minor detail, ok!)
"Your very welcome," replied Moonpaw, just as quietly, and also tried to turn his head. But neither of them could look away, they just stared into each other's eyes, blue eye for blue eye, apprentice for apprentice.
"Okay, lovebirds, break it up!" called Berrystep, pushing Moonpaw away roughly. "Larkpaw, you can stand, that' great! Can you walk! This is amazing! Maybe you aren't hurt as badly as you look!" Berrystep smiled enthusiastically.
Larkpaw took a hesitant step forward, wobbled, and barely kept her balance, gritting her teeth against the uncomfortable instability of her legs. Suddenly she felt the welcome support of another cat's pelt pressed against hers, and she looked out of the corner of her eyes to see Moonpaw standing beside her, stabilizing her. His ice blue eyes were focused on the ground, but Larkpaw could see the kindness in them. Berrystep opened her mouth, about to send Moonpaw away, but seeing the adoration in both of their sapphire gazes, she stopped, and only turned away, satisfied with her healing.
Moonpaw looked up when he heard the patter of Berrystep's feet, and finding himself alone with Larkpaw, he stepped away flustered. Larkpaw swayed, and began to lean towards the ground, but in an instant Moonpaw was there again, the embarrassment gone from his face.
After a couple more steps, Larkpaw sat down heavily, her legs tired and throbbing.
"Thanks so much, Moonpaw," panted Larkpaw, looking up at him gratefully.
"Oh, it was nothing," he said. Then he shook his head and said, "I mean, I did something, you aren't nothing, I enjoyed helping you! I-"
Larkpaw flicked her tail over his mouth, silencing him.
"I said thank you." She smiled at him understandingly.
"Your welcome," he sighed.
"I think you're going to be a great medicine cat, Moonpaw," said Larkpaw, lying down. Moonpaw sat down beside her.
"Thank you. I love helping Berrystep. Herbs are so interesting. I love healing cats, and helping them when they can't help themselves," he said, gazing wistfully at the sky.
"I only wish that the life of a medicine cat wasn't so…restricted." When he said it he looked over at Larkpaw, and she found herself staring once again into his eyes. They glowed with the light of someone who understood things, and Larkpaw felt her heart catch.
"I think I know just what you mean," she replied absentmindedly, nodding.
They sat next to each other for a while, sitting there, staring up at the sky, Larkpaw licking her wounds, and Moonpaw just watching her, watching the clouds, the birds. A few times Larkpaw's thoughts were turned to darker things, like Blackclaw and Leopardstar, Firestar and Rainwhisker's promise, her father, Snowfoot. But then she would glance over at Moonpaw's shimmering white pelt and dismiss the gloomy thoughts, turning to happier, lighter things.
Eventually evening settled in over the LeafClan camp, and the warriors and apprentices returned to their dens in the moist earth. Larkpaw looked around at the empty camp before descending into the medicine cat's den. The gorse bushes surrounding the clearing looked eerily out of place in the half-light, and the pale, thin grass that was the only cover in the camp. Larkpaw shivered, remembering the warmth and safety of the thick grass that padded the FireClan camp, the high, mossy rock walls surrounding them, the thorn fence keeping out unwanted visitors. Larkpaw took one last look around her, gave her shoulder one last lick, and then eased her way into the den. Berrystep was there, already asleep in a corner, and surprisingly, Moonpaw was too. Apprentices, even medicine cats apprentices, always slept in the apprentice's den.
Larkpaw settle down with hr back against the hard dirt wall, and closed her eyes, trying to drift off to sleep. But the rough dirt was unfamiliar and uncomfortable beneath her, and her wounds stung and ached. She shifted a couple times, trying to get comfortable, and began to shiver, the cold dirt offering no warmth. She longed for her soft, dry bed of moss and leaves in the apprentice's den in FireClan, but she knew it was impossible.
Suddenly, she once again felt the warmth of another pelt, shielding her from the cold breeze and immediately warming her and taking the stiffness out of her limbs.
"Moonpaw," she chirped, already half asleep. She gave his shoulder a swift lick before drifting off into the black abyss that was sleep.