Chapter 6. HealingWave's den is seen for the first time.

StepClaw

"I can't believe this," said HealingWave, as she picked out herbs out of the many piles scattered around the small cave. HerbRain, her learner was squeezing water filled moss over SunTalon's wound to wash the blood away.

The healer's den was large, bigger than the learner den anyway. Piles of herbs were scattered around in organized piles and in the back was a pool of water. The water coming from a crack in the wall that dripped water in every now and then. Like the rest of the tribe camp, moss that let off a faint light was on the walls. And, a personal touch of HealingWave, jasmine was scattered throughout the cave giving the whole cave a sweet scent. HealingWave had told them it was for calming effects.

StepClaw hated to admit it but the smell of the flowers did calm her down a bit. Just a bit. HerbRain, who had just finished cleaning SunTalon's wounds, walked over to StepClaw and began doing the same with her. StepClaw did not wince as the cold water hit her fur. She looked up at HerbRain and saw the she-cat slowly shake her head. StepClaw glared at her.

HerbRain finished washing StepClaw's wound and stepped to the side, watching her mentor finish caring for the herbs.

HealingWave walked over to StepClaw and began applying a mixture of herbs onto the wound. "Bulge to help the wound heal," said HealingWave out loud for HerbRain. "As well as marigold. Bring the young coconut over HerbRain."

HerbRain ran to a small pile of green coconuts, one that was already split and she carefully brought it over.

"Coconut flesh to help the wound," said HealingWave, carefully peeling off a fleshy layer of the coconut and she carefully put it on the wound. After that was done, HealingWave put spiderwebs over the whole thing. "Don't do anything strenuous for the rest of the day," instructed HealingWave, "Tomorrow, come back so I can look at it."

Knowing that she was dismissed, she got to her paws and carefully made her way outside the healer's den and right into her mother. To make matters worse, next to her was WaveWhisker. StepClaw's father. StepClaw did not hate him. It was just that it was really awkward. He was not the kind of cat who sat around to take watch after his kits like BurningRusset, StepLight's father, did. Because of that she did not feel any real attachment to him. He was just another cat in the tribe.

"FastFlight told me what you did," said WaveWhisker quietly.

StepClaw looked away. What did he know about it? He wasn't there! He didn't see how SunTalon acted.

StepClaw noticed StepWing and StepShells watching her from the fresh-kill pile. Their expressions told her they felt sorry for her. She gave them a death stare and they quickly looked away.

"StepClaw," said WaveWhisker, his voice leaving no room to be distracted.

"StepClaw," said FastFlight, "How could you do something like that? Your mentor is somecat that will teach you how to become a warrior. You don't attack your mentor."

StepClaw looked down, her ears lowered. They did not understand her way of thinking at all! They did not get that she wanted to be a fighter. The best fighter of OceanTide. How would that dream happen if she was learning how to hunt?

"StepClaw," said WaveWhisker, "Your punishment is…"

StepStorm

StepStorm stepped into the tribe camp with StepLight right behind her. SpiralClam had taken her to ShiningFeather and the two learners had practiced listening to sound together. StepStorm had loved today's lesson. It was something she could do on equal footing as StepLight.

"StepClaw! What happened!" exclaimed StepLight, breaking StepStorm out of her thoughts.

StepStorm gasped in shock as she noticed the coconut wrapping around the brown she-cat's side. "StepClaw! What happened!?"

StepClaw glanced up at them. Her eyes were hard in anger. "Nothing happened."

"What are you talking about?" said StepTyphoon from the fresh-kill pile. A small silver half-eaten fish at his paws. "You attacked SunTalon. That's a big thing."

"You attacked your mentor!?" screeched StepLight and StepStorm.

StepClaw shot a glare at StepTyphoon. "Yeah. So what? It was his fault to begin with."

"But…but…" StepLight shook her head, "That's…I mean, how could you? What if ShiningFeather wants to kick you out of tribe? What if you have to stay in the elder's den now!" Her green eyes were wide in fright.

StepStorm hated it but she had to agree with StepLight. What if StepClaw had to leave because of this? What would she do?

"Relax," said StepClaw, "I'm not going anywhere….but WaveWhisker ended up getting involved with my punishment for it."

"Oh," said StepLight quietly.

"WaveWhisker?" asked StepStorm, not really sensing the mood. She ran through the names and faces of the tribe cats in her head. "Oh! The black tom. I remember him. He's training StepRiver." She was about to say more when she noticed the look on both she-cats' faces.

"He's StepClaw's father," said StepLight carefully.

"Oh?" StepStorm blinked. That was odd. She didn't know that. Of course she didn't know who her father was but her mother had always said it didn't matter.

"Don't worry about him," said StepClaw forcefully. "Anyway. My punishment is that I have to clean out the elders den as well as help out HealingWind or SpiritCave if they need me. Oh yeah. I also need to help out the kitters too."

"What about your warrior training!" cried StepLight, starting to get worked up again.

StepClaw shrugged, "WaveWhisker said to do my punishment in between my warrior training."

"That's insane!" cried StepStorm. She had seen how long it took the other learners to take care of the elders plus she needed to take care of the kitters and HealingWind and SpiritCave? How would she have time to do anything.

StepClaw shrugged. "Whatever. I'll get it done." She got to her paws. "Well, better get started." She headed for the elders cave in the back of the camp.

StepStorm watched her go. She turned to StepLight. "That's insane. Why would WaveWhisker do something like that?"

StepLight shook her head sadly. "WaveWhisker…is not the fatherly type at all. From what I heard, his parents were killed in a battle against ForestRose when he was only a young kit. It seems he didn't pick up any fatherly traits there. Plus he is FastFlight's second mate."

"Second?"

StepLight nodded. "SpiritCave and StepClaw are half-siblings. StepClaw told me that WaveWhisker feels inferior to LittleKelp, that was the name of FastFlight's first mate." She shook her head. "I still don't get it though. I mean if he was mean to SpiritCave it is one thing but he treats SpiritCave like every other cat does."

"That is odd," agreed StepStorm. She suddenly had a thought and began walking in the direction of the elders den.

"Where are you going?" asked StepLight.

"I'm going to help StepClaw," said StepStorm, looking back at her friend. "I mean, it is too much for her to handle."

StepLight's eyes widen and she shook her head vigorously. "No. That would not be a good idea."

"Huh?"

"StepClaw is prideful. She would not want your help. She thinks she can do everything herself. Just leave her. She won't accept your help. Take it from someone who has tried in the past." She gestured to the fresh-kill pile with her paw. "Shall we eat some fresh-kill now?"

StepStorm glanced in the direction of the elder's den but she knew StepLight was right. She sighed and walked over to the fresh-kill pile to have something to eat.