When Rainbowheart woke up, she could see sunlight seeping through the burrow entrance. Looking around her, she noticed that Streak and the kits were huddled together in a corner. The sight of the three kin together brought a bit of sadness to her, though also a light happiness.
At least the kits have someone to look after them while their mother is getting better…. I'm sure Streak is still tired from yesterday. I should have probably treated her wounds too though. Just now realizing this, the cat hissed to herself for being a scatter brain and not thinking to also treat- the black she-cat.
The memory of last night's chat with Foxflower then hit her thoughts. Great, now I have to keep an eye out for anything pertaining to what the old flea-pelt said, she thought to herself silently. She thought she was supposed to be making a new Clan, not play I Spy and watch out for what was going to probably end up attacking her and anyone near her.
Rainbowheart's attention was averted from her thoughts at the sudden stirring of Streak. Seeing that she was beginning to wake, Rainbowheart got up and stretched, padding over to Jade who was still sleeping soundly. She looked at the pile of herbs next to the injured cat and took note there were very few left. Sorting through them, the thought to restock crossed her mind.
The black form of Streak soon joined Rainbowheart, the she-cat yawning off sleep that was clearly still there in abundance. "How is she doing?" There was definite worry in her tone. Streak may have almost lost her sister, so she was right to be worried.
The warrior looked over at Streak, flicking her black ear. "Don't worry, I know it may not seem like it, but she'll be just fine now and with more treatment, she should be up and walking around in a couple of days." She thought that this news would make Streak happy, but she could see that something was troubling the young cat.
"It's just that, we were supposed to meet up with some more cats… Friends if you could call them that, though they're more like acquaintances. They're going to be worried about where we are…" Streak shifted her eyes to the burrow entrance, before looking at the other she-cat once more. "I'm sorry, I must be sounding like I'm complaining but… how long will we have to stay around here before my sister gets better?"
Rainbowheart just touched her tail to the black she-cat's shoulder, eyes sparking with curiosity as to what had the cat really wanting to leave so soon. "I'm sorry, but it will take a couple more days before she's good to walk longer distances. If she tried to walk now, then she might collapse from exhaustion or her wound would open up." Informing the cat on these facts, she soon began to redress Jade's wounds.
Out of the corner of her sight, she saw Streak give another worried glance to the exit, and wondered maybe if the cat was thinking that the fox from yesterday might return. "Streak, how about letting me treat your wounds?" Rainbowheart asked this, mainly to get the cat to stop fidgeting but also because she couldn't have another cat to take care of, bleeding into old moss.
"And then I'd like some help cleaning the moss out around your sister; it's not good to keep her on bedding that's riddled with dried blood. After that, you can help me catch us something to eat." All of these things she asked of Streak were essential to them all right now, and it looked as if none of them had had a good meal in a while.
The black cat had completely forgotten about her own injuries, and just now seemed to take notice to the marks on her body that stung. There was no real complaining from Streak about having her wounds seen to, though she was unsure about the command to help with hunting. Sitting there in place, she let Rainbowheart tend to her wounds, letting out an occasional hiss from the stinging of the herbs.
It was while the Rainbowheart finished up, that Streak silently thought to herself how useful herbs could be. She never imagined that such simple things as plants could be used to save someone from the verge of death. In her mind, she made a note to herself to ask about them later, for future purposes on the run with her kin.
After treating Streak's wounds, Rainbowheart did a quick check-up on the kits. "Hmm… you both seem fine. Do you feel funny, or hurt anywhere?" She ran a paw over Sparrow's fur, and scented for any dried up cuts.
The little white-spotted she-kit shook her head, "Nope, mama made sure that we were safe and didn't get hurt."
"Like any good mother would," Rainbowheart replied to the kit and then moved on to Topaz, going over his fur as well. Briefly out of the corner of her eye, Rainbowheart thought that she saw Streak's face sadden for some reason.
"Did your mom protect you when you were a kit?"
The golden tom's question caught Rainbowheart guard.
"Um… well, sort of," she answered, unsure of how to reply. She gave his fur a sniff, searching for any signs of cuts.
"What do you mean? She took care of you didn't she?" Topaz persisted, his blue eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Rainbowheart backed away, head tilted down and eyes gazing at the wall. Memories of kithood flooded to her; some good, a lot bad. "My mother loved me, but she didn't understand me. Sometimes, I wish she had…" she muttered sadly.
Topaz flattened his ears, sensing the older cat's mood, "I'm sorry for asking."
Rainbowheart touched Topaz with her tail, "It's alright. You learn things by asking questions, and it's always good to ask them."
"So can you tell us where you came from?" Sparrow piped up.
"Or what you're doing here?" Topaz questioned, shoving Sparrow aside.
"Were you scared when you fought that fox?"
"What's the biggest thing you've ever fought?"
"Your name is funny, why do you have it?"
An onslaught of questions came at Rainbowheart, and she began to wonder if telling the kits that questions were good, was an intelligent idea.
Streak sighed, rolling her eyes and ushering the kits away with her tail. "Come on you two, I think Rainbowheart has had enough questions for now. How about helping us with changing your mom's bedding?"
The kits brightened up. "Okay!" They ran over to where Jade was resting, and began to pull away the moss that she wasn't laying on.
Streak shook her head, "Kits can be quite overbearing at times."
Rainbowheart nodded in agreement, "It does make you remember that once we were kits too though." She stretched out, suddenly padding away. "Come on, while they're doing that, we can gather some more moss. I found a good patch of some last night while you all were asleep."
Without a word, Streak followed soundlessly, save for the padding of her paws on the ground. She kept pace with her new companion, as they made their way to a large rock. Looking closely, she could see that there was nice soft moss, growing at the base. Seeing Rainbowheart grab some, she also picked a mouthful, and they then both headed back.
When they got back inside of the burrow, both she-cats were surprised to see Jade was awake. The white queen was lying up, with the kits squealing with delight around her. She noticed the two cats that had just come in, and turned to greet them with a flick of her ears.
Streak had quickly padded all the way over to her sister and rubbed her head against hers in pure joy.
Rainbowheart sat down, noting Jade's positive condition, "You seem to be doing well. How are you feeling in general?" She could see that the white cat was breathing heavily; most likely Jade's wounds that she received still hurt. She placed her moss with Streak's, and padded over to her little supply of herbs.
Jade turned her attention back to the black-and-white cat, "I am doing much better, thanks to you. I am eternally grateful for your help. I am sorry that there is nothing that we can do to return the favor of saving us yesterday."
Rainbowheart chewed up a poultice, and placed it on a leaf. "There is no need for that. I'm making Streak hunt with me later so that we can all be fed." She gently placed the leaf onto the gash on Jade's chest. Jade hissed from the stinging, but Rainbowheart didn't let up, knowing that the herbs were helping with keeping her wounds from getting infected.
"Well we could use a good meal. The skies above know we haven't had any food in a while." Jade's voice seemed a bit weary, and she looked exhausted again. Her injuries were definitely getting the best of her, along with the possible lack of nutrition.
Rainbowheart took the leaf away from Jade's chest, and placed it to the side. "You should probably get some more rest while we go hunting." She looked over to the kits who were arguing over the new moss for the bedding. "If you can get any rest that is..."
Jade purred with humor in her voice, "I've rested enough for now. You just do what you need to do."
The burrow was cleaned with ease, with both Rainbowheart and Streak on the job. Jade's bedding was replaced, and all manner of used herbs and filthy moss were deposited outside of the burrow. With that done, it was now time to hunt.
From where they were, Rainbowheart realized the burrow wasn't very well-hidden and worry crept into her head. "We should probably cover up the entrance, so nothing tries to get inside while we're away." She padded over to some torn up brush. It looked like something had decided to take its anger out a bush.
Maybe it was that fox yesterday. The thought came to Rainbowheart, but whatever had done it, it had left a large amount of dismembered brush pieces. She looked around, until she saw a big enough piece to cover the burrow.
"That looks like it'll do. Streak, come over here and help me." Rainbowheart picked up one side, clamping her jaws down on several small branches. When Streak picked up the other side, both she-cats began leading the broken brush into the burrow, only stopping when it was wedged in enough, and looked natural. A few more bits of brush were placed in front, just in case; it paid to be careful.
Streak looked on in pride at their work, "It doesn't even look it was a burrow."
"That's good; nothing will think twice that it could possibly be our den." Rainbowheart looked up at the sky. It was sun-high right now. "Come on, we should start hunting." She walked off into the forest with her companion trailing behind her.
Hidden among the bushes, three pairs of eyes watched Rainbowheart and Streak pad away from the hidden burrow. Curiosity pricked at the minds of the felines who had stumbled upon the scene. Caution was also present, but they all recognized at least one of the two cats who had walked off.
Each of the spying cats gave the other a look before, in silent agreement, they decided to follow the she-cats.
They would be as quiet as possible.