Moonlight poured itself into the cave that made up the medicine cat den. Staring at the moon with a strange sense of longing was Sparrowpaw. The mute apprentice casted his gaze over to Nightpaw's empty nest. Sparrowpaw didn't know what the medicine cat apprentice did during the long nights he was gone for, just that whatever it was clearly took a toll on the younger tom. Sparrowpaw took his eyes away from the empty nest, instead he gave his own dark red paws a longing stare.
"It's not like I can ask Nightpaw," Sparrowpaw opened his mouth and moved his tonage that should have spoken that sentence but as always found himself unable to make a sound. Sparrowpaw drew his gaze back to the waning full moon.
Chills of leaf-bare where drifting in, making Sparrowpaw shudder, it was going to be his first, and at this rate he'd spend all of it in the medicine den. Sparrowpaw rested his head on his paws, trying to find slumber in a mess of muddles thoughts and doubt.
Nightpaw panted, his breath coming out in short labored gasps. Mosseye had offered him what he wanted, Warrior training.
"Again, but don't jump so soon," Mosseye said, her voice low and quiet. The fox was still scampering around the Valley. Nightpaw did as instructed, but he could tell he was slowing down, his weariness was affecting his movements more and more. Mosseye swatted him out of the air. It was a powerful blow to Nightpaw's ribs that he responded with a hiss of pain as the bones bent instead of breaking to take the damage.
Mosseye stood over him, her green eyes digging into his bright amber ones. "You're slowing down," Mosseye said.
Nightpaw wheezed, "Sorry."
Mosseye scowled a bit, trying to hide her disappointment in the darkness, but failed in the bright moon light. "Do better," was her only reply.
Nightpaw stood up, regaining his balance as well as he could on shaky legs.
Mosseye noticed her pupil's struggles.
"Head back to camp, we're done for tonight."
Nightpaw looked at Mosseye gratefully, and trudge back to camp, hoping he had enough strength to make the small leap into camp. Ravenfur, who was on guard tonight greeted him.
"Where's Mosseye?" She asked, her voice worn and tired from patrolling the outside of the camp. Nightpaw shook his head, "I don't know, I don't think she's far behind."
Ravenfur nodded, "Goodnight Nightpaw."
Nightpaw never thought he'd be so happy that he slept in the medicine cat den and not the normal apprentice's den, seeing as it was much closer to the camp entrance and exits.
Sparrowpaw's curious gaze greeted Nightpaw.
"Don't tell Streamstep, please," Nightpaw begged quietly.
Sparrowpaw shrugged and nodded.
Nightpaw beamed his thanks to the mute apprentice before snuggling into his nest.
Streamstep woke Nightpaw all too soon, earning a muffled grumble from the worn apprentice.
"Come now, we need to go get more herbs, I felt leaf-bare settling in last night," Streamstep mewed impatiently.
Nightpaw slowing rose to his paws, hoping that Mosseye would give him the night off so he could get a good night's sleep for once. Streamstep watched Nightpaw as he gave Sparrowpaw his herbs and the last bit of honey. Nightpaw wasn't really sure why Streamstep was still treating Sparrowpaw. The two apprentices both knew he wasn't getting his voice back, the fox had left more than just scars around his throat.
"Do we need more honey?" Nightpaw asked with a yawn.
Streamstep nodded, "What else are we running low on?"
Nightpaw surveyed the piles of leaves and berries they had carefully sorted though yesterday. Nightpaw knew that Streamstep knew what they were running low on, and that this was a test to see how well Nightpaw knew where everything was.
"Marigold, dock root, and bodge leaves," Nightpaw said. Looking over all the herbs again before he asked, "And more of those red berries," Nightpaw added.
Streamstep flinched a little, "We don't need anymore of those," she replied.
Nightpaw followed Streamstep out of camp with Redclaw and Frostfoot in tow.
"What are those berries anyway?" Nightpaw asked.
Streamstep let out a sigh, "Deathberries, my mentor used them on cats who couldn't be saved. He used them on cats who had the worst- nevermind, I don't use them and you shouldn't use them either, just one of those berries will kill you."
Nightpaw turned his gaze to the ground, Streamstep didn't like talking about her mentor, and from what he'd gathered off the elders, Hawkpelt good person, a bit harsh and strict, but his heart was always in the right place.
With a mouthful bitter bodge leaves, Nightpaw's senses were dulled, and he wouldn't have noticed the fox behind him if it weren't for Frostfoot's cry, "Fox!"
Nightpaw dropped the leaves and ran to the warriors in the party. Redclaw and Frostfoot where both young warriors, and Nightpaw doubted that they alone could bring down the fox.
Redclaw flung himself into the fox, which was so much bigger than Nightpaw thought foxes could be.
"Nightpaw! Get to camp!" Frostfoot yelled, before she threw herself at the fox, buying both Nightpaw and Streamstep time to get to camp. Nightpaw ran, and he could feel his heart pounding, but he could feel his pelt burning with shame, that fox killed Brushcall. And Hollypaw. Nightpaw didn't stop, he ran all the way back to camp. Nightpaw hated himself for it too. His brother's murder was right there!
Streamstep called out for more warriors to go to help fight the fox, but it was in vain. Redclaw was all but carrying a heavily bleeding Frostfoot. Nightpaw ran to the den, he had to stop the bleeding. He yelled at Sparrowpaw to help him, telling him to grab as many cobwebs as he could. The two apprentices rushed into action, Streamstep stayed by Frostfoot's side, taking cobwebs from Sparrowpaw. The two medicine cats began covering Frostfoot as best as they could, doing their best to stop the bleeding.
"What of the fox?" Mosseye asked, her voice full of scorn. "Did you kill it or lead it back to camp?"
Redclaw let out an indignant huff, we chased it off, if you send a party now you might be able to kill it, I would've myself if Frostfoot's life wasn't in danger."
"Ravenfur, Creamscar, Blizzardpelt, and Quickheart!" Mosseye shouted, "Go after the fox, rid us of this Starclan forsaken once and for all!" All four of the seasoned warriors dashed out of the camp.
Nightpaw felt his shame grow, he should be the one to kill the fox. Not them. Nightpaw searched for Stonepaw, but she was nowhere to be found. His eyes fell on Sunpaw, who was now running into camp, "The fox!" She panted.
Nightpaw kept his eyes on the camp entrance, "It attacked Darkblaze's patrol, and-" Sunpaw choked on a cry of grief, "It got Stonepaw!" Nightpaw felt his world shift,
"Stonepaw?" He said quietly, feeling the world spin. Was that fox going to rob him of his last littermate to?
Nightpaw heard Grassroot's strangled cry, the same cry she'd given when Brushcall had died all those moons ago.