"Okay, where is his body?" Asked Thunderstar.
"Follow me. I will show you." I said, leading him out of camp.
As we walked, he said, "I'm sorry, Fawnpaw, for being so rude to you and calling you a killer." That made me a bit tense. a killer
"It's fine." I said in my typical soft, femine voice.
"Great." He said. Finally, we were by his body. "Wow... Looks like that badger clawed him badly in the face... I can barely see it... Poor Badgerpaw, he never even made it to be a warrior..." He said sadly.
"Yeah." I said, beginning to feel guilty... All over again. At least the rain was washing any sent away.
"Well, thanks for telling me where it is. Now I can have some strong cats take him to camp for a proper vigil. Lets go back to camp."
We arrived back at camp without a word, and Thunderstar gathered warriors to take Badgerpaw to camp for a vigil. I went into the medicine den and began to recite herbs. Suddenly, I heard pawsteps. "I have a thorn in my eye! Help!" I heard a cat wail.
"Okay, come right in." I said, trying to calm my nerves. I saw Eaglepaw. He lied down on the soft moss. I carefully tried to get it out, but each time I did, he would wince in pain. I knew Petalclaw was gone, so it was up to me to help Eaglepaw. "You must relax." I said in a soft calming voice. Then, I carefully pulled the splinter out, when I did, he winced then made a sigh of relief. "Now, lets get some honey on your eye, it will sting a little, but it will keep you from going blind and later, the pain will be gone." I said, grabbing some moss soaked with honey. I careully dripped a few drops in his eye. "Now blink." I said, he began to blink rapidly then stopped.
"It stings so bad!" He said.
"I told you it would. But trust me, later, it will get all better." I said with a smile.
"Well, thanks." He said, leaving.
"Any time!" I said. I'm doing pretty good at being a medicine cat apprentice! Wait till Petalclaw knows!
Suddenly, there were pawsteps and I saw Petalclaw. "Hey Fawnpaw." She said, storing the herbs she found.
"I finally did something!" I said exitedly.
"What did you do?"
"I took a thorn out of Eaglepaw's eye."
"Did you put honey on it after you took it out?"
"Yes!" I said happily.
"Good." Said Petalclaw.
"Thank you." I said respectfully, smiling.
"And... I'm sorry for making you angry that one day..."
"Oh, its fine." I said calmly, scavenging through the herbs, looking for dead ones to throw out.
"Okay, just keep doing well, I know you will." She said. Was that a smile I saw?
"Okay." I said, tossing dead herbs to the side.
"Oh, and could you please fetch some honey?"
"Sure."
"Wait, should I have someone escort you?"
"If you think it would be best."
"Okay, how about you pick someone."
"Sure." I said, running out. I ran over to Pondpaw who was just finishing her fresh kill. "Hey." I said.
"Oh, hey." She said slowly.
"What is it?"
"I just cant believe what happened that night."
"Oh, you find it hard to believe? I saw the fight and almost got killed!"
"True."
"So, can you come with me, I'm getting some honey."
"Isnt it only warriors?"
"Who cares? I doubt we'll get in trouble, many apprentices get away with it. lets go!"
We were finally by a tree with a bee hive on it. "There!" I said, jumping onto a branch.
"Be careful..." Said Pondpaw.
"I'm always careful!" I said.
"Sure."
"Okay fine." I chuckled. "I'm not. But I guess you gotta take risks."
"I guess."
I finally made it to the hive. I carefully pawed at it a few times till it was lose, then, I leaped knocking it down. It fell as I did and I landed perfectly. "Oh no! Bees!" I shouted, chuckling at the same time. Pondpaw ran with me and we both giggled as we ran from the bees, feeling like kits all over again. We ran as fast as we could. The bees were gone and we walked back, giggling and out of breath. "Hey can you hand me some moss?" I asked.
"Sure." She said, ripping some moss out of the ground and handing it to me. Then, I soaked it with honey and brought it back to camp.
Once we were at camp I said, "See, you didnt get in trouble."
"Yeah."
"See ya!" I said, waving my tail and running into the medicine den. "Got the honey!" I said cheerfully, setting it down, feeling quite confident about myself.
"Good. Hey, lets go for a walk." Said Petalclaw.
"Sure." I said, Walking out of the den and into the flowerpatch surrounding camp with her. "What is it."
"I just want to congratulate you, Fawnpaw. Your doing a wonderful job... Really."
"Well thanks." I said, sitting by a tree stump.
"I suppose all it took was more training."
"Yeah." I chuckled.
"It makes me proud to be related to you; Your mom's sister. She must be proud, too. Well, accually, she tells me she is! And you father does as well."
"Thats wonderful!" I said. Suddenly, I heard huge pawsteps and we both turned around. Badger! It came right toward me but Petalclaw ran right in the way. It hit her instead, knocking her down. "No!" I shouted, trying to run over to her but that badger stood in the way, glaring at me. It butted me with its head, knocking me down, but luckily, it didnt claw me or bite me. I lied down, perfectly still, breathing quietly so perhaps, it would think I was dead. Soon, it ran off. I carefully got up and ran as fast as my paws could take me to Petalclaw. "Petalclaw?" I said softly.
"F-Fawnpaw? Fawnpaw, are you okay?" She asked, still on the ground. I noticed that her stomach was torn... That must have been where its claws pierced her. I winced at the smell of blood.
"I'm fine. Your definately not, though. I'll help you to camp. Then, I get some herbs to help heal your wound, I'm sure it-"
"I'm so weak... Forget about me."
"No! I wont forget! I'm taking you to camp now... Please..."
"Fawnpaw..."
"Y-yes, Petalclaw."
"Remember, I'm proud of you."
"I'll always remember. Now, please, quit acting like your going to die... Please!" I begged, tears streaming down my cheeks. Her breathing became heavy and fast.
"I am going to die. Cant you tell? Look at me." She said. I looked at her torn stomach... I saw how her breathing was... She was right. I shut my eyes tightly and gritted my teeth. My nails dug into the grass, sinking into the dirt. "Be strong. A medicine cat must always be strong." She murmured.
"I wont forget you." I mumbled. Then, her eyes became blank and she stopped breathing. I gently shut her eyes for her, so it would look like she was sleeping and picked a little yellow flower and set it on her motionless body, tears still streamed down my face. She was far too young to die. Now, I had to take her place. And now, I had to grieve... A gentle breeze blew and the little flower blew away. I sighed. I must inform the clan...