Chapter 6
"Alright who's hurt?" Leafpool asked once they were safely back in camp. Even though she was injured as well, Leafpool took care of her Clan first. "Jaypaw, why are you limping on that paw?" Jaypaw looked down at her paws and noticed that she was indeed limping on it. Jaypaw didn't even get a chance to respond before Leafpool continued, "It looks twisted, maybe even broken, but let's pray to StarClan that it isn't. Brightheart, will you fetch me some comfrey."
Leafpool then turned her attention onto Squirrelflight and Foxfang, both who had swelling eyes. Leafpool looked at her storage of herbs and meowed, "Squirrelflight, I want to give you nettle leaves. Foxfang, yours isn't as serious so you should be fine with celandine." Making sure that the two cats followed Brightheart into her den, Leafpool turned to Stripepaw and began examining her, "You have a torn ear, but nothing too serious. I'll give you some poppy seeds to help you sleep.
"Dustpelt put some cobwebs on your eye. I don't care that you're not a medicine cat! You have a paw don't you? Sandstorm, you were knocked to the ground pretty hard. Ask Brightheart for some feverfew and then maybe something for your shoulder." Leafpool ordered and the padded up to Cloudtail and Brambleclaw. Sniffing their wounds, Leafpool meowed, "Follow Sandstorm and get either marigold or horse tail for your wounds. They stopped bleeding, but I'm worried about you getting an infection."
Cloudtail looked at Leafpool fondly and purred, "You get more like Cinderpelt everyday."
Leafpool flicked her ears in response and Sandstorm, Cloudtail, and Brambleclaw went into her den. Seconds later, Cinderheart padded out of the den and meowed, "Brightheart asked me to fetch some more nettle leaves for Squirrelflight. I know where to find them," Cinderheart snapped gently and- with a twinkle in her eyes- raced out of camp.
Jaypaw looked at Leafpool and was surprised when her mentor was staring after Cinderheart with a strange look in her eyes. "Leafpool?"
At the sound of her name, Leafpool seemed jolted back into the waking world. Her amber eyes still on where Cinderheart had stood a moment before, Leafpool meowed, "I hate it when she goes out of camp. She was almost crippled once. Moons before you were born. I always get scared that it's going to happen again." The sad note in Leafpool's voice made Jaypaw wonder. Cinderheart was Jaypaw's sister and therefore daughter of Sorreltail. Leafpool was talking as though Cinderheart was her kit.
Giving herself a little shake, Leafpool got to her paws and asked, her voice still sounding slightly sad, "Okay, what have you learned today?"
"Not to upset ShadowClan," Jaypaw purred, hoping to get a response out of Leafpool.
Leafpool just nodded and meowed, "Besides that."
"You showed me where I can find catmint. I learned that nettle leaves and celandine can help swollen eyes although nettle leaves are for worse injuries. Poppy seeds ease the pain and help you sleep. Cobwebs stop bleeding and marigold or horse tail can be used for infection." Jaypaw finished proudly, her head and her tail lifted proudly.
Leafpool nodded again, but her voice more alive when she praised, "Very good. I should be able to take care of the rest of the cats today. Why don't you see what the other apprentices are doing?"
Purring a thank you, Jaypaw padded over to the apprentices' den where Stripepaw was excitedly telling the other cats about the battle. "And then all of a sudden there was a ginger tom…"
"That sounds like Rowanclaw." Rosepaw interjected, "He's the only ginger tom in ShadowClan right now except for Flamepaw, but he's training to become a medicine cat apprentice."
"Well then Rowanclaw came out of no where and I thought I was a goner and then- oh hey Jaypaw!" Stripepaw exclaimed and bounded over to touch noses with Jaypaw. "I was just telling them about the battle. Why don't you tell them how you fought of Rowanclaw?"
The other apprentices gathered around Jaypaw with wide eyes. Jaypaw flicked her ears and meowed, "Well I heard a squeal and I whirled around and there was Stripepaw being held up- you said his name was Rowanclaw? Well then I got angry and it really was kind of stupid, but I jumped onto Rowanclaw's back. I clawed at his face and I think in surprise more than pain, Rowanclaw let go of Stripepaw. I then basically just fought him off."
There was silence and then Rosepaw asked excitedly, "Can you show me that fighting move?"
"Sure," Jaypaw meowed and continued, "Okay Rosepaw, why don't you attack Toadpaw? I'll use the move I used today except with sheathed claws."
Rosepaw and Toadpaw nodded and got to their paws. Rosepaw turned her back on Jaypaw and began stalking towards Toadpaw. Jaypaw then flung herself in the air and landed on Rosepaw's back. With sheathed paws, Jaypaw patted at Rosepaw's face and the apprentice rolled over in surprise. The two cats sprang apart from each other and sat down again.
"Wow that was really neat," Briarpaw meowed in awe and Bumblepaw and Blossompaw nodded their eyes wide.
"I agree, Briarpaw," A voice meowed in agreement and every whirled around to see Lionblaze and Hollyleaf padding towards them. Lionblaze turned to Rosepaw and meowed, "How about everyone tries it on me? This could be a really useful technique in battle."
Rosepaw nodded and flung herself on top of Lionblaze, patting at the golden warrior's face with sheathed paws. Jaypaw purred with amusement and turned to see if Hollyleaf was watching her brother roll around with the apprentices. To Jaypaw's surprise, Hollyleaf's green eyes were not on Lionblaze or the apprentices. They were on her!
Catching Jaypaw's eye, Hollyleaf flicked her paw for the golden brown apprentice to come closer. When their pelts were almost touching, Hollyleaf meowed, "That was an impressive move." Jaypaw didn't know what to say. Jaypaw had spoken to Hollyleaf before, but it was always as a kit questioning what it was like to be a warrior and then she always had her friends with her. "You have the makings of a fine warrior." Hollyleaf paused and the continued, "Are you sure you want to be a medicine cat? You won't be able to fight like you did today and you won't be able to go out on patrols or out hunting. You won't be able to have kits." At those words, Hollyleaf's eyes darted to Leafpool's den where the light brown she-cat was pressing cobwebs onto one of Squirrelflight's wounds.
"I want to be important to my Clan," Jaypaw whispered, causing Hollyleaf's eyes to snap back to her. In a gentle voice, Hollyleaf countered her words, "But you can be important to your Clan even if you're not a medicine cat. Do you think Foxfang isn't important because he doesn't know all the herbs? Or that Dustpelt means less than a medicine cat because he doesn't talk to StarClan?"
"No, but," Jaypaw began, but Hollyleaf cut her off, "Find out where you belong, Jaypaw. I had some trouble too when I was a first apprenticed, but I found my way. I know for certain that you can find yours." Jaypaw watched with confusion as Hollyleaf padded away. What did the black she-cat mean?
