Chapter 7 | Catmint

As Lightningpaw bounded through the woods in search of prey, he thought about the past moon. It was now solidly leaf-fall. He had basically been out for seven sunrises, and it was twelve sunrises before he could even sit up in his nest. Scars were permanently left on his body, especially his face, and his stomach wound had finally closed up.

Lightningpaw paused when he picked up a scent, one he had only smelled once when WaterClan was still alive. Deer! He picked up his pace and saw a huge herd of fat deer grazing near the grassy shore of the brook. Picking out a young buck near the edge, he slowly began to creep up on it. Then, he leaped out of the trees and sank his teeth squarely into the buck's throat. The other deer hadn't noticed, and Lightningpaw took this to his advantage; he picked out a big, nearly full-grown fawn, and quietly killed it also.

As Lightningpaw returned to the camp dragging one deer using his teeth and with the other draped across his back, Sparrowstar came racing up to him and gasped, "How did you ever catch those deer! It takes a whole pack to take down a deer! We'll be well fed for moons!"

Swiftbreeze came hurrying out of her den, and her eyes widened at the vast amount of meat. Yellowtail came, emerging from the camp entrance with her jaws laden with fresh-kill. Sparrowstar announced, "We should have a feast to fatten ourselves for leaf-bare." The others agreed, and tucked into the delicious meat.

Swiftbreeze shivered in the cold wind that pierced through the medicine den. Two moons had passed since Lightningpaw had taken down the deer. It was now leaf-bare. Swiftbreeze's thin, smooth fur did nothing to help keep the cold out. She ventured into the clearing, feeling the wind hit her like a claw. Lightningpaw had taken the early-morning watch. He looked positively cheerful.

"Good morning, Swiftbreeze!" he said brightly.

"G-good morning," she replied, shivering. "How are you not cold?"

"I have thick fur."

As Swiftbreeze eyed Lightningpaw's incredibly thick fur, Yellowtail emerged from the warriors' den. "I can taste snow on the air. We should move into the Cold Cave, it's probably warmer there than up here. The ground insulates it."

"It probably is," agreed Swiftbreeze, stamping over to the log. "Come on. The log will keep the snow out." They jumped into the cave, Lightningpaw putting the log back as he went.

They shared two squirrels from the storage place, and then the lions curled up in the moss while Lightningpaw lapped water from the stream.

Swiftbreeze announced, "So here's what we have. We have four and a half deer, seven squirrels, thirteen mice, four voles, four rabbits, three fish, four blackbirds, five other birds, herbs, water, and moss."

Yellowtail coughed.

Immediately Swiftbreeze was by her side. "We can't have any sickness." She checked her herb storage. "I'm out of catmint. Lightningpaw, could you get some? It's close to the beginning of the stream. You go there and head toward the Old Pine."

"Okay," Lightningpaw agreed, and climbed out the exit, making sure to replace the log. A few snowflakes drifted in.

"I guess it's starting to snow," Swiftbreeze sighed, and returned to checking Yellowtail. "Yellowtail, you have whitecough. It could easily turn to greencough, and I don't want you sick. Here, I've got some herbs, although what you really need is catmint."

Swiftbreeze gave Yellowtail some tansy to stop coughing, feverfew and lavender to bring down fever, and borage to strengthen her.

After a while, Lightningpaw returned with a few scratches on his muzzle and one shriveled leaf of catmint.

"What happened?" Swiftbreeze asked.

"There was a patrol of FrostClan warriors," Lightningpaw explained, "and they were invading. When they saw me, they fled, but they'd trampled over the catmint. There was only this left." He held up his blackened herb.

Swiftbreeze sighed. "That won't be worth much but if worst comes to worst, I'll need to use that." She put it into her storage.

"I can go look for more. I think I saw some near where I defeated those two apprentices of FrostClan," Lightningpaw offered immediately.

"Well, I don't want you to get sick," Swiftbreeze objected, "but then again, you have the thickest fur I've ever seen. Go ahead and find some." Lightningpaw nodded and bounded out of the Cave.

Quickly, Swiftbreeze put together a soft, warm nest for Yellowtail, who curled up gratefully. "Just go to sleep," Swiftbreeze whispered soothingly. "Lightningpaw will find catmint for you." I hope…

Lightningpaw trotted through the forest, sniffing for the enticing herb. His sharp eyes scanned the forest floor, when he saw a trail leading through the woods. At the same time, he smelled an unfamiliar but mouth-watering scent.

All thoughts of finding catmint were forgotten as he followed the trail. Then, in the small grassy meadow, he saw them. They were white with big black spots; they were shorter than deer, but far fatter. Swiftbreeze will be glad for the extra prey, he thought. He crept up onto the unsuspecting creatures and neatly brought down three of them.

As he started dragging the huge creatures back to camp, he spotted a small patch of little green shoots with an enticing scent- catmint!

He hurried back to camp, dragging the prey behind him. When he dropped them into the Cold Cave, Swiftbreeze looked up at him and asked, "What are those creatures? And I thought I told you to find catmint, not hunt!"

Lightningpaw responded, "I have no idea what these prey-creatures are, but they smelled really good."

"Always thinking with his nose," Swiftbreeze muttered under her breath.

"But I did find catmint, and it was untouched," Lightningpaw continued; at this, Swiftbreeze brightened. "And I'll go get it right now," finished Lightningpaw as he leaped out of the cave. He disappeared through the fern tunnel.

Lightningpaw trotted along briskly through the woods, relishing the feeling of the cold air on his face and the ability of being able to serve his Clan.

As the catmint came into view, so did a ThornClan warrior- Sharpclaw, one of the most feared warriors. He was rumored to be more vicious than Petalfang from SnowClan and Snakeheart from FrostClan put together. Even though Lightningpaw was a fearsome wolf, he still didn't want to fight Sharpclaw. But it was too late; Sharpclaw had spotted him.

"I see you," he growled malevolently. "Come out if you don't want me to kill your precious catmint."

Lightningpaw bared his fangs, and his neck fur bristled. "How long have you been on my territory?" he asked him furiously.

"A long time. That's how that warrior from FrostClan knew Swiftbreeze's name when he asked about the Howl Time, you know."

"You've been spying for FrostClan?!"

"For a while now."

"Well, that's over now," Lightningpaw spat. "Get off my territory now."

Sharpclaw looked up abruptly. The tone of his voice turned cold. "Make me."

Lightningpaw couldn't back down from a challenge like that. He sprang onto Sharpclaw's back. Just as he was about to land, something smacked him in the jaw, hard. Another something pinned him down and something else stuffed its tail in his jaw.

"Mmph!" Lightningpaw protested.

His vision cleared. The three somethings were all wolf warriors from ThornClan. Lightningpaw longed to be out of the trap and beating their tiny brains out, but he couldn't move, just like the dream he'd had the previous greenleaf.

Sharpclaw told him, "I think I'll keep spying. After all, all you have to try and beat me is you-" he stifled laughter here- "and you're only an apprentice. Then there's that hunter lion, Yellowtail, who could probably beat me if I were a mouse. And then there's Swiftbreeze. What use is a weak medicine lion who can only heal her hunter's whitecough if she has a specific herb?" Sharpclaw plucked one catmint plant, grinding his heel into the rest. Lightningpaw struggled more, but it was no use.

"If you want this, stop resisting and let yourself be captured. If you do that, before we take you back to camp, you can bring this catmint back to your 'Clanmates'." Lightningpaw had no idea why that was in quotes, but it was probably to make him question himself. "If not…" He made as if to crush the catmint.

"In the end, it's your choice, Lightningpaw. Save Yellowtail and let yourself be captured. Let your only chance at catmint go and save yourself. Either way will weaken your Clan. Or… you could try and attack me. But I wouldn't do that. We'd flay you and kill you, and then visit your Cold Cave to kill WaterClan too. Again, it's your choice." Lightningpaw had been considering fighting, but now he wouldn't. He would be willing to sacrifice himself for WaterClan, but the lions- and WaterClan- wouldn't survive without him.

"Don't waste my time," Sharpclaw growled. "I've got better things to do that to ultimately destroy your life."

Lightningpaw thought he pretty much summed up his choice right there.

Then a familiar voice jeered, "Cowards! You must be scared to face my son alone, because you brought your pitiful cowardly friends!"

The grip on Lightningpaw's assailants loosened and he turned to look at the voice. It was Stormstar, with Sparrowstar and Silverflame!

Feeling encouraged, he sprang to his paws and began to attack the ThornClan warriors. With a blood-curdling roar, he leapt onto Sharpclaw's back and churned his hind legs. Sharpclaw roared in pain and quickly dropped and rolled. Lightningpaw shook himself free at the last second and while Sharpclaw was still woozy from his roll, sliced up his muzzle. Sharpclaw roared again and reared up, battering Lightningpaw's head. Lightningpaw tried to slice his stomach, but Sharpclaw smacked his paw.

Lightningpaw ducked and swept out Sharpclaw's legs, and they grappled until Lightningpaw had Sharpclaw pinned. Lightningpaw twisted his legs painfully and when Sharpclaw begged him not to kill him, Lightningpaw growled, "I have spared your life, but will not hesitate to kill you if you trespass again. Do not come back. " Lightningpaw swiped his claws across Sharpclaw's muzzle and kicked him away, back towards ThornClan territory. Sharpclaw dashed across the clearing.

Lightningpaw turned to see how the MoonClan warriors were doing. Stormstar was clawing five warriors at once. As Lightningpaw watched, one by one they fled back to their own Clan.

Silverflame and Sparrowstar were having similar success. All of the ThornClan warriors had gone. The MoonClan warriors smiled and disappeared. Lightningpaw watched them go, then turned to go back to the Cold Cave. But he had a feeling he'd forgotten something.

He stopped cold and ran back. The catmint! He hoped it hadn't been crushed in battle. Yellowtail needed that scrap of herb before she developed greencough. He searched for it restlessly, obsessively, but he couldn't find it.

"Looking for something?"

Lightningpaw turned around slowly. Sharpclaw stood there, grinning maniacally. Underneath his raised paw was the catmint. His paw came down-

"Stop!" Lightningpaw cried. "No!"

Sharpclaw stopped and turned to Lightningpaw viciously. "Why shouldn't I? Isn't it in my best interests to weaken your Clan?"

"That's rivalry!" Lightningpaw snarled. "This is indirect murder!"

"I'll tell you what. I'll destroy this catmint, and I won't spy on you anymore."

"No deal! Stop!"

"No deal? I guess I'll just destroy this and keep spying on you."

Lightningpaw saw that nothing was going to stop Sharpclaw from destroying the catmint. He had no choice but to attack; without warning, he leapt silently into the air and landed squarely on Sharpclaw's shoulders, driving him away from the catmint. Sharpclaw snarled, but then cried out in pain as Lightningpaw twisted his collarbone and fractured it with a sickening crack. Then he twisted his ankles, spraining them, causing Sharpclaw to howl in pain.

Sharpclaw yowled loudly. "You- you broke my collarbone!" he whispered in disbelief.

"Yes, I did," Lightningpaw told him. "And I will not hesitate to do more damage if you keep spying on my territory."

Sharpclaw gave him one last hate-filled look and limped away to his territory.

Lightningpaw watched him go, and then glanced around for the catmint. Where did it go? Finally he found it: torn to shreds and blackened in the scuffed ground.

No.

Lightningpaw steeled himself. Even if the catmint was gone, WaterClan would still survive. He glanced around, and recognizing the pungent scent of tansy and marigold, jumped into a thornbush.

OW! He couldn't delay, though. Lightningpaw fought his way through the thorns and found a tansy plant and marigold leaves, hidden from frost by the thornbush. Feeling as though he'd failed Yellowtail, Lightningpaw grabbed the herbs and turned sharply and scooped up a small catmint leaf. He stared at it. He hadn't failed Yellowtail after all! He picked up the herbs and dashed back to the Cold Cave. Yellowtail wouldn't die. He'd make sure of that.

Just in case you were wondering, the black and white creatures are cows.