Chapter 8 | Newleaf
Swiftbreeze scraped the last bits of tansy out of the store. It's barely leaf-bare and I'm already out of tansy! It's just the time when herbs are going bad and blackening, too.
She added some feverfew to the herbs and added a bit of honey, and then took the wrap to Yellowtail. Her condition was steadily getting worse. Her whitecough was on the verge of becoming greencough. Swiftbreeze had no intention of letting that happen. She knew that sooner or later she herself would get sick if she didn't quarantine Yellowtail in a small part of the Cold Cave, but only greencough was contagious. Besides, even if Yellowtail did get greencough, she would be continue to be cared for. Swiftbreeze didn't want to get sick, but she would not let her best friend die.
She gave the herbs to Yellowtail and checked her breathing. Her breathing hadn't quite developed into greencough yet, but without care, by the next sunrise Yellowtail would have greencough. Yellowtail's fever was increasing, so Swiftbreeze took her out of the warm moss and situated her on the cold rock. It would be more uncomfortable, but Swiftbreeze didn't want her overheating.
Swiftbreeze ate a bit of the weird black-and-white creatures that Lightningpaw had brought back. They tasted sort of weird, but it was food. At the Regional Zoo, they had been called "caows" or something like that.
Swiftbreeze broke off a tender piece of a young caow and gave it to Yellowtail. She stared at it, her eyes glazed, until she recognized the prey and ate it quickly.
Paws thumped aboveground and Lightningpaw lowered himself into the Cold Cave and explained what had happened with Sharpclaw. As he did so, Swiftbreeze fed Yellowtail the herbs that he'd found.
"Is she cured?" Lightningpaw asked anxiously.
"Almost. I've delayed the onset of greencough but she needs at least two more leaves of catmint to be fully healthy."
"Let me go to Twolegplace and find some. If I am to rebuild this Clan, I will not let my Clanmates die." Lightningpaw looked Swiftbreeze squarely in the eye, as if daring her to say no.
Swiftbreeze sighed, and responded, "It's almost dark-"
"You know I can see very well in the dark."
"Yes, I know that. As I was saying, I think you are perfectly capable of going to Twolegplace and back by morning, but, you need your rest. You've had a long day, and I still haven't treated your wounds."
"Yellowtail needs you more than I do."
"I know." Swiftbreeze sighed heavily. Lightningpaw was fiercely loyal, but she was worried he was working himself too hard. "Let me treat your wounds, and then you should take a short nap. Eat some fresh-kill too. Then you can go to Twolegplace and find catmint."
"So, at Twolegplace there are dogs-"
"What are dogs?" interrupted Lightningpaw. Swiftbreeze was explaining to Lightningpaw how Twolegplaces worked. She'd learned about them when she lived in the Regional Zoo.
"Dogs are like wolves, but smaller and less fierce. If a dog bothers you, just show them your teeth and fluff up your fur and they'll probably run away. If they pick a fight, don't worry, they're soft and untrained," Swiftbreeze explained. "Also, there are bright lights in Twolegplace and really hard rock that is the ground over there. Catmint is usually found in gardens. Gardens are little patches of soil with plants planted by Twolegs. Now go, and be safe!"
Lightningpaw bounded out of the Cold Cave and headed toward Twolegplace with a steady run. As he easily jumped streams and rocks, he thought, Yellowtail will get better. I'll see to that.
When he reached the border, he paused. Taking one last look back towards the camp, he trotted over the border and crept along toward Twolegplace.
Bright lights greeted him as he stalked along the hard, stinky ground. Lightningpaw squinted and began to sniff for catmint, but all he smelled was the stench of Thunderpaths. He sprang back, snarling, as a monster sped by, buffeting his fur. Swiftbreeze never told me about those… those… things. Lightningpaw shook out his pelt and moved on.
Finally, after being chased by monsters, howled at by Twolegs, and basically having a terrifying night, Lightningpaw reached a garden that smelled of catmint. He bunched his muscles and leaped over the fence nimbly as a deer; when he crossed the fence, a small creature came running up to him, yapping annoyingly. That must be a dog, like what Swiftbreeze told me about, thought Lightningpaw. He snarled and showed his fangs, but the dog stayed put, barking furiously.
Lightningpaw, completely unconcerned by this annoying little dog, merely swiped a hefty paw at the dog, swatting it away like a pesky fly. The dog yelped and sprang away, but came creeping back again. Is the little creature so dumb that it would really pick a fight with me? thought Lightningpaw. He bared his teeth and snarled, swiping at the dog and sank his claws into its soft flesh. Then he sank his teeth deep into the dog's scruff, causing it to bark loudly in pain.
Suddenly, a door opened and a Twoleg stood there, barking, but when he saw Lightningpaw, he yelled loudly and raced back into the den.
Lightningpaw hurriedly found the catmint (nine leaves!) and bounded back over the fence and into his own territory before the Twoleg could catch him.
"Nine leaves!" gasped Swiftbreeze when Lightningpaw showed her the catmint he had collected. "Great job!"
Lightningpaw ducked his head in embarrassment, and responded, "Yeah, but this annoying dog kept yapping at me. I taught it a lesson it will never forget."
"You didn't... kill it... did you?" asked Swiftbreeze.
Lightningpaw stared at her in shock. "I would never kill anything that isn't prey! It's against the warrior code! I just scratched its back and bit his scruff."
"Thank you for getting the catmint, Lightningpaw," whispered Yellowtail from her nest.
Lightningpaw gave her an affectionate lick on her ears and said, "I'm glad I could help."
Swiftbreeze made an herb wrap of two of the catmint leaves mixed with honey so that Yellowtail's rough throat could swallow it easier. She picked up the wrap in her jaws, careful not to swallow any of the enticing juices, and dropped it in front of Yellowtail. "Here you go, Yellowtail. Eat this and take a nap. You'll be cured by morning."
Yellowtail ate the wrap quickly and settled down for a nap.
Swiftbreeze turned to Lightningpaw. "You too, Lightningpaw. I need you to be up by dawn to hunt. That's when the nocturnal prey will most likely be still outside."
"All right." Lightningpaw turned and padded towards his thick, rabbit's-ear moss nest.
Swiftbreeze carefully put the unused catmint back into the store. She didn't know if or when greencough would strike again. Better to be prepared. She lapped a few drops from the stream, surprised at how much the water tasted like the Starpool's. The Starpool must be the source for this stream. She prayed for a dream from MoonClan and padded to her nest.
Swiftbreeze opened her eyes into the lush MoonClan forest. Silverflame padded up to her. "Swiftbreeze."
"Yes?" Swiftbreeze asked, focusing on the beautiful silver she-wolf.
"Do you remember the prophecy that Robin gave you?"
"Yes, of course. Before the warm season ends, lightning shall scorch, and lightning shall heal."
"That is important. It will shape your destiny if you try to evade it. Let the prophecy happen. You will know what it means when it comes true. Relax, Swiftbreeze. You must get through leaf-bare before the prophecy."
"Is Yellowtail completely cured?"
"Yes. There is not a trace of whitecough in her body. Swiftbreeze, take my advice and eat the caows first. They will turn into crow-food the fastest. And one more thing." Silverflame padded closer. "Soon you will have new life in your Clan. Let it happen. Do not try to resist. WaterClan shall only become strong once more when cubs come into the Clan. Lightningpaw will become a warrior soon, and a female wolf will have cubs. I cannot stress this enough. Do not resist. These cubs shall be essential." Silverflame began to fade away.
"No! Wait!" Swiftbreeze cried desperately. But she received no reply, instead waking up to the dawn in her nest.
About three moons later, the caows were gone and the deer had been eaten. Newleaf was on the air and WaterClan was feeling strong enough to move out of the Cold Cave. Swiftbreeze tucked her herbs into a large wrap; Lightningpaw made multiple trips to carry out all of the fresh-kill to the entrance of camp; and Yellowtail carefully plucked some of the softest moss for her nest in camp.
The three stood at the entrance. They hadn't been in there for three moons. Lightningpaw took a deep breath and pushed through the large ferns that covered the camp. There was a snarl and a growl, and Lightningpaw came flying back.
"What's in there?" growled Yellowtail, obviously angry that an animal would dare take over the camp.
"Two mountain lions," Lightningpaw replied, "and they look like they're mates."
"So are you going to fight them off, or trick them into going out?" Swiftbreeze asked.
"Both," Lightningpaw replied, his eyes gleaming.
Swiftbreeze bounded up the narrow, dark path that led to the top of the camp. She moved quickly and quietly, letting her black pelt blend in with the lack of light. From behind and above the leader's den, she could see the two huge mountain lions. She spotted Lightningpaw at the side and Yellowtail on the nursery. Swiftbreeze watched the lions… until they were in exactly the right spot. Then she yowled with all her might, and Lightningpaw and Yellowtail each took on one mountain lion, driving them towards each other until the mountain lions bumped heads hard.
One of them recognized Lightningpaw and they ran towards the exit. Swiftbreeze appeared there, fluffing her fur so she looked like a different lion. Her job was to make it seem like there were tons of lions in the camp. The mountain lions would already know the two warriors, so they stood in camp, blocking the mountain lions' way, arching, spitting, and hissing.
Swiftbreeze ducked into the waterfall and blocked the secret exit through the leader's den out, then she rolled in the mud and blocked them from just bounding out over the camp walls. Finally, she rolled in a patch of wild garlic near the elders' den and herded the two mountain lions out the exit. Lightningpaw and Yellowtail followed it, driving it into the mountains.
"Great job, guys!" Swiftbreeze said when they came back. "Do you have any injuries?"
Yellowtail held up her paw. "I've got a wrenched claw and a scratch down my chest."
"I have scratches all over my muzzle and a sprained hind paw," Lightningpaw informed her.
Swiftbreeze set to work fixing them. She put comfrey on Yellowtail's claw and Lightningpaw's hind paw; marigold, dried oak leaf, and soaked horsetail on the scratches; and cobweb over the deepest cuts.
"Ouch!" yelped Yellowtail.
"Sorry," Swiftbreeze apologized. "It might hurt a bit, so don't exert yourself. Lightningpaw, are you okay?" As Lightningpaw nodded, she tried to imagine him as a father of cubs, but couldn't. She shook her head. Cubs will come later, she thought.
"Lightningpaw, will you be able to go hunting and get some fresh-kill?" Swiftbreeze asked.
"Sure!" responded Lightningpaw brightly. He dashed off into the fern tunnel and into the woods, relishing the cool breeze on his face. He would be a great father, Swiftbreeze thought to herself.
Before long, Lightningpaw picked up the scent of a water vole. Dropping into a hunter's crouch, he crept up to the prey and pounced, neatly killing it. He scratched earth over it, to collect it later.
Sniffing the air, Lightningpaw caught a faint whiff of rabbit. He followed the scent, and soon found three rabbits in a small clearing, gorging themselves on roots and other vegetation. The apprentice quickly killed them, and scraped dirt and leaves over them, to collect later.
Lightningpaw trotted toward the Old Pine, where there was sure to be plenty of prey. He quickly caught three mice and two squirrels before the prey realized he was there. Even so, he snagged four more mice and two voles before the prey on that root disappeared into their burrows.
Then he caught a different scent. He quickly caught a cute rodent, but he didn't kill or hurt it. The rodent stopped struggling and looked up at Lightningpaw fearfully. Lightningpaw could feel the rodent's heart beating desperately.
Lightningpaw let the cute hamster go and continued hunting. It probably wouldn't taste good anyways.