CHAPTER 5
Stonepaw could hear voices all around him but couldn't see a thing, Stonepaw strained to open his eyes but they refused to open. Stonepaw's nose filled with the icy scent of frost, "is this the brave apprentice who tried to save that apprentice?" meowed a voice that sounded like it was right in front of Stonepaw. Stonepaw's mind cleared as the memories of the thunderpath came flooding back, "yes he is." meowed a voice next to the other voice. This new voice sounded like a she-cat's; "that's the Starclan cat I heard right before I passed out!" thought Stonepaw a flicker of surprise passing over him. "Well he certainly showed that he has courage." meowed the first voice, that voice sounded like it belonged to a tom. The tom's voice showed a hint of compassion mixed with pity, "is Minkpaw okay? Did I save her?" thought Stonepaw's desperation filled his heart. "I think he is waking up." meowed the she-cat the scent of frost vanished and suddenly Stonepaw was aware of warm sunlight hitting his fur, Stonepaw felt a soft breeze ruffling his fur and he was aware of the fact soft moss was under him. The rich tang of herbs filling his nostrils, "am I in the medicine den?" thought Stonepaw straining to open his eyes. The familiar scent of Leafpaw filled Stonepaw's nose, calming him slightly; "how is he recovering?" meowed Clearheart who was sitting beside Stonepaw's nest. Stonepaw felt Leafpaw gently nose one of Stonepaw's hindlegs, a bolt of searing hot pain shot through Stonepaw's foreleg at the touch. Stonepaw winced at the slight touch, Leafpaw gave a long tired sigh "he's healing as well as he can, but his foreleg is permanently damaged. I am afraid; me and Swanhollow are doing all we can." meowed Leafpaw his voice showing worry, Stonepaw felt icy fear fill him at his brother's words; "Permit damage?! Will I be able to be a warrior?!" thought Stonepaw trembling slightly. Leafpaw gave a gasp of surprise at Stonepaw's trembling, "I think he's waking up!" meowed Leafpaw hope filling his mew. Clearheart gave a hearty purr filled with hope, Stonepaw strained to open his eyes and slowly his eyes opened. Sunlight fluttered into Stonepaw's eyes. It took a moment for Stonepaw's eyes to adjust to the brightness; once Stonepaw's eyes adjusted to the brightness he saw his brother and father, his father sat next to Stonepaw's head while his brother Leafpaw was beside him. Stonepaw lifted his head looking around the medicine den, then to his brother; sadness sparkled in Leafpaw's dark sage green eyes. Stonepaw looked down at his right foreleg wincing as he saw a splinter on the leg wrapped with a hefty amount of cobwebs to keep it together, Stonepaw's ears flattened as he looked down at the forelimb. "How will I become the fastest warrior now?" thought Stonepaw tears filled his eyes, "you're awake!" meowed Leafpaw relief and happiness clear in his voice. Stonepaw looked at his brother straight in the eyes, "what happened to my foreleg?" asked Stonepaw, wincing at the trembling in his voice; Leafpaw looked down at his paws, sadness and guilt filling his gaze. "When you were struck by the monster it shattered the bones in your foreleg, luckily no major organ was hit, or you would have died." meowed Leafpaw guilt laid heavy in his words. Stonepaw looked down at the forelimb. It looked odd even with the splint on it, "will I be able to be a warrior?" meowed Stonepaw his words filled with fear, Leafpaw looked away hiding his expression "it's…. Too early to tell." meowed Leafpaw, his voice trembling slightly. Stonepaw swallowed the lump building in his throat "oh." meowed Stonepaw closing his eyes for a moment trying to push back the sadness threating to overwhelm him. "I'll help you with learning to walk again." meowed Clearheart gently licking Stonepaw's ears in a soothing manner; Stonepaw sighed shakily and nodded. "Unfortunately you won't be able to put any weight onto the foreleg, however if you strengthen your other three legs you should be able to be a warrior." meowed Leafpaw; a spark of hope light inside Stonepaw's heart. Stonepaw looked at his father to see if Clearheart believed he could still be a warrior, Clearheart smiled warmly at his son "I think you can do it." meowed Clearheart with a soft purr. Stonepaw nodded, feeling his worry and fear being replaced with determination "I won't let my life be taken from me just because of one accident!" meowed Stonepaw determination clear in his voice. Clearheart purred louder at his son's words, "I will do my best to help you become a warrior, Stonepaw." meowed Clearheart his gaze blazing with the same determination Stonepaw had. Leafpaw gave a soft smile at Stonepaw and Clearheart's determination; at that moment Swanhollow came out of the herb stores carrying a bundle of goldenrod. When Swanhollow saw that Stonepaw had woken up she gave a slight purr, "good to see you wake up Stonepaw." meowed Swanhollow padding over to Stonepaw's side. Stonepaw gave a small tired smile, he was tired and sore feeling; Swanhollow set the goldenrod beside Stonepaw's injured foreleg. Stonepaw stretched his head to sniff the bundle of goldenrod, "what's this for?" asked Stonepaw, nose wrinkling at the strange smell of the herb that made his nose tingle, Swanhollow rolled her eyes; "this is to treat your foreleg, it may be healing well right now but if we don't continue the treatment then the injury will get infected." meowed Swanhollow. Stonepaw blushed slightly with embarrassment at his foolish question, "Leafpaw can you grab new cobwebs to wrap the splinter with?" meowed Swanhollow looking at her apprentice's kindness in her eyes. Leafpaw nodded sharply, quickly sliding into the herb storage, Swanhollow bent down, nipping the cobwebs binding the splinter together. Stonepaw watched the medicine cat at work gently biting his lip nervously "please don't let the leg look too bad!" thought Stonepaw stared at the foreleg intensely, Swanhollow finished nipping the cobwebs off, Stonepaw watched as the splint was carefully removed. Stonepaw's breathing hitched as he saw his foreleg without the binding, the foreleg had a crumbled look, the forepaw was bent, the leg definitely wouldn't support any weight. Stonepaw stared at the leg feeling his throat was dry he swallowed he couldn't say anything he was stunned. Swanhollow nodded, smiling slightly, "it's looking better, it's healing but slowly." meowed Swanhollow; "if this looks like it's healing what did it look like before?" thought Stonepaw. Leafpaw came out of the herb stores carrying a bundle of cobwebs, Leafpaw set the herbs next to Swanhollow sitting beside her. Leafpaw began to help Swanhollow treat Stonepaw's foreleg; Stonepaw winced as the goldenrod was smeared over the leg. Stonepaw watched medicine cats work on his leg, Stonepaw's foreleg looked a bit less unsettling once the splint was put back onto the foreleg. Swanhollow gave a nod of pride gleaming in her eyes for her and Leafpaw's work, "alright tomorrow we'll switch out the bindings and goldenrod." meowed Swanhollow; Stonepaw nodded in understanding "thank you Swanhollow." meowed Clearheart nuzzling his sister's cheek. Swanhollow rolled her eyes, "of course." meowed Swanhollow a hint of lovingness in her tone. "Is Stonepaw okay?!" meowed Amberpaw shoving his way into the medicine den followed by Bluepaw and Tidepaw. Stonepaw stared wide eyed at his litter-mates as they forced themselves into the den, Swanhollow gave a soft hiss of annoyance. Swanhollow nodded to Stonepaw, "see for yourself." meowed Swanhollow sharply before padding out of her den; Amberpaw rushed over to Stonepaw's side, worry sparkling clear in his eyes. Stonepaw managed a purr, happy that his litter-mates had come, "yeah I am fine thanks to Leafpaw." meowed Stonepaw smiling at his brother. Leafpaw blushed in embarrassment, turning his head away; "I didn't do much." meowed Leafpaw shaking his head. Amberpaw nudged the smaller tom, "are you kidding?! Creampaw told me if it wasn't for you Stonepaw would have died!" meowed Amberpaw rolling his eyes at Leafpaw's embarrassment. Stonepaw's ears perked as he heard the mention of Creampaw, he remembered that Creampaw had been there when both Stonepaw and Minkpaw had been hit by the monster. "Is Minkpaw okay?!" meowed Stonepaw "please let Minkpaw be okay!" thought Stonepaw, at the mention of the she-cat's name Leafpaw flinched. Leafpaw's ears flattened to his head, sadness filled his eyes, "I…. She was killed as soon as the monster hit her." meowed Leafpaw guilt filled his voice as he spoke. Stonepaw's eyes widened in shock he then stared down at his paws, he closed his eyes feeling grief snare his heart. "I couldn't save her, I wasn't fast enough….." thought Stonepaw opened his eyes. Gazing at his siblings he remembered something, "it was supposed to be Tidepaw… Something had changed… Plus the fact that I saw what was going to happen before it did…. I need to figure out more about this power." thought Stonepaw.