grim hollow | 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐜

chapter 7

Her mind was all over the place, and in her final moments before sleep consumed her, Dawnpaw let her memories of returning home flood her mind. She was surrounded by her clan, and however much she was glad they cared about her return, she just wanted to sleep. Sunstar immediately questioned her and Dovepaw, however Graypetal advised they rest first. She wasn't the medicine cat's biggest fan, but she found herself more than grateful for him in that moment.

Soon the white she-cat awoke to the muted chirping of birdsong, blue eyes faintly opening as dawn light spread into the medicine cat den.

"Morning."

Dawnpaw glanced up to meet her mentor's ecru gaze, stretching her legs slowly as she sat up, shaking out the embedded pieces of her nest before turning to face him once more.

"Morning," she paused, yawning before shaking her head, "how long was I out?"

"You slept through the day and night. You must've been exhausted."

"That's an understatement." She mused feebly, however to her surprise, Graypetal chuckled in turn. Dawnpaw then noticed the cobwebs on her shoulder before glancing back to her mentor, her head tilting in a silent question.

"It's not bad," he spoke softly as he padded towards her, "probably won't even leave a scar." He spoke, however Dawnpaw just nodded.

"I'm guessing Sunstar and my dad are gonna want to know what happened?" She sighed as she sunk back into her nest, tail curling around her pale paws as she watched the tip of her tail dust the ground in front of her.

"No, don't worry about it," Graypetal paused as he started sorting through herbs, "Dovepaw told them everything."

Dawnpaw was quiet for a moment, azure gaze fixated on her tail before the calico's name was mentioned, her eyes meeting his once more.

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine. Only minor injuries," Graypetal paused as he met her gaze, "she was a little shaken up, Flowerbee said it took a toll on her. She's better today, though."

"Right." Dawnpaw nodded, however her mentor didn't respond, instead he continued sorting through herbs. She didn't mind, it wasn't an awkward silence, more of a comforting one. She was more than happy to be home and she found herself finding solace in Graypetal's presence, watching him intently before she slowly snoozed off into another nap.

~~~

"How are you?"

Dawnpaw flicked a single ear as a soft voice traveled into her ears, blue eyes meeting a similar shade of blue as her brother situated himself beside her, a mouse between his jaws.

"I'm feeling a lot better." She responded, her tone more bleak than she had intended, however Brinepaw just nodded slowly before pushing the mouse towards her.

"We were all worried about you." He started slowly as he looked away, and for a brief moment, she glanced at him before looking back out, watching as her clan came and went on patrols, however Dawnpaw wasn't sure how to respond. Her brother was never this tender with her, and the pale she-cat wasn't sure if she enjoyed it, or felt uncomfortable by it. It wasn't in their nature to get along and truth be told, Dawnpaw never even had much of a relationship with him at all. The only time she was even around him was when they went out as a group.

"Thanks." She murmured quietly as she took a few small bites out of the mouse, an unsettling silence filling the air, however his next words completely changed the she-cat's demeanor.

"You're a hero."

"What?" Dawnpaw queried, nearly choking on the mouse as she looked at her brother.