Waging War Book 3: Blood Red Moon {COMPLETE}

Chapter 21

"Take a deep breath, and hold it." Pebblestep instructed and Owlpaw did as she was told. She breathed in and held her breath, she could feel her lungs aching and starting to burn as she struggled to hold her breath. "Go ahead and exhale." Owlpaw breathed out, the action quickly followed by a series of coughing.

"Your breathing is still very rough." Pebblestep mewed, and Owlpaw couldn't help but feel that she was stating the obvious. "But it has improved from yesterday. Continue to take herbs and you should continue to recover."
"Do you think I'll be able to go to the Spirit Garden on the half-moon?" Owlpaw questioned, she didn't want to miss the half-moon journey. She was hoping to see Mosscloud to speak about the vision she had been given about the blood moon.

"It's not impossible." Pebblestep replied, waving her tail. "But that's if you take time to rest and take plenty of herbs. If you do just that I imagine you will be recovered by then."

"I'll take the herbs." Owlpaw promised, dipping her head as she let out another series of coughs, her throat burning after.

"Let me get them." Pebblestep turned away and ventured towards the herb store where she returned with a bundle of herbs. Owlpaw identified them as catmint, chickweed and juniper berries. Owlpaw had grown used to these herbs when she was younger, with the exception of catmint which was usually replaced with tansy.

She ate the herbs without complaint and looked up to see Pebblestep returning with a small stick in her jaws, on the end was a medium sized glob of honey. Owlpaw licked up the honey as well, feeling nearly instant relief as it soothed her burning and sore throat. When she finished, Pebblestep discarded the stick.

"Get some rest, then you can have some prey. I don't think you're contagious anymore so I'll tell your family they can visit you."

"Alright, thank you Pebblestep." Owlpaw nodded and curled up in her nest. She felt a nagging sensation of uselessness as she hadn't preformed any of her medicine cat duties since she collapsed. She was enjoying her rest, and she had promised both medicine cats as well as her family that she would get plenty of rest. She just wished she would recover sooner.

She rested her her chin on her paws and idly watched as Pebblestep and eventually Honeyfrost began working around the den, doing their daily tasks. She gradually began to drift off to their words, talking about how Sandfoot had a minor cough and had been given coltsfoot and honey and how all kits were still healthy. Owlpaw's grew heavy and she gradually drifted off into sleep.

*****

Owlpaw opened her eyes and found herself somewhere in SunClan territory. She looked around, she realized quickly that she was near the MoonClan border. The moon was high in the sky, shining bright and thankfully, not red. She breathed out a sigh of relief and tried to gage what was going on.

She was alone, she couldn't scent any other cats nearby and she couldn't feel the cold despite the snow falling around here. "Is anyone there?" She called out, only to be met with silence. Owlpaw twitched her ear and began looking around, trying to find anything to show her why she was here.

For some reason, Owlpaw found herself drawn to the MoonClan border. Her paws lead her that way, stopping her at the first river. She glanced across both rivers and into the moorland. I wonder how MountainClan is doing. She asked herself, she hoped that there had been no sickness. I wonder if any kits will be born there soon? She found herself trying to picture life in MountainClan, she just hoped they were all doing alright. I can ask Mothflower all this at the half-moon, as long as I recover.

Owlpaw sat down, watching the snow fall and the gentle breeze carry the flakes across the forest. She took a deep breathing, actually enjoying the tranquility. She was happily enjoying the peaceful night when she heard the sound of wings flapping.