To the Top Of Highstones | Warrior Cats

Chapter 3

Scorchedpaws fur was chilled as a breeze brushed it. Hopefully StarClan would bring warmth soon. A few cats had caught whitecough from the cold. 

Sandwing was out gathering more catnip. She had told Scorchedpaw to sort out the herbs while she was gone. He had just finished with the borage and the rest he had done earlier. The den was silent and the only noise was the constant familiar drip of water from the corner of the den, filling the hole where they washed the herbs. Scorchedpaws tail flicked the ferns at the entrance. "Sandwing?" Scorchedpaw jumped. "Oh!" He turned "Er- hi Gingernose!" 

His clanmate ears perked as his head poked into the medicine den. "Scorchedpaw! Where's Sandwing?" He sounds panicked- Scorchedpaw observed. "Out gathering catnip." Scorchedpaw turned around to face the warrior, his nose twitching from the smell of herbs and his tail tingling as it brushed the hard stone walls. "What's wrong?" Gingernoses ears flattened "there was a RiverClan attack at the gorge." He answered. 

With the new apprentices? "Bad?" He nodded. "Pretty bad. Mallowpaw and Owlpaw were on it too." Gingernose continued as Scorchedpaw grabbed a few cobwebs and marigold from his storage. Silksplash and Wildfur were wounded badly," Groping a pawful of tansy Scorchedpaw shot outside. "Get Sandwing." He told Gingernose as he left. "By the ShadowClan border." Gingernose replied quickly "Right." He swiftly followed Scorchedpaw and he felt their fur brush then depart when they ran in opposite directions; Gingernose to the camp exit and Scorchedpaw to the main clearing where a crowd of cats gathered. "Move please," He said loudly to a tabby tom. "Move" He said again to a tortie and white she-cat. Scorchedpaw growled as the she-cat sat in place.

Growing inpatient the longer he sat doing nothing he pushed into her ("Hey!") and shoved his way through the rest of the cats. In the center was Dawnstar with a wounded Seedpelt, Iceeyes, Plumbelly, and Wildfur- he looked especially scratched- at least he was still standing. Unlike Silksplash. The lithe she-cat was bleeding all over- thankfully Owlpaw and Mallowpaw seemed mostly unharmed besides a nick on Mallowpaws ear and a scratch along Owlpaws flank.

Scorchedpaw approched the center where Dawnstar spotted him. "Scorchedpaw! Where's Sandwing?" He wasted no time replying with "Out gathering herbs. I sent Gingernose after her. Dawnstar nodded as Scorchedpaw stepped closer. "Good."

Scorchedpaw unwrapped the cobwebs from his paws and pushed them to a bad scratch on Silksplashes shoulder. He looked at his leader again. "Can you push some to Wildfur's wounds?" Immediately, she nodded, scooping up a few cobwebs from the ground next to them and darting over to the injured cat. Still pushing against Silksplashes wounds he leaned down to grab the tansy and began to chew. He shifted lower, pushing his soft belly onto the sandy stone ground. The bundle of cobwebs he had brought out was definitely not enough for all the wounds of all the cats. "Rabbit-dung!" Scorchedpaw hissed as the wound stopped bleeding, the cobwebs he had just used soaked and useless.

"Excuse me! Out of the way!" Exclaimed a voice. Scorchedpaws ears pricked. A pale gold she-cat appeared beside him. "Good job Scorchedpaw," It was Sandwing. "Thank StarClan!" His mentor had thankfully brought more cobwebs. "Leave Silksplash to me, examine the others."

 Scorchedpaw pushed himself up and carefully moved out of the she-cats way, to the other side of the clearing. Iceeyes was licking her shoulder which bore a shallow scratch. To his right Seedpelt had several chunks of fur gone from his clawed tail. Plumbelly couldn't have been very hurt; she looked more angry than in pain. I'll check her in some time, he thought. 

He pulled some herbs from Sandwings paws and began to chew. "Back to your duties!" He heard Dawnstars voice calling to the other cats of the clan. As the crowd of cats loosened their circle around the injured warriors, he stepped over too Seedpelt. The green eyed cat's eyes caught his and she must have realized what he was going to do as she paused her licking and ducked down for Scorchedpaw to check her over. She wasn't harmed horribly, but bad claw marks still caressed her tail like long strands of dry grass. Scorchedpaw would need some dock for the wounds. "Stay here please." Scorchedpaw requested. He was gonna need a lot more herbs.

                                                                                               ⊱✿⊰

The lesser wounded warriors had got back to their duties before the crescent slit in the sky could grow into a half moon. The clearing was quiet and empty, the silence was only broken by an occasional rustle from the night guards, or a chirupping call from a nearby cricket. Scorchedpaw gazed up at the moon above them, it glowing like a sun compared to the little twinkly lights of silverpelt. 

Silksplash was recovering fast, she was young and strong. Meadowtail and Owlpaw had come to visit her quite a bit and Lilypelt had wanted to join them as well, but Sandwing had stopped her. Her kits were late now, due a couple days earlier. Sandwing usually checked on her and left Scorchedpaw to help Silksplash, he had been her apprentice long enough to know many herbs. She was doing quite a bit better and was scheduled to return to her duties soon. 

Both Scorchedpaw and Sandwing had their paws quite full at the moment, which was why Dawnstar had ordered the other warriors to not provoke the other clans. "Seeming weak doesn't mean we are weak," she had announced. "If the other clans think so, it only harms our reputation- to the other clans. We need not to prove anything to them!" Cheering rung around the clearing. Scorchedpaw wondered what he will see at the half moon medicine cats meeting- Something regarding RiverClan maybe. Perhaps StarClan would help them deal with the ever so hostile enemy clan. Scorchedpaw looked up at the bright curled moon. The dazzling light of it hit his mottled grey pelt, making it flicker with silver patterns. 

We'll see.

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Boring, I know. The story is coming MUCH slower now, (Although probably no one cares). This probably isn't even going to be finished. Sorry for the low quality writing and Lilypelts pregnancy... yeah, I've got no clue how cat birth works. Anyways thanks, see you guys soon!