𝚂𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜 || 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚜 #1

Chapter Fourteen

Hailwatcher carefully separates herbs into neat piles, trying not to let the previous day's events get to him.

His throat throbs, and his breaths come out shallow and accented with wheezes.

He separates two leaves from the thyme stock and hurriedly laps them up, hoping to ease the strain on his body.

He considers taking poppy seeds even despite their depressive properties, but dismisses the thought.

Hailwatcher gathers marigold blossoms together, his trembling paws making it difficult to precisely round out the pile.

A rustle at the vine curtain makes him jump at least a tail's length in the air, but he manages to compose himself and glance tentatively over at the mouth of the medicine den.

"..Can I come in, dear?" a gentle voice mews.

"I wanted to talk with you."

Hailwatcher recognizes the voice as Amberfur and feels the knot in his stomach loosen a little.

"..Y-yeah..you can- come in," he mumbles in reply, fluffing out his fur to conceal the scarring wounds on his shoulder and chest.

Amberfur pushes through the vine curtain, and the small gray tom sees that she's holding a newt.

"I miss being in here," she mews wistfully, long fur swishing as she glances around.

"Brings back memories of the old days."

Hailwatcher nods absently, not completely sure where Amberfur is going but willing to hear more.

"Anyways- I wanted to come and check on you, sweetheart," the golden tabby adds, placing the newt at Hailwatcher's paws and sitting down across from him.

"You've been shut in here a lot recently, and you seem more..nervous."

The young medicine cat stifles a grimace, taking a convincing bite of the newt whilst rifling through his mind for a good lie.

"...I just- want to be alone more, I guess," the small gray tom murmurs, shrinking into his pelt as Amberfur casts a skeptical look in his direction.

Amberfur lets out a sigh, shuffling to Hailwatcher's side and giving his head a gentle lick.

"Y'know what? I'll tell you a story. Would you like that?"

Feelings comforted but not willing to let go of his caution, the small gray tom nods slowly.

"..Sure.."

Amberfur grins, flicking her feathered tail.

"Great!"

"This story starts a long time ago, when Thornflight, Raggedfoot, Slightstar, your mother and I were all apprentices."

"When Thornflight was younger, she loved clovers. Especially the ones with four leaves. We would sneak out when we were supposed to be doing apprentice chores and look all over for a special clover."

"Once, your mother went with us and found a four-leaf clover, and she gave it to Thornflight. She wore it in her fur until all the leaves fell off and it withered away."

"..That's nice," Hailwatcher mumbles in reply, trying not to let the curiosity burning inside of him take hold again.

"I have plenty of stories if you wanna hear more," Amberfur mews, giving the gray tom's right shoulder a playful nudge.

"...Okay," he concedes, taking another bite of the newt.

Hailwatcher is unsure how to feel about the situation- bitterness regarding the fact that Amberfur wasn't there when he was struggling badly with Raggedfoot nags at him.