Waging War Book 4: Empty Peace {COMPLETE}

Chapter 15

"How does your shoulder feel?" Oneflight asked, giving Leopardpaw's wounded shoulder a tentative sniff.

"Kinda sore." She replied honestly, the bite wound hat Slateheart had given her was deep, but was it was gradually healing. "It doesn't hurt as much though."

"That's good." Oneflight nodded. "It's healing well, I think the wound looked a lot worse than it actually was." She could smell the sharp tang of herbs as he applied a poultice to her shoulder, securing it with cobwebs. "You're probably good to return to duties, just don't overdo it."

"Thank you, Oneflight." She mewed, dipping her head. She looked beyond the silver medicine cat where Ripplepaw was eating a mouse. "How are you feeling?" She questioned her brother.

"Pretty much fine." Ripplepaw replied waving his tail after swallowing his bite. "Oneflight is just keeping me in here for the storm."

"That's coming tomorrow right..?" Leopardpaw asked with concern in her voice.

"I think it's coming tonight, actually." Oneflight replied with a heavy sigh. "Judging from the clouds outside."

"Then I'll get out of your paws." Leopardpaw walked over to her brother. "I'll see you when the storm is over." She told him before saying goodbye to both Oneflight and Ripplepaw. She stepped into the main camp, looking up at the sky.

Just as Oneflight had mentioned, the clouds were intimidating in the sky, far in the distance past MountainClan territory, threatening to trap the Clans in snow. Leopardpaw paw sighed quietly and turned around just to see Shellstorm trotting towards her.

"How's your shoulder?" Shellstorm asked curiously, his tail twitching eagerly.

"Better." Leopardpaw nodded. "Oneflight said I can return to duties as long as I don't push it."

"That's good." His eyes softened while looking at her and Leopardpaw felt fluttering in her stomach once more. She broke eye contact, her pelt feeling warm as they spoke. "I can't talk long, I got go out on border patrol with Swiftheart but I just wanted to check on you."

"Thanks." She spoke, her voice trailing off in a purr. His b lue eyes sparkled and he trotted off to join the border patrol. Leopardpaw let out another quiet sigh, she couldn't help but think about the battle, his words ringing in her mind constantly. She couldn't shake the thought that Shellstorm felt the same way about her, she really hoped he did.

They weren't far apart in age, he was only seven moons older than her, but she figured she should at least finish her apprentice training before she took Shellstorm as a mate...if that's what he even wanted. She really hoped it was, having Shellstorm at her side when they fought and again when she was forced to flee due to her injuries, in that moment she had found herself never wanting to leave his side.

Leopardpaw felt her body start to burn as she though more and more about Shellstorm so she shoved those thoughts away and looked around camp, seeing if anyone needed help or if it was time to go hunting. She noted Brokenclaw leaving the nursery after visiting his mate and kits, he had a large swab of cobwebs and herbs on one half of his face.

In the battle Brokenclaw had been badly wounded on his eye by Slateheart after he killed Graypelt. When they returned, Brokenclaw swore up and down that he didn't mean to kill Graypelt, and Leopardpaw believed him but she couldn't help but feel uncertain and question the whole battle, wondering if it was worth it.

This war started because of Shadowstar's death, and now that the deaths were no longer one sided, AshClan certainly wouldn't back down now. The war had only ignited from an ember to a blaze, and Leopardpaw feared the worst. Oneflight was fairly certain that Brokenclaw would lose the vision in his injured eye and multiple other cats were injured, leaving them unable to help prepare for the upcoming storm leaving the cats who could prepare tired and overwork.