The Traveler

Surrounded by Others

Based on what Briarlight told me, I had been asleep in the medicine cats den for a whole day and night. It was almost sun high the next day when I finally woke up.

According to her, the cats I saw on the other side of the river were their clanmates, who had come by to do something called a dawn patrol. I didn't ask what that meant. Frankly, I didn't care enough. One of the cats jumped into the water after me when she saw me fall. She dragged me onto their side of the shore. They thought I might not make it. Must not have wanted some dead stranger rotting on their territory, so they carried me on their backs to their giant nest... I mean camp. Seems like the cats who chased me were pretty upset about it. Pretty messed up too.

I had almost gone all out on them. My ears burned with shame when Jayfeather told me about their wounds. How the tabby Hazeltail could barely stand she was so dizzy from my kick, and Crowfeather looked like a fox shredded him. I knew I didn't kill the ginger tom, Weaselfur, but I was glad to hear that it was nothing serious. According to someone Jayfeather called Kestralflight the cut was very shallow. He had regained consciousness quickly.

"You're lucky," Jayfeather mumbled around a mouthful of the mouse Briarlight brought. "That you weren't more severely injured."

"I know, but I am also a capable fighter. The only reason I have survived for so many moons is because of my claws." I probably shouldn't have been saying anything to this cat, but somehow, I had come to trust the grumpy young cat and the positive little tabby. Not enough to tell them who I was, but enough to not fear any ill will. Honestly, that doesn't happen often. I hadn't even been in that cave for a day and yet somehow I felt safe. The closest I had ever come to such a feeling was when I was alone in the forest. Completely alone.

"You can say that again." Briarlight giggled. "You should have heard what Thornclaw said about those Wind-" her words were cut off by the rustle of the bramble screen. Two young cats, not much bigger than kits, poked their heads into the cave.

"Is the rogue really awake?" The little ginger she-cat asked, bouncing on her toes. "Briarlight said she was getting fresh kill for them."

The little brown and cream tom she was with poked her on the shoulder. She turned and gave him a look, but he just pointed with a paw in my direction. Her gaze followed his paw until her eyes caught mine. "Wow," she breathed. She ran into the cave, bouncing on her toes. "You're awake," she cried. Her whirling tail just missed my ears my a mouse breath.

The tom worked his way in past her and leaned closer. "How did you beat those Windclan cats? Do your wounds still hurt? What is it like outside the clans?" His questions just kept coming.

"Cherrypaw, Molepaw, that's enough," Jayfeather shouted. The kits froze and fell silent. They stared back up at him with big eyes. I let out a purr. They all turned toward me. What can I say? They were adorable.

"But we want to talk to the stranger," the she-cat said, lifting her chin high. She was a fighter.

"I don't care," Jayfeather snapped. "She needs to heal first, then maybe she could answer your rabbit brained questions. Until then, just go back to the nursery and stay out of the way."

Cherrypaw hissed. "We're not kits anymore. Firestar gave us our apprentice names, remember."

"Yah," Molepaw said.

Jayfeather flicked his tail in annoyance. I glanced over to him, trying to catch his eye. "You know.... It really is no trouble. Maybe it would be nice to tell someone about myself." I chuckled a little and then purred some more when the two young cats eyes grew wide and smiles formed on their face.

"Suit yourself," Jayfeather rasped, turning toward the bramble screen. "Briarlight, keep an eye on them," he said before stepping out.

***

Molepaw and Cherrypaw bounded out of the cave, delighted by the story I told them. The same story I told Briarlight and Jayfeather about what happened when the fight with those Windclan cats started. Nothing more.

"Let's see if you can stand," Jayfeather prompted as he stepped back into the cave. Carefully, he nudged me under my white belly with his nose, pushing me up onto my legs. The cuts and bruises along my side, chest and shoulders had all stopped stinging. Even The cut above my eye was starting scab over. My hind leg, though, was a different matter. I could barely put any weight on it.

Jayfeather sniffed at the still open wound. "It needs more marigold. Infection is starting to seep in. Your tail is in similar shape." He went over to the back of the cave and came back chewing a leaf. Then he leaned down and ran his tongue over the bites on my tortoiseshell leg and tail.

"Man that stings," I growled, but held still.

"There," he said, spitting out green pulp. "Try walking now." Gingerly, I placed the hind leg back on the ground. Pain shot up through my bones, but not as strongly as before. I worked through the pain, slowly pressing the foot to the ground. I was able to manage a feeble limp. "Very good," Jayfeather nodded. "Looks like it helped a little. You'll need to walk on it to help it heal."

My eyes wandered to the light emerging from beyond the hanging brambles. "How about outside?" I was dying to find out just where I was. Who were these cats? Where was my mother? Could I trust this Thunderclan just because they didn't let me die?

Jayfeather's ears flicked in the direction of the exit. He let out a sigh. "Fine. Perhaps it's time you meet the clan." He padded toward the entrance then beckoned with his tail. It took me a while, but I managed to hobble after him. He slipped through the brambles, pushing them aside to let me through.

Stone and cats. That's what I saw. All around were sheer stone walls reaching to the sky, with leaves visible around the edges. Paths leading up to small caves in the rock face led up the sheer walls, allowing access to many dens. Cats milled about the old quarry, sharing tongues, eating from a pile of prey, just living in peace. I felt a little tug at my heart. This was a home. Not the streets of twoleg place, the warm confines of a twoleg nest, or the occasional dry, hollowed log to sleep in. This was their home!

"Wow," I breathed, taking it all in. It was so wonderful. Several cats seemed to notice my arrival. Everyone seemed to be staring at me. My pelt burned under their gaze.

Cherrypaw bounced up to me in full sight of everyone. She batted me softly on the shoulder with her tail. "Come on. I'll introduce you to my clanmates."