Warrior Cats: The Legacy #1 - The Silver Moon

Chapter 4: Gathering

Cherrypaw awoke in the apprentice den, she yawned and stretched, she had been out hunting most of the day, yesterday. She had managed to hunt down a huge rabbit with Heronpaw and Honeypaw, who had been out hunting too. My first rabbit, she thought happily. Her happiness quickly faded though, when she thought about her sister, Marshpaw, who had been badly injured in a fight with ThunderClan. She felt proud of her sister too, for being brave enough to fight, and determined enough to keep going. She decided she would visit her with a mouse or something later. Right now, she wanted to check on her mother, Windleap, she was back to warrior duties but Cherrypaw had barely seen her since her apprentice ceremony.

"Windleap?" she mewed quietly at the entrance to the warriors den.

She heard a yawn come from inside and Dapplestream came to the entrance.

"She's on dawn patrol," she smiled at Cherrypaw.

Cherrypaw simply nodded, she would visit Windleap later, right now she wanted to check on her sister, Marshpaw, she decided she would bring her some breakfast, too. She totted quickly to the fresh-kill pile, after a bit of inspecting the small amount of prey, she found a plump, juicy mouse that she thought her sister would like. After that she hurriedly slipped into the medicine den with the prey. She didn't want her mentor seeing her and ordering her around, at that rate, she wouldn't even see her sister today.

"Marshpaw?" she mewed gently as she padded further into the den.

"I'm here," Cherrypaw heard a squeak, that was definitely her sister.

Cherrypaw padded over to her and touched noses with her.

"I came to give you some breakfast," she mewed gently, licking her sisters ear and placing the fresh-kill next to her nest, where she could reach it.

"You can be so nice when you want to," joked Marshpaw, but Cherrypaw heard the slight wince in her mew, that meant she was in pain. "I am actually very hungry."

Those mouse-brain medicine cats! Their not even feeding their patients and their letting my sister suffer from pain as well! thought Cherrypaw angrily, it was rare that Cherrypaw would ever get angry at any cat, she always thought- 'It's their life. let them do what they want,' But this was affecting her sisters life as well!

Then she saw Lynxpaw padding out of the storage cave, with herbs in her mouth, she looked slightly surprised, seeing Cherrypaw there, but quickly ignored her and sat beside Marshpaw chewing up herbs and healing the wounds on her hind leg.

"About time!" growled Cherrypaw.

Marshpaw giggled and after Lynxpaw was finished applying the herbs, she made Marshpaw do some gentle exercises, eventually when Lynxpaw went back to the store, Marshpaw settled down and smiled.

"I'm getting out tomorrow!" she purred. "But Mintleaf said I have to take it easy for a few days."

Cherrypaw smiled and purred, then she watched as Marshpaw reached out for the mouse and started tucking into the soft flesh. Suddenly, Cherrypaw felt very hungry, but she didn't want to leave her sister, she crouched and tucked her paws under her. Every so often, Marshpaw would make conversation, but Cherrypaw was just relieved that her sister was okay, and she would be getting out tomorrow.

"Cherrypaw!" called a voice from outside the medicine cat den.

Cherrypaw realised who is was immediately and groaned, it was Swiftpetal.

"I have to go," she touched noses with her sister and padded outside.

"There you are, I was so worried! Don't go off like that again," scolded Swiftpetal, but apart from anger, there was happiness in her mew too. "I have something to tell you! Your going to the gathering tonight!"