Crown of Ivy • A Warriors Story

C H A P T E R O N E

Sprucepaw flopped into her moss bed, tail hanging limply over the side, and gave a shudder of relief.

Her head still pounded terribly, but the silent darkness of her room within the twisted tunnels calmed her considerably.

Branch, a dark brown she-cat with green eyes, scurried into her room silently. She was the favorite of Sprucepaw's three maids, mainly because she didn't talk that much. Well, at least to Sprucepaw. The young princess wasn't sure if that was the case when she wasn't around, but she didn't mind. Noises bothered her, and while Lilac and Nettle were pleasant enough, they felt the need to chatter.

The small maid carefully placed a piece of wetted moss next to Sprucepaw's head. The grey tabby she-cat accepted it gratefully, nodded ever so slightly to Branch (to avoid hurting her head further) and lapped it up greedily. She paused, realizing she wasn't really acting proper, but then figured she was practically alone so what did it matter? She continued until the moss was quite dry.

"My Lady," mewed Branch softly. Sprucepaw met her soft green gaze and blinked for her to continue. "Do you wish to go to your waterfall?"

Sprucepaw tilted her head thankfully to Branch, who always knew what she needed. "Yes," she mewed, wincing as her voice came out somewhat strained and hoarse. "That would be wonderful."

The princess stood up, tail flickering gracefully behind her as she was taught. Her head pounded again, rather violently, and she winced. "Um, Branch? Could I go see a healer first?"

Branch hesitated. "This is the third time this week," she pointed out softly.

Sprucepaw suppressed a hiss, as she knew that her anger was caused by the pain pounding through her. "I know," she replied. I know they're running low on herbs and that I'm wasting a ridiculous amount of the crown's money paying herb gatherers to relieve my pain. But I'm selfish and just really want it to stop.

Branch flicked her tail, then moved her gaze to Sprucepaw suddenly. "My Lady, are you ordering me to find a healer?"

Sprucepaw winced, knowing exactly what the young maid meant. Branch didn't agree with her seeing the healers, and wouldn't do it as a favor. However, as she more or less belonged to the descendants of Creststar, she couldn't disobey a direct order from her given Princess unless the King himself halted her. "Yes," hesitating, Sprucepaw replied.

Branch's expression darkened, but she lowered herself into a bow. "As you wish, my Lady." She left the room, posture stiff, and Sprucepaw collapsed back onto the moss.

Some part of her felt bad for ordering Branch to do this for her, to force her to do something that she didn't want. But the pain was too great, and movement was too hard, and she just wanted the pain to go away and leave her alone.

She curled up in the center of the moss, tail curled around herself protectively. Her eyes were shut tight, and the room was dark enough that no light entered them.

But blocking out the light didn't stop her pain. Instead, it forced her to focus on it, and it felt like something was squeezing around her head, like a tail that someone had clamped right above her eyes and was tightening continuously, with sudden bursts of strength that made her whimper in pain.

She once had asked her mother why her head hurt all of the time, and Brindleflank had told her gently that it had come from Sprucepaw's grandmother of FernClan. Wavewood-- for that was her grandmother's name, though she had died before Sprucepaw was born-- had told Brindleflank that the pain was not a curse from StarClan but simple preparation, testing her and preparing her for pain so that when challenges came, she would have already conquered another and be prepared.