Book one in the Shadow Sea Rising series:
Jaypaw is a young medicine cat apprentice who keeps having a vision...that might not be from StarClan. She rejects the visions orders, and receives a prophecy...that might tear the Clans apart.
Ravenpaw envi...
Jaypaw's mind raced as she remembered the herbs to put on Thunderheart's wound. Cobweb, Marigold...StarClan! What else? Jaypaw picked up the bundle of herbs that her frazzled brain had managed to think of and took it outside.
Sunwatcher turned and gratefully took the herbs that she set down next to Thunderheart and began to use some cobwebs to calm the bleeding. "Could you grab some comfrey root, Jaypaw? It'll help the pain when he wakes."
Comfrey root! Why couldn't I remember?
Jaypaw dashed to the medicine den and snatched up comfrey root, taking the opportunity to lock the taste and scent in her mind for next time. Well, hopefully there wouldn't be a next time.
She dropped it at Sunwatcher's paws. "Chew it into a poultice, and lick it into his wound while I check on the others." said Sunwatcher, picking up the leftover cobweb and marigold. "Make sure that he has enough cobwebs to keep the wound from continuing to bleed before you do so." He padded over to Bounceleap and began to look at his wounds.
Jaypaw chewed up the comfrey root, thinking. Why had LakeClan done this? could we have done something to them? She kept her paw secure on the cobwebs on Thunderheart's side- the bleeding had finally slowed.
Clever, whispered Darkspirit's voice in her head, yet again.
GO AWAY! Jaypaw thought, trying to make her thoughts as loud and big as possible in her head, driving out room fro Darkspirit. Who would even name one of their warriors Darkspirit without thinking he would be a bad cat?
She began to lick the poultice into Thunderheart's wound. Don't you ever go away? she thought. What do you want?
I want to see if you're worthy of training in the Shadow Sea with me. As for going away, well, I get to decide that. And your petty little medicine cat thoughts are getting quite annoying, so I may leave soon.
Jaypaw growled under her breath, stretching cobweb over Thunderheart's wound, to keep the poultice in place. Petty! I'll show him who's petty!
As for this- Shadow Sea- Darkspirit had to be dead, otherwise how was he in her head, briefly appearing in reality? Where other cats couldn't see him? He was clearly a spirit cat. She knew that StarClan had that power, but maybe cats from the Shadow Sea did too.
And if he didn't live in StarClan- maybe the Shadow Sea is like a different StarClan? Maybe the cats who don't deserve to go to StarClan go there? Because Darkspirit didn't sound like he belonged in StarClan.
Jaypaw turned her attention back to Thunderheart, whos sleep seemed more peaceful now. His dark, thick gray fur had made it slightly difficult for her to treat the wound, but it was clean and hopefully healing now without any infection.
Maybe Darkspirit's voice was just a figment of her imagination.
Thunderheart was showing signs that he would begin to stir soon. Jaypaw dashed toward the medicine den, grabbed poppy seeds, and ran back out.
She placed the seeds in front of Thunderheart's muzzle, the herbs that they might need later on running through her head- she could apply dock leaf to his and the other cats' scratches, maybe sone stinging nettle for the swelling of the wound, and some horsetail if it got infected. She had a little glow inside- she was getting better! Despite maybe forgetting something every once and a while.
His muzzle twitched, and he blinked his amber eyes open. He looked around, slight confusion in his eyes, but Jaypaw knew what to do.
"Eat these." Jaypaw gestured toward the poppy seeds. Thunderheart weakly licked up the seeds with a groan of pain. But he curled back up once he had taken them, drifting back into a deep sleep.
With a jolt, Jaypaw realized that her meeting with StarClan at the SilverTree was tonight! She was excited to meet StarClan, and the other clans. She had heard that BreezeClan cats were as fast as foxes, even faster maybe. And LakeClan cats could swim?
As she continued to think, Sunwatcher padded up to her. "Jaypaw, help me carry Thunderheart to the medicine den."
Jaypaw shook her head, clearing her mind, and gently lifted Thunderheart's thick scruff. He shifted slightly as Sunwatcher hauled his flank onto his back, but he didn't wake. Together, Jaypaw and Sunwatcher carried Thunderheart to the medicine den and lowered him into a nest- it was filled with fresh moss, due to one of Jaypaws duties during that day.
"What a coincidence.", Jaypaw heard Sunwatcher mumble. "The night I need to take my apprentice to the SilverTree, we get attacked!" he shook his head. He bent over and sniffed Thunderheart's wound, examining it thoroughly. "He should have enough herbs on him to last him through the night. The other members of the patrol weren't badly injured, thank the stars. Good job caring for him, Jaypaw."
"When do we go to the SIlverTree?" Jaypaw asked, trying not to let the big glow that she felt from his compliment show.
"Very soon." Sunwatcher replied. The sun was low in the sky, giving it a rusty color. "We should get going- I'll tell Twigstar."
Jaypaw's pelt fizzed with curiosity. Her first meeting as a medicine cat! As Sunwatcher padded off, Jaypaw let her mind wander again. Would the other medicine cats like her? Would she be the only apprentice there? Could she make new friends?
Don't trust them. Darkspirit hissed. You can never trust anyone!
Exactly! Jaypaw's face scrunched up, irritated that he was back. That's why I don't trust you! Darkspirit's presence seemed to slip out of her mind.
That sure shut him up, Jaypaw thought with satisfaction.
"Time to go, Jaypaw!" Sunwatcher called from the camp entrance. His golden pelt nearly melted in with the sky behind him.
"Coming!" Jaypaw bounded over to him, her fidgety paws almost causing her to trip.
"The SilverTree is this way." Sunwatcher said, beginning to trek uphill, Jaypaw on his heels.
After a short while of walking, they came to a thunderpath. "When I say run, we run." Sunwatcher said seriously.
"Okay." Jaypaw responded. She let the tip of her paw touch the hot stone path.
A mosnter swept by on the path, hot and foul-smelling. "Run!" said Sunwatcher as soon as it passed. Jaypaw dashed across the path, Sunwatcher beside her.
Jaypaw hit the grass on the other side of the road. She was thankful for the soft green stalks under her paws- the thunderpath was rough and hard. She didn't understand how the monsters could run on it all day, and never get tired.
"Look up." Sunwatcher said. Jaypaw tilted her head upwards and felt her jaw drop open in awe.
A huge birch tree, extremely old, but with many branches, stood before her. It had a silver sort of glow, like the stars. The leaves fluttered in the wind, large and healthy, looking like nothing could ever strike them down.
"Is it-", Jaypaw began.
"That", Sunwatcher said with a smile, "Is the SilverTree."
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