SmokeTail and Blackhawk rushed up to me. "What happened BlueWhiskers?" Uncle SmokeTail asked worriedly as he crouched down beside me.
Blackhawk sighed. "Is it the same paw you injured in the circle of trees?" He asked with slight concern.
"You've been to the circle of trees!?" Uncle SmokeTail gasped.
I didn't know it was actually called the circle of trees, but I guess it was a pretty fitting and simple name for it. Or of course, it wasn't called that but Uncle SmokeTail still knew what I was talking about because I mean, is there any other circle of trees around here?
"Um.. Yeah." I replied unsure.
"How did you get out alive?!" Uncle SmokeTail asked in shock.
"And why didn't you ever tell me?!"

"Well, um, Vamp saved me I think." I replied. Uncle SmokeTail's face dropped as he heard the name, but he stayed silent, so I continued to speak.
"When I saw the circle of trees, I almost felt like I was being... Controlled.. " I said quietly. Uncle SmokeTail's face seemed to be stained with worry, and Blackhawk seemed to get more curious the more I spoke.

"I think it was called... Twin Souls Mallum." I said quietly, remembering as Neako and Fekearo told me that.
Uncle SmokeTail nodded, he must have been familiar with the name.
Blackhawk continued to look at me in curiosity and now, confusion.
"I walked into the circle of trees, and The Black Ghost attacked me... It snapped my paw, and I passed out from fear and pain. When I woke up, I was in a tree with Vamp..." I explained, looking down as I remembered the horrible experience.
"I thought my paw was healing.. But.." I looked down at my twisted paw in concern.

"Let's get you back to the den and see what we can do." Uncle SmokeTail sighed as he looked at my paw.
Blackhawk leaned down and grabbed me by the scruff, dropping me on his back. I flinched in pain as my paw moved.

🐱

I carefully licked my paw, it was still hurting. "I wish I knew more about medicine..." I sighed. The thought had just come to my mind. If I knew more about healing maybe I'd know how to fix my paw and all my other injuries.
"You could become a medicine cat, you would just need someone to teach you. And don't look at me because I can teach you anything, but I can't teach you medicine." Uncle SmokeTail chuckled. "Were there ever medicine cats in HomeValley?" I asked curiously. "Well of course. Your mother was always interested in medicine but there was no need for even one medicine cat in HomeValley, no one ever got hurt or ill, so your mother tried to learn a bit of everything." Uncle SmokeTail explained.

"What was your rank, Smokey?" Blackhawk asked with slight curiosity, more boredom.
Uncle SmokeTail turned his head and looked at Blackhawk who sat on the opposite side of the small den.
"I was the Masters son, so I was highest ranking after my father and brothers. By job on the other hand, like most cats in HomeValley, I didn't really have a job, I just helped when help was needed.
There was no need for scouts or patrollers in the little Valley, and we'd all tend to catch our own food, there was only one medicine cat just in case, and yeah... It was a pretty peaceful and lay back place." Uncle SmokeTail said. "Huh. The shock we got when we discovered what the real world was like." Uncle SmokeTail chuckled, though the chuckle was quite humorless.

We all got caught up in our own thoughts before finally I decided to speak. "I'm gonna go get some fresh air." I said as I stood up carefully. It was sunset but it still got a bit humid in the underground den.
I hopped out carefully, keeping my injured paw far from the ground and pulled up close to my stomach as I did.

I padded towards a nearby tree and sat under it, breathing in the fresh air. There was a sudden movement above my head in the tree, as something landed on a branch.
I stood up curiously and looked up into the tree. I stepped back a few steps to get a better view of whatever was in there. "Hey Blue!" Alex chirped as he hopped to a lower branch.
"Alex!" I exclaimed. "Long time no see kitty! Your looking better." Alex chirped happily. "Thanks I guess." I chuckled a bit awkwardly.
Alex flew down beside me, the wind letting him glide to a gently stop at my paws. I now noticed a piece of bark in his talons. "That's for you, Feathers." Alex slid it over to me with his foot. "Thanks Alex, I really appreciate all you go through for me." I said smiling. I only just thought about how much he needs to go through for me, and I often treated him with disrespect.

"That's what friends do, don't mention it." Alex shrugged happily.
I grabbed the piece of bark and sat down, and began to read.

Uncle SmokeTail?! He's half a map away! I hadn't realized how far The Peace Clan was. I hope your okay and safe. And just remember Whiskers, there's a light at the end of every tunnel. And a star in the darkest nights. So when things seem bad, try and be optimistic about it.
We love you BlueWhiskers❤.

I finished reading and smiled. I always looked forward to hearing them. I decided to write back to them right away. So I flipped the piece of bark upsidedown and began to carve writing with my claw.

Thank you guys, I will remember that.
For now I haven't seen The Black Ghost in almost a month now, but my paw is still injured from when it attacked me awhile back.
Do you know what is good for healing my paw?

I finished writing and took my claw in. I didn't know if mother would know how to heal it, but it was worth asking, she seemed to be good with healing to me.
I slid the bark towards Alex with my paw. "Thanks Alex." I smiled as I looked up at him.

"Don't mention it. Your a good cat, you deserve my help." Alex chirped as he grabbed the piece of bark.
"Heh... I may be a good cat, but I wish I was a bit smarter..." I sighed, looking down at my twisted paw. I wished I knew how to help my paw heal.

"Oh your plenty smart Feather! Don't ever doubt that!" Alex chirped in surprise. "Your mother taught you how to read and write, many animals would risk their lives to have that kind of knowledge!" Alex chirped.
I hadn't thought about that. Some animals can't read and write?

"If it won't for your injuries, you'd be a really good hunter, you can climb better than many, and well, shall I go on?" Alex said.
I chuckled a bit in embarrassment.
"Well, yeah I guess, I didn't think about that..." I said.
"I wouldn't know any of it if it won't for my friends and family, I'd be nothing without them." I said softly.
"Maybe, that's how most are." Alex said, then looked up at the setting sun. "I think I better get going before it's dark. Bye BlueWhiskers." Alex said, then took off with the bark in his talons.

I watched as Alex became a dot in the distance then when I could no longer see him, I turned and walked back into the den. "Hey BlueWhiskers." Uncle SmokeTail greeted as I walked into the burrow like den.
"Hey." I sat down and curled up in a little ball as I watched the sunset.
I suddenly felt something wet drip onto my nose. I licked my nose and looked up at the sky. A few clouds covered the sky and it began to sprinkle. I sat up and walked towards the back of the den. "It's almost Autumn.." I sighed.
I sat between Blackhawk and Uncle SmokeTail. "Heh, Autumn isn't all that bad." Blackhawk said.
Me and Uncle SmokeTail exchanged a glance then looked at Blackhawk.
"Hows that?" Uncle SmokeTail asked, clearly he disliked Autumn as much I did.
"Well, there is all the dead leaves and the cool air, not all hot and stuffy all the time." Blackhawk said then shrugged. "That doesn't sound all that good." I pointed out. "Well it isn't all that great, but it's on its way to Winter that's what makes it good." Blackhawk admitted. "What's so good about Winter?" I asked.
Uncle SmokeTail answered before Blackhawk could. "It's cold, wet, not much prey-" Uncle SmokeTail started but was cut off by Blackhawk. "There's snow, and lots of water, ice skating-"
It was Blackhawk's turn to get interrupted now. "Ice skating? You can ice skate?" Uncle SmokeTail asked, raising his eyebrow whiskers. "Yeah, and i'm pretty good at it too." Blackhawk grinned.
Uncle SmokeTail snorted. "What's ice skating?" I asked, curiously, feeling a little left out of the conversation.
"It's when you skate on ice." Blackhawk said in a tone like it was so obvious.

"I wouldn't know, I was 1 month old on the last month of Winter." I growled.
Blackhawk shrugged. "All I'm saying, is you can't judge a season before you've experienced it." Blackhawk said.
"Heh, you watch how dreadful it's going to be. Dark and wet..." I sighed then huffed.

April Bluebird/BlueWhiskers1.
BlueWhiskers; Awakening Shadows.
Chapter 9.
16/Sep/2019.
1580 Words.