Brookshadow woke the next day, still feeling dead tired. She winced, giving a small groan as she moved her paw.

Leafpool, who had been sitting nearby, turned her head at the sound. The medicine cat trotted over. "Good morning. How are you feeling today?" She mewed brightly.

"Tired, mostly. Other than that, my stomach hurts, and my paw hurts." Brookshadow yawned.

"Huh." Leafpool responded, tossing a mouse at Brookshadow. "That might help with your stomach."

"Thanks." Brookshadow mewed, taking a bite out of the mouse.

"There's another if you want it. I also found some comfrey and luckily bindweed for that paw of yours."

Brookshadow swiped her tongue around her jaws. "Mhmm."

Leafpool gave a small smile and brought a pile of herbs and a few sticks over to Brookshadow.

Brookshadow eyes the sticks warily. "What are those for?"

"It's going to hurt when I set your bone," Leafpool explained, gently unwrapping Brookshadow's paw of the leaf StarClan gave her. "So one is to set it and the other is for you to bite on."

Brookshadow breathed in through her teeth. "I see."

Leafpool cleared her throat and bent down to chew the comfrey into a plup. After a little while, she gently spread the poultice onto Brookshadow's wrist, and the tabby queen sighed in relief as she felt the coolness on her fur. The medicine cat then lined a stick up with Brookshadow's leg, clearing her throat.

"Hold your paw out straight," She mewed. Brookshadow held it straight, wincing as pain skittered up her leg. Leafpool placed her paw on her leg, then put more weight on it, the pressure making Brookshadow squeak and bite down on the stick. Leafpool quickly realigned the stick, then wove the bindweed around both the stick and Brookshadow's paw, pulling it and tying it with practiced ease.

Brookshadow growled under her breath until the pain subsided, then she let the stick drop from her jaw with a relieved sigh. Leafpool gave her a smile and gently brushed the stick and the large leaf away from Brookshadow's nest, then grabbed the mouse and settled down next to the injured queen. She took a bite, then nudged the piece of prey towards Brookshadow.

"No, thanks." Brookshadow smiled.

Leafpool nodded and finished the mouse off in a few more hungry bites. Swiping her tongue around her jaws, she stood and stretched. "I'm going to go look for prey for tomorrow," She mewed. "Stay off that paw." Then she headed off and was gone.

Brookshadow laid her head down and yawned, falling quickly into a doze.

The panting of a cat woke her later that day. Brookshadow pricked her ears and looked around, raising her head. Leafpool came into view, a few mice dangling from her jaws. The medicine cat trotted over and set the prey down, then sat down to catch her breath.

"Are you alright?" Brookshadow asked, her expression worried.

"Yes." Leafpool puffed. "I was more worried about you. I scented some fox down by where I was hunting. It was fresh, so I worried that it may have caught one of our scents." Leafpool's tail flicked.

"No, I'm alright. But that means we'll have to move." Brookshadow mewed, irritated.

"No! You can't go anywhere with that paw unless you want to damage it even more." Leafpool mewed sternly. "I didn't find nearly as much prey as I wanted. Leaf-bare is getting closer." The medicine cat looked up with a concerned sigh. "I was hoping that we'd get back home before Leaf-bare, but if prey is scarce, it'll be harder for you to heal that paw. You need all the food you can get, not just because of your paw, but because of those kits."

Brookshadow looked down at her paw. "Dewfur must be worried."

Leafpool sighed again and settled down next to her. "I know he is. But we'll be fine, I'm sure."

"Are you okay?" Brookshadow asked suddenly after a few seconds.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" Leafpool gave her a slightly amused expression.

"You've been worrying so much about me, what with the kits, and now my paw. I know us warriors aren't the only ones with problems."

Leafpool gave her a purr, nodding her head. "Of course. I just-" She broke of with a sudden yawn.

Brookshadow chuckled. "Time for a nap."

Leafpool gave her a smile, then nodded and curled up. Brookshadow watched her friend for a few moments, then curled up as well, her tail curled over her nose.

Brookshadow looked at the herbs at her paws and listened to Leafpool.

"Burdock root here, this is pretty easy, seeing as it's the only root, and then comfrey here, bindweed here, chickweed here, cobwebs here, daisy right here, and juniper here. Do you have all of that?" Leafpool listed, pointing out the herbs and where they should go.

Brookshadow's ears twitched in confusion. "Wait, which one was chickweed? Ah, this one?" Brookshadow pointed with her tail to an almond shaped leaf.

Leafpool nodded patiently. "Is that all you were confused about?"

"I think..." Brookshadow flicked her tail in uncertainty.

"Why don't you say them all back to me?" Leafpool suggested.

"Okay... Cobwebs, comfrey, bindweed, burdock... Chickweed... Daisy, and juniper?" Brookshadow looked up at Leafpool with hope.

The medicine cat was nodding. "That's right. Good job. You sort them into piles while I'm gone, please. I'll try and get some more herbs as well while I'm out."

Brookshadow nodded, already absent-minded as she focused on the herbs. "Be safe."

Leafpool smiled and headed off.

It had been a few days since Leafpool had binded Brookshadow's paw, and the medicine cat had decided to teach Brookshadow whatever herbs she could, in case of an emergency, such as something sneaking up on Brookshadow and attacking her. What would Brookshadow do? With her most basic knowledge of herbs, the queen wouldn't have been able to do anything, simply press cobwebs to her wound and hope that Leafpool would get back soon to treat it. But now, as Brookshadow slowly learned the uses and looks of herbs, she could at least know what would be ideal to put on her wounds and bring relief to herself before Leafpool would be able to get back.

Brookshadow now spoke quietly to herself as she sorted the herbs. "Cobwebs, obviously for slowing and stopping the flow of blood. Burdock, ideal for stopping infections, especially rat bites. Bindweed, for setting broken bones. Chickweed, for-" She broke off as she heard a rustle. The she-cat's gaze raked the clearing and all of the bushes, but she didn't see anything, so she looked back down. "Chickweed, for coughs. Juniper, good for soothing bellyaches, giving strength, and help ease breathing. Comfrey is good for repairing broken bones and soothing wounds-" Another rustle caught her attention.

The she-cat looked up and let out a small growl. "Whoever's there, come out or go away."

Silence answered her. After a few more moments of quiet, Brookshadow pushed the last herb away from her into a pile. "Daisy, for easing the pain of aching joints."

There was a growl, and Brookshadow felt the fur along her back rising. "Who's there?" She hissed. There was no reply except for another growl. Brookshadow pulled back her ears. Her stomach clenched in fear. She couldn't fight; She was almost too far along in her pregnancy, and she had a broken wrist. She might still be able to get away from a fight, but it'd be a long and hard one, considering her lack of maneuverability. Peering into the underbrush, she saw red colored fur, a long thin muzzle staring back at her. Fox.

Brookshadow curled her tail over her rounded belly. "It'll be okay." She whispered to her kits as much as herself.

The fox fixed its eyes on her, blinked. Slowly.

Brookshadow met its gaze, blinked. Slowly.

The fox turned its head, and Brookshadow could no longer see it. She let out a breath of relief. Why hadn't it attacked her? Whatever the reason, Brookshadow was extremely grateful.

After a while, Leafpool came back with a mouse dangling from her jaws, a few herbs, and a grumpy expression. The medicine cat sighed, setting her catches down. "I'm sorry I couldn't get more, I-... Are you okay?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, I'm fine. Just a little spooked." Brookshadow looked up at the medicine cat. "What were you saying? I'm sorry."

"I was just saying that I couldn't find any more prey than this. We'll have to share tonight. I did find a few new herbs, though." The medicine cat nudged them forward. Brookshadow thoroughly examined them, frowning.

"Do you recognize them?" Leafpool asked, sitting down.

"Uh..." Brookshadow looked at them. "Not off the top of my head, no."

"This one is Marigold, this one is ragwort, and this one is tansy."

Brookshadow looked at each of them carefully. "Okay. What does what?"

"Marigold is used for infection and inflamed joints. You take the leaves or petal and chew them into a poultice and apply. Ragwort is good for treating aching joints, and is crushed and chewed. Tansy is good for coughs, soothing sore throats, and wounds or poison. You eat these in small doses."

Brookshadow nodded. "Okay."

Leafpool smiled and pushed the herbs aside, then set the mouse down in between them. "So, why were you spooked?"

Brookshadow swallowed. "I had a visitor... A fox."

Leafpool's worried gaze travelled over Brookshadow. "Are you okay?"

"It didn't attack. Just... looked at me." A shudder went through Brookshadow, and she sighed a bit. "It just scared me, being so helpless."

"I'm glad you're alright." Leafpool mewed, taking the last few bites of her share, letting Brookshadow finish the mouse.

"Me too. And it's alright that you didn't catch more than this one mouse. It gets harder in leaf-bare, especially when you don't know how to hunt."

Leafpool smiled at her. "Thanks."

"Of course."

"You should get some more sleep. It passes the time pleasantly when you have a broken paw." The medicine cat playfully poked her with a claw.

"Ha, ha."

Days passed. Each day, Brookshadow's paw got better, and Leafpool continued teaching her herbs, for a just-in-case scenario. Leafpool turned out to be right, however: Sleeping was a great way for Brookshadow to heal faster.

Brookshadow woke up to hissing. Blinking her eyes open fully, she gasped in fear as she saw Leafpool, her hackles raised, blocking the path between her and a fox.

The same fox? Brookshadow thought, then shook her head. "Leafpool!" She mewed, worried.

"It's okay!" Leafpool mewed, glancing back at her. "I'll be fine."

The fox yipped, dipping its muzzle towards Brookshadow. Leafpool hissed again, moving to block the fox's view. The fox growled, pulling its ears back. It leaped at Leafpool. The she-cat launched into the air, meeting the fox and giving a few slashes on its muzzle. The fox snarled and snapped at Leafpool, catching the medicine cat's tail in its mouth. Leafpool yowled pain, turning and slashing the fox's face. The fox, a vixen, Brookshadow realized, shook its head and backed away. Leafpool started advancing on it. Brookshadow's eyes widened in horror, recognizing the ploy.

"Leafpool, watch out-!" She shouted, but the vixen had already leapt forward, catching Leafpool and holding the cat in its jaws, attempting to thrash its head about. The vixen flung Leafpool aside. The medicine cat gasped in pain as she landed, then was still.

The vixen watched Leafpool for a moment, then took a few steps towards Brookshadow, her fangs bared.

Brookshadow watched, horror-struck, then grunted and rose, slowly, painfully, to her paws. She held her broken paw slightly off the ground. She arched her back and hissed. The vixen pulled her ears back, seeming surprised at Brookshadow's courage. But then she let out a yip and launched herself at Brookshadow.

The tabby she cat dodged, but just barely. The vixen's jaws snapped around open air. Brookshadow reared on her hind legs and brought herself crashing down on the vixen's back. The fox lay stunned for a moment, then rolled over Brookshadow, who hadn't been able to stand up quick enough, and pinned her, snarling in her face.

Brookshadow saw the vixen's gaze dart down to her throat.

No! Brookshadow brought her hind legs up and kicked the vixen in the stomach hard enough that she was knocked off of Brookshadow. Brookshadow rolled to her paws and jumped onto the vixen, snarling and rolling with the fox. After a brief wrestle, Brookshadow had pinned the fox and brought her jaws down towards its throat. Something stopped her. Made her glance down between her and the fox's stomachs.

The vixen was expecting pups.

Brookshadow looked up and met the gaze of the vixen, who no longer looked aggressive, only desperate to save her pups, even if that meant killing the whole forest to do it.

Brookshadow watched the vixen for a few seconds, then backed off of her. The vixen stood slowly, suspiciously, almost as if it were waiting for the entire thing to be a trick. After another few seconds, the vixen nodded her head at Brookshadow.

After a startled second, Brookshadow dipped her own head. The vixen gave a happy yip and rushed off into the bushes.

Brookshadow took a shaky breath and turned to see Leafpool staring at her, her eyes wide.

"What was that?" The medicine cat shrieked. "You could have killed her! It would have been perfectly justified!"

"She was expecting pups. I couldn't do it." Brookshadow mewed, slumping from exhaustion. Her broken paw brushes the ground and she gave a yelp of pain.

Leafpool rushed forward and supported her. "Stupid furball," She mewed playfully. "I told you to lay off that paw."

"I'm sorry, mother." Brookshadow joked back.

"Just don't do it again," Leafpool mewed, letting Brookshadow lay down with a grateful sigh in her nest. "Now, what would I put on this wound?" She turned to reveal a bleeding bite mark.

Brookshadow pulled her ears back. "First off, I'm sorry. Secondly, cobwebs."

Leafpool nodded and gave them to her, then sat down so Brookshadow could held the cobwebs to her wound.

"Comfrey and marigold, please." Brookshadow mewed, focusing on Leafpool's wounds.

She saw them being passed to her out of the corner of her eye and leaned down to take some comfrey and chew it into a pulp. She carefully lifted the cobweb and saw that the bleeding had stopped. She spat the poultice onto Leafpool's wound, then chewed some of the marigold into a poultice and added that to it as well. "More cobwebs, please."

As they were passed to her, she gently packed them onto the wound, then sat back with a satisfied sigh. Leafpool turned, beaming at her.

"What is it?" Brookshadow asked with a smile.

"You were great at that. You're learning so well."

Brookshadow gave her chest fur a few embarrassed licks. "Thanks."

"Do you want to help out at the Medicine den? It would be great to have extra extra help."

"Sure. It sounds fun." Brookshadow purred.

Leafpool smiled back at her. "That's great. I'm so glad that you weren't even barely scratched in that battle."

Brookshadow blinked a few times. She hadn't even been scratched. How...? Brookshadow looked up at Silverpelt and smiled. That's how.

Thank you, Bluestar.