above: stormypaw (he's so beautiful!)

chapter 3

. . . 

Murmured voices woke me from my slumber. I opened my amber eyes and looked around.

The dusty, musty and warm smell of herbs greeted my consciousness. I was in the medicine den. I propped my head up on my paws to take in my surroundings. Lightstar's pale tail had just disappeared out of the entrance, Cloudedmoon was lying in the nest next to me, and the third nest was being occupied by Cottonfrost. Pale light flitered in through the lichen covering the entrance, and I coughed weakly as some herb scent got in my nose.

"Rushingpaw, you're awake!" Riverberry's gentle voice sounded to the right. There was the grey medicine cat, walking in with a clump of herbs in her mouth. She placed the herbs on their shelves and turned to me. "How are you feeling?"

I touched my forehead with my paw carefully. "Dizzy."

"That'll be from the impact," Riverberry mused, her head turning to the herb stores. "I don't think I've given you this yet, here." She grabbed a stem of a small herb and dropped it in my nest. I ate it up and instantly felt calmer. Perhpas it was thyme?

"Thanks," I mewed. Pain shot through me as I tried to stand up, but before I could go far, Riverberry pushed me down with a stern glare. "You must rest, Rushingpaw. No getting up for you."

I looked up at her. "But I want to see my reflection!"

Riverberry sighed. "Fine, lean on me."

She led me to a small pool of water beside the herb shelf. I glanced into the clear water and felt a mixture of emotion. First was pride, second was horror, and third was regret. There was a large claw mark above my eyes, three ragged lines. I was happy I had gotten my first battle scar, but perhaps I should've been more careful in the scrimmage.

"Is that okay? Are you okay with the scar?" Riverberry asked quietly, her green eyes roving over my face.

"I guess.." I looked down at my paws in thought as I was led back to my nest. "Do I have any other injuries?"

Riverberry touched her tail to my shoulder, which sent a shiver of pain through my body, causing me to flinch. "You have a small bite here, that will be sore for a few days, you also have scrapes and bruises on your back which will also be sore, and you have a scratch or two on your flank." Riverberry looked me in the eyes. "All of them shouldn't be a bother except for your face. I need to monitor that to make sure it doesn't get worse."

"Two more questions." I glanced outside. "How long have I been here?"

"About a day." Riverberry followed my gaze, her voice still quiet. "You came back at dusk and it's nearly dusk now."

I nodded. "What about those two?" I asked, motioning to the two sleeping warriors.

"Cottonfrost has a deep scratch on his flank, he's good to leave but I don't want to wake him. It's Cloudedmoon I'm worried about. She has two infected scratches in the same spot, she'll be here for a while."

Nodding, I wrapped my tail around my skinny frame. "When can I leave? And I'm hungry."

"You can leave tomorrow provided your face isn't worse. I'll bring you prey, what would you like?"

I pondered for a second, then replied, "Water vole, please. Or a minnow or two."

Riverberry brought me both and I tucked into my meal hungrily after a quick thank you.

I spent the rest of the evening laying in my nest and watching Riverberry work, sorting herbs and bringing in more. Suddenly footsteps at the den entrance distracted me from my light snooze.

"Beetlepaw!"

I smiled at the tom who had just padded in. "Thanks for coming in to see me," I purred as he sat down beside me.

"Of course." Beetlepaw inspected my face. "You look like a true warrior with that scar."

"Thanks." I smiled awkwardly, unsure of what to say. "What did I miss today?"

"Nothing much. Bristlepaw was sulky today, any idea why?"

I smirked. "Probably because she had no one to antagonize, and she had to do the ticks all by herself."

Beetlepaw's eyes crinkled. "Probably."

"Visiting time is over!" Riverberry barked. Why did it feel like whenever I had visitors they always have to leave? "Beetlepaw, come outside."

I blinked at the apprentice in farewell and lay my head on my paws. Suddenly Riverberry was at my side, her shadow looming over me. "You have another visitor."

"Who?"

Frostpaw doesn't like me enough to come visit, Morningpaw and Bristlepaw hate me, my parents love my brother mo-

Another shadow fell over me and I looked up. Eyes that reflected mine perfectly shone down at me.

"Stormypaw?" I gasped in surprise.

Stormypaw sat down, shaking his ruffled fur, but did not look me in the eye. "Hi, Rushingpaw," he said in a confident voice. "Are you alright?"

I stared at him, wondering if he was going to play a joke on me or if he actually cared.

"You're my brother." Stormypaw spoke as if he read my mind. "I care about you, alas sometimes I don't show it."

I gave him a one-over, my eyes raking over his dark grey pelt and amber eyes. Then I dipped my head slowly. "I'm alright."

"That's good to know." Stormypaw nodded to me, still refusing to meet my gaze. "When will you be let out of the medicine den?"

"Tomorrow."

Stormypaw's eyes flickered over my pelt, hesitating on my scar and then darting to meet my eyes. "Okay. Have you eaten yet?"

I frowned at the sudden motherly love and that he now looked me in the eye. I had seen other mothers fussing over their kits - just like Mousefoot did to Stormypaw.

"Yeah, I ate earlier..."

"Is there anything you need?" Stormypaw raised a paw, ready to leave.

I was about to shake my head and then a light flickered in my mind. "Yes, actually." While Stormypaw pricked his ears, I continued. "Can you ask Mousefoot and Hailclaw why they hate me so much, and ask them to be kinder?"

Stormypaw's brows furrowed at the mention of our parents. "They don't hate you.." he began hesitantly.

"Visiting time is over, Stormypaw! Please shoo." Riverberry's familiar voice sounded.

I smiled at Riverberry and how she politely threw my brother out. "Bye, Stormypaw. Do what I asked."

With a torn look on his face, Stormypaw left the den, his dark tail flicking side to side in uneasiness as he turned away.

A nervous smile on my face, I returned my head to my paws.

Is Stormypaw actually going to be nice to me now? That was the thought that stayed nagging me as I fell asleep.

The next morning, as soon as my amber eyes fluttered open, I was up like a shot, dancing circles around Riverberry as she woke. It was just after dawn, the sun's rays beginning to heat up the den, and the medicine cat had promised I would be let out today!

"Come on, wake up!" I begged the slumbering she-cat, prodding her with my tail-tip over and over as I danced around her.

Finally the big green eyes stretched open and I leaped back as the medicine cat's paws flailed in the air.

"Careful," I joked, creeping back to her side. "You might leave another scar on me." Riverberry stood up, shaking out her rumpled fur.

"Speaking of the scar, if you want me to let you out of the medicine den you have to be in your nest ready for me to check you."

Before she had finished, I had already whipped around and sat up tall in my nest. Riverberry's eyes crinkled, she was starting to get used to me but I was leaving soon.

The medicine cat's breath was warm on my fur as she inspected my scratch. Her gaze, focused and determined, drifted down to my pelt as she examined my other injuries.

Slowly she stepped back and lifted her green eyes to my amber ones. "You're all good," she reported. "You're free to leave, but take it easy. Be careful." Her tail-tip flicked at the very edge. "Be careful." she repeated slowly. As she stepped aside, I cheered and raced out of the den, relieved to be in the fresh air again. I took a deep breath, my tail raised high. My scar attracted several curious looks from my Clanmates but I paid no attention. Before, it would have provoked me, but now I felt on top of the world.

A yawn parted my maw, I had stayed up nearly half the night in excitement and anticipation of leaving the medicine den. I really couldn't handle being confined to a nest and not being able to exercise.

Maybe I'll take a nap, I thought, my gaze drifting to the apprentice den. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.

I turned to the apprentices den, curling up in my nest that still had my slightly stale nest. My eyes closed as I sank into sleep.

I was walking through a dark haze, the sounds of battle cries and dying shrieks filling my ears until I flattened them, terrified. There was no smell of anything except for the rank stink of death. My sight was murky and unfocused. I can barely make out the trees around me and the dead plants under my paws. My ears filled not only with shrieks but with my name underlying them, whispering and repeating right to me.

"Rushingpaw!! Rushingpaw? Rushingpaw is..." the voices murmured.

I looked around, the place swimming as if I were to be underwater. "Hello?" I called, halting.

A shape swam forward, and my sight, smell, and hearing improved instantly. It now smelled much worse than before, and only dusty, dead plants littered the ground. My nose wrinkled.

I lifted my gaze to the animal that had slunk to my side. It was a tortoiseshell tom, which was surprising, because there weren't many. The only one I knew of was Redgaze, a young warrior in RiverClan.

"Greetings, Rushingpaw." The tom dipped his head, his blue eyes fluttering shut for a moment before opening once more and locking on mine.

The blue eyes reminded me so much of Frostpaw, who was now one of the Missing.. I blinked, pushing down thoughts, and looked at him somewhat challengingly. "Who are you and what do you want? What am I doing here?"

At the first question, the tom's eyes clouded. "Has RiverClan forgotten their own so easily?" he mumbled, just loud enough for me to hear him.

My fur smoothed and ears pricked up. "You were a RiverClan cat?"

The tom nodded silently.

I waited for him to explain. "Am I dreaming? What do you want?"

The tom looked bored. "I was wondering how long it would take. Yes, you're dreaming. I have summoned you here because you are special."

I rolled my eyes. "As if!" I scoffed. "This is most definitely the Dark Forest, and you want to recruit me and train me in your evil ways! You can't fool me, I've heard enough nursery tales."

I stared at him, waiting for him to deny it. Slowly, the tom shook his head. "You are correct and incorrect. This is in fact the Dark Forest, but I am not evil." The tom sat down heavily, motioning for me to sit down.

"My name is Dustysky." The tortoiseshell tom briefly closed his eyes. "I was born into RiverClan with a happy family, Redpaw and I."

I furrowed my brow. "Redpw?! You mean Redgaze? I know him, he's a warrior in River-" I cut myself off as my brain connected the dots. "You're brothers?!"

Dustysky nodded, eyes widening. "Yes. He got his warrior name?"

Nodding, I waited for him to continue. "Well?" I prodded him. I could tell this tom wasn't very talkative.

Dustysky started as if breaking out of deep thought. I immediately felt guilty, but it was replaced with a yearning to know more.

"Are you...dead?" I asked cautiously.

Dustysky shook his head. "No. I reside here with the rest of my kind. Now...like I was saying, you are special."

I opened my mouth to interrupt but Dustysky's voice was getting louder and my senses were getting duller and blurrier as the forest began to spin around me. I collapsed to my paws, my head dropping down.

Dustysky's voice rang in my head as everything turned black. "Your task is to get on the Missing Patrol. There isn't much time left! Go!"

And with that, I jolted out of my nest., paws flailing in the air as I caught my breath.

What just happened?