Chapter 8
Swiftpaw's POV
I stare down at the soaked cat before me. Its the same she-cat from earlier today! Why is she here again? Why am I seeing her again?
The she-cat stands shakily. "Yeah, I'm ok," she coughs. "Thanks." Then she looks at me, and her eyes widen. "Y-you're the cat I saw earlier!"
I purr. "So you admit you were on Shadowclan territory."
She bristles. "I was not on your territory, furball! I was right on the borderline!"
I hide my smile. "Sure," I say. "But what are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to stay on your side of the border."
"My mentor chased me," she muttered. "Something about 'needing to be on my guard' or whatever."
I narrow my eyes. Somehow, I know this is a lie, but why? Lying to someone isn't usually the way to make a good first impression.
I choose my next words carefully. "What's you name?" I meow.
"Streampaw, warrior apprentice. Yours?"
"Swiftpaw, medicine cat apprentice. Nice to meet you."
Streampaw blinks at me, and smiles. "Nice to meet you too."
Then I see her eyes, and I blurt, "Your eyes are almost the same as mine."
Her gaze flicks to my eyes, and her own widen in surpirse. "You're right, they are."
I notice she's started shivering, so I say, "I should get you to my camp. You're cold, and it's warmer there. Come on, it's this way."
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I walk into the camp, a cold and exhausted Streampaw leaning on my shoulder. My fur is wet from where hers touch mine, and since she is bigger than me, my legs are trembling with the effort.
Graywind comes racing out of her den at shocked murmers from the already gathering crowd of cats. "What happened, Swiftpaw?" she snaps. "I sent you to bring back herbs, not cats."
I sigh. "This is an emergency," I say as calmly as I can manage. "I found her in the water. I think she has water in her lungs, more than she's already coughed up, and she's cold and exhausted. Her camp was too far away to bring her back, so I brought her here. She needs treatment."
My mentor narrows her eyes and I left my chin. "If you won't do it, then I will," I meow.
Finally, she gives in and helps me walk that exhausted Windclanner into her den and lays her down on a nest.
"Pump her chest," Graywind orders. "That will get the water out."
I know! I think furiously, but start pushing down on Streampaw's chest. She coughs up more water. I put an ear to her chest to make sure all the water is gone and it sounds normal.
"She's good," I call to my mentor.
"Then go get her something to eat," she snaps. "The poor thing must be hungry."
I grit my teeth and walk out of the den and over to the prey pile. After looking over the fresh-kill, I pick a freshly hunted mouse and begin to head back.
"Hey, Swiftpaw!"
"Oh, come on, guys, give me a break," I snarl around the mouse. "I've got a patient in there.
I turn to see Pinepaw, Stonepaw, and Blackpaw padding up behind me, but to my pleasant shock, they have no hostility on their faces.
"Lemme get that," Stonepaw offers nodding to the mouse, and I narrow my eyes.
"Why are you being so nice?" I ask suspiciously.
They glance at each other. "Because we've been fox hearts," Blackpaw says. "We've been cruel to you for no reason. So we've decided to have a change of heart."
Reluctantly, I put down my mouse and watch as Stonepaw picks it up. My blue gaze watches then as they bring the mouse into the den, and then I pad in after them.
"Get out! All of you!" My ears twitch as Graywind shouts at the three apprentices to scram. "How can I treat a patient with a crowded den? All of you, out, now!"
The three toms push past me and run out of the den. Then I feel Graywind staring at me, and I grit my teeth and turn. "What now?" I mutter.
"Why are they suddenly being so nice?" she asks, and I reply with a shrug.
"I was wondering the same thing."
A moment of silence. Then, Streampaw calls after Stonepaw, "Thanks for the mouse!"
I mutter something and turn to get some thyme, so I can ease the shock. Streampaw's still shivering, but not out of cold, no. Her nerves are still reacting to the cold water, so I push the herbs next to her and she laps them up.
Of course, I did put a bit of honey on the stalks.
I also nudge a few poppy seeds next to her, and in just a few minutes, I hear her snoring softly behind me.
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