The warrior began to explain. “She was jumping over a fallen tree—”
Cinderpaw butted in. “My stupid leg gave way! And now I’ve failed my assessment!”
“It doesn’t matter,” Cloudtail tried to reassure her, but Cinderpaw was pulsing with anger.
“Of course it matters!” she snapped. “I don’t want Honeypaw and Poppypaw to move to the warriors’ den without me. I wanted to sit the warriors’ vigil with them, not on my own!”
“I know you’re upset,” Leafpool soothed. “Let’s just see if we can make you more comfortable.” Her mew was calm, but Jaypaw could sense distress crackling beneath her pelt as she began to run her pads over Cinderpaw’s leg. “Nothing broken,” she mewed. “It’s not as bad as before.”
“Feels like it’s worse,” Cinderpaw grumbled.
“You’ve just wrenched the muscles,” Leafpool assured her.
“They’ll heal with rest.”
“But why did it give way?”
Leafpool didn’t answer but spoke instead to Cloudtail.
“Leave her to me,” she mewed softly. “I’ll let you know how she is as soon as I’ve finished treating her.”
Jaypaw ducked out of the way to let Cloudtail pass as the warrior padded out of the den. He wondered whether he should offer to help, but Leafpool seemed so caught up in Cinderpaw’s injury that he remained quiet, crouching near the entrance, ready if she needed him.
“Why did it give way?” Cinderpaw repeated her question more fiercely. “Didn’t it heal properly last time? Will it always be weak? What if I can never be a warrior?”
Jaypaw felt Leafpool’s rush of panic like a hot wind flattening his pelt.
“You’ll be fine,” Leafpool soothed. “I’ve made a poultice.”
She padded to the back of the den. Jaypaw smelled the tang of nettle and comfrey in the ointment she brought back and began smoothing over Cinderpaw’s leg. “Take these poppy seeds,” Leafpool advised. “They’ll help you to rest.”
Jaypaw listened as Cinderpaw’s breathing slowed and deepened. Leafpool sat motionless beside her, and only when Cinderpaw finally drifted into sleep did she turn away.
Surprise pricked from her when she saw Jaypaw. “Are you still here?”
Jaypaw sat up, stiff from crouching so long. “I wouldn’t leave while we had a patient.”
“I thought you’d gone out with the others,” Leafpool murmured absently.
“You shouldn’t have told Cloudtail she was ready for her assessment.”
“That’s not for you to judge.” Leafpool’s voice quavered.
“You didn’t even watch a training session to make sure she was fully fit.”
“You don’t understand!”
“I do,” Jaypaw answered quietly. He nodded toward the cave entrance, beckoning Leafpool outside. She followed him to the bramble patch. No one would overhear them there.
Jaypaw took a deep breath. “I know that you want Cinderpaw to become a warrior as soon as possible. You don’t want her to suffer the same fate as Cinderpelt.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Leafpool demanded. “Not being able to become a warrior broke Cinderpelt’s heart.”
There are worse fates. “You’re obsessed with the past,” Jaypaw warned her. “You want to make sure everything turns out the way you think it should.”
“I just want to do what’s right.”
“You can’t always do the right thing. No matter how much you want to.”
“I know.” Grief pulsed from his mentor, sharper and deeper than Jaypaw expected. “But I’ll always try.”
Chapter 6
Hollypaw watched the dawn sky lighten. Was it too early to visit Cinderpaw? Leafpool had shooed her away the night before; her patient had been sleeping.
The thorn barrier rustled. The dawn patrol was returning.
Graystripe and Dustpelt padded into the camp, followed by Whitewing and Icepaw. Whitewing was trying to persuade her apprentice to be quiet. “You’ve been chattering nonstop since we left,” she scolded. “We’re home now, and your Clanmates are still sleeping.”
“But I was only asking Graystripe if I could go with him to tell Firestar.” It had been Icepaw’s first dawn patrol, and the young apprentice was fizzing with energy.
“This is serious news.” Graystripe flicked Icepaw’s ear gently with his tail. “I’m not sure Firestar will want you bouncing around his den while he hears it.”
Hollypaw pricked her ears. “What news?” She padded forward.
“You’ll know soon enough,” Graystripe called as he followed Dustpelt up the rocks to Highledge.
Disappointed, Hollypaw turned away and stared at the medicine cat’s den. I’ll just peek in and see if anyone’s awake. She padded to the cave and nosed her way through the brambles that covered the entrance. Blinking to adjust to the half-light, she saw Leafpool mixing herbs by a cleft in the rock.
Hollypaw entered the den. “Is that for Cinderpaw?” she whispered.
Leafpool nodded without looking up. “Yes, it is.”
“I’ve come to see her,” Hollypaw explained. “Is she awake?”
A croaking mew sounded from a nest in the shadows. “I’ve been awake for ages.” Cinderpaw sounded in pain. Hollypaw hurried over to her friend’s nest. The gray apprentice lay awkwardly on the moss, her injured leg sticking out, her eyes dull.
Leafpool padded across the cave and dropped a mouthful of leaves beside the nest.
Hollypaw gazed anxiously at the medicine cat. “Is she okay?”
“She’s wrenched the muscles in her leg.”
“In that case, she just needs to start using it,” Hollypaw mewed brightly. “To build up her strength.”
“Easy for you to say,” Cinderpaw grumbled.
“Come on, try stretching it,” Hollypaw encouraged.
Trembling, Cinderpaw strained to move her leg. “I can’t!”
Hollypaw’s heart lurched. Cinderpaw had never sounded so miserable.
“It’s bound to be stiff,” Leafpool told her.
Hollypaw narrowed her eyes. There was sharpness in the medicine cat’s voice. Was she frustrated that Cinderpaw was making such a fuss?
“Try stretching it again,” Leafpool meowed.
“Yes,” Hollypaw agreed. “The sooner you start moving around, the better.”
Screwing up her face, Cinderpaw struggled to her feet.
“Try putting a little weight on it,” Leafpool suggested.
Cinderpaw gingerly pressed her paw to the ground. “Ow!”
She flopped back into her nest. “It hurts too much, and I’m too tired.”
“Eat these herbs.” Leafpool nosed the pile of leaves close to Cinderpaw’s face. “I’ll fetch some more ointment to soothe the swelling.” The medicine cat was frowning. Was she worried, or upset?
As Leafpool padded to the other side of the cave, Hollypaw decided to try to distract her friend. “Icepaw’s been on her first patrol.”
“Really?” Cinderpaw sounded uninterested.
Hollypaw searched for something else to tell her. Should she share what Brambleclaw had told her last night? She’s going to find out anyway. “Firestar’s giving Poppypaw and Honeypaw their warrior names today.”
Cinderpaw turned her head away and closed her eyes.
“It’ll be your turn soon,” Hollypaw promised.
“I just want to sleep,” Cinderpaw muttered, without opening her eyes.
“Okay.” Feeling wretched, Hollypaw padded to the entrance.
“Don’t forget to eat those herbs!” she called over her shoulder.
Cinderpaw merely grunted, and Hollypaw pushed her way out through the brambles.
Jaypaw was heading toward the den.
Hollypaw greeted him. “You’re up early.”