"Alright," Darkleaf said, forcing his tone to soften. "Wingpaw, fetch me some wet moss so we can clean this poor kid up..."

Sageburn frowned at her former apprentice. Her stub-tail was still healing and had to be checked daily for infections, so she had the nest next to Blackheart. She put her head on her paws to rest, deciding that she would talk to him when he woke up. 

"Sageburn, I'm not going to die...." It wasn't a question.Blackheart turned to his former mentor, the warrior who had been his mentor only a day before...
"Pantherkit, she's all right?" This time, it was a question. He suddenly jerked to alert. "where's that goddam CrimsonClan w-warrior?" he let out a wheaze at the end, and thumped back down.

Wingpaw sped off, and only moments later, came with the moss. "More moss? For him to drink?" wingpaw suggested.

"I think this will be plenty, thank you dear," Darkleaf meowed, getting to work on cleaning out the wounds and the fur. "Stop talking," he snapped, licking the water into his fur to clean a good amount of blood. Darkleaf was careful not to swallow too much blood, occasionally spitting into the little pool in the den.

"Pantherkit is fine," Sageburn said, "You are in camp, no Crimsonclan here. You should probably do as Darkleaf says though, you are still bleeding a lot." 

((Sure~))

Sageburn stretched and yawned. A week ago she had finally chosen to exit the medicine cat's den and live with the elders. She still went on guard occasionally, but she never quite regained her balance and fell when she tried to go too quickly. Thus, making her useless for hunting and heavy combat. She smiled and trotted up to Blackheart. It was good that he was starting to walk around camp again, though he still had a limp from the gash in his paw. "Blackheart!" she called, approaching the young cat.

(--ignores timeskip with Applepaw/Crim and Arlen)

Crim smiled and took a few bites of the prey and drinking the water. It was cool and crisp, and it took a few mouthfuls for Crim to fully realize how hungry and thirsty she actually was.

Blackheart perked up and trotted towards Sageburn. "Hy Sageburn," he said, limping over to his former mentor. "I see you haven't turned in to a grumpy old flea-bag like Dripnose yet." he liked to tease Sageburn about living in the elder's den, but a small part of him still felt it was her fault she was in the there.

 "There we go." Arlen grunted. "what was a little missie like you doing alone in the forest?" he narrowed  his eyes. "oh, that's dangerous business, being alone out there, with those dimwit CrimsonClan cats up and about. Don't recruit me, 'cause I'm too old, and they don't care on elders. But even if I was a young cat, I wouldn't join those ruddy durn flea-bags."

Sageburn purred, "I am glad you are making a full recovery. You were quite heroic with Pantherkit and the Crimsonclan warriors. I couldn't hope for a better apprentice," she meowed, "I never got to thank you properly."

---

Crim hissed, "Do not speak of Crimsonclan to me," she snapped moodily, "They are only flea-bags because I did not teach them the proper treatment for fleas." 

Crim growled, "And I don't feel like listening," she said, finishing up the kill and burying the bones like a civil cat. She hadn't done so in a log time. It was against the Crimsonclan code of conduct to respect their prey.

((...)) 

((Good plan! :D))

Sageburn padded into the elder's den for a nap, even though she was not tired in the least. She had the impression that this was what elders were meant to do for the most part.

"You rang?" Minnowfoot called, licking the blood from his recent meal from his lips and burying the remains swiftly, smiling at the newest warrior. "Border patrols?" 

"Yes? what is it Winterfrost?" Gladestar said, pausing in her elaborate grooming. "Has there been any sign of Crimsonclan again? Has Pantherkit run off again perhaps? Oh, I'll stop guessing now, what is it?"

---

"Last I saw, Flareblink was in the nursery with Goldstream and the kits. I don't thik he came back to the warrior's den to be honest, do you want me to fetch him?" he asked, his voice clearly portraying the respect he had for the young black warrior.

---

Crim snorted disdainfuly, "It was how I was raised, is all," she said dismissively. She experimentally tried to stand, just to see the extent of her injuries. She stood for a few seconds only on wobbling legs before settling with care back on to her haunches. 

Flareblink stretched and yawned. "Morning already? Did I fall asleep here?" he asked, flexing his claws.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Wolfkit mewed, tumbling off of her father's back with a giggle. "Hehe! You waked up!"

Flareblink purred, licking his kit's head and nudging her closer to Goldstream. "Be hushed, Wolfkit, your brother and sister are still asleep."

"Not anymore," Foxkit huffed angrily, sitting up irritably. "It is too early to be shouting so."

"Real warriors wake up before sunhigh," Wolfkit meowed condescendingly.

"I only just woke up," flareblink said slyly, making Wolfkit's pelt prickle in alarm.

"I- I didn't mean-" Wolfkit stammered, but Flareblink only laughed. "It's fine dearest, just stop quarreling." Flareblink purred and turned to Blackheart. "You need something?"

---

Gladestar purred in amusement. "I think he likes to have the respect of other cats in the clan. He has learned the most valuable lesson for any warrior: responsibility to one's clan." Gladestar flicked her ears. "Very clever of you to send Fatepaw along, but he is so skittish sometimes, I wonder if he'll be as good a warrior as his brother."

---

"Why not? I need not be coddled like a kit," Crim snapped, standing too quickly and then sliping and falling. She gritted her teeth in hot embaras.sment. "Say nothing," she growled, through her teeth. 

"Oh? Alright then," Flareblink replied, flicking his tail in swift farewell to his family and trotting out of the nursery. Minnowfoot and Fatepaw were chatting merrily still, Fatepaw looked very wrteched indeed.

Orangepaw watched his brother indignantly from the apprentice's den. How come he was never called on patrols anymore? Or brought to battle training? Why was his wimpy little brother always the center of attention? (Hehe, Tigerstar in the making?)

---

"I see you found our missing warrior," Minnowfoot meowed as Fatepaw fell silent at Blackheart's approach, taking a step back in discomfort.

---

"We will see," Gladestar purred simply, settling down on her haunches. "Is that all you wished to tell me?"