Purring happily Fernpaw wiggled under her mentor's tongue and praise. "Thanks Bloodmist," she mewed with a smile tugging at her muzzle, dashing into the Medicine Cat's den. Scrambling into a small nook hidden at the back of then den she sniffed the area cautiously, knowing that choosing an incorrect herb could do more harm than good to Marshpaw.

Pawing at an as.sortmant of packages near the front corner she sniffed each carefully until she located the one that smelled like yarrow. Purring she plucked it up and slipped out of the storage, the leaf-bound pack clamped firmly in her jaws.

"This is?" she mewed nervously, dropping the herbs onto the dirt gently.

"I can do it," Fernpaw promised vehemently, ducking her head bashfully. Pawing open the leaf-wrapped package she nosed out a few yarrow leaves, sneezing at the strong scent. Shaking her head she sighed and picked up the herbs, carrying them a little ways off to a large flat stone.

Settling down with the leaves between her forelegs Fernpaw began chewing the leaves quickly, making sure not to swallow any of the juices that dripped out of her jaws. Stiffling a groan she dropped the masticated leaves on the stone and let some of the juice run off beore plucking it up again. 

"Here Bloodmist," she meowed hopefully.

Flinching in pain Marshpaw let out a defeated sigh as Bloodmist pushed the herbs into his wounds, the juices stinging excruciatingly as they sunk into his gash. Shuddering he shut his eyes against the throbbing of his injury and attempted to stop himself from flinching.

“Are you done?” he meowed in a thick voice, opening one eye to glare at Fernpaw irately. “This really hurts.”

Grumbling to himself his tail lashed forcefully with aggravation.

Iceweb rolled her eyes. "There are more important things to do right now such as tending the wounded, Goldwhisker." She retorted, nudging the two apprentices up. Nightpaw seemed to be recovering from Goldwhisker's rage, but Daypaw seemed to be barely affected. "You two go look for Marshpaw and Webpaw." Iceweb's ears twitched when she heard a yowl. "Tending the wounded." She repeated to Goldwhisker, before dashing off to the source. "Goldpaw! What happened to Starfrost? She should be in the nursery!" 

---

Nightpaw and Daypaw padded quickly to the Medicine cat's den, sitting outside with Webpaw. Nightpaw tried to peer inside to see what was happening. "Did Marshpaw get hurt?" Daypaw asked, noticing that Webpaw was without his brother.

---

Crowdance had been slashed by the fox in order for it to escape. He staggered up, noticing a pain in his shoulder. He tried to crane his neck around to see it. The constant bucking and kicking of the fox had addled his head, making movement hard. Crowdance ignored the pain on his shoulder, limping and dragging himself back to the camp's clearing.

[[What should Owlflight and Coalpaw do? o3o ]] 

Nightpaw and Daypaw chuckled a bit. "Marshpaw is quite the over-reactor, huh?" Nightpaw asked Webpaw. Daypaw shrugged and flicked her tail. "You're alright then?" She asked Webpaw. Nightpaw gave her sister a look of disbelief. Daypaw had never really exhibited feelings of concern or anything else towards any other cat asides from her sister.

---

Coalpaw jumped when he heard Brindlepaw. "Brindlepaw!" He yelped. "Don't creep up on me like that." Owlflight gave his friend a look of bemusement. Coalpaw and Owlflight both tipped their heads to one side when Brindlepaw asked them the question. "We were in the training clearing all the time. There was a fight?" Owlflight asked. "Great StarClan! Was anyone hurt?" Coalpaw stood up, ready to dash back t ocamp.

"I should be. Unless, of course, a badger leaps out of that bush there and flattens me. Somewhat like...this!"

He surged up onto his paws and leaped onto Daypaw playfully, nipping at her heels. Batting at her teasingly he skirted back closer to Nightpaw. "Care to try me?" he asked, sinking down onto his front paws and wriggling mischievously.

~

“Umm..Nightmask, Crowdance and Marshpaw were injured, I think. There might be a few more. I wasn’t there either. Marshpaw is only partially injured, a scratch of something. Daypaw, Nightpaw and Webpaw went to Bloodmist and Fernpaw to help them out with the injured.”

Scratching her ear nervously she sent a nervous glance around the clearing. “I don’t think any other cat was hurt…but I really can’t be sure. Sorry I’m of no more help Coalpaw, Owlflight.”

Daypaw let out a yelp of surprise. She hissed playfully, while her sister crouched down and narrowed her eyes at Webpaw. "Both of us can take you on, Webpaw!" Daypaw mewed, batting at him with sheathed claws. Nightpaw circled Webpaw. "You're certainly as big as a badger!" She said.

---

Owlflight rested his tail on Brindlepaw's shoulders. "No worries, Brindlepaw!" He said cheerfully. "Come on, perhaps we'll postpone training. Right now, we should return to camp and help the rest of the Clan. Crowdance wouldn't be happy with his injuries, nopenopenope!" 

“Have you eaten a piece of crowfood?” Brindlepaw asked cautiously, feeling put off by her mentor’s strange attitude. “You seem…really different. Strange, even. You’re not normal at all right now, I swear.” Ducking under Owlflight’s restraining tail she crept closer to Coalpaw, shivering as the cold wind bit through her thin fur.

~

“I am not!” Webpaw stated indignantly, hissing at Daypaw and Nightpaw playfully. “And you two are big enough to flatten a badger!” Circling around them he pounced on Nightpaw’s tail then jumped away again, purring.

Nightpaw lashed her tail. "We are not!" She protested, swatting at him with one paw. Daypaw purred and landed on Webpaw's tail, avenging her sister. "You can't mess with us!" She stated proudly, as Nightpaw batted his shoulder with a sheathed paw.

---

Owlflight rolled his eyes, unperturbed by Brindlepaw's comment. Coalpaw purred in amusement. "You'll have to excuse him." He said to Brindlepaw. "Owlflight always acts happier than usual when something bad happens. It's his way of getting over his feelings of. You know. Sadness and stuff like that." 

Daypaw hissed playfully. "Because we're obviously the better ones!" She declared triumphantly, nimbly jumping and landing on his back. Nightpaw noticed the others, Coalpaw, Brindlepaw and Owlflight arriving back at camp. "Quick, you two! Act like we're being good apprentices!" She hissed. Daypaw scrambled off, slipping and sliding down Webpaw and back onto the ground, landing with an undignified thump on the ground. Nightpaw straightened herself up, while Daypaw pushed herself off her feet and looked unnaturally messy.

---

"Brindlepaw... why are you so close to me?" Coalpaw finally noticed the other apprentice constantly edging over to him. "Owlflight isn't that scary." Coalpaw flicked his tail to get rid of the raindrops. "I remember when we first came into the apprentice's den. Owlflight was still an apprentice back then." 

"Yeah. But he seemed less hyped up then," she muttered uncomfortably, already feeling the raindrops soaking her sparse fur. "And besides, he's only a few moons older and my mentor! It's just....awkward."

Shaking her head she edged farther away from Coalpaw, sensing he didn't seem to want to be close to her. Grumbling under her breath she padded closer to camp, glancing back at the two toms.

"Are you coming then? I suppose we're supposed to help Bloodmist and Fernpaw," she mewed decisively, flicking her tail to signal them to follow.

~

"Uh...yeah," Webpaw meowed nervously, licking his chestfur down flat. He'd never get to be a warrior if his mentor saw him like this. Shuffling uneasily he padded over to the medicine cat's den, peering inside cautiously.

"Marshpaw? Uh...are you done in there?" he called out awkwardly, feeling strange for intruding on the medicine cat's privacy.

~

Flicking his tail Marshpaw slipped out from under Bloodmist's grip, fleeing past Fernpaw and Webpaw. "Don't go in there," he hissed to the other apprentices fearfully. "I swear, it's torture. When did Fernpaw get so...commanding?"

Nightpaw let out a mrrow of amusement and rested her tail on Marshpaw in a comforting way, but her eyes still shone with laughter. "Come on, Marshpaw. Fernpaw's growing up! A medicine cat can't be gentle all the time. Think of the all the lazy kits and demanding warriors Fernpaw has to look after! I think she's just hardened up a little."

Daypaw tried to get rid of most of the dirt from her pelt. "Unff." Daypaw groaned as she tried to reach around to check the rest of her pelt. Her mentor wouldn't be happy if she had found out Daypaw was playing. "Is there anything on my pelt?" Daypaw asked no cat in particular. "Kestrelwing's gonna kill me if she finds out what I did."

---

Coalpaw shrugged. "I don't see any cat being particularly hurt." He mumbled, then spotted their deputy, half dragging and half limping. "Brindlepaw! Owlflight! I think something bad happened to Crowdance." Coalpaw looked at Brindlepaw then at his friend for reas-surance. Owlflight twitched his ears. "Oh dear. The fox dealt some damage to the camp." He said in a hushed voice. "Crowdance?" He let out a tentative call.

Crowdance swiveled his head round when he heard a cat call his name. "Owlflight? Coalpaw? Brindlepaw?" He called back, head hurting. "Fox got me on the shoulder. Head hurts." His speech was a little slurred, like how Daypaw sounded in the morning.  

"I doubt it," Kestrelwing remarked dryly as she padded into camp, having left that irritable rogue behind. "I left Blackfang with the rogue, and I'm not angry that you're mock-fighting. It builds skills and strengthens bonds, Daypaw. I wouldn't worry too much."

Purring lightly the pale ginger she-cat nudged Daypaw gently. "No training today. We need to build up the gorse barrier. Daypaw, Coalpaw, Brindlepaw and I will be doing that. As well as their mentors. Nightpaw, could you please go find Poppydawn for me? I think she went out hunting before the attack. Just keep a close eye out for any foxes."

Glancing at Webpaw and Marshpaw she let out a thoughtful sigh. "Wait here. I'm sure Crowdance will give you something to occupy yourselves with once he gets here. He got a bit injured."

~

Gasping Brindlepaw turned on her heels and dashed back to the toms, eyes wide with fear. "You don't sound too good, Crowdance," she fretted, giving him a cursory look. Blood was clotted everywhere on the deputy's pelt, drying in thick clumps and knotting the fur together.

Cleaning her whiskers awkwardly Brindlepaw glanced up at her mentor. "Should someone get Bloodmist? Crowdance looks awful," she meowed anxiously, blue eyes wide.

~

"Do I look that bad?" Crowdance asked, returning to his normal self for a moment. He didn't attempt to look at his shoulder now. Moving his neck or head the slightest caused him great pain.

Owlflight looked at the deputy with concern in his eyes. Owlflight nodded. "I think I'll go get Fernpaw and Bloodmist. He abruptly turned around and bounded towards the Medicine Cat's den. "Bloodmist! Fernpaw! Crowdance is injured!" He yowled.

---

Daypaw purred at her mentor's response. "Thank you, Kestrelwing." She said, nodding her head. Her eyes sharpened when she was given orders. "Yes, I'll go get Brindlepaw and Coalpaw now, shall I?" Daypaw stood up, giving Webpaw a last glance and looked back at her mentor.

Nightpaw nodded, staying long enough to hear the rest of what Kestrelwing said. "Crowdance is injured?" She gasped. "I'll go get Poppydawn now. Which direction did she go to, anyway?" Nightpaw stood up along with her sister. 

"Towards the creek, in the southern part of the forest. Just turn left at the old tree stump, the one that was struck by lightning last season." Glancing down at Daypaw she nodded. "Of course, we'll both go. Actually...there's Coalpaw. I wonder-"

Her confused sentence was cut off when she registered the panic on Coalpaw's muzzle. "He's yowling for Fernpaw and Bloodmist," she hissed to Daypaw. "Go get them...or not."

Fernpaw had already emerged from the den with a resolute attitude to her step. Slipping past Kestrelwing and Daypaw with a nod of greeting she stepped in front of Coalpaw with a large sigh. "Coalpaw, get control of yourself," she snapped irately, glaring at him. "Panicking will not help Crowdance. Go back to Bloodmist and get some herbs. I'll need yarrow and burdock, in case the wound is infected, and plenty of cobwebs. Get another apprentice to help you.