Chapter 3 - Into the Forest - HC x WC

Instructions

I crept to the medicine cat den to check on Sleekbristle. He looked rough. His back was bandaged in cobwebs and his leg splinted. I checked to see if the medicine cat was up. They were sleeping. Time to get to work. I revealed my green markings and wings. I started to heal Sleekbristle with my healing magic. A green aura surrounded his body as the scratch on his back healed and the bone in his leg regrew and healed. Done. Sleekbristle would wake up fine in the morning. I removed the splint on his leg as well because he didn’t need it anymore. The night stretched above the sky as I left the medicine cat den. My wings stretched and I was flying through the sky. Flying was one of my favorite things to do. Especially during the night as it is quite peaceful. I would need to make an excuse if anyone noticed I was missing in the morning. So I went hunting. Rabbits, moles, birds, squirrels, and more. I used my magic to carry all I caught. I spotted a pile of prey animals when I entered the Clan. The animals I caught were added into the pile. I gave my wings one last stretch before hiding them along with my Listener markings. Walking to my bed of moss, I stretched, curled up, and fell asleep fast. I woke up at the gentle prodding of Sandstripe. “Sleekbristle is fully healed! Like no evidence he was ever injured! The prey pile was fully stocked this morning as well!” Sandstripe excitedly said. “I couldn’t sleep for a bit so I wasted my energy last night by stocking the pile.” I sleepily said as I wasn’t fully awake yet. “I’m glad that Sleekbristle is fully healed though. I had injured him pretty badly. Don’t know how he was fully healed though.” I obviously lied. I knew. I had healed Sleekbristle last night. Stretching, I got up and woke up fully. I then followed Sandstripe out of the dens. Everyone was gathered around Sleekbristle. Even Cometstar was there. Questions flew with shock on every face. Cometstar asked the medicine cat, “Do you know what happened to Sleekbristle to have him fully healed in hours?” “No. I woke up to check on his injuries and he was fully healed.” The medicine cat, Sorrelclaw, responded. “I had woken him up and asked if he knew what happened. Sleekbristle didn’t know anything either.” “Clan meeting!” Cometstar shouted. He climbed up the rock. “I know everyone is questioning how Sleekbristle is fully healed. If anyone has any knowledge on how this happened please speak up.” The Clan leader added. Silence. No one responded. A cat then spoke up. “I heard someone leaving the medicine cat den last night.” The cat said. Panic rose. Someone was awake when I had healed Sleekbristle. This was not good. I would need to cover my tracks better in the future. “Thank you for the information. All of the Clans are meeting later tonight. Amara, you are coming to the meeting.” Cometstar said. I nodded. Cometstar then said, “Clan meeting over!” He headed to his den as Sandstripe, Moonflame, Silverfeather, and Brackentail walked in my direction. “Yay! You get to come with us to the Clan meeting!” Sandstripe chirped. Brackentail said, “Yep. Didn’t think you’d be coming though. You haven’t even become an official warrior yet.” “Speaking of becoming a warrior…. How did you learn to fight like that?” Moonflame questioned. Silverfeather added, “That is a good question.” All four of them stared at me. “Um… practicing a lot I guess… I wanted to be better at protecting myself.” I stuttered at the sudden question. I hoped they would buy it. “Okay.” Moonflame said. I breathed a sigh of relief. They seemed to buy it. “We need to start heading to the island.” Cats gathered to leave. Some stayed behind. Some went. Leaves and sticks crunched beneath my paws as I walked. A road, or a Thunderpath as they called it, came into my view. Their vocabulary was still a bit weird to me. Silverfeather whispered to me, “We have to be careful crossing the Thunderpaths. Monsters travel on them, and they have killed some of us.” “Alright. I’ll be careful.” I whispered back. I ran to the edge of the road. A car sped past. The other cats pressed themselves against the ground. I still stood. I looked left and right on the road as if I was crossing a sidewalk. Headlights appeared. I waited. A gap opened. I sprinted across the road. I breathed as I straightened up. The cats on the other side of the road waited in apprehension. I shouted, “Come on! It’s clear! Hurry!” A car came into view. The last of the group was crossing the road. It was about to hit Sandstripe. I quickly froze time. The car was inches from Sandstripe. That was close. I teleported Sandstripe away from the car and into the rest of the Clan. Time unfroze. Gasps rippled. Sandstripe was still living. “That was close too close.” Sandstripe sputtered between quick and ragged breaths. We made it to the lake without incident after that. Cats started walking across the log that connected the land to the island.