The Raging Storm

“Yes.” Alderheart blinked approvingly. “Take two stems to Grassheart’s nest while I check on Puddleshine.” As he spoke, Puddleshine woke up and blinked at him drowsily over the edge of his nest. The medicine cat’s gaze was still clouded, and his pelt needed a good wash, but it was good to see him awake again. “Can you manage a mouthful?” Alderheart crossed the den and nosed a morsel of mouse closer to his muzzle.

Puddleshine lapped it doubtfully with his tongue. “It might take a while for my appetite to come back.”

“You need to get strong,” Alderheart told him.

“It’s enough to be awake,” Puddleshine murmured.

Alderheart checked his scratches once more. The sour smell had lifted, and the wounds were finally starting to heal. For the first time in days, Alderheart felt a rush of joy. As he sat back on his haunches and purred, Shadowkit trotted past him, a bunch of marigold stems flopping from his jaws, and headed toward Grassheart’s nest.

Puddleshine blinked at the fresh herbs, his nose twitching. “Those are too fresh to come from my store. Did you bring them with you?”

“Cloverfoot gathered them,” Alderheart told him.

Puddleshine’s eyes widened. “It’s not like Cloverfoot to help with medicine-cat duties. Did Tigerstar order her to do it?”

“She volunteered.”

Puddleshine gave a husky purr. “You’ve made yourself popular here,” he teased.

“I’ll be even more popular once I tell Tigerstar that you’re recovering.” Alderheart hadn’t had a chance to share the news with the ShadowClan leader.

Across the den, Grassheart groaned.

“She’s waking up!” Shadowkit mewed excitedly.

“I think you’d better go help your apprentice,” Puddleshine purred.

“He’ll be your apprentice soon.” Alderheart crossed the den.

“Shall I chew up the marigold?” Shadowkit picked up a stem in his teeth.

“You’re too young to be chewing up herbs,” Alderheart took it gently away. “Marigold is quite strong. It might make you feel sick.”

“Can I help rub the ointment into her wound then?”

Alderheart didn’t answer. Grassheart was lifting her head. She looked at him blearily, pain shadowing her eyes. “My side hurts.”

Alderheart checked the wound. “It’s not infected,” he told her. “It’ll feel better once I’ve put some fresh marigold on it.”

Shadowkit fluffed out his fur. “I’m going to help,” he told the tabby proudly.

Alderheart’s whiskers twitched with amusement. “You have a much more important job.”

“What?” Shadowkit stared at him.

“Grassheart and Puddleshine need water. I want you to take that moss”—he jerked his muzzle toward a bundle beside the den entrance—“carry it to the puddle next to the elders’ den, and give it a good soak. Then bring it back quickly before all the water drips out.”

“Okay!” Shadowkit raced to the moss, grabbed it between his jaws, and sprinted out of the den.

Quickly, Alderheart chewed a marigold stem. Then he lapped the pulp gently into Grassheart’s wound. She closed her eyes and seemed to drift back to sleep. It felt strange to be treating another Clan’s battle injuries. What would SkyClan say if they knew a ThunderClan cat was helping to heal their rivals? Would they think he was a traitor? It’s not my battle. Besides, medicine cats weren’t supposed to take sides. They were meant to save lives and ease suffering. If warriors wanted to fight, let them. Alderheart wasn’t going to refuse any cat care.

A rustle at the entrance shook him from his thoughts. Was Shadowkit back already? He turned and saw Tigerstar padding into the den.

“I just saw Shadowkit soaking moss in the puddle. It’s good to see him looking so happy after—” The ShadowClan leader hesitated as he saw Puddleshine sitting up in his nest. His eyes brightened. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wanted to make sure he could eat first.” Alderheart padded to Puddleshine’s nest. “If he can eat, he’s definitely recovering.” He noticed with a flicker of satisfaction that the second morsel of mouse had disappeared.

Puddleshine licked his lips and blinked at Tigerstar. “I’m sorry I’ve been such a worry. It was mouse-brained of me to get tangled up in that Twoleg mesh. But I couldn’t resist trying to reach the borage underneath.”

“I’m just glad to see you better.” Tigerstar lifted his tail. “You see?” He swished it toward Alderheart. “All he needed was proper care in his own den.”

Alderheart glanced at the gap beneath Puddleshine’s nest where the deathberries were hidden. Should he tell Tigerstar that he’d carried on feeding Puddleshine the deathberry flesh? He hesitated, unease pricking beneath his pelt. And yet, if he had found a new cure, he should share it. Another medicine cat might have need of it one day. He looked Tigerstar in the eye. “I brought the deathberries with me from ThunderClan. I’ve been feeding the flesh to Puddleshine since I arrived.”

Surprise flashed in the ShadowClan leader’s eyes. Alderheart stiffened, waiting for anger. But Tigerstar only tipped his head and looked thoughtful. “You’re as brave as a warrior,” he meowed at last. “What if the deathberries had killed him?”