And yet, as Shadowsight stopped beside the warrior’s nest, doubt tugged at his belly.
“Antfur?” He nudged the sleeping cat with a paw.
Antfur lifted his head, blinking in the half-light. He looked at Shadowsight, puzzled. “Is that you, Mittens?”
Shadowsight’s heart sank. “It’s me, Shadowsight.”
Puddleshine’s nest rustled at the back of the den as the medicine cat climbed out of it. “Why did you wake him?” Puddleshine breathed softly as he crossed the den toward Shadowsight.
“I wanted to see how he was,” Shadowsight murmured.
“Any better?” Puddleshine stopped beside him and looked at Antfur hopefully.
“He’s still confused,” Shadowsight told him.
“He just woke up.” Puddleshine peered into Antfur’s eyes. “He’s bound to be confused.”
Antfur blinked at him. “What’s happened? Is something wrong?” His gaze flicked toward the pale light at the den entrance. “Am I supposed to be on patrol?”
“No,” Puddleshine told the warrior. “You’re supposed to be resting. We’re just checking on you.” He sat back on his haunches and looked at Shadowsight. “His eyes seem clearer.”
“Do they?” Shadowsight was blocking the light from the entrance. He moved until pale sunlight fell past him and glistened in Antfur’s amber gaze. Hope flickered in Shadowsight’s chest. Puddleshine was right; the haziness that had shrouded his eyes since the branch hit him had cleared.
Antfur blinked at them. “Why are you both staring at me?”
“Do you know who I am?” Puddleshine asked him.
“Of course.” Antfur stared at him as though he’d asked if birds could fly. “You’re Puddleshine.”
“I got hit by a branch,” Antfur told him.
“Who was with you?” Shadowsight pressed.
Antfur stood up and shook out his fur. “Dovewing, Scorchfur, and Stonewing.”
Shadowsight glanced at Puddleshine. Relief washed over his pelt. He’d been a bit confused when he first woke, but now Antfur seemed to be as sharp as he’d been before the accident.
Puddleshine puffed out his chest. “It’s good to see you feeling better,” he told Antfur happily.
Antfur pricked his ears. “Can I get back to my warrior duties now?”
“Maybe,” Puddleshine told him.
Shadowsight looked at his old mentor. “Are you sure? This is only the first time he’s seemed to know what’s going on. He called me Mittens earlier.”
“He’d just woken up.”
“Don’t you think we should watch him for a day or two to make sure he’s okay?”
“If he feels well enough . . .” Puddleshine’s mew trailed away as Antfur hopped out of his nest.
“I might have been confused before, but I’m fine now. I haven’t broken anything,” the warrior told him. “And my bruises are feeling a lot better.”
The den entrance shivered. Tigerstar padded in, his gaze flitting toward Snowbird’s nest first as the white she-cat lifted her head. Her eyes were bleary with sleep.
“How’s the paw?” Tigerstar padded toward her.
“Only a little better.” Snowbird lifted it with a grimace. It was still swathed in comfrey and held stiff by four smooth, straight sticks.
“Keep resting it,” Tigerstar told her brightly. “You’ll be hunting again in no time.” He crossed the den and stopped beside Puddleshine, his tail high. Shadowsight wondered if his father really felt as cheerful as he was acting. Perhaps he was just trying to keep his wounded warriors’ spirits high. “And how are you?” Tigerstar looked at Antfur.
“Ready for patrol,” the tom told him, standing up straight.
“Patrol?” Tigerstar looked surprised. “Already?”
“I think he should rest for a couple of days,” Shadowsight mewed.
Puddleshine tipped his head thoughtfully. “But going on normal patrols again could be good for him.”
Shadowsight saw Antfur’s muscular legs begin to quiver. The brown-and-black tom grimaced a little. Shadowsight darted toward him, pressing his flank against Antfur’s to steady him as he began to sway. “Are you dizzy?”
“A little,” Antfur confessed. “But that’s okay. I should get back to my warrior duties.”
“You need to rest.” Shadowsight was supporting most of the warrior’s weight as he leaned against him. Antfur seemed hardly able stand on his own four paws. How could he be ready for patrols?
Antfur pulled away from him. “I’ve already rested for three days,” he pointed out.
Tigerstar swished his tail. “He just needs some exercise. A warrior’s place is out there, in the forest.”
“Besides, Mittens was going to show me a shrew nest,” Antfur meowed eagerly.
Antfur frowned, clearly realizing he’d said the wrong name. He tried to correct himself. “I mean Blaze.”
Shadowsight’s paws pricked anxiously. “You mean Blaze
“Of course.” Antfur lifted his chin.
Tigerstar’s gaze darkened. “Perhaps you should stay in the medicine den for another day or two.”
