Frecklewish immediately slipped back into the den. “He has a thorn in his paw, Rootpaw,” she explained. “I thought you would be able to cope with that.” She sighed. “Sit down, Rabbitleap.”
“But . . . the blood!” Rootpaw exclaimed as he watched Frecklewish lick Rabbitleap’s paw until she could grip the shank of the thorn in her teeth and draw it out.
“I’m sorry, Rootpaw,” Rabbitleap mewed. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just caught a squirrel, and I didn’t realize how much of the blood is still on my fur.”
Every hair on Rootpaw’s pelt grew hot with embarrassment.
“Don’t worry, Rootpaw,” Frecklewish reassured him. “Rabbitleap was only your first patient. It’ll get easier as you learn more.” She gave Rabbitleap’s paw one final swipe with her tongue. “There. You’ll be fine, Rabbitleap, but stay off that paw for the rest of today. And don’t go treading on any more thorns!”
Rabbitleap ducked his head. “Thanks, Frecklewish. I was so keen to catch that big squirrel that I didn’t have time to look where I was putting my paws.” He smoothed his whiskers with one forepaw. “But I’m proud that I brought back such a good addition to the fresh-kill pile.”
Rootpaw struggled with a sudden stab of jealousy.
As Rabbitleap left the den, Fidgetflake returned from his task of spreading out the herbs and began testing Rootpaw once again on what he had learned. Rootpaw did his best to concentrate, but he was thankful for another interruption as Puddleshine, the ShadowClan medicine cat, appeared at the entrance to the den, escorted by Plumwillow.
“My patrol found Puddleshine at the edge of the camp,” Plumwillow explained. “He says he’s looking for Rootpaw.”
As soon as Plumwillow spoke, Rootpaw remembered that today there was a meeting of the rebel cats.
Fidgetflake gave Puddleshine a curious look. “Why do you want our new medicine-cat apprentice?” he asked.
Puddleshine looked flustered, giving his chest fur a couple of awkward licks. “I . . . er . . . oh. Well.” Rootpaw shot the medicine cat an apologetic look.
But Puddleshine stood up straight, recovering. “Actually . . . I want to consult him about a sick cat in ShadowClan.”
“What?” Fidgetflake sounded confused. “Why would ShadowClan’s medicine cat want help from Rootpaw? He isn’t even officially an apprentice yet.”
Puddleshine didn’t have an answer to that, and Rootpaw couldn’t think of any better excuse. Fortunately, Frecklewish came to their rescue.
“I expect he wants to help Rootpaw get more experience,” she mewed smoothly. “Puddleshine, suppose I come to help you, and Rootpaw can come with us so he can learn. Fidgetflake, you can take care of any emergencies in SkyClan while we’re away.”
Fidgetflake still looked puzzled, but he didn’t object, and retreated toward the herb stores, shaking his head as he went.
Frecklewish took the lead as she and Rootpaw left the camp with Puddleshine, heading toward SkyClan territory.
“Has there been any sign of Shadowsight?” she asked Puddleshine.
The ShadowClan medicine cat let out a long sigh. “No cat seems to know anything,” he replied sadly. “We’re all worried about him.”
Rootpaw felt sickness rising in his belly as he thought about the friendly young medicine cat and all the terrible things that might have happened to him. It still pained him to wonder whether a cat could have hurt Shadowsight. In the past, it would never have occurred to him that any warrior would attack a medicine cat, but everything was so different now. And he didn’t believe Shadowsight would have left the Clans on his own. Puddleshine seemed really concerned for his former apprentice, but what if he wasn’t the kind cat that he appeared to be?
“Do you know anything you haven’t told us about Shadowsight?” Rootpaw asked Puddleshine, not caring that he was a lowly apprentice making blunt demands of an experienced medicine cat.
