Dawn of Hope (Closed)

Laurelsong was fading, quickly.

After her nerve-wracking run-in with that snobby ThunderClan patrol and the physical effort she had spent probably failing to appear at least somewhat battle-ready, the ragged she-cat's steps across SkyClan territory were just growing more and more unsteady.  Her vision, distorted by fever and exhaustion, was dark around the edges and threatened to flicker between the realms of reality and sleep...a sleep she wasn't sure she could wake up from.  No, you can do this!  You've defied death once before, you can do it again!  I was born to save WindClan, I'm their only hope!  My parents...need me, they'll be happier once I return...and make the world a better place.  She stumbled, wincing as her once nimble paw scratched against a sharp stone, leaving a thin line of blood.  Every scratch earned, every scar gained...is just proof of my success! StarClan themselves can't hold me down...they know they stand no chance!  See Nectarleap?!
I was right all along, you'll see!  Who's the...brave one...now...  She had wandered into a grove of tall pine trees, snow mixed with soft needles comforting to her tired paws.  She saw a stone, barely.  It was cleaved in two, how odd...  The pale-pelted she-cat stopped, her eyelids drooping dangerously, before finally collapsing to the ground, head hitting the bed of forest mulch with a soft thud.  Skinny legs sticking out like twigs, the fainted she-cat lay still, her mind finally quiet.  Yet, the echoes of her goal still remained.

Twolegplace...medicine...help...

I can't die now.

The sun seemed to have only just been returned to the forest when leaf-bare hit hard. The brilliant light of the sun which reflected off the powdery snow on the treetops held less warmth than it once had. Every Clan had hoped that the sun's return might mean a longer leaf-fall, but unfortunately it didn't seem as though that were in the stars. As Amberpaw, SkyClan's medicine cat apprentice, thought about the stars and her warrior ancestors, she felt anxious and conflicted. It had been StarClan's will that the sun went out in the first place. For moons their ancestors had left them stranded in isolation while Lichenmask and his followers - not yet Exiles when the sun disappeared - grew stronger and more bold with their beliefs. Amberpaw wondered how she could train as a medicine cat, how she could possibly trust her ancestors, when they had certainly condemned all the Clans to a bitterly cold leaf-bare.

And yet, being a medicine cat was the only thing that made sense to the golden tabby she-cat. Even speaking with StarClan the first time, when she'd received her apprentice name, had felt like all the pieces fell into place. Despite how she had frozen up during the Great Battle, terrified and overwhelmed by the cacophany and bloodsheed around her, Amberpaw still would not have wished for anything else. A medicine cat is what I'm meant to be, the little she-cat thought, whether our ancestors are on our side or not. Truthfully, she didn't know. Mintwhisker still believed in them, after all... Perhaps Amberpaw was simply still too naive, but she couldn't understand how StarClan could possibly care for them while putting them through that anguish.

Nevertheless, herbs made sense to Amberpaw. That was the part of being a medicine cat which hadn't faltered since the battle. She had spent much time on herb patrols after the battle, but once the first snow fell she had been hesitant to go search. Mintwhisker and the other medicine cats had warned her that the first frost and the first snow both often killed any remaining herbs. It had been several days since Amberpaw had left the camp, so with many cats still recovering from their injuries and so many herbs being used to help heal them, she made the decision to go into the forest to see what else she could find. There are so many plants that can heal wounds, she thought, surely I'll be able to find something.

The golden tabby apprentice had had luck at the Halfstone before, so when she had finally prepared herself and left camp, she made her way there first. Seeing the familiar landmark, Amberpaw moved quickly to it, beginning to skirt it slowly as her dark gaze flicked high and low for any signs of green plants or sprouts in the snow.

The little she-cat had only been searching for a few minutes when she thought she heard the soft sound of crunching in her ears. Amberpaw paused, ears perking up. Yes, there are pawsteps, I wonder if it's a patrol? Or maybe Mintwhisker's come to find me? The medicine cat apprentice parted her lips to scent the air, but everything tasted so dull with all the snow around. A few moments after there was the sound of a heavy thud in the snow nearby which made Amberpaw jump with alarm. "H-Hello?" the she-cat called, turning around and rapidly scanning the bushes.

There was no response, however. Despite the warning alarm in her head and stomach, Amberpaw sucked in a breath, and now three scents hit her nose: cat, blood, and infection - worse than Amberpaw had ever smelled. Immediately the little she-cat let out a tiny mew of surprise and concern, and with haste she sought out the source.

Amberpaw's dark amber gaze fell upon a silvery-white she-cat; immediately the apprentice noticed one large scarlet clump of fur, wet and slowly growing bigger, on the she-cat's side, as well as two other horribly inflamed and oozing wounds on the same. "Oh, StarClan!" Amberpaw exclaimed, rushing up to the she-cat's side without a moment of hesitation. The source of the most severe damage was obvious; whatever other afflictions the rogue she-cat might have, if Amberpaw didn't do something about the bleeding then the she-cat wouldn't survive the day.

"D-Don't worry," Amberpaw gasped, though she wondered briefly if the stranger could hear her, "I'll f-find something to help you! Just hang on!"

With that Amberpaw raced back to the Halfstone, circling it and searching it almost frantically now. Do I have time to go back to camp? she wondered, but she remembered how hesitation had nearly cost her at the Great Battle. No, she decided firmly, I don't. I have to find something here or she'll die! Amberpaw began to dig frantically at the base of the rock to scoop away snow, trying to keep her paws somewhat delicate in case she did find any plant she could use.

Pain was what finally woke Laurelsong, that horrible stabbing sensation in her side that had persisted for what felt like moons at this point drawing her back from the land of swirling shadows and confusing memories.  She was hyper-aware of every joint and muscle in her body and how they ached and screamed, but also faintly numb to it all.  It was...too much to handle.  Maybe she wasn't so invincible...would this be her final resting place?  Buried beneath this horrible dark canopy, hidden from the vast beautiful sky that had drawn her onwards for her whole life?  She would never be able to see her best friend again...his tri-colored coat rippled like the river in her dreams, bordering a smile and heart vivid as the sun...

Sunlight peeked through her eyelids as they gently began to open, revealing a dull chartreuse shade.  The scent of pine and leaf-litter clogged her nose, making her sniff like a disgusted kit as her head gently moved to the side, trying to recognize where she was.  Oh yea...there's that rock...well, at least nothing found me...huh?  She could hear something, the faint sound of claws scratching against snow and mud coming from very close by.  A forest creature digging a burrow?  Do they even do that here?  Uhg, the other territories are so strange...  After a moment though, she realized that whatever was digging sounded much too big to be prey.  The fur along her spine instantly on end, the ticked tabby exile unsheathed her claws and tried her best to move into a stable position, but her efforts were broken off by an involuntary hiss.  Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the all too familiar crimson shade of blood, both on the ground and in her fur.  Oh great, one of my wounds must've started bleeding again while I was walking, no wonder I passed out!  This journey just got ten times harder...  What really caught her attention though, was a sight she hadn't expected at all.  A cat.  A young one at that, a little ginger tabby who was digging frantically at the base of the odd stone like a squirrel searching for its stash.  Despite the delirium, the feisty she-cat's instincts remained intact, hackles instantly lifting despite how much every movement make her body burn.  "H-Hey, wh-who are y-you?!  Get o-outta here kit, before I-I make you!" Her insults lost their edge once she dissolved into a fit of coughing, injured flank oozing more with every movement.  Fox-dung, she's no rogue, too well groomed and fed...she has to be a clan cat!  I can't let myself get caught again...I've come too far for this!

Why...won't...my...body...move?!

"H-Hey, wh-who are y-you?!" A strained but fierce voice came from behind Amberpaw. The golden tabby apprentice whirled, afraid she would see the rogue looming in front of her threateningly, ready to attack like the Exile had done during the Great Battle at Fourtrees. When her dark eyes found the she-cat, however, the rogue had only barely moved from her previous position. Her hackles had raised a bit, her paws had shuffled the dirt and snow,The pool of blood under her body had grown larger from the effort of her apparently intended threats. Amberpaw just stared, taking in the scene, as the pale she-cat continued fiercely, "Get o-outta here kit, before I-I make you!"

Almost immediately after the words left her mouth, the she-cat's body was racked with violent coughs. The sight of her wounds oozing in protest made Amberpaw wince slightly. I don't have time to waste, the golden tabby thought, her mind flickering to her panic at the Great Battle, but she's going to do more damage if she keeps moving like that! she thought. Taking a deep breath to try to keep herself calm, Amberpaw mewed gently, dipping her head while keeping a subtle eye on the wounded rogue, "My name is Amberpaw, and with all due respect, I won't be leaving until we've taken care of your wounds." She lifted her head again to look at the rogue and added, "I promise I'll leave you alone as soon as you're able to walk again."

Amberpaw quickly turned, though she kept her ears on the rogue, and returned her attention to where she had been scrounging around under the Halfstone. Her small paws went back to their quick and delicate work, and she dug hopefully. There has to be something in here! she thought.

As if this day could get any worse...she was a clan cat!  Laurelsong groaned internally, heart sinking deep into her churning stomach; she was done for!  She was stuck here, vulnerable in front of the enemy, at the mercy of this round-faced little apprentice.  Not that she was concerned for her safety, the SkyClan - as she could now scent - she-cat looked more like a kittypet than a warrior, but she knew it was only a matter of minutes before the questions started rolling in.  Where are you from?  How did you get these wounds?  What's your name?  Sure, she could easily lie, but what if Brindlestar had already spread the news of her actions?  This kit might already know her name...and if so, she might know her face too.

"So...y-you a healer or s-something?"  Laurelsong relaxed, not as much from newfound comfort around this stranger as just plain not being able to hold herself up any longer.  With the way she talked and acted the answer was clear to an experienced eye; this was probably the SkyClan medicine cat's apprentice.  Great, even more of a risk...but, if I'm stuck here...  The silver she-cat forced out a natural sounding sigh of relief, though her eyes remained slit.  "That's handy, I-I was on my way to Twolegplace to get these w-wounds looked at anyway...I'll follow your orders kid, but k-keep the chatter to a minimum. I'm not here to make a friend."  Her voice held a rough growling tone, but as the former warrior lay her head down upon the pine needles she felt a feeling of genuine relief warm her chest.  Or maybe it was just the fever...either or, it seemed she had gotten lucky as long as she was smart about this.  No more stupid slip-ups, she was finally in the home stretch...

A short distance away, the she-cat's voice piped up again, having lost some of its hostility but none of its obvious distrust and annoyance. "So...y-you a healer or s-something?" A soft crunch of snow and mulch indicated the she-cat had settled back down into the snow.

Amberpaw noted how on edge the she-cat was. I would be too, if I were in her shape, she thought sympatheticelly. The medicine cat apprentice kept digging, shuffling snow out from the base of the rock deeper and deeper. She pressed her nose underneath the edge of the boulder for a moment and parted her lips to take in a deep scent. The musty taste of earth and dust and forest rolled over her tongue. However, nothing that smelled like what she needed hit her nose. She let out a quick, sharp exhale of frustration but simply backed up and continued rummaging, replying, "Yes, I am. Well, ah, I'm still in training, but I know exactly what I can do to fix this."

"That's handy, I-I was on my way to Twolegplace to get these w-wounds looked at anyway," the rogue stated, and Amberpaw's ears twitched with acknowledgement. Perfect, I can escort her to the border once she's able to walk again, the golden tabby thought. The other she-cat continued, "I'll follow your orders kid, but k-keep the chatter to a minimum. I'm not here to make a friend."

Amberpaw snorted slightly at that, sending up a mist of icy powder. That's fair, I suppose, the medicine cat apprentice thought, I'm probably not supposed to be helping you anways, so we can just do this quickly. I hope... Just as she was feeling discouraged by her inability to find an herb - any herb - a hint of something familiar touched her nose. Immediately the apprentice honed in on it, digging to find where a clump of chervil had been trying to grow and was pressed deep into the crevice of the Halfstone where it met the ground. Perfect! the she-cat thought, reaching and clawing hopefully. The she-cat pulled out a few thick leaves, and though the edges were brown from the cold and the whole plant had wilted, Amberpaw knew it would be enough for what she needed.

As the golden tabby turned to begin to head back towards the rogue, a glint of something small and bright red in the foliage caught her dark amber gaze. Amberpaw stared at it for a moment, holding the chervil delicately in her teeth, when she gasped and thought, Wintergreen! Immediately she bounded through the snow towards the bush. She set down her chervil gently in the snow before plucking four or five wintergreen leaves off. She picked up the rest of her chervil as well and returned to the rogue's side. Amberpaw looked at the wound for a moment, which was bleeding a bit more freely as though it had cleared an easier path when the rogue had shifted. I need dry moss and cobwebs, she thought, but where can I get that right now?

Camp was likely the only place that had what she needed, but this rogue certainly couldn't be left alone, and besides, she needed help right away. Amberpaw couldn't leave.

The apprentice went underneath a tree to search hopefully for somewhere that may have sheltered some moss from moisture. As it happened, she was in luck; the tree she chose had thick multitudes of branches, and the trunk of the tree above the snow was covered in a thick coating of wiry moss. With a sigh of relief, Amberpaw clawed off as many pawfuls as she could carry and brought it back to the rogue alongside the chervil and wintergreen. The rogue's head was laying down on her side completely now. Amberpaw instructed, "Alright, first I need to slow the bleeding. This part will hurt the worst, since I'll have to apply pressure to your wound." The little she-cat moved slowly to pick up her moss, giving the rogue a chance to protest.

Laurelsong's wary gaze followed Amberpaw as she dashed about from one end of the grove to the other, picking up leaves unfamiliar to the moor-dwelling she-cat and gathering large clumps of scratchy looking moss.  Huh...it's a bit funny really, I never bothered to pay attention to anything medicine related during my time in WindClan, but now that I don't have a healer at my beck and call, it's kinda amazing how great the clans have it.  It's no wonder we've survived for so long...seeing as one moon out here in solitude has almost killed me...  With a faint growl directed at no one but herself, the silver ticked she-cat turned her angled face upward as the little golden tabby returned, the scent of many different plants mingling to somewhat disguise the wretched smell of her festering wounds.  At last, some instructions came, and she couldn't hold back a weak laugh.  "Pfft, nothing could be worse than how I've spent the last moon of my life kid.  Do what you must."  Despite her brave words, the former warrior's dilapidated muscles tensed in preparation for whatever was to come.  If even the smallest movement made that StarClan-forsaken hole burn, having moss stuffed into it would be agony.  It doesn't matter though, anything to get back on my feet and heading towards where I need to go...I'm ready.

When the silvery rogue she-cat responded to Amberpaw's warning, her voice was almost light with laughter. She permitted the medicine cat to do her task, saying she could handle it. She spoke tough, and she certainly acted tough, but Amberpaw wasn't too certain. The way the she-cat could barely keep herself lifted off the ground and the way the wounds festered and reeked, Amberpaw felt certain that she simply didn't want to appear vulnerable. I can't blame her for that, she thought as she picked up the clump of moss and arranged it over the wound. Then, she slowly placed her paws on it and began to apply gentle, even pressure. Almost immediately upon pressing down, Amberdawn was aware of the uncomfortable heat rising from the wound. Her dark amber eyes glanced anxiously to the rogue she-cat's face, looking to see how she responded.

Then there was a small, strange popping feeling, and something oozed up around Amberpaw's paws. Mixed in with the blood now was a concerning amount of pus, some that had likely been trapped in an abscess inside the wound for Starclan knew how long. She didn't ease up the pressure, though, for the bleeding had not yet slowed. If anything, it had gotten worse. Now Amberpaw did need some answers. "You said it's been like this for a moon?" she asked, though when she opened her mouth she nearly shuddered at the strange smell of infection. I can't imagine what the inside of those other gashes must look like, Amberpaw thought, if this one that was bleeding had so much infection in it!

Almost immediately the blood had soaked through, and Amberpaw turned the moss and wiped it around gently, careful not to harshly brush the angry edges of the wound, trying to use all that she could. However, when it was full, Amberpaw grimaced and mewed, "I-I have to get more moss, I'll be back in a second." She wasted no time; she couldn't afford to. The amount of blood spilling was frightening, and it was no wonder the she-cat had collapsed. The medicine cat apprentice returned to the tree where she'd collected the first moss to grab another massive clump, racing back to the rogue's side to place the moss on the wound again, applying pressure hopefully. Come on, stop bleeding! she thought. Amberpaw asked, "How are you feeling? I know this can't be comfortable, but it will be enough for us to get you to Twolegplace so you can get help." Although I'm not sure what sort of medicine twolegs could possibly have for you...

Teeth grinding in anxious anticipation, Laurelsong watched best she could as the young healer placed the moss over her bleeding wound, twinging slightly even at that slight pressure.  Okay...here we go.  Brace yourself Laurelsong, act like the warrior you are!  As soon as Amberpaw pressed down, it felt as if her flank had been set ablaze.  "Aaahhgggg!"  Body completely tense, she tried her absolute hardest to remain still, but her paws squirmed and flexed almost involuntarily.  Animal instincts told her to kick out, to claw at this cat causing her unbearable pain, but she knew better.  This would help her...she needed to pull through and regain her strength.  Tempering herself with low breathy hisses, she stared off into space, trying to focus on her surroundings when Amberpaw's voice suddenly cut through her concentration.  "What?  Oh...no, i-it hasn't been infected the w-whole time...just for ab-about a...a week.  I've had the wounds f-for a moon, though..."  Her irritable voice trailed off, not daring to look at the wound.  She could feel her fur growing wetter and wetter with substances much thicker than water...

After a moment there was a reprise, and the pain subsided.  More moss...please, let this work!  It can't end like this!  Laurelsong's chest rose and fell rapidly along with her heart as she waited, but all too soon the pain returned, and she let out an exhausted moan.  Amberpaw's worried question though made her smile a bit; "O-Ohhh nooo, I've n-never been more co-comfortable in my life!  That rare smile though quickly faded back to agony, and her eyes closed.  Almost there...you're so close...so close...

Just a little bit longer...

As expected, the rogue's response was not ideal. The she-cat let out what was practically a war-cry and it took everything in Amberpaw's body to resist the instinct to back off. Clearly it was taking everything in the rogue's body not to claw the stars out of her. The she-cat had completely tensed under the medicine cat's paws, and that contraction of her muscles had likely contributed to the sudden drainage of the hidden abscess. When Amberpaw asked her question, the she-cat had been trying to relax herself with slow, hissing breaths. You've got this, the medicine cat encouraged silently as she listened to the she-cat's response. After explaining it had only been bad for about a week, some of Amberpaw's genuine optimism returned.

That's alright, then," she replied in a voice that was perhaps more confident than earned, "they're still young and fresh enough to close up and heal again."

After Amberpaw had left and returned with more moss, she was both relieved and concerned that upon applying it for the second round the rogue didn't screech or jolt nearly so much as the first time. As the golden tabby held pressure there, the rogue under her paws just let out a weary, pained groan.

At Amberpaw's prompt, the she-cat's face warmed slightly with a smile. She denied the pain, again, but to an extent the medicine cat believed the pain might be ebbing slightly. Since some of the pressure in the wound had been relieved, the skin was a little less taut. Amberpaw could tell that the drainage of both blood and infection was slowing, and then a thought occured to her. Snow slows circulation, she realized, and that's why queens have to keep their kits close and groom them often in leaf-bare. The snow can help stop the bleeding!

The medicine cat apprentice scooped up a pawful of snow, then another, and packed them both on top of the moss which covered the wound. "You're doing great," Amberpaw praised gently. "I think just a few moments of this and I'll be able to apply a poultice to help soothe all your wounds until you find help in twolegplace." Amberpaw paused, then out of curiosity she asked, "How do you know there's medicine in twolegplace? Have you been there before?"

Laurelsong let out a chirp of surprise as she felt something cold touch her sensitive skin, and lifted her head a bit to see what Amberpaw had done; "...snow?  That's smart...I should've thought of that..."  Her grumbles quickly quelled though as the cool moisture soaked her fur, making her realize just how warm she was...now that she wasn't focusing as much on the burning pain, her fever came as a vivid realization.  Blinking semi-patiently, she listened as the little medicine cat explained the rest of her treatment, and she nodded.  "Great..."  Her next remark though came as a surprise, and Laurelsong's bold eyes narrowed.  "I thought I said no questions kid?  Ahh, I suppose I'll humor you...I owe you anyway.  To be honest, I don't know for sure if I'll be able to find help...but in my time, I'm heard about a few cases of rogue healers who wander around, helping injured cats like myself.  Hoping I'll come across one of 'em, eventually.  If not, I guess I'll just surrender myself to some Twolegs and let them handle it...whatever works."  Her own words, though she knew they were fake, almost sickened her to her stomach.  Cuddle up to some StarClan-forsaken Twolegs like a purring, bumbling fool?  I'd rather die!  Her face remained complacent though, and her gaze returned to the ground.  I've fallen so far...you're really making me fight huh?  Fine.  I'll play your game StarClan...and in the end, I'll win.

Amberpaw jumped only a little when the rogue lifted her head to see what she was doing. The medicine cat apprentice had to hold back a purr when her patient remarked on how the snow was a smart call. I should have thought of it much sooner than I did, Amberpaw thought, but at least now you and I both know for the future. However, the rogue's moment of lowered defenses quickly ended at the apprentice's curious question.

Thankfully, the rogue decided to share just a bit of information. After all, it was harmless, wasn't it? The she-cat was uncertain but hopeful, and said she'd settle for twoleg intervention. Amberpaw had to shudder despite how she had never met a twoleg before; she'd heard plenty of bad things about them and had no desire to meet one for herself. Regardless, the young golden tabby nodded in acceptance of the rogue's response. Her dark amber gaze watched the snow beneath her paws. Some had melted into her patient's silver-white fur, but it seemed to have cooled and frozen into a solid pack.

Carefully and hopefully, Amberpaw peeled away the packed snow and moss to reveal a still wound that was still angry but less so and no longer bleeding. The tabby medicine cat apprentice sighed and mewed, "Okay. I'll apply a poultice and then some more moss." She mumbled under her breath, "I wish I had cobwebs to hold the bandage in place..." Amberpaw leaned aside to pick up a mouthful of wintergreen and chervil, chewing it quickly before spitting it out onto her pad and gently slathering it onto the fresh wound. She wished she had warned the rogue that it would likely sting for a moment, but nothing could be done. Amberpaw finished by placing the rest of the poultice on the other two worst wounds; though they weren't open, they were still angry and needed some soothing until the rogue received help - if she could find it.

Laurelsong was grateful the SkyClan apprentice didn't feel the need to elaborate on her question, merely leaving it at a nod before returning to her work; she clearly wasn't much of an adventurer, like the exiled warrior had been at her age.  Any news of mysterious rogue cats from a mysterious rouge cat themselves would've sent her into an inquisitive frenzy, but alas, this was the best possible outcome.  The less information she gave away, even the most minor, the better.  Leaning back once more against the soft earth, the former WindClanner felt the culmination of moss and snow peel from her body and realized that the worst of the pain had subsided.  All that was left was a constant ache; unpleasant, but not debilitating.  The weight pressing down atop her chest began to finally release; she had made it.  She was going to be fine!

She could hear Amberpaw mumbling something about a poultice and nonexistent cobwebs, before feeling a gentle paw wash something gooey over her wound, wincing once again as a stinging sensation followed the application.  This pain though felt much different than the kind she had experienced over the last few days; rejuvenating rather than annihilating and as the herb juices began to sink in she felt a bit more alert and aware of the world...including how far the sun had fallen in the sky.  Long shadows followed Amberpaw across the snowy ground, and Laurelsong knew that it was time to go.

With a low grunt, the lithe she-cat gathered her paws underneath her wasted body and slowly rose back into a standing position, injured flank twinging a bit yet infinitely more manageable than before.  She resisted the urge to groom; her pelt was too dirty for a quick fix to make a difference at this point, and she didn't particularly feel like settling down for a grooming gossip session with the stubby ginger SkyClanner.  With an awkward flick of her sleek tail, Laurelsong met her rescuer's gaze for a moment before glancing away, seemingly embarrassed by the words she was about to say.  "Well...um...thank you kid, for the help.  It's time I hit the road though."  She flashed her a crooked half-smile, before taking a few careful steps across the grove, testing out her paws.  Should be fine...if I get there by sundown I'll have plenty of time to find shelter before the worst of the chill comes on...  She was about to vanish into the underbrush when she hesitated, one paw lingering in the air for a heartbeat before placing itself back on the ground as she turned, fixing her intense chartreuse eyes on the medicine cat apprentice.

"Some may call me a dishonorable cat, but I promise to someday honor my debt to you, Amberpaw.  You saved my life, like it or not, and that's something I can't brush aside.  If we ever meet again, remember; I owe you a favor."  She spoke like a warrior, yet smiled through the flighty eyes of a rogue as Laurelsong nodded a last goodbye, before brushing past a patch of brambles and disappearing in the direction of Twolegplace.

When I return as WindClan's rightful leader...she'll realize the part she helped play in the history of the clans.  Firstly though...I guess I'll have to sink even lower.  Once I reach the bottom though, the only way left to go is up.

The small golden tabby she-cat took a few steps back to give the rogue some space. The other she-cat was eager to be on her way, as she had been during the entire ordeal, and slowly began to make her way to her paws. "Easy," Amberpaw murmured mostly to herself; clearly the rogue she-cat needed no warning to treat the wound with care, but the medicine cat apprentice could see how delicate the wound was and how little it might take to get it bleeding again. Still, the silvery-white she-cat stood without incident and Amberpaw felt relieved, though they both knew she wasn't going to be in the clear without more medical attention. Amberpaw gazed with friendly dark amber eyes as the stranger looked at her for a moment, then glanced awkwardly and thanked her before excusing herself to leave.

When the rogue smiled that strange crooked smile, Amberpaw still couldn't help but smile back, a result of her innocence as well as her kind nature. She nodded and mewed, "Safe travels," and watched the she-cat as she slowly began to head toward twolegplace. 

Then, however, the silvery she-cat stopped and turned, fixing an intense stare on Amberpaw. The medicine cat apprentice's ears perked as the she-cat stated, "Some may call me a dishonorable cat, but I promise to someday honor my debt to you, Amberpaw." A flicker of curiosity bloomed in the apprentice's head but she said nothing as the cat continued, You saved my life, like it or not, and that's something I can't brush aside.  If we ever meet again, remember; I owe you a favor." Then immediately the silvery cat disappeared into the undergrowth.

Who may call you dishonorable? Amberpaw wondered as she stared into the brush where the older she-cat had disappeared. Who are you? Only silence met her ears, the she-cat already out of earshot and moving further every second. Thoughts about the encounter raced through Amberpaw's mind, but she simply murmured, "StarClan light your path."