Dreamweaver - Wolfheart (feel good books txt) 📗

we’re going to have you help us, alright?”
I nodded, not actually planning on it. The three picked their moss up and headed for the entrance. I looked over to see the cat walking toward me – still – was White Fox.
“Why did you stop them from working?” He demanded.
“I didn’t. I offered my help. They said they’d show me how, but I couldn’t do anything.”
“You’ll get in the way.”
“No I won’t. I’ll be learning from an out-of-the-way place. It will be helpful, because then I won’t have to learn it later.”
“Who says you’ll be doing it later?”
“Even if I don’t here, I will have to make a nest in the forest anyway. I’m not going to lie on bare leaves for the rest of my life.”
He growled. “You won’t be going back to a human den?”
I met his gaze. “I was very close to the humans who died. I have no need to go through that again. The only reason I stayed in the den was for them. I won’t eat pebbles of dry food and remain for several hours in a contained den for just any human.”
He snorted. “You’ll find a human den again. You won’t handle learning what real hunting and fighting is, and run back to your humans.”
“Your name is White Fox, right?”
“Yes.”
“If I recall, I remember hearing the name White Fox a time or two. They were talking about how your mother and father were both born in human dens…”
“That is lies.” He hissed. “Now mind your own business and don’t pretend you can keep up! I was born clan!”
“But not every cat in the clan was.”
“They are not half of what we are!”
I looked around. “I bet you there are over half of them that have human ties. Mothers, fathers and other kin living with humans…having come from humans themselves…parents born in a human den, but giving up or losing that life, and coming into the clan…”
He hissed wordlessly and took off with his tail in the air.
I cleaned my paws and inspected the herbs on my wounds. It was defiantly horsetail, and a little comfrey.
“Don’t lick those off, new-comer.” An old, rough voice sounded amused. I looked up and to my left to see a tiger stripped female. She was missing half her ear, and scars ran down her face.
"Why would I do that?" I asked, confused. "I merely smelled what she put on me, so I knew a little more about the herbs."
The tabby blinked. "You know herbs?"
I shrugged "A little. Not as much as the priestess."
"It's still admirable." She sounded amazed.
"We're ready." The three were back. "We'll show you how to make the nest."
I followed the group, who were carrying two bundles of moss each, into the den they'd come out from. I watched as they spread the moss into a few nests, and then helped them with another. There was an older cat laying in one, napping quietly.
"Wake up, Rising Moon." The black and white prodded her side. "We need to change your bedding."
She slowly woke up and looked around. Her eyes fell on me.
"Hello. Are you the new cat?"
"Yes." I stifled a yawn, already getting tired. Between the long walk and spreading the bedding, I wasn't exactly sprit and spry.
"My, my. Won't the priestess be surprised to see you digging up nests instead of napping in a warm den?"
"I would rather work until I'm exhausted than try sleeping in a stranger's den without doing anything at all to earn their kindness."
They all looked surprised.
"Common, Rising Moon." The gray one urged. "It's getting dark, and this is our last nest to change. We've worked hard all day, and want sleep."
She let out a purr of amusement. "Of course. I'm sure all of you would like some sleep."
She rose stiffly, groaning.
"Oh. Do you need some herbs?" I asked. "I think I know where Priestess keeps them."
She growled "Don't be messing with medicine you know nothing about."
It was hard not to hiss at her accusation, but I did tell her "My mother taught me what herbs to use for stiff joints, excuse me. Do you think your leader is the only cat to know how to apply comfrey or pick tansy?"
"Perhaps not, but you aren't my healer. If you want, you can go get her and tell her my legs are stiff."
I blinked. "That wouldn't be accurate. You're legs aren't what's stiff; it's your spine. Did you slip a disk?"
A familiar voice called from behind "She did, Serenity! You are clever to see that!"
We all turned to see Priestess in the entrance, a bundle of herbs at her paws and her tail twitching.
My heart found my throat.
"Is that dirt on your paws, young newcomer? I thought White Fox said you were watching them." The kittens and elder stared at me in shock.
"I thought you said she wanted you to help us!" Rabbit Foot sounded terrified.
"And that you told her what you helping with!" The gray on agreed.
"Lying isn't nice." The black and white one sounded almost hurt.
I licked my shoulder. "Sorry. I really wanted to help...and was afraid that I'd be told no, because White Fox told me off for asking."
The Priestess picked the herbs up and brought them to Rising Moon. "It's not a big deal to help out, Serenity. But it is a bad idea to lie about it and not ask me. You aren't apart of the clan."
I bowed my head.
"Also, what kind of herbs are these?"
I sniffed them, trying to remember. It wasn't familiar to me. "I've never seen these before. But my mother used dandelions or ginger."
"Well, this is a mix of meadowsweet and juniper. It's less common in the human area, so your mother probably didn't think it was worth showing to you when there were useful herbs to do the same thing. Meadowsweet can cause some problems that are countered using herbs like juniper."
"So stomach and digestive problems?"
"Right."
Rising Moon ate the herbs as the younger cats dug out the nest. By the time I was done being quizzed, the elder lay in her newly changed nest.
Priestess had kept me busy on purpose.
"Come to my den and sleep with me. I want to keep an eye on your chest and leg."
I nodded and followed her out. The others followed us. I paused and faced them.
"I won't lie to you again. I just...really have nowhere else to go...and I don't want to burden your clan."
They looked at each other.
"I won't believe you!" Rabbit Foot growled, taking off toward the nursery. I watched him go with a heavy heart. The other two sigh watched me, and I felt Priestess's eyes.
"Well..." The black and white looked thoughtful. "If you put action in words, I will start to believe you...but I have to see it first."
The gray one nodded. They walked toward another den together.
"Let's go."
I followed the leader of the forest cats into her den of herbs and moss, and lay in the nest she or some other cat had made for me. I was asleep in moments, exhausted.

Chapter Three
Tested

The noon day sun found me yawning, watching the kittens not yet Tenderpaws playing with a ball of moss. The queens watched me warily. Their conversations were quiet and few - they almost always were when it was me who guarded their kits. I'd given up trying to socialize with either the queens or the kits.
I had no patience for the kits, and the queens had nothing to say to an outsider.
Maybe I should leave soon. I don't think they'll accept me, and I'm healed enough to leave this place. I'm sure I could hunt well enough to live, at least. And fight cats or dogs. I think I can climb well enough to get away from foxes...

A kitten bit my tail. I gently took it away. He just pounced on it when I set it down. I looked at the kitten, a little taken aback. I tried to take it away again, flicking it to the left. This time, he chased it with claws.
I ground my teeth, so I wouldn't hiss. I'd definitely get an earful for hissing at a kitten for playing.
The kitten pounced again, digging his little milk teeth in. "My, kitten, what sharp teeth you have!" I told him.
He looked up, surprised I'd spoken. The queens tensed. I'd snapped at a kitten before.
"You think so, Serenity?" He asked, his eyes glowing a little.
"Yes. Look, I think you took some fur off!"
He looked closely at my tail - really close.
Gently, I batted his ear without my claws.
He jumped, giving a playful mew of surprise. The queens seemed to let out a breath of relief as the kitten realized I was playing with him. He went into a pounce - a really bad one, with his butt in the air.
I purred. "Put that butt down. You look like a human dog playing fetch!"
"Fetch?"
"Yes. Humans throw something, and the dog does that and chases it, then brings it back."
"Why would they do that?"
"Because mice are smarter than them!"
He purred, putting his butt lower.
"Keep that tail down."
The queens looked surprised when he listened.
"Now what do I do?"
I blinked, confused.
"Attack!" Another kit - a little she-cat - squealed, and the two pounced on me suddenly. Still weak from healing, I was easily pushed onto my back. I let out a yelp of surprise at the older she-cat's weight.
We wrestled for a while. Soon, two more joined the play battle. It went on until I lay in the sand outside the nursery in fake defeat. I held my breath and lay flat.
They froze, suddenly tensing.
"Did we kill her?" One asked, nervous.
"We didn't bite her hard!" The tom protested.
"Boo!" I gently heaved the surprised kittens off my chest and stomach. They squealed excitedly and ran away. As they were coming back, Shadow Hunter appeared from my left, out of nowhere. I jumped, shocked. His amused, playful gaze left me ashamed.
"H-hi."
"That was some interesting moves you showed them."
I shrugged, not wanting to show him how embarrassed I was.
"The Priestess wants me to take you into the forest. We're to hunt."
I stared at him in shock. "Hunt?"
"Yes. Falling Sun said you know how."
"Yes."
"Then let's go. I'll show you the boarder of our territory, and we'll hunt on the run."
He winked. "I'll even teach you a little about river hunting."
My eyes went big. "There is prey in the water?!"
He purred in amusement. "Yes, Serenity. There is prey in the water."
His tail flicked. "Common. We have a lot to do."
"What about the kittens?"
"I'll watch them." A new voice said. It was a she-cat. A tabby with amber eyes and sleek, thick fur and a challenging gaze was walking toward us.
"Hi." I called.
She bowed her head.
"I'm Serenity."
She looked a little hesitant. "My name's Hawk Talon."
"Have fun."
She nodded. "They are always a handful."
"Common, Serenity." Shadow Hunter's whiskers twitched with some amusement, some frustration. "Or we won't have time to hunt in the river."
"Aren't you training Raven Feather?"
"Yes. She's waiting for us at the old oak. I want to see how well she can hunt with new cats."
Is he talking about me or this Raven Feather?
I stood up and followed him to the fern tunnel exit, where he allowed