Dreamweaver, Wolfheart [best fiction books of all time .txt] 📗

swollen.”
“I think I wrenched something.”
As I ate the catmint, she chewed the horsetail. Then she began to slowly lick it into each wound. I kept still and quiet, though a few times I couldn’t help but flinch away.
When she touched my leg with her nose, I was caught off guard from the sudden pain that flared up. Giving a small cry of pain, I resisted scratching off her ears by digging my claws into the ground. Several cats turned to look at me, and then hurried back to their own business.
“Oh dear. That’s not good at all.”
She disappeared into her den again and came out with comfrey and long leaves.
“Eat these.” She put the comfrey down in front of me. “It’ll help you heal.”
I sniffed them, recalling only using them for infection. “Is there another use for these other than infection?”
“They help tissue and bones heal. You’ve torn a muscle in your leg somewhere, though I’m glad it isn’t fractured.”
So am I.
I ate the comfrey. It wasn’t something my mother had warned me to never eat…but it was bitter. I resisted gagging.
“This is going to hurt.” She was standing over my leg. “I have to wrap it to make sure it heals properly.”
Will I be crippled if she does that wrong?
Remembering the time my vet bandaged my paw when I twisted it, I watched her intently for mistakes. It kept my mind off the pain, anyway.
“Thanks.” I said through gritted teeth. I noticed Falling Sun had disappeared.
“He probably went to ask a hunter to find some extra prey. We will eat soon.”
“I –“
“You will not hunt your own prey in your condition.” She interrupted, guessing wrongly what I was going to say.
She must deal with a lot of stupid cats.
“I was going to say that I have eaten last night. I don’t need to trouble your hunters.”
She looked a little embarrassed and a little surprised.
“What if we have extras?” A mocking but vaguely familiar voice called through a muffled mouth. Looking up, I saw the black cat Shadow Hunter. He was holding a vole in his mouth. I noticed the cleanness of the kill and tried to remember if I’d done so well with such a fast creature, but couldn't think of such a time. The cat set it down.
“Your throat doesn’t seem to hurt bad enough to ask what an herb is for or say that you’re not hungry. Why don’t you give us a name?”
My tail flicked furiously. I didn’t need to be mocked by any cat, let alone him!
I opened my mouth to make a harsh remark when I realized how stupid it would be. I wasn’t exactly in a situation or condition to smart mouth a tom cat.
“My name is Serenity.” I replied. It was the name my human-folk had called me, not my real name, but none of them would know the difference. Besides, none of the cats at the human place knew my real name.
I’ve never really been close to anybody Is that why I don’t have any regrets about being here?
"I’m Shadow Hunter, if you didn’t hear Falling Sun clearly enough.”
“Thanks for the vole.” I changed the subject.
“No problem. Sometimes we find extra food.”
“Wait to eat it.” He whispered. “It’s very important that you do.”
I nodded, not understanding but accepting his advice.
I noticed everybody was getting food from a pile near the entrance.
The Priestess jumped on the log. Suddenly all was silent. The cats in the back stopped fighting and stalking. The kittens stopped playing and the queens stopped talking. Cats gathered around the stump from all directions.
“This day has brought many things to this clan. It brought food and water, sunshine and warmth. It has given us hope that there will be a tomorrow." Her voice carried in a soothing yet ceremonial ring. “And we must remember that the lives we have taken today have sacrificed all they know to renew our lives and allow us to awaken as we are today; healthy and full. Give thanks to them, and rejoice in the life they provide us.”
The cats bowed their heads, as if to pray.
As soon as all eyes were on her again, she continued.
“The day has also brought an injured cat into the camp. Her home burned down, and her humans are gone. Because of this, I will provide her care and the opportunity to remain here as long as she needs to recover and find a new home.” Relief washed over me. She was allowing me to stay until I found another home.
What if I don’t want to go back to the humans?

The thought hit my mind, making me realize how trapped I’d felt in the house compared to now. It honestly shocked me to my core.
“Her leg was injured, so any activity she performs cannot strain it. Exercise will be limited.”
“Will she hunt?” A cat asked out of the blue. “The snow just melted. How can we feed another mouth?”
“She will eventually be permitted to hunt, but not now. She inhaled a lot of smoke, and her injured leg won’t allow her to run and jump properly.”
“Will she help around the camp until then?” A younger cat asked. She was around my age.
“I will decide which chores she can do tomorrow at dawn.”
They all listened carefully. Their questions seemed logical. I would need to hunt and do chores while I was here; they couldn’t accept another burden for even a short amount of time.
“We have prayed. But one more thing is in order."
They looked around, curious. She looked at Falling Sun with gleaming eyes.
"Sparrow Wing's Journey Cat, Falling Sun, has completed his final Trial, and has earned a new right."
The cats gathered around, and he came to the center. She looked to the sky and called "As the Priestess of this Clan, I call to the spirits of this earth and the ancestors of our blood, and ask them to take notice of my choice."
The wind stirred with furry through the branches above suddenly, and slowed to utter silence.
The Priestess looked back onto the circle. I held my breath. What was going on?!
"The Journey Cat Falling Sun has trained hard in the ways of the Nine Spirit Laws. He fights with precision in the name of the clan. He has sacrificed much to be a part of something greater, and always gives thanks to the world around him. To honor his sacrifices, skill and dedication, I hereby proclaim him a Scout!"
She gracefully leaped down beside the smaller orange cat and said "May the Ancestors bless you, and may you serve them and our clan with the endurance you have shown in training.”
"Falling Sun! Falling Sun! Falling Sun!"
Even I cheered when I saw the pride in his gaze. It had to mean a lot to him.
The Priestess spoke once more when all quieted. "And may the Spirits bless our visitor, our clan and our prey!" And she picked up a squirrel, taking a bite.
Every cat began to eat. I ate slowly and delicately, thinking.
Now that I think about it, they seem organized. A prayer before they eat…patrols and dens…herbs…hunters…

It sounded like a lot of hard work. Memories of training to hunt and fight with my mother flooded back to me, as well as the house. My human-folk had always played with, pet and fed me. They’d comforted me when I was scared, or entertained me when I was bored…and loved me…
But were they even alive? Was there anything left of my past? If not, would the clan really be my place?
Or do I have more of a future than a past?

“Is there something on your mind?” Priestess asked.
“My human-folk…”
“I don’t think that is something you need to think about right now.” Her tone was light and understanding, surprising me for once. “I still try to keep those memories vague. They love us, sure, in their own stupid way.” She sat up, finished with her sparrow. “But they don’t see much past themselves. Yours weren’t able to get out of a fire. I don’t know how they understood to get you out and not themselves, but they didn’t. My humans…they didn’t know what to do with kittens after the mother was gone. When my mother died, they seemed to panic. They put us outside in the forest.”
“Us?”
She bowed her head.
“My brothers didn’t make it. They were weaker than I was, and the cat who found me found them dead.”
“Oh…”
She shook herself. “But humans aren’t something to think about out here. If you do ever find another human to care for you, remember that you will always end up back here. It’s where cats belong.”
Then she rose. “Other than that, I will help you heal. I will even help you find a new home; even if that’s somewhere in the forest.” Her eyes gleamed. “Who knows? Perhaps your destiny is here.”
She turned and went toward a fallen log where several elderly cats were chatting. I noticed cats around my age hauling moss to and fro.
Feeling restless, I rose and limped over to them. They paused, looking a bit surprised.
“Hi. I’m sorry to bother you, but I was told to ask you if I could help.”
They blinked. I looked between them. One was a black and white female with pale green eyes. Another was a gray stripped tomcat with amber eyes and fluffy, long fur. The third cat had short white fur that hugged his skin; it looked amazingly soft and fluffy, and he was smaller than the other two. His eyes were the blue-gray color of a kitten.
“The Priestess asked you to help us? Aren’t you hurt?” The black and white asked, setting down the moss.
“I’m not so hurt I can’t drag around moss.”
The looked at each other, wide eyed.
“Do you think you should ask her?” I looked over them to her. “She looks busy though…”
“Oh, no.” The gray stripped one shook his head vigorously. “That’s fine. You can…ugh…”
“Scrape out the old stuff and spread the moss.” The white one volunteered. “You won’t have to move around a lot or use that hurt leg.”
“That’s a great idea!” The gray one added. “Rabbit Foot can show you how, if you’re not sure.”
I titled my head to the side. “Is the moss bedding?”
“Yes. Today is our chore day. We keep the nests clean, watch the kits too young to train and make sure the elders don’t go hungry.”
“And bring any sick cats the food, water or medicine that Priestess tells us too.”
“Or run battle messages, if we’re told.”
“That sounds busy.”
“It is. But it’s important.”
“I bet it is. Are the nests done any certain way?”
“I’ll show you how.” The white cat purred. “It’s my first day as a Journey Cat, but I was showed as a Tenderpaw.”
“Journey Cat? Tenderpaw?”
“Oh…right. A Tenderpaw is a kitten being shown how to do chores, and tested in hunting and fighting with games like pounce, tag and wrestling. They are between three and five moons. On the sixth moon, you are made a Journey Cat…”
“And start training in hunting or fighting.”
I nodded, interested and curious.
“We gotta take care of this stuff.” The black and white said, looking at a cat who was walking toward them.
“I’ll be right back to show you where we’ll be next. Just make sure Priestess knows