Chapter Text
"Goldenstrike!"
They crept to the young deputy, nose scrunching up at the sharp and heavy tang of blood. The small pale tabby practically swallowed a sob. He trembled, claws sinking into soft soil.
All the tabby calico could do was gently shush him, gently nudging him to settle down. The medicine cat curled around him, giving him soothing licks on his head first. They rasped their tongue at the top of his head, whose ears were flat and scarlet eyes squeezed shut.
The silent tremble of Goldenstrike's body was concerning and so was the blood—but Redshade felt the strong desire to comfort him first. They weren't sure what he had been through, but it was enough for him to be in shock.
Once Goldenstike seemed to have stopped trembling and started to let out a weak purr, did the medicine cat stop. It was then that they felt a ghostly body curl around them and they knew it was the old spirit that followed the deputy: Scarletwing.
Redshade let out a purr of their own. The young warrior would be taken care of—soothed by the presence of his chosen spirit companion. They slowly got up, once again sniffing at his pelt and wounds. Blood matted on his pale golden fur and rasping a gentle tongue over them caused Goldenstrike to wince. They sniffed again.
A fresh wound. It would be okay.
"I'll be right back." Redshade mewed, "I'm just going to get some herbs."
And maybe some food, they thought, it looks like he needs it.
Sure, he was supposed to be the deputy of Sunclan and Sunstar's trusted secondhand—they really shouldn't treat him like a kit—but the deputy was young and every cat knew it. He was a mere kit when apprenticed and never fully lost his kitten fluff when he became a warrior and deputy, both at once—so they heard.
(From the fluff on his scruff, it sure seemed to be true).
Well, they weren't allied with those in OwlClan nor the newly created SwampClan, so it really shouldn't matter. They were nothing more than a rogue medicine cat, traveling around every now and then. They had only heard of passing news that interested them, nothing more and nothing less.
Yet...the idea of a cat, no other than an older apprentice, as deputy? The thought caused their fur to bristle.
Once they had plucked up cobwebs and nearby herbs, Redshade quickly rushed to Goldenstrike—relieved to still see him safe with his chosen spirit. They did all they could, chewing herbs into a poultice and slathering cobwebs. They got up again to fetch him a mouse, plotting it right at his paws.
"I'm not hungry."
"Eat." Redshade flopped next to him, exhausted, "you need your strength."
They didn't say anything about the ribs that stuck out of his fluffy pelt.
I ought to give Sunstar a piece of my mind... they thought if I had the courage...
Resting their head on their paws, they watched as the young deputy practically finished the mouse in a few famished bites. Scarletwing purred in response.
"Best if you rest now" they mewed softly, "I will keep watch."
They wished they could give Goldenstrike poppy seeds but they didn't want to leave the injured tom alone. Right now, he needed safety more than anything else, even his title as deputy.
Why, he should've still been a paw-!
Goldenstrike wanted to part his jaws to argue but sighed and curled up against his better judgment. Redshade gently rasped their tongue between the deputy's ears. Combined with Scarletwing's purring, the deputy was lulled fast asleep.
Redshade couldn't help by smile. For now, they would take care of the deputy as an older littermate would—for as long as he stayed in Sunclan.
(Imagine their surprise to end up joining OwlClan, where Goldenstrike was given more room to be a kit. He never made himself the boss of the group of apprentices, and if it weren't for his warrior name—he might as well be one).