A Time To Travel/Chapter 5

By Gigglepaw

Ivypaw gasped for air as her chest tightened.Her vision was starting to go dark around the edges,till she was looking down a long tunnel.

At the end of the tunnel she could see Poppypaw running for help.She heard his cry,a long,echoing sound as her ears stopped working.

Then the tunnel went dark.Everything was black,and she could breathe.Everything was going dumb,till she was floating in nothingness.

And she knew no more.

Running into the medicine den,Poppypaw panted,mewling in terror.“My sister,please...I need juniper berries-"

A silvery tom stepped forward.He was young,and confident.An older cat was staring at him as if he were a ghost.Probably this older cat was the medicine cat,and the younger cat was his apprentice.

“What is your name?"The apprsntice said,curling his plume-like tail around his paws.“I am Featherwhisker.This is my mentor,Goosefeather."

“I'm Poppypaw and my ssster,Ivypaw needs herbs,so please-"he panted without stopping.

Featherwhisker turned towards his herb stores.“You said juniper berries?Chest problems,correct?"

Poppypaw nodded,“She has been having trouble breathing."

Featherwhisker grabbed some berries on one claw and lifted a bundle of leaves,then turned to follow Poppypaw.

Poppypaw stopped as he saw Ivypaw.She wasn't breathing,her eyes closed,limply lying on the ground.He swallowed back fear.He rested his paw on her chest,feeling a slow heartbeat,faint,but there.“She's alive,"he whispered,“but not for much longer.

Ivypaw felt a sudden pressure lift off her lungs.She took a deep gasp of air,feeling life flow back through her body.Blinking open her eyes,she looked into the face of Poppypaw.

“She's breathing,"he said in relief,looking over at two cats.Ivypaw didn't recognize the silver tom,and the other was Mosspaw.

The silvery tom nodded.“Good."

“Who are you?"Ivypaw croaked.Her throat stung like fire.

Poppypaw looked relieved,and scared all at once.She had never seen that look on his face before.“This is Featherwhisker,the medicine cat apprentice here."

Featherwhisker dipped his head.“Hello Ivypaw."He flicked his plumy tail.“Rest,now."

She nodded,curling up,and was startled to realize she was on a comfortable nest in a clearing instead of the center of camp,where she had been before.With a sigh,she drifted off into a deep sleep.

*She gasped at the dizzying heights below her.Determinedly she climbed on.Reaching the highest branch,she looked into the clearing full of strange shapes.Dimly she could see shadows moving in another clearing farther off.That didn't matter.She had to see what Father was working on.Then she saw him,and his work.A large-*

Ivypaw blinked awake to find the sun sinking low.Suddenly her dream came back to her in a rush.She tried to remember what she had been looking for,but her mind was blank.Who was the cat in the dream?It couldn't have been her,nothing in that dream was familiar to her.

Seeing she was awake,Poppypaw grabbed a jawful of leaves and padded over.

“Lavender,"he said,dropping them in front of her.“And honey.It will help your throat."She nodded and lapped up the leaves,which were sticky and sweet.

“Poppypaw,"she said,lowering her voice,“I-I had a dream,"

He had turned to walk away,but now he froze.“What kind of dream?"

“It's a normal dream,"she began,“But this isn't the first time I've had it,and I don't know what it means."

“What is the dream?"he asked.

She told him about climbing the tree and seeing the clearing and not remembering what the “work" was,and how she never was sure who the cat in the dream was.He pondered for a moment,then sighed.“I don't know,"he said at last.“But if you have it again,tell me.I think it's important."

Changing the subject,she asked,“Where's Mosspaw?"

“He's talking to Pinestar-"he stopped,halfway through the sentence.

“We gotta stop him before he-"Ivypaw winced as she heard a tom yowl loudly.

“WHERE ARE THE SPIES?"He boomed in anger,and Poppypaw glanced at Ivypaw.

“Too late,"they chorused.