Quote:
Originally Posted by Charmer
Shinefang looked at Gorsepaw with confusion in his eyes before it really sunk in what she was asking. "Uh... Yes, maybe. Let me have a look at that tail first." The old tom made his way over and peeled back the webs. The tail was still scabby, but there was no scent of infection. "Yeah, you can go back to the apprentice den today, but you still can't return to your apprentice duties. You still have scabs. We need to see that turn to scar tissue. You won't need webs anymore though." Shinefang made his way to his herb shelf and grabbed the goldenrod, broom, and comfrey like Daydream suggested and chewed them up, and placed then in one of the cobnut shells they had pointed out to made the ointment. Shinefang couldn't look at Gorsepaw as he made the mixture. When Daydream had stopped by the other day while Gorsepaw was sleeping, he'd learned something that would haunt him: Gorsepaw likely didn't need to have her tail removed at all. He had overreacted at the smell of infection and gone too far. She'd bear the mark of his incompetence for the rest of her life because of him. Taking the cobnut shell in his teeth, he padded over and applied the balm to the stump. "You'll have to come back twice a day to get it looked at for a while. No leaving camp under any circumstances," he said without looking at her. "Now off you go."
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Gorsepaw puffed out her chest and marched out of the medicine den proudly, ready to show off her "battle scars" to any passing warrior.
I know I lost my tail as a result of my carelessness but...I will use this experience as a lesson...now I can go get me a mentor! The tabby apprentice felt like a completely different cat. She felt more confident and proud of how she was.
I wish all cats could feel like I do right now. But you never truly appreciate yourself until something like this happens. She got a few steps outside of the den and hesitated before racing across the clearing and into the apprentice den to look for her siblings.