Thin woke in Chestnut's hole. She felt pain spreading through every part of her body. She opened her eyes to see Wave crouched over her.
"Please, wake up..." he muttered. His eyes lit up when he sawThin's eyes open. "Thin! You're awake!"
Thin tried to get up but fell as pain shot trough her legs.
"Careful! Chestnut said you shouldn't stand if you woke up before she got back from collecting plants. I'm so glad you're ok!"
The tan-brown cat curled his tail around her. Thin growled. "What happened?"
"You fell off a branch. I was looking for you and all of a sudden I heard yowling coming from the Pine. I ran over and saw you falling with a broken branch below you. I wish I gotten there faster. I could've caught you..." He pinned his ears sadly.
Thin purred. "It's ok, Wave. It was my mistake. I shouldn't have been on such a thin branch. I thought it would hold me."
"Out of the way, Wave," Thin heard Chestnut say through a mouthful of plants. She began applying them to Thin's wounds. Thin hissed at the stinging side effect the plants came with.
"A few of your bones are broken... Try eating one of these berries." Chestnut shoved a berry to Thin. It was the same blue berry that had saved Cloud. They'd decided to call them moonberries after the moon cats. Thin ate the moonberry and the pain went away. It was still aching but now - according to Chestnut - her bones were sprained, but not broken.
"This berry is a very useful plant," Chestnut thought aloud. "We'll need more, we're running low."
"I'm not running into Redwood's cats again," Thin growled.
"Well, you have to," Chestnut said sternly.
"Fine, but later."
Wave walked back to Thin and sat down beside her on the grass bed. He wrapped his tail around her head for a split second before curling it back around his paws. Chestnut gave him a knowing look.
What was that about? Thin wondered. What do they know that I don't?
"Rest, Thin-moon," Chestnut said. "I'll wake you in the morning."
Thin laid her head onthe grass bed. Wave sat beside her. Slowly, she fell back asleep.
She dreamt she was running alongside Cloud and White. They were in the meadows of Clear Group territory.
"You can't tell Thin-moon about this White," Cloud said.
"I'm right here," Thin said, but they didn't seem to hear.
"I won't Cloud," White said. "But don't do anything stupid."
"I won't." Cloud raced up the hill ahead and stopped on a flat rock where a beautiful orange cat sat. She had a heart on her side. She was dark orange with brighter orange markings.
"Orange-heart!" Cloud exclaimed. He sat down beside her and wrapped her with his tail. The cat purred. White climbed up the hill and kept watch, looking for other cats.
Isn't this againt the rules? Thin thought. Maybe it's not. Maybe it's not even happening.
"It is," she heard a cat say. It was Branchfall. Her dad.
"What do you mean?" Thin asked.
"Cloud is really in love with this Clearcl- Clear Group cat."
"But, that's not possible..."
Branchfall faded away.
And Thin woke up.
Cloud was visiting a Clear Group cat. She was fairly certain that was against the rules. But, she didn't know yet if they were changing their old rules as well as everything else.
Thin tried to get up and was able to stand up but she was wobbly.
"Careful, Thin," Wave said, standing up. "Don't hurt yourself again."
"I won't."
Thin tried to go forward a step but fell soon after. Wave was by her in a heartbeat. "I said careful, Thin!" he said, helping her stand. "Now sit down and wait for Chestnut."
Thin sat down and waited for Chestnut to wake up.
"Oh! Thin-moon, you're awake!" Chestnut exclaimed. "How are you doing?"
"I'm a little wobbly but otherwise I'm ok." Thin got up and tried to walk again. She walked a few more steps and then fell again.
"I didn't say show me!" Chestnut scolded. She walked up to Thin. "You need to rest your leg. White can be in charge until you heal."
"No I can lead," Thin hissed, getting back up. She walked a couple more steps before having to stop because she was too wobbly.
Wave walked up to her. "Be careful!" he said. "You don't want to break your bones again, do you?"
Thin growled. "I'm being careful!"
"Why are you in such a hurry anyways?" Chestnut asked.
"Because, I'm going to give Fade some of our territory."