Chapter 26: A Prickly Enemy

"We need to get moving," Fan said to the patrol, "before some other Firebender rears its ugly head."
"'Ugly' is right," Rusty laughed.
"This is no laughing matter," Stone snapped.
You never laugh, thought Ash as he rolled his eyes.
"Fan is right," Creature nodded. "We do need to get moving."
"I'm going to keep close to Eclipse in case Firetalon comes back," Willow announced.
The patrol walked on. The sun was in the middle of the sky.
"It's about lunchtime," Charlotte said.
"We'll get lunch after we find a safe place to rest and hunt," Fan promised.
"I hope that's soon," Dust complained.
Ash winced as he stepped on something sharp. He looked at his paw and licked it.
"What happened, Ash?" Asked Eclipse.
"I stepped on something sharp, no big deal," Ash reported. His pad was bleeding.
"No big deal?" Rusty walked over. "You've stepped on a thorn."
"Is it stuck in your paw?" Willow fretted.
"No, I told you, I'm fine," Ash glared.
"Let me check it," Eclipse insisted.
Sighing, Ash held out his paw for Eclipse to examine.
"It's bleeding," Dust's eyes were wide.
"So? It's just a small scratch!" Ash growled.
"Don't pick up Stone's attitude," Charlotte laughed.
Stone didn't look amused.
"Get a small cobweb," Eclipse ordered Light.
Light nodded and, without hesitating, ran away.
"Can't I just stick it in a river?" Ash asked.
Eclipse didn't reply. She studied the sky.
"If Ash just sticks it in a river," Dust said, "then we'd be done much quicker."
"This blood wouldn't stop if you put it in a river," Eclipse finally spoke. "It's bleeding and won't stop."
"What kind of thorn is the one Ash stepped on, then?" Rusty asked.
"I don't know," Eclipse admitted, "I've never seen anything like it."
"Back," came Light's voice. She handed Eclipse a small cobweb. Eclipse put it on Ash's paw.

Author's Note:
That thorn must be big, if Ash's paw was bleeding so much that it didn't stop. :3