I'm putting An Apprentice's Prophecy on hold until the end of this story. This follows Featherdawn, RiverClan's medicine cat in the first arc of DOTC (Destiny of the Clans) and how she came to be a medicine cat. I hope you all enjoy.
Yours,
Lukas Finn
Special thanks to Daisy, the person who inspired the creation of Featherdawn.
ALLEGIANCES
RIVERCLAN
LEADER MOTHSTAR — black tom with green eyes and a white belly
DEPUTY FURLEDLEAF — dark gray tom with amber eyes
MEDICINE CAT WETWEED — black tom with white paws, yellow eyes
WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits)
SLATEPELT — dark gray tabby tom
LONGFLOWER — tall white she-cat with black-tipped ears
SPRUCEWHISKER — massive pale brown tom with darker legs
GULLWING — gray tom with a mottled pelt
APPRENTICE, RUNNINGPAW
CHESTNUTFUR — dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
APPRENTICE, FOXPAW
VINEPELT — long-furred black she-cat
APPRENTICE, SWIFTPAW
BRANCHLEG — long-limbed golden tabby tom
DAWNPOOL — pale ginger tabby she-cat
ANTLERCLAW — cream-furred tom
SORRELSPECK — brown tabby tom with green eyes
CLOVERFUR — tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes
APPRENTICES (more than six moons, in training to become warriors)
RUNNINGPAW — pale gray tom with lighter flecks
FOXPAW — narrow-faced ginger she-cat with white paws
SWIFTPAW — lithe black tom
QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)
FOGFUR — brown she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Furledleaf's kits: Pineconekit (pale brown — with white flecks — she-kit), Featherkit (light gray tabby she-kit), and Cloudkit (mottled brown-and-white tabby tom)
LEOPARDBELLY — spotted brown she-cat with amber eyes, mother of Nightkit (dark gray tom) and Rootkit (brown tabby she-cat)
ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)
PINEFOOT — reddish-brown tom
SHADOWCLAN
LEADER VOLESTAR — skinny brown tom
DEPUTY LEAFWHISKER — old ginger tom with black spots
MEDICINE CAT MINNOWNOSE — stout brown tom
WINDCLAN
LEADER RUSTLESTAR — fluffy white tom with green eyes
DEPUTY RAVENLEAP — black tom with yellow eyes
THUNDERCLAN
LEADER SWALLOWSTAR — dark brown tabby tom
CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS
JUNIE — tortoiseshell she-cat from Horseplace
ABBOTT — reddish-brown tom with green eyes, Horseplace
ELIZABETH — white she-cat with yellow eyes, lives in a Twoleg nest at Horseplace
MOON — silver-tabby tom, Horseplace
PROLOGUE
A storm of raindrops dripped through the cracks in the ceiling. Thunder rumbled in the distance and lightning flashed in the night. The den was cold and smelled of disease. Shadows moved in the darkness, rapidly going back and forth from certain parts on the muddy floor. There were several cats curled up in mossy nests. Each of them shared common things: sunken eyes, running noses, coughs, sore muscles.
It was clear that an illness had broken out in the Clan.
In the middle of the den a gray she-cat was busy feeding herbs to a kitten-plump queen named Pineconefur. Her belly swollen with kits, she groaned when she had to reached down to lap up an oddly sour leaf. "Making me stretch over my fat self to get herbs," the tabby mumbled teasingly. Her voice grew hard. "You shouldn't be throwing yourself all over me. Take care of the others. Wetweed is sick, too. He can't do it himself."
The medicine cat apprentice stepped back from her kin. Her blue eyes darkened with discourage. "I can't. You know I can't. I'm not good at this. I barely know what to do. Wetweed is more experienced than I am."
Pineconefur sighed. "Featherpaw, from what you've told me, you've seen more of the world than any of the cats in RiverClan will ever in their lifetimes. You told me you cured your friends and a BloodClan warrior. If that isn't courage then I don't know what is."
Behind her, Featherpaw could hear her mentor coughing violently. He had caught greencough along with the rest of RiverClan, too. She lifted her chin.
"Go back to the nursery," she told Pineconefur, "and get away from the sick cats. I'll have them better soon."
When the queen wobbled out into the storm Featherpaw padded to the storage crack in the den. She pulled out a mouthful of herbs, then swiftly padded over to where her mentor was. He was slumped over on the ground. Blood puddled at the corners of his muzzle. His eyes were focused on something in the shadows and they were a dull yellow.
Gently, she set the medicine at her paws. "Wetweed," she meowed softly, crouching down to meet his face. "Wetweed, can you hear me?"
He weakly looked at her, studying her as if he had no idea who she was. It was painful to see him like this. Featherpaw remembered how much of a respected medicine cat Wetweed once was. Greencough made him looked shriveled and rotten, though it had only set in moments ago. He was fine this morning but earlier that night he had collapsed, leaving Featherpaw to care for the sick cats. But she couldn't do it on her own.
"W-why. . . .haven't. . . .you. . . .brought those. . . .herbs. . . .to. . . .the. . . .the warriors?" Wetweed rasped. His throat sounded dry. His breath smelled terrible. When had he last had a cool drink? He let out an airy cough. "I gave you a s-simple t-task, Featherpaw."
"I need you to help me," she mewed.
Wetweed tucked his chin against his chest. "You do not."
"You don't understand." Featherpaw scooted catmint towards the black tom. "I don't want to lose any more cats than I have to, and I can't take care of them without your help. We've already lost Vinepelt. I need you to get better. Please just try to take something."
"Featherpaw, do you know why StarClan chose you as my apprentice?" Wetweed's whiskers gave a slight twitch when she shook her head. "It's because they knew how well you're fit for the duty of serving your Clan. I've seen how smart you are. I've seen how much you truly care for RiverClan. Hear me out: no death will ever be your fault. You can't let things get to you, kit."
The claws in Featherpaw's chest gripped her tightly. She leaned forward and rested her muzzle on her mentor's forehead. It was very hot.
Wetweed gave a hollow breath. He nuzzled her backwards, then said, "Everything that you've ever learned and done under my watch comes down to this. My final lesson for you is to keep going. I know you'll serve RiverClan well."
He then lay still. His eyes were staring into Featherpaw's though she knew they couldn't see her anymore. They were clouded. His mouth was parted ever-so-slightly, but no breaths exited it. Wetweed was gone.
Featherpaw shakily rose to her paws. She felt a wave of sadness crash over her. But when his words rang in her head, she shook the sadness away. It wasn't time to feel upset. She had work to do.
The she-cat picked up the catmint. She tucked it against her chest and turned around to face her patients. Her eyes, darkened with confidence, narrowed from determination. I will save RiverClan!
