Under the Sky

by It's Always Okay to Cry

Swanpaw is so excited to be the medicine cat apprentice of DriftClan. But when she goes to the Moonstone, it's not StarClan that greets her, but a she-cat named Russetfang in a stinking forest. Why wasn't she approached by StarClan? Who is this strange she-cat? And what does she want with Swanpaw? Rated T just in case.

Alright! This is a challenge from the forum LightningClan. Yay! I hope you guys like it! Also, special thanks to totallynotachicken for the idea!

"Until she has received her warrior name, this apprentice shall be known as Minnowpaw. Flamepelt, you are a formidable warrior, and I know you will pass all that you know down to Minnowpaw," Sandstar said. Swankit watched her sister touch noses with her new mentor and smiled. "Swankit, until you receive your full name, you shall be known as Swanpaw. Leafshadow tells me you wish to become a medicine cat so Leafshadow shall be your mentor. I know she will teach you well so you can become a great medicine cat of DriftClan."

Swanpaw turned and touched noses with Leafshadow, beaming with pride to be named the medicine cat apprentice. As the Clan dispersed, Swanpaw turned eagerly to Leafshadow. "What are we going to do first?"

Leafshadow smiled at her. "I was thinking we could gather up some moss from outside the camp," she answered. "That way we can stock up and I can show you some of the territory at the same time."

"Can Minnowpaw come with us?"

Leafshadow shook her head. "I'm afraid what I'll be showing you are spots a medicine cat must know about, while Flamepelt will be showing Minnowpaw the best spots for a warrior to go."

Swanpaw nodded in disappointed understanding. "Okay."

Leafshadow led her up the crest of the small hollow the camp sat in. As soon as they reached the lip of the hill, the wind rushed around Swanpaw's ears. She lifted her nose into the breeze, loving the smell of the fresh air. Leafshadow flicked her tail for Swanpaw to follow. As the began to go to a place Leafshadow called the Tree Grove, they met a patrol made of several cats, but only one that Swanpaw cared about.

"Hi, Turtlestep!" Swanpaw grinned at her brother.

The grey tabby chuckled. "Hello, Swanpaw. Are you going to the Tree Grove?"

Leafshadow nodded. "Is there something wrong with going there?"

Turtlestep's eyebrows furrowed. "We were just there, and there was fox scent all over it. You probably shouldn't go there until the warriors take care of it."

Leafshadow nodded. "Alright, thank you, Turtlestep."

Swanpaw stared at the ground in disappointment. She had been looking forward to seeing the territory.

Leafshadow caught her eye. "It's okay, Swanpaw. We can always see the Tree Grove another day. Why don't I show you some places more important herbs grow? That way, you can still get a good look at the territory."

Swanpaw brightened, the black tips of her ears perking up. "Okay! It was good to see you, Turtlestep."

Turtlestep flicked Swanpaw's nose with his tabby tail. "Sure it was," he teased. "We'll see you later, then."

Swanpaw followed Leafshadow around, with the medicine cat pointing out different clumps of herbs. That one, marigold, is good for preventing wound infections, this one, yes, the one that smells so good, is called catmint and is used to prevent greencough. And this one here is watermint. It helps with a stomach-ache and grows in great bunches along the river.

Swanpaw wrinkled her nose at a harsh smell coming from near the river. "What's that smell?" she asked. "Another herb?"

Leafshadow's expression turned grim. "No, that would be MarshClan. They live in the marshes beyond this river."

Swanpaw dragged her gaze over the strange marshes and low-hanging trees that belonged to MarshClan. She shivered upon thinking what it would be like to live there, among the trees and the darkness.

Leafshadow's voice broke into her thoughts. "The Gathering is going to be in a few nights, where you can meet the other medicine cats before the half-moon meeting."

My first Gathering! "And Minnowpaw can come too, right?"

"Maybe," Leafshadow responded. "It all depends on who Sandstar want to go to the Gathering."

That was true, Swanpaw realized. Her choosing the life of a medicine cat would be far different than the life of a warrior.

Leafshadow glanced at her apprentice, then at the sun's position, which was only a little lower than sunhigh. "We should be getting back to camp, and I suppose you're feeling tired."

Swanpaw nodded. She followed Leafshadow again, but this time returning to the DriftClan camp. As they made their way down into the hollow, Swanpaw suddenly realized how tired she was. She wondered how Minnowpaw was doing with her tour of the territory. Her eyes roamed the camp to see her parents waving her over. After receiving a nod of allowance from Leafshadow, Swanpaw padded over to them.

"Swanpaw, I got you a mouse," Icewhisker mewed happily. "I remembered it was your favourite." Swanpaw's mother was pure white with ice-blue eyes that sparkled along with her constant smile.

Swanpaw now returned that smile, her mouth watering at the sight of the mouse. "Thanks, Mama. I was getting hungry."

"You're a little old to still be calling me that, aren't you?"

Swanpaw smirked. "Are you kidding? You'll always be my mama."

Smokewisp chuckled, shaking his dark grey head. "How was your tour?" her father wondered.

"Pretty good," Swanpaw replied, swallowing a bite of mouse. "We met Turtlestep on our way, and Leafshadow said I could go to the Gathering. Do you think Minnowpaw will come too?"

Icewhisker and Smokewisp exchanged a glance. "We don't know," Icewhisker answered. "It all depends on what Sandstar says."

"Yeah," Swanpaw mewed, finishing her mouse. "That's what Leafshadow said. Maybe I shouldn't have chosen to be a medicine cat. Then at least Minnowpaw and I could still hang out together. She'll be all alone in the apprentices' den…" Swanpaw trailed off.

Icewhisker shook her head. "Don't say that, sweetheart. We're so proud that you followed your heart to be a medicine cat. I know you well enough to say that you would've hated being a warrior with all the fighting and quarreling. You are far better suited to being a medicine cat."

Smokewisp nodded. "You have such a big heart, Swanpaw. You care for everyone as though they were your own kits and being a medicine cat will enhance your empathy. I certainly wouldn't want anyone else but my own daughter treating my wounds."

Swanpaw smiled and ducked her head at the praise. "But you have Leafshadow," she mumbled.

"And now we also have you," Smokewisp added.

"Looks like Leafshadow is waiting for you," Icewhisker noticed. She licked her daughter between the ears. "You've got this, Swanpaw."

Swanpaw nodded, now fully ready to tackle all that being a medicine cat apprentice would throw at her. First, she decided, the best thing to do was to grab some food for her mentor. She picked out a shrew and carried it over to the medicine den, where Leafshadow's tail had just disappeared.

The medicine den was to the side of the elders' den behind some thick-growing ferns. Once one got through the ferns, they saw a wide space with a crevice to one side where Leafshadow stored the herbs to prevent them from getting wet with rain. To the other side were several nests; two for the medicine cats, and a few for any sick cats that needed to stay with them. Leafshadow was coming out the crag in the dirt, carrying some dried leaves.

Swanpaw placed the shrew on the ground. "I brought you some prey."

"Oh, thank you," Leafshadow mowed, her voice muffled around the leaves. She put them down and out of the way. "I have a job for you. Do you think you can take out the really dry leaves from the cave so we can dispose of them?"

"Alright," Swanpaw agreed.

She went around Leafshadow and into the crevice before beginning to drag leaves out. That's how the rest of her day went, with Leafshadow telling her not to do anything to the berries because they were still useful, even when they were a little dry. As Swanpaw dragged out leaf after leaf, Leafshadow explained what they were and what they would be used for had they not been flaking away.

Although she had already eaten with her parents, Swanpaw joined the rest of her family when they came back from patrol. Minnowpaw, the silver and black tabby sister Swanpaw had so desperately wanted to spend time with, pranced back into camp, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement. Dovetail, named after her long and fluffy tail, was behind her, returning from the evening patrol. Blackpelt was behind her, having been in the same patrol. They all joined Turtlestep, Icewhisker, and Smokewisp at their spot, or in between the apprentices' den and the warriors' den.

Swanpaw looked around at her family and smiled. She loved them so much and was so happy they were all so close. Minnowpaw had tales about the immense territory DriftClan had to offer. Trutlestep puffed out his chest as he recounted a near fight with a fox pup, but he and his patrol scared it off. Dovetail teased Blackpelt for almost falling into the river on the border of MarshClan, and Blackpelt complained about getting wet paws. Swanpaw told them about her seemingly boring day of going out of camp, only to return to organize herbs. But her family didn't laugh and say they were sorry for her awful day, they just laughed at Blackpelt's wet paws and funny faces at him.

The next few weeks were a complete blur for Swanpaw. She barely remembered going to the Gathering and meeting all of the other medicine cats. She hardly remembered her training, although it had somehow stuck with her through the muddiness in her mind. She could only think about going to the Moonstone to be accepted by StarClan. Would they accept her, or wouldn't they? Would they bless her, or curse her? Would she like the other medicine cats now that she could pay attention to them?

Leafshadow told her not to worry as they got ready to go. "Even I was frightened at my first StarClan meeting," she mewed. "They've seen nervous apprentices more times than you can count. They certainly won't think you're wrong just because you're nervous."

Swanpaw tried to let her mentor's words relieve her, but it wouldn't leave her mind. Soon enough, they reached the Highstones where they would descend into Mothermouth to reach the Moonstone. She didn't exactly recognize the other medicine cats there until a dark tabby tom with black mottled fur came up to her, his green eyes a big contrast to his dark fur.

The tom smiled. "You're Swanpaw, aren't you? Leafshadow's apprentice?" Swanpaw nodded mutely. "I'm Seedstripe, the MarshClan medicine cat."

MarshClan? Swanpaw was surprised. She had expected the MarshClan cats to be shadowy and mysterious and not like any other cats. But Seedstripe could have been from DriftClan. She managed a hesitant smile at the strange tom, feeling relief for the first time that evening.

Then they descended into Mothermouth. As soon as they left the entrance behind, it was so dark, it wouldn't have mattered if Swanpaw's eyes were open or closed. All she could do was follow Leafshadow's scent as she padded on before her and hope she didn't bump into any walls. When they reached the cave the Moonstone was in, Swanpaw gasped. The stone was more beautiful than anything she had ever seen; silver and sparkling as though all the spirits of StarClan had made their homes within it.

"Spirits of StarClan," Leafshadow called out. "This apprentice has shown that she wishes to join our ranks as medicine cats. My only hope is that you accept her and give your blessing for her training. Now, Swanpaw, touch your nose to the stone, and may all your dreams be good ones."

Swanpaw touched her nose to the glittering stone as Leafshadow had asked, closing her eyes and feeling herself spiral away into darkness. Before she opened her eyes, it was the smell that made her almost recoil. Death, sweat, blood. Swanpaw opened her eyes to see a shadow-filled forest with mist wreathing around the dead tree trunks. She wrinkled her nose at the stench of death filling her nostrils.

A big dark ginger she-cat stalked up to Swanpaw, looking her up and down. Her eyes were yellow rimmed with bright red. "A medicine cat apprentice?" she seemed to scoff. "I was hoping for someone a little… tougher." The she-cat tipped her head to the side, smirking so her teeth showed. They were red, and completely encrusted with old blood. It was as though she had prided herself with the blood she gained on her teeth and had kept it rather than cleaning them. "Though, I suppose you'll have to do. Do you know who I am, kit?"

Swanpaw had no idea what was going on, flattening her ears against her head, her eyes wide with fear. "No," she peeped. Where were StarClan? Wasn't she supposed to meet with them?

The she-cat stuck her foul-smelling muzzle in Swanpaw's face. "My name is Russetfang, named after these!" At this, she showed her fangs. "And you, young one, you're going to get something special inside. Do you want to know what that is?" Swanpaw couldn't answer. "Me!"

With that, Russetfang's eyes glowed black and red. She began to cave-in on herself, turning into a sort of orb and going into Swanpaw's right eye. It hurt worse than anything Swanpaw had ever felt and she couldn't help crying out.

The next thing Swanpaw knew, she was gasping for air in the Moonstone cave. She glanced rapidly around, finally meeting Leafshadow's concerned green eyes with their colour so dark, Swanpaw couldn't really see them in the dim light of the cave.

"Is something wrong?" Leafshadow asked. "Did you meet with StarClan?"

"I-I!" Swanpaw stammered, trying to find words, but failing miserably.

Leafshadow smiled softly. "It's alright. I felt that way when I first met with them too."

"But, I don't even know if I met them!" Swanpaw protested. "A she-cat found me –"

Leafshadow shook her head. "We don't share our meetings with StarClan. Unless it was a prophecy?" Swanpaw shook her head. "Then what happened and what was said was for you only."

Swanpaw nodded. She still didn't understand what had happened in that putrid forest, but maybe it was StarClan, just to the side of it. But who was Russetfang, and what had she done to Swanpaw?

She mutely followed behind Leafshadow the entire journey back to camp, trying to make sense of it all. What had even happened? She was still thinking about it when they reached home. Leafshadow glanced at her before walking through the ferns and into her nest. Swanpaw did the same, feeling exhausted from their long trip.

She woke up the next morning, feeling strange. There was also something wrong with her right eye; the one Russetfang had gone into. Swanpaw tried blinking, but that only seemed to make the eye worse. She could also feel a sort of anger building up inside her, though for what, she didn't know. She blinked, then blinked again as she stumbled out of the medicine den.

Minnowpaw was waiting outside for her. "Hey, are you okay, Swanpaw?" she asked worriedly.

Swanpaw shook her head vigorously. "I don't know," she murmured shakily "I think something's wrong…" She looked up at Minnowpaw who shrunk back from her, her ears flat. "What?"

"Your eyes…" Minnowpaw's voice was full of terror.

Pure anger filled Swanpaw, though she wasn't completely sure why. "What about them?" Swanpaw tried to reel in her anger. She couldn't lash out at her sister!

"One of them is yellow, rimmed with red," Minnowpaw told her.

All of a sudden, Swanpaw wasn't the one talking or moving. She was just… watching.

"And do you have a problem with that?" Swanpaw's voice snarled. "I'm really hoping you don't."

Minnowpaw scrambled back, her silver and black tabby fur bristling with fear. "What's wrong with you, Swanpaw?"

"It's called change, mousedung," Swanpaw's voice growled. "If you don't like me for who I am, then you can leave."

Minnowpaw did, dashing away to presumably find Flamepelt.

Swanpaw blinked and her vision returned to normal, gaining control of herself once again. What was that? Was it Russetfang? What had that she-cat done to her? Would she ever be able to explain to Minnowpaw that that wasn't her?

Swanpaw's tail drooped. Would Minnowpaw ever look at her the same way again?

"Swanpaw!" The apprentice jumped and turned to see Leafshadow. "I've been calling your name for a while."

"Oh, sorry. Leafshadow," Swanpaw continued before Leafshadow could speak. "Do you think I've been acting weird?"

Leafshadow tipped her head to the side. "Acting weird?" she repeated. "What makes you say that?"

"Something came over me a few minutes ago and I lashed out at her." Swanpaw looked into Leafshadow's dark green gaze. "Is there something wrong with one of my eyes?"

Leafshadow looked puzzled. "No. They're both blue. Swanpaw, what's going on?"

"I don't know…" Swanpaw was afraid now. Not for herself, but for others when they made her angry. She was sure Russetfang would appear again and maybe this time she would really hurt someone she cared about. "I think something's wrong with me." She took a deep breath. "Leafshadow, you have to listen to everything I'm about to say, no matter how much you won't want to."

Leafshadow was taken aback by the tone of her apprentice but nodded all the same. "Alright. What is it?"

With that, Swanpaw explained everything that had happened in her dream at the Moonstone last night. She told her mentor about waking up in the smelly forest, about Russetfang, and about the strange she-cat seeming to make a home in her right eye. Leafshadow appeared alarmed at the mention of the death-filled forest and even more so when she learned of Russetfang and the fact that she seemed to be in Swanpaw. Her expressions didn't help Swanpaw's growing fear.

"What happened to me?" Swanpaw finished.

"For starters," Leafshadow began. "That place wasn't StarClan, it was the Dark Forest, where cats who have gone down the wrong path end up when they die. Russetfang was a DriftClan warrior who seemingly went insane and murdered many, many cats and tried to kill Songstar before she had to kill her own warrior. I think… I think she may have inhabited your body and could possibly be using it to get revenge on Songstar's descendants. One of which is your mother."

"So… so I could kill my family without meaning to?" Swanpaw squeaked. "I-I don't want to do that!"

"I know you don't want to," Leafshadow tried to soothe. "So we won't tell the Clan, but I will tell Sandstar to keep an eye on you. Just to be safe," she added.

Swanpaw nodded her agreement. "Okay," she mewed, letting out a shaky breath. "And I'll try to control Russetfang, but when she takes over, there's nothing I can do to stop her."

"Swanpaw, you're one of the nicest cats I know," Leafshadow told her. "And Russetfang was one of the cruelest cats in our Clan history. I know you'll be able to defeat her."

Swanpaw looked at the ground. "I hope so."

As the days went on, Swanpaw managed to convince Minnowpaw that it wasn't her that had lashed out at her. Although Minnowpaw didn't completely understand, she trusted her sister to not lie to her. Russetfang didn't take over again, and Swanpaw began to hope that she had left and that nearly destroying Swanpaw's life was enough revenge.

One day, roughly a week after Russetfang had used Swanpaw to snap at Minnowpaw, the two littermates were talking when Leafshadow came up to Swanpaw to tell her that she was going out of camp to look for some herbs. She promised Swanpaw that Sandstar would be watching over her, just to be safe, before she left. As soon as Leafshadow's tail disappeared, Swanpaw felt the entirety of DriftClan's eyes on her pelt, making her warm with embarrassment. She wished she didn't have to have this much attention, but who knew when Russetfang would strike again. DriftClan didn't know about Russetfang, but they knew that something was off about Swanpaw and had been watching her alongside Sandstar.

Swanpaw tried to ignore them and talk to her sister, joking with her until most of the Clan seemed satisfied and went along with their duties. As soon as they did that, however, Swanpaw felt a familiar strange anger building up inside her.

Russetfang, no! Not now, not again! Please!

"Swanpaw?" Minnowpaw questioned.

"Get away from me, Minnowpaw," Swanpaw managed, grunting against Russetfang pushing against her mind. "I-I don't want to hurt you."

Minnowpaw began to back away, but it was too late. Swanpaw couldn't hold out any longer, and suddenly she was watching as her body moved on its own accord.

"Too late, apprentice," her voice growled.

"S-Swanpaw?" Minnowpaw stammered. She tripped over her own paws as they scrambled in the dust.

"No…" Swanpaw couldn't believe her own voice could sound so terrifying. "You may not know about me. My name is Russetfang. Your mother's ancestor killed me long ago, and now it's my turn to make Songstar remember who she destroyed."

"Swanpaw… please… fight her…" Minnowpaw begged.

I'm trying! Russetfang, don't hurt her, please!

Swanpaw's claws unsheathed. "You stupid apprentice. You don't have the protection of Leafshadow now, do you? You certainly can't take care of yourself. You're only a kit."

Russetfang, for Swanpaw's body was certainly taken over by the Dark Forest cat, stalked forward, clearly taking pleasure in how scared Minnowpaw was getting. She backed the apprentice into the corner, a crazed grin spreading across her face.

"Do you see me, Songstar?" Swanpaw's voice was shaking with insanity. "This is what happens when you murder an innocent bystander. You killed my sister, murderer. You could have warned her about that MarshClan patrol, but you didn't. Redspirit's death will be avenged!"

Swanpaw's claws came down on Minnowpaw, slashing mercilessly. Minnowpaw shrieked in pain and terror as Swanpaw's paws kept swinging. Swanpaw herelf was horrified as she was forced to watch her beloved sister begin to lose blood. All the while her voice was saying with every stroke that this was for Redspirit and that she would show Songstar. Eventually, Sandstar shouted something, noticing what was happening at last, and two tough warriors came in between Swanpaw and Minnowpaw.

Russetfang left and Swanpaw was allowed to control her body again. bile rose in her throat as the smell of Minnowpaw's blood reached her nose, and she barely had time to give her clanmates a warning before she hurled all that she had eaten that morning into a nearby bush.

"Are you back, Swanpaw?" Sandstar asked, her pale ginger tabby tail twitching. All Swanpaw could do was nod shakily. "Where's Leafshadow? Minnowpaw will die without her."

Minnowpaw will die? "She went to the MarshClan border for watermint," Swanpaw managed. "You won't get her in time."

All of DriftClan understood what was to happen. Either they let the unstable Swanpaw heal her sister, or Minnowpaw would die.

Sandstar took a deep breath, closing her pale green eyes before narrowing them at Swanpaw. "Can you save her?"

Swanpaw had learned a lot in the one and a half moons of being an apprentice and she nodded. She knew she could, but it was whether Sandstar would trust her enough to be alone with the cat she had nearly killed that would determine Minnowpaw's fate.

"Alright," Sandstar finally meowed. "Save her, Swanpaw."

Swanpaw nodded again, composing herself and telling the warriors to carefully move Minnowpaw to the medicine den. Once there, she quickly gathered up goldenrod and marigold, chewing them up together to make a poultice. She spat the mixture onto a leaf, and grabbed some thyme, ordering Minnowpaw to eat it to soothe her nerves. Working quickly, she mopped up the blood and put the poultice into the long gashes in Minnowpaw's stomach, sealing them with cobweb. She gave Minnowpaw a poppy seed to swallow so she could keep dressing her wounds without Minnowpaw crying out. Swanpaw sat there all day, watching her sister and praying to StarClan that Minnowpaw wouldn't leave Swanpaw alone.

Swanpaw had to shake her head to keep herself awake, but even strong cats fall asleep under stress. Swanpaw opened her eyes to see a beautiful she-cat standing over Minnowpaw's sleeping body. She was a tortoiseshell and white with red paws and tail. What Swanpaw noticed almost at once were the stars in her fur.

"Don't take her!" Swanpaw pleaded. "She's my best friend! Please!"

The StarClan cat looked over at her. "I'm not taking her, young one, don't worry. I was checking up on her." Her blue gaze moved to something behind Swanpaw. "Hello, Russetwing."

Swanpaw turned around to see Russetfang standing there, with shadows seeming to wreath around her. She appeared distressed to see the StarClan cat standing there.

"Redspirit? What are you doing here?" Russetfang asked. There was something like regret in Russetfang's voice.

"Russetwing?" Swanpaw repeated. "Her name is Russetfang."

Redspirit glanced at Swanpaw before turning back to her sister. "Is this true? You changed your name?"

"Songstar changed it right before I died," Russetfang told her. "What are you doing here?" she mewed again.

"I had to come to tell you to stop, sister," Redspirit answered. "You don't need to avenge my death, there's nothing to avenge."

"But it was because of Songstar that you died!" Russetfang protested. "I've done this all for you!"

Redspirit's head drooped in sadness. "I know… and you shouldn't have. Songstar, then Songheart, didn't know about MarshClan attacking. She thought it was simply their scent coming over the line."

"You don't blame her for your death?" Russetfang's voice was surprised.

"No," Redspirit replied. "Now, it's time for you to leave this apprentice alone. The descendants of Songstar are innocent and have no reason to be punished. Go back to the Dark Forest, Russetfang."

Russetfang looked at her sister one last time before nodding and disappearing into the shadows.

Swanpaw faced Redspirit. "Thank you. I don't know how I could have gotten rid of her without you."

Redspirit gave her a soft smile. "It was your pleas that brought me here in the first place, Swanpaw. You should be thanking yourself." She put her nose to Minnowpaw's ear. "Take care, little one," she whispered. Minnowpaw gave a contented sigh and smiled in her sleep. "Farewell, Swanpaw."

"Swanpaw, wake up," Leafshadow's voice murmured.

Swanpaw jerked awake. "Minnowpaw!" she sputtered.

Leafshadow smiled. "She's going to be just fine. You did a good job with patching her up. What happened with Russetfang?"

"She's gone," Swanpaw responded, relief in her voice.

Minnowpaw was going to be okay, and so was Swanpaw. She would continue her training with StarClan watching proudly from the stars. Swanpaw knew that she would do her best as the DriftClan medicine cat, serving her clanmates under the sky.

For those like Guest who wanted to know what their names were going to be, Minnowpaw's and Swanpaw's, I was thinking Minnowspirit and Swanwing. And yes, those names are familiar to Redspirit and Russetwing, that was on purpose.