A/N I know it's a little OOC, but I tried my best. I made it in class. This was written for my friend Kuro Neko for her Birthday! Happy late, late birthday Kuro! I hope you enjoy this!
I yawned as I stepped out of the medicine cats den. I must have slept in late today, because there were already plenty of cats out and about. Cloudtail, Dustpelt, Graystripe, and Brambleclaw just returned from a hunting patrol. Hollyleaf and Cinderheart were sitting around talking about the latest gossip. Berrynose, Honeyfern, and Poppyfrost were talking about warrior duties as they ate.
I was on my way over to ask Hollyleaf to help me collect herbs when I heart Poppyfrost call, "Hey Jayfeather!" I changed my path to walk over to the three young warriors. "What is it?" I asked, a little annoyed. I could feel Poppyfrost recoil at my tone, and I couldn't help but sigh.
"Sorry," I apologized, "What can I do for you?"
That made her feel a little better, and she mewed, "Can I help you with something today?"
Honeyfern giggled, and Berrynose made a growling sound and stood up. "Let's go hunt, Honeyfern," He said, and the two cats headed out of the fern tunnel.
'What's with them?' I wondered, but didn't even bother asking Poppyfrost. I just had too many of my own problems to care about theirs. "Actually," I told her, "I was going to ask Hollyleaf to come collect herbs with me. I guess you can come instead."
She jumped up happily and walked with me out of the camp. I could smell Honeyfern and Berrynose a short way off, so I turned to go in the opposite direction. Poppyfrost didn't seem to mind.
I didn't stop until we got to the abandoned twoleg nest, and the whole trip was silent. I was feeling awkward around Poppyfrost, for some strange reason, and I knew it wouldn't be like this around Hollyleaf. I wished, not for the last time, that Hollyleaf had come with me instead. But I couldn't have told Poppyfrost I didn't need help, and then go off and ask Hollyleaf to go with me!
"What are we collecting?" Poppyfrost finally asked.
I wanted to be sarcastic with her, but I knew that would be a little mean. I bit back my retort and answered, "Catmint."
"O.K!" Poppyfrost said, and jumped up into the twolegnest. She let her tail hang down so I could measure the jump, and I leaped into the nest. She followed me.
I stumbled over to the catmint and sniffed at it. It smelled like there was plenty there, and I knew we would have to collect it before leafbare hit and frosted it all over.
"Is it good?" she asked me.
I nodded my head and started to chew off the leaves. She sat down and waited for me to finish. She was obviously as tired of the silence as I was, because she started to talk.
"Jayfeather, I think it's amazing that you know all of this stuff! I would be terrible at being a medicine cat. I couldn't remember all of those herbs, and I don't know what I'd do when a crisis hit and I would have to help another cat! I'd never stay calm enough to remember what to do!"
I gave her a muffled mew as a response. I had almost finished collecting the catmint as she continued on.
"You know, I don't get why StarClan won't let medicine cats do a lot of things. Why aren't you allowed to mate? I mean, I think that if a medicine cat will still take care of the rest of their Clan like their own kits, they should be able to mate and have kits too!"
I almost spit out the catmint in my mouth when she said that. What was she getting at? I didn't care about mates and kits like a normal cat would. Maybe that was just me though.
"Jayfeather, I think you would make a great father!" Poppyfrost exclaimed, scaring me to StarClan. What was she talking about?
Ignoring Poppyfrost out of anxiety, though I didn't want to admit my fear, I sorted the catmint into two easy to carry piles. I nudged one toward Poppyfrost and commanded, "Take that back. I've got the other pile."
She smiled at me, then leaned over and rubbed her muzzle against my own. I wasn't expecting it, because I hadn't seen her coming or heard her move toward me.
She said, "O.K, Jayfeather!" and picked up the bundle of herbs. She jumped out of the twolegnest, and I picked up my pile of herbs and followed her at a slower pace. I had a lot of thinking to do, and none of it could be done with Poppyfrost around.
She-cats just had to come around and ruin everything.