Disclaimer: I don't own Warrior Cats!

Title: Resilience

Summary: With a harsh Leaf-bare on the horizon, the Clans are in a bad way. Petalkit is growing up under the stern gaze of her father, Ravenfur, when suddenly everything changes. Stuck in RiverClan until WindClan can produce enough catmint- something no Clan has in these temperatures- she does what any kit would do. She adapts.

...

"Alright, Petalkit. Give it a try."

Petalkit swallowed, squinting at the gathered warriors. They all looked fairly supportive, waiting politely and nodding when she met their eyes. The morning had started normally enough. Ravenfur nudged her awake just before dawn to wake the other warriors, then had her sit with him while he sorted patrols.

Except, of course, he wanted her to do it. Was this a joke? A test? Why would he care if she knew who was best for what? He's the deputy, not me!

Just take a deep breath. You can do it.

"Shadestorm, Stagclaw, and Heathertuft should hunt. Their fur matches the landscape." She glanced at Ravenfur, but he said nothing. "Which leaves Maplewing, Redeye, and Cloudear for border patrol."

"And Brackenheart?" He prompted.

"He can stay and take care of Lichenfang." The kits are due any day now- he won't be very focused.

"You heard the kit," Shadestorm meowed. Petalkit thought the warrior looked pleased. "Time to go."

"Hold on a second." Ravenfur crouched down beside her, lowering his voice. "Are you absolutely sure this is correct?"

How would I know? I'm barely even two moons old! "No?"

"Always be sure of yourself, darling." He sat up. "You did your best. My only suggestion is that you pay attention more to their builds and personalities over their pelts next time."

Change my entire approach, then. Thanks, dad.

"I'm more of a border patrol cat myself," Stagclaw admitted cheerfully. "Rotten hunter."

"Too bad." Heathertuft's tail lashed. "You're not coming back without fresh-kill."

"None of us are," Shadestorm put in gently. "You did a swell job, Petalkit. We're all proud of you."

Petalkit sunk down into her shoulders. I know they're just trying to make me feel better, but I still messed up in front of Ravenfur. He'll never let this go.

"Heathertuft is usually a lot more agreeable than that," Ravenfur told her after the patrol departed. "She's just worried about stocking the pile as often as she can before Leaf-bare. Which, really, is my job. Worrying."

She blinked at him. Was he really so willing to move past her error? All last moon it's been no, Petalkit, that's not quite how it works, Petalkit, pay better attention, Petalkit. The far-away look in his eyes soothed and ruffled her all at once. He's not forgotten- he's just distracted. "Is Leaf-bare bad?"

"Leaf-bare is a season. I'm not sure a season can be good or bad." He meowed thoughtfully, glancing around the dusty camp. The heather barriers were beginning to droop a little at the edges. "Mostly, it's just cold. The prey all hide away to keep warm, so hunting is a nightmare. Everybody is hungry and wet and cold."

"Oh." I don't think I'll like Leaf-bare. "Why?"

"Nobody knows, honestly." He shrugged. "There's no explanation to it."

But I bet there's a story to it, Petalkit thought. Ravenfur never tells me stories. It's like he thinks I'm too big for them. While the black and white she-cat liked being treated as an equal, she also missed the days she could curl up beside Raintail and not move all day, or play catch the mouse, without Ravenfur being on her about her crouch or visiting the elders.

"You know, you forgot to assign me to a patrol," Ravenfur nudged her, long black tail twitching. "So I guess I'm going on a solo hunt."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You're still learning." The deputy stood and stretched. "Alright, here's your assignment for the day. I want you to sit here and wait for the patrols to return. When they do, have them tell you what they've seen. After that, report right to me. Do you understand?"

Of course I do! I'm not a rabbit-brain! She bit her tongue. "Yeah, I got it."

"Good." Ravenfur took one last sweeping look around the clearing, paused, and awkwardly licked her ear. "I'm very proud of you, darling. You'll make a great warrior."

So will Stripekit and Beekit. You'd know that if you spent any time with them. Petalkit shuffled her paws, stifling a sigh. Just because I look like you doesn't mean I am you.

Things were very different now that Ravenfur was in her life. Raintail always let them explore on their own, going for walks or chatting with warriors. She was eternally nonplussed. Ravenfur checked in on her at random times of the day, giving Petalkit 'assignments' and making her shadow him to see what being a warrior was like. He treated her less like his kit and more like his apprentice.

Petalkit glanced longingly at the nursery. Beekit and Stripekit don't have to sit on a patch of dirt and wait for the patrols to come back. Not that Beekit would. Ravenfur poured all his time and effort into her, ignoring her brothers almost entirely. Neither of them seemed to mind all that much, playing quietly by themselves. Beekit in particular had a personal vendetta against their father, chucking balls of moss at his head 'accidentally' when the tom got too close. Stripekit was neutral, from what she could tell- he wanted to be close to him, but he also wasn't too perturbed that he wasn't. You can't miss what you never really had.

Lucky. I wish I looked like Raintail, like they do. Maybe Ravenfur wouldn't press so hard.

The sun scorched her black fur as it rose. She felt like she was on fire by Sunhigh. Ravenfur hadn't stopped by the fresh-kill pile that morning, leaving her hungry and a little disappointed, but surely if she moved now the patrols would return. Maybe I'll get to eat a rabbit when they get back, she thought. All by myself.

Crickets screeched over the moor. A breeze moved her fur, hot and heavy. Petalkit licked her lips and laid down, eyes trained on the entrance.

Petalkit thought she might have napped for a short bit, because when she woke sturdy paws were touching her back lightly. Petalkit jumped. They didn't linger or pause, drawing away as soon as they appeared. "Just as I thought- too hot. That's not good for cats, you know."

Petalkit recognized the deep voice of Birdleap almost immediately. The medicine cat blocked out the sun, providing her with some luxurious shade. "It's really warm out," she told him.

"'Course it is. Leaf-fall may be comin', but Greenleaf is still going on strong." Birdleap frowned down at her, whiskers twitching. "What are you doing out here?"

"Ravenfur told me to wait."

"Did he? Well, I'm telling you to come into my den for a bit to rest."

"But-"

Too late. Birdleap's jaws sunk into her hot scruff without flinching, lifting her off the ground.

"Your father may be deputy," he mumbled around her fur, setting a brisk trot to the medicine den. "But I am the medicine cat of this Clan, and I have a much bigger say in what cats need."

Petalkit had only been in the medicine den once before, when Ravenfur introduced her. It was much cooler than the clearing, and darker. The only source of sunlight came in through the entrance, which was just big enough for a full-grown cat to squeeze through. Petalkit wrinkled her nose at the smell of herbs; it was powerful but not overwhelming.

"Stay here." He growled, setting her on the spare next. "I keep damp moss handy during Greenleaf."

Birdleap grabbed a wad of moss off some brambles, setting it in front of her. Petalkit lapped at it greedily, suddenly feeling very tired.

"I'm hungry," she admitted finally. "Can I-"

"I'll get it." He offered quickly, then ducked out of the den. He returned with a mouse. "Honestly, you're too young to be starving yourself when there's prey on the pile. Eat."

Petalkit guilty nibbled at the prey. "Sorry."

Birdleap shook his head. "You were just doing what you were told. I'll talk to Ravenfur later."

"Please, don't."

"Why not?"

"He'll be mad."

"At me, not you. Don't worry about it."

The gray tom was attentive to her as Petalkit ate, checking her reflexes and muscles. Petalkit admired how calm he was; never once did he seem worried or out of his element. Maybe the smell soothes cats over time, or something.

"How do you feel?" He asked finally.

Petalkit sat up, cleaning off her whiskers "Okay. I was a little dizzy before."

"That's not surprising," he assured her.

She glanced at the holes in the ground where the medicine cat kept his herbs. They were tucked in the corner, out of the way. "Can I look?"

Birdleap willingly moved out of the way "Don't eat anything."

"I won't."

Petalkit wasn't so sure she was supposed to be moving right now, but Birdleap didn't argue. She reached out with tiny white paws to peer over each hole. There were flowers and leaves and seeds, and they all smelled different but also of Birdleap. These little things can save lives? "Wow."

"Wow?" Birdleap hovered over her, squinting. "Did a beetle fall in? They do that sometimes."

"No, no beetle." Petalkit meowed, feeling slightly embarrassed. Getting so emotional over some leaves- what would the others think? "The herbs. It's just so neat, I guess? That these little things can heal wounds or soothe aches."

She expected scorn, but the medicine cat's eyes lit up. He crouched down beside her. "It is pretty amazing, isn't it? Do you know any of them?"

Petalkit looked at him oddly. "No? I've never even looked at them before."

"That's true, but there's always those herbs that every cat knows. You hear about them so much you might as well be an expert on them," he gently nudged her flank. "Give it a try, if you'd like."

Petalkit hesitated, took a slow look about the stores, and finally pointed at a small pile of black seeds. "Those are poppy seeds, right? They help with pain."

"You're absolutely right, Petalkit." He purred, drawing her paw away. "Careful- they stick to you."

"What are those?" She pointed at two different piles of flowers. "They look a lot alike."

"Oh, not at all. The smaller ones are coltsfoot- you chew them up and they help with short breath. The bigger ones are marigold- you chew those up and apply them to infected wounds."

Her nose wrinkled. "Blech."

"Oh?"

"Sticking chewed up flowers to wounds sounds icky," she answered.

Birdleap laughed. "It can be. But it helps, and that's what matters."

Petalkit hardly noticed time go on as Birdleap pointed out different herbs to her and their uses. The medicine den was naturally dark, making it hard to judge time if you weren't used to it. Juniper berries for bellyache and breathing, dock for scratches, lavender for fever, tansy for coughs; she hardly remembered any of them by the end of it, but that wasn't a big deal. She thought Birdleap might telling her just for fun, as if he enjoyed having someone to share his knowledge with. When he finally let her be to go talk to Ravenfur, she didn't feel as worried as she was before.

"Petalkit?" Raintail's soothing voice made her purr as the she-cat poked her head into the medicine den, visibly relieved. "Are you feeling any better, dear?"

"Yeah," she stretched, yawning. "Sorry about worrying you."

The queen shook her head, picking her up by the scruff. It felt cool now. "Your father and I will talk this through later, but... it's not your fault- you understand that, right?"

"Are you mad at each other?"

"I'm mad at him, and he's mad at himself. Ravenfur needs to understand that you're too young to do certain things quite yet." Petalkit gently bobbed in Raintail's jaws as she slipped into the nursery, setting her down on their nest. "Until he does, he won't be calling on you anymore."

"Okay."

Beekit settled in beside her, tail flicking. "Good. He's a jerk."

Raintail closed her eyes and gave a small nod. "I won't try to convince you otherwise."

"You smell funny." Stripekit broke in, sprawling out on the edge. He was purring. "Doesn't it bother you?"

"No," she meowed, setting her head on her paws. "Not at all."

Author's Note: I just felt like writing more Petalkit, honestly. -Shrugs-

"I don't think I'll like Leaf-bare" Oh, just you wait, Petalkit.

-Mandaree1