Chapter Four:

Sunnypaw laid outside of the medicine cat's den. Her blue-eyes were closed, and she listened to the sounds of the Clan around her.

"I caught a squirrel!"

Sunnypaw sighed recognising Stonepaw's loud voice. Does he ever talk quietly?

"That's the smallest squirrel ever, no wonder you caught it, it must of been starving to death," came the voice of Specklepaw, Stonepaw'a brother. "Seriously, that thing is tiny,"

"I bet you Sootpaw thinks it's huge!"

"Sootpaw rarely talks at all, I'm surprised we have even heard him talk, I really doubt he'll comment on your squirrel, much less increase your ego,"

Too bad Pigeonfeather is still infected, his apprentice is getting more and more irritating by the day.

Opening her eyes, she stretched her short legs before looking around the camp. The two brother were still arguing, and Hazelfur was on guard.

Sunnypaw had spent most of her morning wondering about the prophecy, and taking care of Echokit. Ever since the sun had rose, the small she-kit had been coughing.

Brightpelt had assured Dappleleaf that the kit didn't have greencough, but had ordered the queen to keep Echokit away from the other kits just in case.

Standing up, the apprentice turned to look towards the medicine cat's den, just in time to see Whitesong exit the den.

"Feeling ill?" Inquired Sunnypaw.

"No," replied Whitesong, "I'm pregnant. I was asking Brightpelt about how long before I move to the nursery. Bye now, I have to go on a patrol,"

The white she-cat left towards Runningpaw and Snakestrike who were getting ready to leave.

"Sunnypaw,"

Sunnypaw turned hearing her mentor's voice.

"I need you to get some catmint, the fox was chased out of our territory, so you don't need to ask a warrior to go with you,"

"Okay," responded Sunnypaw.

Heading out of camp, she padded through the forest. The bright sun warmed the ground, and Sunnypaw enjoyed the warmth. Hopefully when it's leaf-bare in a few moons, it won't get that cold.

Hearing the sound of the river, she slowed down. Stopping at the edge of the river, she watched the water flow past the submerged rocks near the riverbank. Spotting a few large rocks across the river, she leapt across. Smelling the sweet scent of the herb, she began to pad over to the scent.

"Help!"

Sunnypaw instantly looked around. The voice was of a cat that she didn't recognise.

"Help!"

That sounds like it came from the MeadowClan border.

Hurrying over to the border, she ran out of the trees into the meadow the river flowed into. In the river, was a seven moon apprentice cat trying to stay afloat.

"Help!" exclaimed the cat, right before his head disappeared below the water.

"I'm coming!" yelled Sunnypaw racing towards the water. Stopping by the water's edge, she looked around for a branch for the tom to grab onto.

Since the river flowed through all three Clans, Sunnypaw did know how to swim, but she doubted she was strong enough to pull a panicking apprentice out of the water.

Spotting a large branch, she pulled it across the sandy riverbank, and into the water. The tom's head barely stayed above the water as his reached out with his unsheathed paws to dig his claws into the wood.

Seeing that the apprentice had a firm grip on the log, Sunnypaw pulled the log in.

"Start licking your fur the wrong way," she ordered.

The tom started to do as the medicine cat apprentice ordered as she instructed.

"You're Sunnypaw aren't you?" inquired the black tom.

"And you are... Fishpaw if I remember correctly,"

"Yes I am!" exclaimed Fishpaw looking up from licking his chest.

"What were you even doing next to the river? I thought MeadowClan apprentices weren't taught to swim until they were eight moons old,"

"Well," began Fishpaw looking embarrassed, "I wanted to impress my mentor when I did turn eight moons old. So, I decided to teach myself!"

"With no supervision?"

"I did ask Ripplepaw to come with me, but my sister replied saying it was a mouse-brained idea,"

"Well she was right and you should have listened to her,"

Fishpaw looked down embarrassed and shivered. His fur wasn't quite sleek enough to keep out the water.

"Go back to your camp and tell Tansyleaf what happened, before you get a cold,"

"Okay," responded Fishpaw standing up, "See you next gathering! Thanks for saving me!"

"If your mentor allows you to come,"

"Darkstar probably won't let me go," commented the black apprentice looking sad, his blue-eyes looked down at his white paws.

"Bye Fishpaw,"

"Bye Sunnypaw!"

Sunnypaw headed back to camp, not before grabbing a mouthful of catmint.

The she-cat sighed, Echokit had been given the catmint, but the gray spotted queen was still panicking. Sunnypaw had spent most of the rest of the day checking on Echokit.

"Only time will tell," Brightpelt had told Dappleleaf, to which the she-cat had instantly responded, "Isn't there anything else you can do?"

Sometimes Sunnypaw wonders what if would be like to be a warrior. Sure she loves to heal cats, but sometimes it gets so stressful. Memorizing the herbs, worrying about panicking queens. It was so hard at times.

Hopefully it doesn't get too much harder when I'm the only medicine cat. Brightpelt seems older every day.

"Hey Sunnypaw,"

Sunnypaw turned to see her brother, Falconclaw walk towards her.

"How's being a medicine cat?"

"Stressful,"

"Dappleleaf?"

"How did you know?"

"I had to guard the camp earlier today, and she spent the entire time you were getting herbs trying to get Brightpelt to give Echokit her herbs, but Brightpelt insisted that catmint was the only thing she would need. Where is Dappleleaf now?"

"Probably in the medicine cat's den. I'm going to go out of the camp to get some piece and quiet, and gather some herbs, see you later,"

"I'd avoid the camp entrance if I were you. Dappleleaf is sitting near there. Behind the warriors den is a great place to go out of the camp from,"

"You sound like you have a a lot of experience sneaking out of the camp. Anything I should know?"

Falconclaw rolled his amber-eyes. "I know from sneaking away from Skystar when she was deputy. Now go before Dappleleaf comes here,"

Not needing to be told twice, Sunnypaw padded towards the warrior's den and out of camp.