Warriors belongs to Erin Hunter, not to me. Only the alternate universe presented in this story is mine. The characters, settings, etc. are not. Everything belongs to its respective owner(s). Thank you, and enjoy the story.
"I'd be happy to take him on," Brightheart mewed.
Firestar and Brambleclaw had taken Windkit to the she-cat, while the others went on with their day. Windkit was relieved that he'd been accepted, despite not wanting the position; he hated the thought of having to find his way back to Leafpool. I don't want to see her, anyway. His discovery had left a bitter taste on his tongue, and he could tell that the others had noticed his sudden mood change. However, they seemed too polite to question him about it.
"He might need a name change, though," Brightheart added. "It'd be odd training an apprentice with the name of another Clan."
"Sure," Windkit told her. "I don't mind." It felt wrong carrying the name of his forbidden father's Clan. He felt his stomach ache whenever he thought about Crowfeather. He no longer even wanted to follow his orders, but now he'd gone too far and had no choice.
"You can choose it then," Firestar told Brightheart.
"How does Hailpaw sound? Or Stonepaw?" The medicine cat seemed to be talking to Windkit.
"Uh, either's fine," Windkit replied.
"Stonepaw it is then," Brightheart decided. "Are you going to hold a ceremony, Firestar?"
"Of course."
The tom padded out with the three cats on his tail and seemed to jump onto a platform high above the ground. "Every cat old enough to catch their own prey, gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" he yowled while Brambleclaw sat beneath the platform.
Windkit could hear the confused murmuring of the Clan cats, but Brightheart stuck close to his side as they padded forward.
"It seems that StarClan has sent this little loner named Wind to us to be our medicine cat," Firestar announced, then quickly described how Windkit had gotten a strange dream. "He shall henceforth be known as Stonepaw. Brightheart, do you accept mentorship of this cat?"
Brightheart must've nodded, because outrage immediately broke out among his new Clanmates. He heard many cats saying that he could be lying, or something. He honestly didn't care too much, because there was no way he'd leave. Firestar yowled, silencing everyone.
"Do you not believe that I know a dream from StarClan when I hear of one?" he meowed. "Besides, we've accepted former loners before. Stonepaw will do just fine. Meeting dismissed."
Brightheart then pulled him back to her den before anyone could crowd around, which irritated him; did she think he was helpless? She didn't even know he was blind. Or had she guessed?
"You'll be sleeping in here with our future patients, near the front of the den," she explained. "My nest and the herbs are more towards the back, however. I'll teach you them later, but for now I want to show you some of the best spots for picking. Can you handle it?"
Stonepaw flicked an ear. "Of course I can," he replied sourly.
"Great," Brightheart mewed. "Then let's get going. I'll lead you."
Stonepaw sighed; she'd definitely guessed. "You know I don't need much help, right?" he told her. "Just because I can't see doesn't mean I can't take care of myself."
"I know," Brightheart replied honestly. "It's just, you haven't gotten used to the terrain yet. Once you know all of ThunderClan territory well enough, you can go without help. Trust me, I'm the last cat here to favor you; I'm half-blind myself."
"How'd you even guess anyway?" Stonepaw asked.
"Well, you didn't flinch when your eyes first set a glance on me," Brightheart responded. "Every cat that's seen it for the first time so far as flinched, even if they try to be polite. And from your attitude, I can tell that's far from your worries. Plus, your eyes are possibly the palest I've ever seen - they're almost white. You don't blink, either. Your eyes are wide and glassy. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone doesn't know just from looking." Then she seemed to have realized what she said was slightly rude, because she added, "No offense, of course. I'm sure you get along fine without sight."
"I do," Stonepaw huffed. "I just hate it when cats try to baby me because of it. I was kitted blind, and so I've been sightless for as long as I've been alive - it's as normal as seeing is for anyone else. Just don't treat me special or like I'm a kit, and we'll have no problems."
"Alright," Brightheart meowed. "I promise I won't; I can see it makes you plenty upset." He heard the sound of her shaking herself. "Let's get going," she told him.
Stonepaw nodded and followed her out. He didn't snap at her for resting her tail tip on his shoulder as they walked through the oak forest; he understood why since she'd explained it to him, and he decided he'd just have to deal with it for the time being. They stopped occassionally, and Brightheart would have him smell and feel different herbs while she told him about them. If they had a distinctive taste, she'd even have him lick a bit of it. Once they went through the entire territory and had visited each spot where he'd pick herbs in the future, they returned back to camp. He didn't want to admit it, but his paw pads hurt from travelling so much.
"Rub them on some dock leaves," Brightheart meowed once they entered the medicine den.
"But I didn't tell you-"
"Every apprentice's hurt after a territory tour," she interrupted. "I know from personal experience. Don't worry, though; they'll toughen over time. Do you remember what dock is? I told you when we got to where they grow."
Dock, dock... Stonepaw thought hard. He'd been told so much that he was sure there was no way he could fit so much knowledge in his mind. Then he remembered. "Dock is a big leafed herb with a tangy smell and taste," he told her. "I think."
"No, you're perfectly right," Brightheart meowed with pride. "Since you can remember what I told you about it so well, then I'm sure you can find it in my herb store on your own. It's in the back."
Stonepaw nodded and padded further into the den. He nosed through seemingly infinite herbs. I don't even remember half of these, he realized. Suddenly, he smelled it. He followed the trail and leaned down to grab it, but his nose brushed against flowers.
"That's feverfew," Brightheart told him from a few tail-lengths away; she must've chosen to watch just to be safe.
Stonepaw bristled, telling her, "Obviously!" Then he calmed down. "Sorry. I could tell, because they aren't leaves - they're flowers. I can find them on my own."
He continued searching. His second guess was correct, as when he bit into it slightly a tangy flavor seeped onto his tongue. He grabbed it from its store and looked over to Brightheart.
"You just rub your pads on it," she mewed, able to tell what he was thinking.
While he did so, he asked, "Couldn't I have used coltsfoot too?"
"Yes, but coltsfoot isn't as common as dock; it would've been a waste," the she-cat replied. "You can find dock incredibly easily during the growing seasons, so it's no big deal if you use some."
Stonepaw finished with the leaf, and realized how much better his pads felt. "How does that work?" he questioned her, surprised to find himself genuinely curious.
"The juice seeps into them when you rub," Brightheart responded. "You can keep it in your nest while you sleep, if you like; your pads will feel normal by tomorrow, but it doesn't hurt to get a bit more use out of it. Just place it underneath your paws, and we can discard it in the morning."
"Sure," Stonepaw meowed. "Wait, do I have a nest yet?"
"No, you'll have to make one," Brightheart mewed. "I have a store of moss that you can use as bedding."
After he made his nest up front near the entrance, he set the dock leaf inside it. "Now what?" he asked.
"Grab something to eat from the fresh-kill pile. It's dusk anyway, so we'll have to sleep soon enough."
Stonepaw did as he was told. He ate a mouse alone, as no one really seemed to want to talk to an outsider. For some strange reason, he felt like he'd finally found where he belonged. Out on the rogue moors, he felt constantly restless and as if he had no point to existing. Maybe life as a medicine cat won't be so bad.
Leafpool hated looking at Wolfkit's and Pouncekit's saddened expressions after explaining why Windkit wasn't there. "But he loved playing hunting and fighting games with us!" Pouncekit protested. "He'd never stoop so low as to be a medicine cat."
"I would," Wolfkit told her brother. "Medicine cat duties sound fun! Plus, it'd be nice to help your Clan in a way that isn't hunting and fighting."
"Calm down, you two," Leafpool meowed. "All that matters is that at least he's safe with cats who will treat him well."
"I guess," Pouncekit mumbled.
"I want to join ThunderClan too!" Wolfkit told her mother. "Can I?"
"Me too!" Pouncekit mewed.
Leafpool's neck fur bristled. "No, no," she told them. "We're loners, remember? We may have Clan names and ways in honor of your father, but we aren't Clan cats."
"We could be," the black she-kit pointed out, flicking a tufted ear. "Why don't we just join WindClan?"
"Yeah, why didn't you just do that before you kitted us?" her littermate asked.
Leafpool couldn't answer; the reason was that she'd be recognized by everyone, and maybe even refused. But then, ThunderClan would be made aware that she tried to join. A chill went down her spine at the thought of everyone knowing her as a traitor for the second time.
"I don't like Clans, alright?" she fibbed. "I don't ever want to join one." However, she felt awful about not telling them the truth.
"But could Pouncekit and I?" Wolfkit asked.
Leafpool sighed, thinking. Could it truly harm them if they joined WindClan? That way they wouldn't have to fight against their father and half-brother, and they could see Windkit at Gatherings. Besides, they could always come sneak and visit her; she lived right outside of the moors that the Clan claimed. She curled her fluffy tail around her white paws, contemplating it more. Eventually, she nodded.
"But WindClan, you hear me?" Leafpool meowed. "Not ThunderClan; you'd be forced to fight against Crowfeather and Breezekit."
"We wouldn't get to see Windkit, though," Pouncekit mewed.
"We would at Gatherings, mouse-brain," Wolfkit told him.
"Might want to use 'hare-brain' from now on," Leafpool warned her. "That's what WindClanners say."
"When can we join then?" the golden tom asked.
"When Crowfeather visits us at sunhigh, I'll have him take you two," Leafpool responded. "You do everything he says, you hear? And remember, our relationship is forbidden; you can't speak of him as your father, and you can't tell Breezekit he's your half-brother. Don't even mention my name. If they ask the name of your mother, just say that her name was Crackle; that was my old one. Just call yourselves Wolf and Pounce."
The duo nodded. Leafpool gazed at them with pride; she loved them and their father more than the world. But how long could she go on, lying to them? How much longer would it be before she succumbed to her urges and joined another Clan, whether it be WindClan or ThunderClan? How much longer would it be before she faced long-awaited punishment for her actions?
Wolfkit and Pouncekit followed right at their father's tail. As they entered WindClan camp, Pouncekit's pelt bristled; there were so many more cats than he'd thought. But we have to join! he told himself. A lean, ticked brown tabby approached the black warrior.
"Crowfeather, what do we have here?" he asked.
"These two kits, Wolf and Pounce, want to join WindClan," Crowfeather replied. "They're about apprentice age, so there shouldn't be an issue."
"Why do they want to join?" the older tom growled. "Where did you find them? You know I just can't accept some random loners, Crowfeather; I'm not Firestar."
"I understand that, Onestar," the warrior mewed, flicking an ear. "They were just at one of the borders, and they asked to join; they said their mother told them stories of Clan cats."
"Their mother?" Onestar's pale eyes narrowed.
"Her name's Crackle," Wolfkit spoke up, repeating what Leafpool had said to call her. "She gave us permission to join."
Onestar looked thoughtful for a moment, so Crowfeather reminded him, "You wouldn't want to give another Clan two warriors, would you? 'Cause I'm almost certain they'd go to one of the other three if you refused. Even if they aren't Clanborn, they can still be trained to be of use."
Onestar looked annoyed by the warrior's comment, but he sighed anyway. "You're right," he admitted. "I suppose I have no choice; you've just given them the idea if they didn't have it already." He jumped to the top of a tall rock and called, "Every cat old enough to chase their own prey, gather underneath the Tallrock for a Clan meeting!"
What a creative name, Pouncekit thought dully. The many cats of WindClan began gathering around, murmuring amongst themselves at the sight of two strangers. Onestar seemed just as distrustful as they did, if the kit were honest. Once every cat had seemingly arrived, Onestar continued.
"Crowfeather has brought two loners, Wolf and Pounce, that say they wish to join," Onestar meowed. "We cannot allow any of the other Clans to take two potential warriors from us, so I've agreed. They will be given apprentice names and mentors, as well as one moon to prove their loyalty. If they do, then they shall be treated equal to everyone else. If not, they shall be exiled."
The Clan cats began murmuring amongst themselves once more, but this time it was mostly positive. Pouncekit realized that by saying he'd give them a certain amount of time to prove they'll be loyal instead of making them full members straightaway, Onestar had put a vast majority of his cats on his side - even those that would usually be against it.
"Pounce, from this moment forward you shall be known as Pouncepaw," Onestar meowed, then looked thoughtful for a moment. "Owlwhisker, you're a young but capable warrior. Mentor Pouncepaw, and teach him the skills a true WindClan cat needs."
"Thank you, Onestar!" Owlwhisker mewed excitedly. He walked up to Pouncepaw and put his muzzle forward. When the golden tabby didn't do anything, Owlwhisker touched his nose to his apprentice's.
"Wolf, from this moment forward you shall be known as Wolfpaw," Onestar continued. "Weaselfur, will you mentor her? You're a fine warrior, and would do well in completing this task."
The ginger-and-white tabby nodded as he padded forward. "I accept your request, Onestar," he replied. Wolfpaw seemingly learned from Pouncepaw's mistake, since she touched her nose to his without him having to.
Nobody really cheered for them - there were just unenthusiastic murmurs spread throughout the gathered cats. Pouncepaw knew Crowfeather would've cheered as loud as he could, but it would've seemed suspicious since he would've been the only one; therefore, the warrior simply joined in with the others at the same volume and with the same uncertainty.
Pouncepaw couldn't blame them. Even he was having doubts. If we aren't welcomed into WindClan for being loners, then what will happen to us?
