Chapter 6

"Mudstripe! Come quickly!" called Breezeflight, bursting into the camp. The rest of the border patrol followed him less quickly, all with cuts, scrapes, nicks, or some sort of injury. Shimmertail was limping, Nettleclaw had a gash down his flank, and Softfeather's long gray fur was missing patches and was dotted with blood.

We had rushed out of the nursery when we heard the patrol coming in, eager to see Nightheart back. He had promised he would bring us a moss ball when he was out, and we needed something to occupy us before we drove Cloudfeather crazy. Of course, we hadn't expected this.

Mudstripe came out from behind the thorn bush where his den was with a wad of herbs in his mouth, looking over the cats as he decided which to treat first.

"What happened?" mewled Coalkit when Nightheart came over to the nursery.

"We were patrolling the WindClan border at the same time they had sent a patrol out, and they claimed we were setting our markers into their territory. Softfeather tried to reason with them, but they attacked and we had to flee because of all the injuries," Nightheart explained.

"Well then go get yourself treated!" meowed Cloudfeather. "You're no use to this Clan injured."

"I only have a nick in my ear and a few shoulder scratches, I can be treated later."

"Can we help heal?" squealed Coalkit.

"Well I suppose since you are five moons now. Just don't bother Mudstripe too much."

"I'd rather stay behind," Moonkit quietly mewed. We didn't bother coaxing her out, we knew the blood and injuries would be too much for her. In the past two moons we'd learned a lot about eachother, actually.

We ran over to the medicine cat's den, where Mudstripe was applying cobwebs and some mashed up leaf to Nettleclaw's large gash.

"Hello Coalkit, Frostkit. Do you need help with something? I do hope it can wait, I've got my paws full thanks to that skirmish," he meowed through a mouthful of leaves.

"Actually, we want to help you heal the injured cats!" squeaked Coalkit.

"Well I suppose I could use some extra hands, you two can fetch supplies for me while I tend to the injuries. It'll get the job done much faster. How about that?"

We gave mrrows of agreement and Mudstripe showed us the herb store, pointing out ones we'd need to know.

"This one is marigold, to prevent infection. And these are poppy seeds, which we might need, but probably not today. This is yarrow, which we might use as a pain reliever…"

After we'd learned what we needed, we went out into camp, following Mudstripe and running back and forth, getting herbs and handing them over to be applied. Most commonly we needed cobwebs for bleeding and marigold so it didn't get infected. Although I admit I was usually the one carrying them, Coalkit was the one who could actually remember the herbs. I couldn't tell yarrow from a leaf that had fallen on the ground by the herbs. He could pick up the exact herb before I even finished telling him.

After everyone had had their wounds tended to, we flopped down by the river to cool off in the shade of the reeds. I was panting from running back and forth to get herbs and dropped them off, while Coalkit had stayed cool in the shelter of the medicine cat's den.

"You see, Duskstar? They're out to get us! All of us! Injuring our apprentices, attacking our patrols, WindClan is nothing but a bunch of cold-hearted traitors!" Applepelt's panicked yowls rang out from the leader's den, her voice filled with even more worry than usual. "RiverClan is down at least seven warriors! We're doomed I tell you! DOOOOOMED!"

"Applepelt, calm down." Duskstar's voice could only barely be heard outside. "Why don't you go for a little walk, maybe take a short swim. How about that?"

Applepelt walked out of the den, her face still full of worry but less tense as she walked through the reed barrier.

Coalkit hadn't been watching the ordeal like I was, he was simply sitting with a look of thought on his face.

"I've been thinking," meowed Coalkit.

"I noticed," I meowed with a purr.

Coalkit narrowed his eyes playfully. "Like I said, I've been thinking about today. Helping Mudstripe was something I could do well. I could remember the herbs, their smell and their feel. Just spending that amount of time in the den was amazing. Frostkit, I think I want to be a medicine cat."

I was experiencing mixed feelings when he told me this. One part of me couldn't believe my brother who wished nothing more than to charge into battle now wanted to be a medicine cat, one who healed instead of fighting. But the other part of me knew his memory and knack for detail and concentration would be perfect for the position.

"Well, um, that's great!" was all I could manage to stutter. "But are you sure you want to do this? We always dreamed of fighting side-by-side, you, Moonkit and me. Training together, hunting together, doing everything as siblings."

"But now I've found something I love, Frostkit. I know this is what I want to do. Healing is a battle all its own, a battle to keep the cats of RiverClan alive! I'll still see you and Moonkit all the time in camp." His words were true and convincing that he was going to commit to his job.

"But we won't train together. We won't get our warrior names together. And one of us will always be busy with something," I argued. All I wanted was for us to be together, but now…

"Frostkit, stop looking at all of the negative things! We can share prey together, talk about our experiences together. Heck, I'll even ask Mudstripe if I can sleep with you in the apprentices' den instead of in the medicine cat's den! Just support me on this. I want to be a medicine cat. I can be a medicine cat."

"But Coalkit-"

"No, Frostkit! I'm going to be a medicine cat, and there's nothing you can do to change my mind. I'm going to ask Mudstripe now."

I sighed, a rough sigh of frustration. "Fine, but I'm coming with you."

We walked over to the den, not saying a word for fear of creating more argument. The wet ground was muddier than usual, but the air was growing crisp and cool. Leaf-fall was coming soon, the signs were all around. It started to seem strange that we would be apprentices in just a moon.

We ducked under the overhanging thorn bush and into the den, where Mudstripe was taking inventory of the herbs that were left over from after the battle.

"Frostkit, Coalkit, welcome back. What do you need now?" mewed Mudstripe through a mouthful of herbs.

"Actually Mudstripe, I wanted to ask you something," Coalkit stated.

"Well go ahead, what is it?"

"Mudstripe, have you thought about having an apprentice?"

"Yes, actually I have. Why do you ask?"

"I was wondering if you would take me as your apprentice."

"You're apprenticeship isn't for a moon, are you sure you want to be a medicine cat? It's very hard and you'll need a lot of training."

"I'm sure, Mudstripe. So will you ask Duskstar to apprentice me to you?"

"You are a fast learner, and smart too…" Mudstripe pondered his words for a bit. "Yes Coalkit, I'd be glad to take you on as my apprentice."

Coalkit squealed and ran off to tell Cloudfeather the news, a look of utter joy on his face. I smiled just the slightest and followed after him, sad at not being able to train with my brother, but happy that he would get to become a medicine cat.