Wow i'm stupid to have forgotten this chapter... anyways enjoy, hope this makes the story more... sensible and nonconfusing!
Disclaimer: i do not own warriors!
Starshine watched her two sisters leave for their hunting patrol, with Mossheart and Amberwind behind them. Starshine flicked her ears towards Snowstorm and Dawnfire as they came out of the den, blinking sleep from their eyes. They nodded towards her murmuring a good morning. Starshine padded towards the nursery, which was enclosed in reds ferns and brambles, twisted together to make a thick nest. She poked her head inside and saw Brightkit still asleep, they would gather herbs later. She smelled the air, there was no sickness here. She padded to the elders den, near a fallen tree, also twisted with brambles and ferns like the nursery she padded into the small clearing inside the ferns, Shadowclaw was just waking up, grumbling about his stiff bones and ticks.
"Mind getting me some of them magical herbs o yours ye youngin?" he pestered Starshine. She remembered how when she was an apprentice how bossy the elders were and when she talked back it wouldn't get better, she had more patience now, though she itched to snap at him.
"Alright Shadowclaw, ill go get you some herbs for your stiffness, I will have an apprentice help with ticks." He muttered to himself as Starshine turned around and padded back to the medicine den, she grabbed some ragwort, getting the moss bile ready for the apprentice that had to help with ticks. She padded out, seeing everyone was awake by now, she padded up to Daypaw.
"I believe it's your turn to search Shadowclaw for ticks?" before Daypaw could complain she said "when you're done you can get Nightpaw to help clean out the bedding, too." She knew Daypaw would have more fun with his sister than by himself. Daypaw nodded about to run off when she meowed "take this to Shadowclaw to! Tell him to apply it like usual, you know what to do if he needs help." She pushed the ragwort towards Daypaw. He picked it up and trotted towards the medicine den, she waited till he came out to go into the nursery again.
She saw her mother, Silverfur in a corner of the nursery, her belly just starting to get round with kits, taking a nap. "Brightkit?" Starshine called softly enough to not wake Silverfur "would you like to come collect some herbs with me?" Brightkit bounced away from her mother Leopardmist "sure, let's go!" she scurried towards the tunnel of reeds. Starshine said to Leopardmist "sorry I keep stealing her from you" she teased. "Oh I don't mind, I have enough to take care of without that rambunctious kit!" the queen purred. "I will bring her back by sunhigh!" Starshine called back over her shoulder as she left the warm nursery. "C'mon Brightkit!" she called as she pushed her way into the forest.
Every time she stepped into the forest she was amazed with the beauty of the forest, glistening with dew. "Now Brightkit, today we need to find comfrey, horsetail, marigold, poppy seeds and thyme." She was sure to list herbs that would help with a battle. See I'm being prepared but will this save my Clan? Oh StarClan please show me more. "Aren't those all for battles?" Brightkit mewed. Starshine could tell she was scared. "Yes little one, they are for other things to though. We are just getting fully prepared for the upcoming leaf-fall and lefbare. We need to stock up." She tried to convince herself she wasn't lying; they did need to do that… just maybe not that soon. "Now where might these herbs grow?" "Near Tall Beach!" she squealed, prancing in the opposite direction. Starshine purred "this way little one!" She padded through the trees at a slow pace to make sure Brightkit wouldn't get lost behind. They came across a shallow stream, though it was too big for the little kit to jump, so she picked her up in her jaws, ignoring the squirming, as she carried her across and set her down on the other side. "I can do it!" Brightkit mewed. The young medicine cat distracted her "now help me find some horsetail and marigold, if you find any chew off a few, remember not all of them, we need not waste them." She hoped Brightkit heard her as she padded into the trees. Starshine followed behind slowly, approving as the small kit chewed a few stems of marigold. After they got quite a few of each herb she thought she would need, they made the return journey home.
When they got back the kit was exhausted and Starshine gave her a few licks of honey as a reward for doing such a good job then sent her back to the nursery to take a nap. It was almost sunhigh, but Moonbeam was still out hunting in the forest. Wildheart had already returned, but she knew her other sister liked a long hunt, and she decided to go and find her. She padded to the pool and took a long cold drink "Daypaw have you taken care of Shadowclaw?" she asked as Daypaw leaned down next to her. The white tom nodded, enjoying the cool water. Starshine decided to check up on Shadowclaw later, and then she padded into the forest.
She tracked Moonbeam easily, as easily as if it were her own scent. She followed it towards where all three Clan territories met and she saw Moonbeam stalking a vole. She crept up towards it and leapt on top of it, killing it quickly.
"Well caught!" Starshine called out. Moonbeam jumped "you scared me! Thanks, though." She still seemed anxious.
"Are you sure you're okay? You seem in a world of your own…" Starshine was worried about her sister. She walked closer to her, sitting beside her sister.
"Well" Moonbeam said "I had this dream last night…"
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