Hai again viewers! Thanks for reading this, and sorry for the wait. I'm working on making an actual book(Not a fanfic) and school is still keeping me busy as ever. Anyways, let the story continue!
Cloverpaw's POV
A deathly silence filled the TideClan camp.
Blazefire slumped down by Sunstar, his body shaking with grief.
Owlstar paced around, "Blazefire..." he started.
Blazefire jumped to his paws, "Don't you speak!" he hissed, "You killed him! He's dead because of you!"
Blazefire crouched, ready to pounce on Owlstar.
No Blazefire!
Without thinking, Cloverpaw sprinted over between Blazefire and Owlstar.
"Blazefire, hurting Owlstar won't bring Sunstar back. Besides, Sunstar wouldn't want you to start another battle just because of him."
At her words, Blazefire hung his head, "I-I know... I just..."
Blazefire shook his head, and looked up; his eyes now burned with determination.
"Cats of EmberClan!" he yowled, "Gather the wounded, and the... dead. Bring everyone outside the TideClan camp for departure."
Tired mumbles filled the clearing as cats got together.
Cloverpaw padded over to the hidden area where Starfire and Reedpaw were and gasped.
Starfire was lying on the ground, her throat gushed out blood as Reedpaw tried to stop the bleeding.
"Reedpaw! What happened?"
Reedpaw kept his eyes on Starfire, but answered her question, "A MidnightClan warrior came here and..." he voice sounded strained, "and attacked me."
He continued, "Starfire came to help but... this happened."
Grabbing a pile of marigold, Cloverpaw rushed over to help.
Starfire coughed up blood and turned her head to face Cloverpaw.
"Cloverpaw..." she rasped, "There is nothing you can do to stop this. It is my time to go to StarClan."
Reedpaw tensed next to Cloverpaw, "No! No, I-I still need you!"
"Reedpaw, you are such a great apprentice. You are ready to take care of TideClan by yourself, now please, let me make one last ceremony before I leave."
Starfire held her head high, and she spoke as if her throat was never even damaged.
"I, Starfire, medicine cat of TideClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your guidance, he will serve his Clan for many moons."
Starfire struggled to say more, these words were draining her completely, "Reedpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clans and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"
Reedpaw's voice shook with emotion, "I do."
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Reedpaw, from this moment you will be known as Reedwhisper. StarClan honors your courage and loyalty to your clanmates, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of... TideClan..."
Reedwhisper bent down, giving Starfire a respectful lick on her shoulder, and allowing Starfire to rest her muzzle on his head.
After they broke apart, Starfire relaxed, but she wasn't done speaking.
"Cloverpaw... you are destined for greatness, just keep to the thought of peace..."
"Goodbye... to both of you..." Starfire whispered as she lay her head down.
Her eyelids lowered, and then Reedwhisper broke down.
Thought of peace? Destined for greatness? What does that mean?
Whatever Cloverpaw was destined for, she wasn't sure if she would ever be ready for it...
Ashpaw's POV
The sun rose from its slumber as the exhausted EmberClan cats reached their camp.
Cats around Ashpaw collapsed, and some went to the medicine cat den.
As soon as Sunstar's body was brought in, Ashpaw heard a loud, sorrowful wail.
Echowing had come out of Sunstar's den, and saw her mate's body.
She buried her muzzle into Sunstar's fur and grieved.
Ashpaw turned away and padded towards the medicine cat den.
Pushing past the brambles, Ashpaw's nose was met with the sharp, tangy scent of multiple herbs.
He glanced around the den to see Cloverpaw tending to a familiar looking gray she-cat.
Ashpaw walked closer to find that the she-cat in the bedding was his sister, Dovepaw.
"Cloverpaw! What's wrong with Dovepaw?" Ashpaw wailed, "Will she be okay?"
Cloerpaw looked up at him, grief flooded into her gaze, and she slowly shook her head.
No! Not Dovepaw!
"Her stomach formed a uh blood clot near a cut in her chest. I could tell when I felt her belly. Her blood isn't flowing properly, and it will cause her to..." Cloverpaw struggled to find the right words, "cause her to go to StarClan."
A sharp pain crept into Ashpaw's throat as Dovepaw looked into his eyes.
"Ashpaw," she whispered, "I couldn't have asked for a better brother, do me a favor and become a great warrior alright?"
"Ok," Ashpaw choked out.
Dovepaw's eyes glittered with happiness, and slowly, she closed her eyes. Then, her body went limp in her bedding.
Cloverpaw stepped forward, "Ashpaw, I'm sorry I-"
Ashpaw cut her off, "No. Just leave me alone with Dovepaw alright?"
Cloverpaw's tail drooped, pain and... something that looked like anger shone in her eyes.
Ignoring her, Ashpaw curled around Dovepaw's body, as if she were just sleeping.
His eyes became heavy and he drifted off into sleep.
Cloverpaw's POV
It's your fault that she died... you didn't do anything to help her.
"He still didn't have to ignore me like that," Cloverpaw grumbled to herself, as she put cobwebs on Nettleclaw's wounds.
"I wish Shimmerpelt didn't have to take Blazefire to the Moontree. I wouldn't be stuck tending to all the cats by myself," she mumbled.
With Nettleclaw taken care of, Cloverpaw limped over to Swiftwhisker, who was curled up asleep.
She checked his eye that was swollen due to a nasty scratch.
It shouldn't have damaged his eye enough to blind him...
Cloverpaw went to the back of the den. In the back was a wall that had many ledges sticking out of it. Those ledges held the herbs that Shimmerpelt and Cloverpaw used.
Grabbing some herbs, Cloverpaw mixed and chewed them together to make a poultice.
She then gently rubbed the poultice onto the swollen eye.
Suddenly, Cloverpaw felt dizzy.
Her world swayed, and she heard a faint, surprised mew from Swiftwhisker as she toppled to the ground.
XXX
A sharp breeze tugged at Cloverpaw's fur as she struggled to stand; her leg was hurt badly when she was battered away by the dark-brown tom, and she hadn't found the time to treat it.
She studied her surroundings only to realize that she didn't know where she was.
Cloverpaw became alert as she heard a loud screech of pain and fury.
That one screech was accompanied by many more, filling her ears.
"Where are you? What do you want?" she yelled.
"Cloverpaw..." she heard, "Cloverpaw, Cloverpaw, Cloverpaw."
A chorus of moans repeated her name over and over again.
Cloverpaw's fur stood on end; she didn't understand what was happening.
She suddenly saw transparent, ghost-like cats approach her in a crazed manner.
They rushed at her, their wails increasing in volume, and Cloverpaw was completely over-whelmed.
Right before the first wave hit her, Cloverpaw awoke.
She squinted as a ray of sunlight caught her eyes, and looked around her.
Cloverpaw saw Shimmerpelt sitting by her.
"Shimmerpelt?" Cloverpaw mewed, "What happened?"
Shimmerpelt folded a leaf around some herbs, and answered, "When I came back with Blazestar, you were on the ground. Swiftwhisker and Ashpaw were waiting by you and they informed me that you just passed out. They also told me that you were mumbling something about 'help' in your sleep."
Cloverpaw stayed silent and didn't know what to say.
"Cloverpaw," Shimmerpelt's eyes filled with concern, "Have you been having dreams like this before?"
Cloverpaw swallowed hard as she lied to her mentor, "No, it was just an ordinary dream that's all."
Shimmerpelt merely nodded her head and turned away. Cloverpaw wasn't sure if she believed her or not.
XXX
Days passed on normally. The Clans still kept their rivalries, but no random battles broke out.
Cloverpaw's dreams continued to torment her, but she never spoke of them.
XXX
Ashpaw's POV
Crouching by the river, staring at the gentle ripples throughout the water, Ashpaw let his thoughts float in his mind.
He thought back to the time when he completely shut off Cloverpaw for his dead sister; that was almost four moons ago.
You mouse-brain! She was one of your greatest friends and you have just ignored her ever since Dovepaw died... I can't stop thinking about her, but how do I fix this without it being awkward?
A tiny voice whispered inside his head, You can't have feelings for her, Ashpaw. She chose the life of a medicine cat remember?
Ashpaw let out a deep sigh, and glanced up at the moon; it was full.
Getting up and turning around, Ashpaw raced to the EmberClan Camp.
XXX
A group of cats gathered around Stoneclaw, who was appointed the day after Blazestar became leader.
When Ashpaw approached the cluster, Stoneclaw turned to him, "Ashpaw, you're going to the Gathering tonight. Go get some fresh-kill before we go."
Ashpaw dipped his head and bounded towards the fresh-kill pile. He chose a sparrow, and sat by a tree stump which was a distance from his clanmates.
As he ate, Ashpaw saw Dawnshadow, her belly plump with kits, sitting by Owltalon. They entwined their tails as they shared a rabbit.
Will I ever be like that, sharing fresh-kill with a mate?
As if they read his mind, and came to torment him, Ashpaw glanced at Raveneye and Dapplefoot play fighting by the Warriors Den.
At least our Clan will have plenty of new warriors...
Ashpaw's thoughts evaporated as he saw Cloverpaw step out of the medicine cat den.
She arched her back and stretched, the sunlight dancing on her silver fur.
Before Ashpaw could look away, Cloverpaw glanced at him, and held her gaze.
Her green eyes held laughter and happiness at first, but then she seemed to remember something, and then her stare became blank and sorrowful.
She looked away and sat down by her brother, Jaypaw.
I have to fix this now.
Ashpaw finished his sparrow, and got up; walking towards Cloverpaw and her brother.
Before Ashpaw could reach her, Blazestar yowled for the cats who were going to the Gathering.
He flattened his ears and turned away from her, following Brambleleaf.
The cats traveled through the forest, but eventually, Brambleleaf spoke loud enough just for Ashpaw to hear, "Ashpaw... don't let your feelings push you too far."
Embarrassment pricked Ashpaw's body, but instead of making an excuse, he backed away from Brambleleaf, bumping into a cat.
He turned around to say his apologies, but stifled a yelp as he stared into the eyes of his sister.
Her transparent body shimmered with starlight as she touched her tail on Ashpaw's shoulder in greeting.
"Ashpaw," she murmured, "Just do what you feel is right for you. StarClan will watch over you and protect you no matter what."
"But I don't know what I want yet!" Ashpaw mewed helplessly, "Please help me."
Dovepaw twitched her shinning whiskers in amusement, "Don't be blind Ashpaw, just follow your heart. "
Dovepaw slowly faded away, her last words still hung in the air until her glowing ghost disappeared.
"No! Come back! Someone please tell me what to do!" Ashpaw hollered.
A light breeze tickled his ear, "You know what you want in your heart."
Ashpaw hung his head, and then looked around him.
Apparently, time had not passed. The cats around him were still heading towards the Circle of Stones, unaware of Ashpaw's conversation.
Sighing deeply, Ashpaw kept silent as he followed his clanmates to the Gathering.
Stay tuned for the next chapter of this fanfic! it will probably take a long time because of all my activities planned :(
Please follow the story or comment if you enjoyed! Thanks a bunches readers! Mwah!
