HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Summer break has started, huh?

I'm back from Orlando. Go Disney nd Universal Studios! It was BLAZING there... So hot that I melted. Literally. Now I'm Icemelt... :(

Though now, I need a vacation... from vacation.

Enough blabbering bout myself...

Shadowgin- HOW DARE U GO TO THE OTHER CAMPUS! Gimme Diamond. NOW. *Takes anger out on frying pan* Woops...

Springstar11- Thanks so much for reviewing! Yeah the whole writing about medicine cats thing is kinda driving me bonkers, but there's gonna be a major turning point later on in the story. THANKS AGAIN! ;)

Disk 9- FINALLY! U reviewed! Go Temple of Heaven! Go me! Go trivia! (the ones I won, at least. NOT the ones U won.)

OKAY THEN! CHAP 9! (Why am I so hyper? I thought jet lag had the opposite effect...)

Chapter 9

Great! Now my mentor thinks I'm some kind of genius! Whirlpaw thought bitterly. Appearing from the den, she saw Emberpaw making a beeline for her.

"Whirlpaw! I've heard! Congratulations!" he mewed, breathless, as he wound around Whirlpaw.

Feeling a purr rise in her throat, Whirlpaw asked, "Emberpaw? Can you come out with me?"

Surprised, Emberpaw nodded and followed her out. Above them, the first of the stars were starting to appear, little bright spots blinking down at them. They reached a tall pine tree with a curved trunk. Without a word, they settled down, snuggled against each other for warmth. Emberpaw seemed to know what was bothering her, and didn't pester her with any questions.

They drowsily shared tongues, and when Whirlpaw was already half-asleep, Emberpaw whispered softly, too softly for her to hear, "I love you."

A paw clamped down hard onto Whirlpaw's shoulder. She jumped up and saw that mist was curling around her. She could see Emberpaw still sound asleep at the tree trunk.

"So? How's your love going?"

Whirling around, Whirlpaw saw Littlecloud sitting behind her with a very sarcastic and stinging look on his face.

"I… I…" She stammered, not meeting his eyes.

Softening his gaze, Littlecloud mewed, "You're a medicine cat, Whirlpaw. Remember that."

Whirlpaw awoke beside Emberpaw, his warm fur pressing against her. Guilt suddenly spread through her, and panicked, she leaped up.

"Whirlpaw? What's wrong?" Emberpaw mumbled, and opened his eyes. Seeing her scared expression, he sat up, suddenly alert.

"I'm sorry. I can't be with you," Whirlpaw mewed, the words hardly forming on her lips.

"But… but why! We can escape! I… I love you!" he whimpered, his mew barely audible.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Whirlpaw kept repeating, backing away from him.

"Whirlpaw! Please…" Emberpaw whispered, and her heart broke at seeing him so distressed, and cowered into the foliage.

"I'm sorry!" she gasped, and tore through the brambles, Tears blurred her vision and streamed down in little rivulets. Whirlpaw ran. She dodged trees, and scraped her fur on bushes. She could never get Emberpaw's hurt face out of her mind no matter how far she ran.

Gasping, the tears kept flowing, and Whirlpaw could hear him shout, "Come back! We can sort this out!"

I can't! I can't! I'm a medicine cat!

Words swirled in her mind and threatened to overwhelm her.

I'm sorry…

Whirlpaw stopped at the edge of her territory. She knew that no matter what she did, she would never forget him. The lake swirled and shimmered, ripples appearing as fish leaped in and out. The last of her tears dried. Whirlpaw knew what to do now. She had to forget him.

She had to find her mother.

Over the next few days, Brackenkit grew healthier and healthier until he was bouncing up and down in his nest.

"Can I go and play! Puh-leese? I wanna play!"

Whirlpaw busied herself by taking care of him, and forced her to forget Emberpaw. He never forgot her, though. Emberpaw would approach her daily, but she would always make an excuse to dodge away. His face, grieved and full of agony, appeared in her dreams every time she tried to sleep.

I love you too!

Whirlpaw did not know what to do; she didn't want to hurt him! Whirlpaw hid. She couldn't face anyone, not even her mentor. Cats often came and praised her for finding the right herbs.

One night, Flamepelt checked Brackenkit's wound, already fading into two round scars.

"I think Brackenkit is well enough to leave."

Upon hearing that, Brackenkit leaped up, his pelt bristling with excitement.

"Oh my Starclan! Really? Thank you thank you thank you!" he mewed happily.

Flamepelt went out to call his mother while Whirlpaw stayed in the den. Brackenkit studied her drooping face.

"Are you okay?" he asked tentatively.

"What?"

Startled, Whirlpaw nodded and stammered, "Oh… yeah. I'm fine."

"I saw you, you know, with Emberpaw," the tom kit blurted out, slapping his tail over his mouth as soon as the words left.

"What?" she screeched, even louder than before, but seeing his frightened face, Whirlpaw dropped her voice to a whisper, "How?"

"Well…" Brackenkit suddenly seemed very interested in his scars.

"Come on, Brackenkit. I won't tell," Whirlpaw coaxed, trying to seem very comforting, when inside, her heart was hammering frantically.

"I…" suddenly, he straightened up and looked Whirlpaw straight in the eye.

"That day, I sneaked out and saw you and Emberpaw sleeping. Aren't you not allowed to…um…" He broke off and twitched his nose uncomfortably.

Whirlpaw realized that there was no way out, so she replied slowly, "Yes, we were. Can you keep a secret, though? I won't tell your mother that you sneaked out, and you don't say anything 'bout mine,"

She was almost pleading for him to understand.

Not noticing the sternness of the whole event, Brackenkit just nodded happily, glad to be away from her mother's wrath, "Kay! I promise!"

Just then, Kinkfur raced in and covered her son with licks, purring too hard for words.

"Oh, Brackenkit! I missed you so much!" she emphasized.

"Mom!" he protested, wriggling out of the way.

Kinkfur turned around to Whirlpaw and she saw that her eyes were brimming with tears, "Thank you, Whirlpaw. You don't know how precious he is to me…" her voice faltered and she could only stare emotionally at the medicine cat apprentice.

"Let's go back to the nursery. Tuftkit misses you a lot!" Kinkfur mewed, naming her other son that was moping in the nursery for his brother.

As the pair drew away, with Kinkfur casting one last grateful glance at Whirlpaw, Flamepelt pushed her way in, "So, how's it going, Whirlpaw?"

"Great…" she mewed back half-heartedly, and started to rearrange Brackenkit's nest, which had fallen apart from his crazy dance.

"Whirlpaw…" Sighing, Flamepelt padded around until she stood in front of her apprentice.

"Whirlpaw, whatever difficulties you have, you have to push it aside, okay?" Whirlpaw stiffened at the mention of 'difficulties' but relaxed again as she knew that her mentor did not guess her secret.

"It's the half moon tonight, and I'm going to make you a full medicine cat." Flamepelt continued. Whirlpaw's eyes went as round as saucers after she heard that. All of her hurt at Emberpaw vanished as what she was working for had been finally achieved.

I'm going to be a real medicine cat!

Oh! I forgot something. Can anyone who reads/sees/glances/WHATEVER this go to my profile nd take the poll? I'll be extra glad!

Or u know what's in store for u...