My Left Eye

I sighed. It's been one moon now since that incident had happened. I often got reminded of it, and never was able to really get over it. What I was reminded of, you wonder? Well, that was easy to say. My left eye. I was blind on it. And it all just happened when I was hunting. I just tripped over a stone and fell onto the dirty ground, with that I my eye hit a stone and so I was blinded on that eye.

My father didn't seem to care about it really, just like my brother. They treated me like a normal cat, even so I wasn't. My mother, on the other paw, only cared about my sister, and totally ignored my father and brother. Shadepaw and Darkstrike visited me every day in the medicine cat's den.

But Flowerpaw and Brookflame just ignored me. Every time Shadepaw tried to bring my sister to visit me, she would say, "I do not have a sister." and walk away.

This made me sad, but even sadder made me my mother. One day she needed to go visit Woodheart I spoke to her, "Hello mum! I'm so glad that you were able to visit me at last…" I had added silently.

But my mother just stared at me coldly and mewed, "I only have one kit, and that is Flowerpaw, so do not call me mother, because. You. Are. An. Disgrace. For our whole Clan," I couldn't really say something; I could just glare at her as she got her paw treated, and how she walked out. How she left me alone.

"Hey, Forestpaw. I think I know what's wrong with you,"

I opened my right eye. "What is it this time, Woodheart?" I asked my medicine cat, annoyed. I couldn't recall how often she had already told me that exact sentence.

The brown she cat rolled her eyes. "Ok, so, I asked Littlefire, you know the medicine cat of WindClan, and he told me that he had a cause like you,"

My eye sparked. "Really?" She nodded.

"Yes, and it took him quite a long time till he figured it out. But you will not be able to see three dimensions anymore. Maybe you have already noticed it, but maybe not - after all you have your eyes shut nearly all the time,"

Yes, he was right. I had my eyes shut nearly all the time, but I nearly lay on the ground and slept all the time. But when I had looked, then it was strange. I saw things different, like they were just paw prints. It was strange. Was that what Woodheart meant with not three dimensional anymore?

I shook my head to get rid of that thoughts. "So, what does it mean, then?" I asked her.

"You can never be a warrior," she mewed, her amber eyes darkening. "You can't catch prey, because you can't see it directly. You can't fight, because you can't see properly.

"But, but what can I do then?" I stammered, or rather whimpered.

Woodheart gulped. "Well, you could be my apprentice…" she offered me. Her apprentice? But that would mean that I would become a medicine cat…

But, but, I always wanted to be a leader, see cats call Foreststar out. But, well, at the moment my eye hit the stone, I knew that I could never be a leader.

"I don't know, yet. Sorry, but I want to discuss that with my father and brother, OK?" I asked her. She nodded and yelled, "Shadepaw! Darkstrike! Come, it's important!"

I rolled my eyes, couldn't that have waited? I mean, it wasn't that important, or was it?

"Hey, Forestpaw!" Shadepaw meowed cheerfully. "So, what have you got to do for us?" The dark tabby tom asked me. "Well," I started and told him about how Woodheart told me about my eye, and that I could become the next medicine cat.

Darkstrike told me right away to take the job. "It is your life's opportunity." Were his words. And Shadepaw mewed, "It's not so bad, after all, that is a way how you can serve your Clan the best…"

I sighed. I didn't need to ask my mother and sister, so I told Woodheart, "Ok, I will take on the apprenticeship of a medicine cat, I hope I can serve my Clan again like this."

I saw Shadepaw smile and grinned at him.

Later that day I heard Longstar yowl, "ALL CATS OLD EAUGH TO CATCH THEIR OWN PREY MEET UNDER THE GREAT OAK!" One by one every cat made their way outside and met by the great oak.

"Today we have a very special day," he purred. "Woodheart, I'll overgive the word to you,"

The brown she cat dipped her head, "thank you, and Cats of RiverClan, as you know, I will not be around forever." she mewed. "so it's time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown love and knowledge. Your next medicine cat will be Forestpaw."

The Clan cheered out my name, all expect Flowerpaw and Brookflame. they just stood there and did nothing.

Longtail spoke up again, "Forestpaw, do you accept the postion of being the next medicine cat?"

I was really excited. "I do" I whispered, so quiet that you could barely hear it.

But Woodheart did. "Then at the half-moon, you must travel to the Moonstone to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats."

I nodded and followed her into the medicine cat's den. I knew that my life was worthy living again, even if I was blind on one eye, it didn't matter to me anymore.
Darkstrike told me right away to take the job. "It is your life's opportunity." Were his words. And Shadepaw mewed, "It's not so bad, after all, that is a way how you can serve your Clan the best…"