AN: I realized there was one thing they didn't really describe in the books regarding medicine cats, so I'm going to try it out here. Enjoy!
Chapter 9
"Echopaw... Come... here..." Sageheart rasped over the side of the nest.
Echopaw dropped the herbs she was sorting and ran over. "Yes? Sageheart, what is it?"
"I... will not be... in this life... for much longer." she choked out painfully. "This sickness... has cost me... dearly. I must- I must-" she coughed violently.
Echopaw waited until the coughs left, and said, "What is it, Sageheart? What must you do?"
"Your... name..." Sageheart sighed, then said, "Before the spirits of StarClan, and with the powers bestowed upon me, I, Sageheart of ThunderClan, give you your full name. I- I name you... Echobreeze. Use your powers to preserve your Clan and commune with... StarClan." Sageheart lay back, exhausted.
Echobreeze gazed at her in shock. "Sageheart..." she murmured.
"I... must go. StarClan... calls me. Fare... well." Sageheart's green eyes drifted shut, and she let go one last, tired sigh.
"Sageheart." Echobreeze repeated, and lay her muzzle upon her dead mentor's head. She wailed aloud and closed her eyes.
Why, Sageheart? Why? I haven't even finished my training! What shall I do?
Morningstar, Tansyfeather, Nightpaw, and Dawnpaw burst into the den. Instantly their eyes fell on Sageheart's still form.
"Echopaw-" Morningstar began.
"No. Echobreeze. Sageheart used her last words to give me my full name. And now... Now she's gone." Echobreeze could feel herself choking up, but she ignored it. "Tonight is the half-moon." she said. "I shall go share tongues with StarClan as ThunderClan's new medicine cat."
Tansyfeather, Nightpaw and Dawnpaw stared at her, then Tansyfeather said, "I'll bring her body out for vigil."
The golden tabby gently picked the old medicine cat up by her scruff, and carried her outside. Dawnpaw and Nightpaw pressed themselves against Echobreeze to comfort her. She looked up at the sun-high sky and gazed at the clouds. She shook herself.
Come on, it's okay. Sageheart was old, she was going to die soon anyway. You can't blame yourself!
But I do. I'll always blame myself. How come I didn't know how to cure her? It's my fault!
No, it's not! Now pull yourself together, and get yourself ready to go to the Moonpool.
Despite how much she wanted to crawl in a hole and die, she knew the voice was right. She needed to help her Clan in every way she could, no matter how much it hurt.
That night, she climbed the slight ridge to the WindClan side of the stream and followed it to the Moonpool. Before she got there, however, she met Grasswhisker and Mushroomnose, with Spiritpaw following behind.
"Echopaw? Is that you? Where is Sageheart?" Grasswhisker asked.
"Sageheart is... dead. Before she died, she gave me my name. I am Echobreeze." she said quietly.
Spiritpaw ran up to her and pushed her nose into Echobreeze's fur. The gray cat wrapped her tail around her friend and sighed.
"You have my sympathies, Echobreeze." Mushroomnose said. "Sageheart was a good medicine cat and a dear friend. She will be missed by all."
"Where is Ripplestripe?" Spiritpaw asked suddenly. "We've been waiting for a while now, and he still hasn't shown!"
Grasswhisker nodded. "You're right. Perhaps he is held up. I say we go on without him and let him catch up."
The gray she-cat glanced around, and at nods of agreement from the other medicine cats she plunged on ahead.
"Well, I hope we get there soon." said Spiritpaw.
Echobreeze was wrapped in her own thoughts. What if StarClan did not accept her because she was not appointed according to ceremony and tradition? What if, because of her lack of training, she was incapable of helping her Clan? What if-
"Echobreeze! We're here!"
Echobreeze started as Spiritpaw called to her excitedly. She heard a clattering behind her and turned around. In the entrance stood Ripplestripe and a little silvery she-cat.
"Hello, fellow medicine cats. This is my new apprentice, Seapaw. I'm going to introduce her to StarClan tonight." he said.
"Hello, Seapaw. I am Mushroomnose, and this is my apprentice Spiritpaw." Mushroomnose said cordially.
"I am Grasswhisker, young apprentice." Grasswhisker nodded at the young RiverClan cat.
"I am Echobreeze. Glad to meet you." Echobreeze said wearily.
"So now that we're all here, perhaps we can begin?" Spiritpaw asked hopefully.
Mushroomnose chuckled. "Not quite, Spiritpaw. I have a question for Echobreeze."
"Yes?" the ThunderClan cat replied.
"Would you like me to introduce you to StarClan since Sageheart is dead?" he said gently.
Echobreeze blinked. "Y- yes. I would like that." she said.
"All right then." Mushroomnose stepped forward. "I, Mushroomnose, medicine cat of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look upon this apprentice, Echobreeze of ThunderClan. She has trained hard to understand the ways of the medicine cat, and with your help she will help her Clan for many moons."
He turned towards Echobreeze. "Echobreeze, do you promise to uphold the ways of the medicine cat, to stand apart from the rivalries of the Clans, and protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your own life?"
Echobreeze quivered. "I do."
"Then with the powers bestowed upon me, I confirm your name and welcome you as a full medicine cat. May StarClan bless you with the power to protect your Clan."
"Echobreeze, Echobreeze!" the other medicine cats cheered. Echobreeze stepped back and reveled in the feel of the moonlight on her fur.
"Now, I have a ceremony to perform." Ripplestripe added, after the cheering stopped. "Seapaw, step forward."
The young cat came forward a little bit.
"Seapaw, is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?"
"It is." she replied in a small, high voice.
"Then come forward."
Seapaw stepped forward a little more.
Ripplestripe raised his head. "Warriors of StarClan, this apprentice has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant her your wisdom and insight so she may learn our ways and protect her Clan."
All six medicine cats stepped to the pool and drank a few star-lit drops. All at once Echobreeze felt an overwhelming sleepiness. She curled up and fell into the dream.
She was standing at the island in green-leaf. Standing before her were Fernstar, Stormshade, Tansyspark, and the newly dead Sageheart.
Fernstar smiled at her. "Welcome, Echobreeze. StarClan gives you its blessing to continue as a medicine cat. However, there is something you must do."
"What is it?" Echobreeze asked.
Stormshade spoke. "Nightpaw, your brother, is in grave danger. Tell him that those he thinks will help, are in fact going to bring disaster."
"What is Nightpaw doing?" Echobreeze cried.
"He is training in the Dark Forest." Tansyspark said, lowering her head.
"You must help him, Echobreeze." Sageheart said. "Three of our Clanmates have told Breezepaw the same thing. But there may be more training with him."
"Be on your guard, Echobreeze." Their voices swirled into one sound that echoed with power. "Trust not in shades and fancies."
Brightness enveloped Echobreeze and she woke up by the Moonpool.
AN: There! Another one done. Surprisingly long, too. Almost three pages.
Reviews answered:
Greenfeather of Moonclan- We have a kind of rule; minimum time on the computer is half an hour, maximum is when someone orders you off.
Frostpool of Lightningclan- I try to make the chapters as long as possible, but it all has to do with how I feel that day. And how long the thought is. But I'm only human, so they're often quite short. Thanks for the feedback.
Spottedmask12- So do I.