Chapter 11:
Rosepaw bounded over to Snowbelly after talking to Nighpaw for a few more heartbeats.
"Do I get to train today?" she asked her new mentor.
Snowbelly blinked. "No cat has injuries, so we'll just be gathering some herbs."
Rosepaw's heart sank momentarily. Medicine cats don't hunt or fight, she reminded herself. She brightened at the thought of leaving the camp though. "We'll tour the territory, right?" she checked.
Snowbelly purred. "Yes, we will. It's the first thing any apprentice does."
Rosepaw sat down, satisfied that she would be at least leaving the ThunderClan camp. "Will we do it with Nightpaw and Jaggedwing?"
Snowbelly shook her head. "You must remember that you are a medicine cat apprentice, Rosepaw, not a warrior. Your paws will walk a different path, and sometimes it is lonely." The she-cat lifted her muzzle to look up at the sky. "But you will have a special relationship with StarClan, and you will never be alone." Snowbelly stretched and stood up. "Now, why don't you go find a nice piece of fresh-kill before we leave?" Snowbelly padded over to where Dawnstar was enjoying a rabbit, dismissing Rosepaw with a flick of her tail.
Rosepaw sat and stared at Snowbelly for a moment before stretching and trotting over to the fresh-kill pile. She picked out a small pigeon, and dragged it over to where Owlpaw was grooming himself by the Halfrock.
"Hey, Owlpaw!" she mewed. "I get to eat with you now that I'm an apprentice, too! Wanna share?"
Owpaw grunted. "No, thanks."
Rosepaw, crestfallen, set down the pigeon. "Why are you mad at me?"
"Why do you want to be a medicine cat?" he retorted.
Why does he have a problem with me being a medicine cat apprentice? "Why not?" she asked defiantly. It's like my conversation with Nightpaw, all over again.
"I thought we were going to train together, like when we were kits." he replied. "But I guess you don't want that as much as I do." he trotted off before she could say anything, leaving her alone with her pigeon.
I might as well eat this..., she decided. Snowbelly will be ready to go soon. She choked down half of the pigeon, and then padded up to Snowbelly, who was finishing a shrew.
"Are you ready?" she asked.
Snowbelly nodded, swiping her tongue around her lips before standing up. "Let's go."
She led the way out of the camp, with Rosepaw, who had forgotten about her argument with Owlpaw, on her heels.
Snowbelly followed the well-trodden path for a few heartbeats, then veered to the right, mewing, "I think we have enough time to go to the abandoned Twoleg nest before dark. I saw some catmint beginning to grow there a few sunrises ago."
Rosepaw nodded. "All right!"
As they made their way to the abandoned Twoleg nest, Rosepaw got a whiff of something foul. "What is that smell?" she wrinkled her nose.
Snowbelly gave a mrrow of amusement. "That's a ShadowClan scent marker." Her eyes grew serious. "And they put it on our territory."
Rosepaw's eyes widened. Am I going to have my first battle already? she wondered.
Snowbelly gave Rosepaw a firm look. "Now remember that we are medicine cats. We do not get involved in border disputes. If we see them, just let me do all the talking, okay?" she waited for Rosepaw to agree.
"Okay." You're a medicine cat, Rosepaw! You can't battle anyone. She reminded herself, and followed Snowbelly who was calmly leading the way to the Twoleg nest.
Just as Rosepaw could see the old Twoleg nest through the thick branches and newleaf vegetation, Snowbelly stopped in front of her and stiffened. She seemed to make an effort to make her fur lie flat, and then mewed, "Hello."
Rosepaw caught a whiff of the same rotten scent she had earlier. Is a ShadowClan patrol here?
A she-cat with a bright ginger pelt padded out from the shadows with four cats on her heels. "Hello, Snowbelly. How's the prey running?" she asked cheerfully.
Snowbelly, despite telling Rosepaw medicine cats don't get involved, hissed, "What are you doing on ThunderClan territory, Flamestar?"
Rosepaw gasped inwardly. That was the leader of ShadowClan? Nightpaw is going to be jealous that I met the ShadowClan leader! She thought smugly, scanning the rest of the ShadowClan patrol. She recognized Redpaw and Goldenwing from when they rescued her almost a moon ago. She almost called out to them, but remembered they were enemies. Don't make friends with ShadowClan cats! She scolded herself.
Flamestar sat down comfortably. "We needed more territory, so we took it. This abandoned twoleg nest is now ShadowClan's."
Snowbelly hissed. "This stretch of land has been ThunderClan territory for seasons, and it will be again."
A black tom started forward. "Would you like to take it back now?" he laughed. "A medicine cat and an apprentice can't beat five warriors."
"That's enough, Crowfoot." Flamestar ordered. "We do not fight medicine cats, nor do we make fun of them."
Crowfoot padded back to stand with the other warriors unwillingly.
Snowbelly looked ready to take the black cat up on his offer, but instead mewed, "I need those herbs for healing ThunderClan cats. At least let me have the herbs at the Twoleg nest garden."
Smokewhisker darted forward. "How do you know Moonwhisker doesn't need them?" she challenged.
"Because medicine cats share things." Snowbelly replied calmly. "Moonwhisker gets all the herbs she needs from the Twoleg nest in ShadowClan territory."
Flamestar flicked her tail back and forth thoughtfully. "Redfeather, why don't you escort these medicine cats to the Twoleg garden? Make sure they don't take anything but herbs." To Snowbelly and Rosepaw she said, "I'll let you take the herbs this time, Snowbelly. But if any cat is seen crossing ShadowClan territory after Redfeather escorts you out, we will fight them." With that, the ShadowClan leader turned towards the ShadowClan camp and trotted off.
Redfeather nodded to them, and the three cats set off.
Rosepaw wanted to congratulate her on getting her warrior name, but bit her tongue. She spotted a mouse, and pointed to it with her tail so Snowbelly could catch it.
But Snowbelly shook her head, reminding Rosepaw they were on enemy territory.
Oops. Rosepaw thought as they arrived at the abandoned Twoleg nest.
"Get the herbs you need." Redfeather spoke quietly.
Ignoring Redfeather, Snowbelly told Rosepaw, "This is called catmint." she nipped a few stems and put the leaves at Rosepaw's feet.
Rosepaw gave it a cautious sniff. Water flooded her jaws at the wonderful scent, making her want to sink her teeth into the juicy herb.
Snowbelly snatched it away before she could eat it. "It is very valuable, and not for eating unless you're sick. It cures greencough and whitecough, so we need to stock up on it." She nipped two more leaves, leaving most of the plant still.
"Why don't you take all of it, then?" Rosepaw asked.
Redfeather snorted.
Snowbelly, still ignoring the ShadowClan cat, replied, "Good question, Rosepaw. We need to leave some behind so it can grow back."
"Oh." Rosepaw said, as Snowbelly padded a few tail-lengths away after carefully wrapping the catmint leaves in a large oaf leaf.
"Now, do you remember what this is?" she quizzed, angling her ears towards a hairy-stemmed blue flower.
"Umm..." Rosepa w mewed. Oh, I know she's told me what that is! "Dock? No...Borage?"
"Borage." Snowbelly nodded. "Very good. Now, why don't you nip off a few stems? That's right, get all the leaves. Perfect." she added.
Rosepaw practically bounced out of her fur with joy. I did it right!
