Thanks for reviewing so far, everyone! I feel so happy^^ Well, I just found out that Sagekit/Sagepaw/Sagestream (I just made up) was actually a she-cat. It was different from the allegiances. That messes everything up! So, for Cherrytail's mate, I put in Bounceheart. *sigh* Just like Rowanclaw's gender change.
It was morning and Echosong was leaping from rock to rock to check on Patchfoot's injury just before he went on a hunting patrol. Ever since she got her name, Sandstorm had been teaching her herbs and remedies that medicine cats were supposed to know as well as other useful things.
Echosong spotted Patchfoot waiting for her with Rainfur and Clovertail near the stream. She gave a mew of good morning to the cats and sniffed the wound on Patchfoot's shoulder. "Looks good," observed Echosong.
Patchfoot gave a blink of thanks to Echosong and went with his patrol downstream.
When the patrol had disappeared from Echosong's view, her paws tingled with excitement. Sandstorm was going to be teaching her some battle moves! She padded upstream to where Sandstorm was with Firestar. "I'm ready," she mewed to Sandstorm.
"I'm going to give Echosong some battle training," Sandstorm explained to Firestar.
Echosong nodded. "Sandstorm says medicine cats don't usually fight, but they need to be able to defend themselves and their Clanmates."
"You might have to soon," meowed Firestar.
Firestar joined Sandstorm and Echosong to the training area, later joined by Sparrowpaw. As they neared the top of the Rockpile, Firestar stopped to talk to Petal and the five kits as they made their way up the Rockpile.
Leaving Firestar behind, the rest of the cats made their way to the training spot. Echosong watched as Sparrowpaw dashed toward Sandstorm, extending a paw out to strike her shoulder.
"Now you, Echosong," Sandstorm meowed. "You've watched Sparrowpaw do that move enough times—see if you can copy him."
Echosong stepped forward, out into the middle of the training area. She was nervous but felt like she could do it.
Just then, Sage let out a wail. Echosong looked at the kit to see Sage falling from a rock.
Instantly, Petal raced over.
Sage sat up and held out her paw. "It hurts," mewed Sage.
Echosong came over to the kit and sniffed at Sage's paw. "You've snagged a claw," she mewed to Sage, licking the tiny kit's claw. "I know how painful that can be, but it'll be okay soon." Echosong continued to lick Sage's claw until her whimpering gradually died away.
"You're making it feel better," mewed Sage.
"You're very brave," Echosong told the kit. "Just like a warrior. Try standing up on your paw now."
Sage got up and carefully set her paw on the ground. It didn't seem to hurt because fire was restored in Sage's eyes. "It feels fine. Thanks!" meowed Sage as she bounded away to join the other kits. "I'm a warrior, Echosong said so," she boasted.
Echosong's whiskers twitched in amusement. She heard pawsteps by her and saw Firestar nodding his flame-colored head in approval. "Well done," he mewed in Echosong's ear.
"A snagged claw is easy," mewed the silver tabby. But inside, Echosong's heart soared with happiness.
Battle training was over for the day, so Echosong had a little time to herself. She ran towards the row of twoleg nests and searched for a special friend. Echosong found him, dozing in a patch of shady grass.
He must have heard Echosong approaching because he opened his light blue eyes and looked in the direction Echosong had come. "Echo!" he exclaimed, springing up onto his paws.
Echosong leaped sown from the fence and ran forward to brush muzzles with her brother.
"So, Echo, how are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm doing fine and my name isn't just Echo anymore, it's now Echosong," she replied.
Snow gazed at her, clearly confused.
"Do you remember, when we were kits, I told you I had a dream about cats in a forest?" started Echosong.
"Yes," said Snow. "I told you that it might be a sign."
"You were right. A quarter moon ago, a starry cat told me in a dream that I should find two strange cats who could tell me the meaning of my weird dreams with the starry cats. I found them and they said the starry cats in my dreams were once a group of cats called SkyClan."
Snow nodded, wanting for her to continue.
"The two cats were there, trying to rebuild SkyClan once more and in order to do that, they needed cats that were willing to join the Clan. I met them and told them about my dreams. One of the two cats, Firestar, told me that I was meant to join the Clan and be their medicine cat."
"Then they gave you the name Echosong for you?" he asked.
Echosong nodded.
"It's a nice name. It suits you," remarked Snow.
Echosong gave a mew of thanks. "I'm going to be living with SkyClan from now on."
Snow gave his sister's ear a lick. "I'll miss you."
Echosong shuffled her forepaws. "Actually, I was hoping you'd join SkyClan," she meowed.
"Me?" echoed Snow.
"SkyClan needs more cats and I think you'd make a great warrior."
Snow wrapped his tail around his paws and closed his eyes. Echosong waited for his reply.
After a while, Snow shook his head. "No," he meowed.
Echosong's hope dropped. "Why?" she asked.
"I can't bear to leave my housefolk. They all love me and care for me, especially the housekits."
"Oh, okay. I understand," sadly mewed Echosong.
"So this is goodbye," Snow meowed.
Echosong shook her head. "It won't be. When I have a little bit of time, I'll try to visit you."
Snow purred. "I'd like that."
Dusk was approaching and Echosong was near the gorge. A screech filled the air but it wasn't coming from the direction of the gorge. It was coming from the forest behind her! Echosong ran as fast as she could, figuring out where the yowl had come from. She opened her mouth to taste the air. A familiar scent was nearby, Thistle's. Echosong followed the scent and saw Thistle fighting with a fox.
Thistle was bleeding heavily but managed to fight off the fox. Then he laid down, exhausted and tired. Echosong raced toward him to see if she could treat his injuries.
Thistle looked up in surprise to see Echosong sniffing the wound on his shoulder. "Echo, haven't seen you in a while."
"My name is Echosong, now," she mewed for the second time today. Echosong ran through the list of herbs she might needed in her head. 'Think, think!' First, she needed to stop Thistle's bleeding wound. For that, she would need cobwebs. Hurrying over to a log, Echosong stuck her paw inside and managed to pull out some of the sticky strands.
"What do you have there, err, Echosong?" Thistle asked, trying to sit up.
"Cobwebs," answered Echosong, limping over to Thistle. Echosong applied the cobweb firmly to the wound. "Cobwebs help to stop the bleeding."
"Where did you learn that?" asked Thistle, impressed.
"Have you heard about the cats that live in the gorge, not too far from here?"
Thistle nodded. "I heard about the cats from other rouges and kittypets. SkyClan, is it?"
"Yes." Echosong removed the cobweb; the wound had stopped bleeding. "I'm going to be their medicine cat." 'Now what?' thought Echosong. 'What herbs did Sandstorm said to use to stop infection. What about a herb to heal wounds?' "Marigold's one," mewed Echosong under her breath. What was the other? Glancing around, she spotted the herb she needed.
"What's that?" asked Thistle when Echosong came back, the precious herb in her jaws.
"Horsetail," she replied. She started to chew the bitter herb up into a poultice and patted it down on the wound.
Thistle hissed as the poultice seeped down into the wound. "What's this good for?" meowed Thistle as the stinging slowly went away.
"Horsetail stops infections," mewed Echosong as she went away to a clump of goldenrod. "And this," said Echosong as she chewed up the goldenrod, "helps heals wounds."
Twilight was approaching when Echosong finished treating Thistle's wound.
"I'll be off now," Thistle mewed, shaking off the scraps of leaves.
"What about your wound?"
"I'll be fine. Thank you for helping me, Echosong," mewed Thistle as he padded away.
"Wait," meowed Echosong.
Thistle turned his head to look back at her. "What is it?"
"You could join SkyClan," mewed Echosong. "I could see if your wound heals and you wouldn't be lonely."
"Lonely?" mewed Thistle.
"The last time we talked, when you said that you loved being free, I could tell from your voice, that you felt lonely."
Thistle sighed. "I once had a sister, Honey was her name. We used to play together all the time. But then, when I was away in the woods, a fire broke out in my housefolk's nest. Honey and my housefolk didn't make it."
"I'm—I'm so sorry," mewed Echosong. "I know what it is like to lose someone special."
"Don't worry about it," said Thistle. "Echosong, I'm sorry but I won't join SkyClan."
Echosong opened her mouth to speak but Thistle beat her to it.
"SkyClan isn't for me. But I wish you well, Echosong. Until we meet again."
I had fun writing this part. How was it?