Chapter 24: A Path Unwinding

In the coming days Spottedleaf and Fireheart had more time to be together. It was kind of good of his punishment, but in the same time, she knew he missed having his warrior duties. In the evening time when Cinderpaw went to go eat near her brother, Fireheart will come into her den secretly to give her food, and then they will share tongues. He loved her sweet scent and her comforting purr beside him. It made him forget his punishment.

But the time has ended, two nights before the Gathering. Spottedleaf has just curing some aches and pains from one of the elders when she notice that Tigerclaw and Bluestar where talking to Fireheart. Spottedleaf kept her distance to hide her romance with Fireheart.

Spottedleaf watches as Tigerclaw, Longtail and Fireheart left to go on patrol. Spottedleaf padded up to Bluestar.

"I see that Fireheart is off of his punishment." Spottedleaf looks to her leader.

"Yes. I see that he, and Graystripe have learned their lesson. How is Smallear?" Bluestar asks.

"Oh you know how he is….complains about everything." Spottedleaf sighs. Spottedleaf then looks onto her leader's worried gazed. "Are you worried that the floods are to great that our Clan will not attend the Gathering?"

Bluestar cast a glance down on her medicine cat, "You always tend to seek out my worries don't you?"

"Annoying gift.." Spottedleaf suppressing a chuckle. Then her tone of voice become soft and serious, "Tell me the truth Bluestar."

Bluestar looks at Spottedleaf, "Yes I am worried…..That is why I sent out a patrol to Fourtrees to see if we can make the passage."

"It should be going down about now…I mean I hope it's not as bad as it was when I was in training of becoming a medicine cat." Spottedleaf stated.

Bluestar nods, "I hope so too…has StarClan gave you any signs lately?"

Spottedleaf shook her head, "Not since the battle of WindClan." Bluestar nodded in silence and Spottedleaf places her paw on her leaders, "Don't give up on them Bluestar…..there still is time before the Gathering. StarClan will provide a way one way or another."

Bluestar nodded her medicine cat's praise. She admire Spottedleaf's strong faith in StarClan. Just then Whitestorm came up behind them, "Pardon me Bluestar….am I interrupting?"

"Oh not at all…what is it Whitestorm?" Bluestar asks.

Spottedleaf left to go check out on the elders. She enjoyed the company of her elder friends, and Halftail was teasing Smallear of his compliments. Smallear growled and hissed at the elderly she-cat.

Spottedleaf ignored their bickering "Where is my brother, Patch?" Spottedleaf asks Dappletail.

"He left earlier this afternoon to the gravesite. As you may well know, today is your half sister's anniversary." Dappletail reminded her.

Spottedleaf pauses in inspecting Dappletail's fur for ticks. "Has it really been 9 moons since her death?"

"I'm afraid so…" Dappletail responded. Then she gets up and shakes out her pelt, "Go….you need to reflect with your brother."

"No I am perfectly fine here…I don't need to be reminded of my halt sister's death. And how I failed to save her." Spottedleaf confesses.

"Oh sweetheart, there is nothing you could have done….it happens to some mothers. I know it had with my own mother. Shed died when my brother was born. They both died in fact. I am the only kin who survived. So you didn't fail her Spottedleaf….there was nothing anyone could have done." Dappletail told her.

"Yeah…trying telling that to Tigerclaw, who still blames me for his mother's death." Spottedleaf spat.

"Nonsense! How can he blame you for your sister's death when you were doing everything you could to save her!" Spat out Smallear. "I know I watched it happen when I was a warrior. He should give you some dignity of saving her, not condemning you!"

Halftail hisses at him, "Mind your own Business Smallear!"

Dappletail shook her head at those two, " Tigerclaw is a great warrior…..I'm sure he doesn't blame you sweetheart….maybe it comes off that way but deep down he knows it is not your fault. It happens. Now go be with your brother….I'll deal with these kits."

"Who are you calling kits, we're not kits!" Smallear growls.

Spottedleaf left the elders den when all three of them were growling and hissing at one another. She then makes her way through the underbrush to the gravesite of all of their fallen warriors and elders. When she arrives she sees the lone figure perch by his littermate's grave. Spottedleaf found a white near a small tree…she plucked it from the low branch and carried it in her mouth to where her brother is.

In silence she padded up to her sister's grave and places the small white flower on her stone. Patchpelt gave a faint smile to her. Then he softly replies to her, "I didn't think you, out of all cats will come."

Spottedleaf looks at her brother, "She was my sister Patch…she still is part of me."

Patchpelt looks down on his little sister, "I know…but you to come here, as a reminder of her death…"

Spottedleaf stares at her sister's grave, "I wanted to come….so that I can stop doubting myself as a medicine cat….and be a mentor to Cinderpaw as Featherwhisker was to me…Leoparedfoot's death, is one of my biggest struggles I still have….even now."

Patchpelt looks at her, "But you've grown a lot since then."

Spottedleaf didn't look up at him, "yes…but since her death…I was scared of being a medicine cat. Her death, had shaken my faith in medicine, in StarClan and even in myself, that I thought that I will kill the whole Clan. My brother Redtail, had more success then I did in his training. I was in a dark cloud for awhile. My mother tried to tell me it was not my fault that she died, but still I could never pull out of my self doubt. It wasn't until my saving grace, Redtail, who got me to see the light. But for the longest time, I thought I was curse by StarClan, for killing my own sister."

Patchpelt wraps his tail around her small frail body, "Well…I am so glad you're not…because, you are the best medicine cat in this Clan. You are truly gifted."

Spottedleaf nuzzles her brother's side for assurance. And together they sat there in silence reflecting on the found memories of their beloved sister. It was more so with Patchpelt, it was his littermate. Spottedleaf has some found moments of her, but they were a bit hazy.

Not long after, a soft voice sounded behind them. Both Patchpelt and Spottedleaf turn their heads to see who it was, "Spottedleaf….you are wanted back in your den….a warrior needs your assistance." Mousefur was standing a few fox leaps back.

Spottedleaf looks up at her brother, "Go….I'll be fine…thanks for the company, and for being here."

Spottedleaf smiles to him and gave him a friendly lick to his face. Then she left to go with Mousefur. "How'd you know where to find me?" Spottedleaf asks when they arrive back into the camp.

"Dappletail told me….she told me today is the anniversary of your half sister's death…and the one place we have to visit the dead is well….the burial grounds for elders and fallen warriors." Mousefur stated.

"oh…well I best go check on my patient." Spottedleaf padded off to her den. In the corner of her eye she sees that Tigerclaw is talking with Bluestar, must mean the patrol is back.

When Spottedleaf goes into her den to her dismay it was Fireheart on the sick table. Spottedleaf wasted no time to go over to him, "Great StarClan! What happen to you?"

Fireheart got up and felt weak and tired. He shivered a bit when a cool breeze russled his pelted. Fireheart managed to stand as he faced her, "went on a patrol with Tigerclaw and Longtail, trying to find a safe passage to get to Fourtrees. Then Tigerclaw made me go on a branch which was unstable to go across, and then next thing is….I ended up in halfway in the swollen stream. If it wasn't for Longtail, I could have drowned."

Spottedleaf heartache when Fireheart told her everything what happened. Then a fire of anger burned in her heart toward her nephew. But the anger only lasted about a second or two when Cinderpaw came in from the fern tunnel.

"What…..Fireheart? Why are you here? You look like death rolled you over with a log? What happened?" Cinderpaw blurted out with many questions.

Spottedleaf looks up from Fireheart and to her apprentice, "Cinderpaw what should you look for when a cat gets soaked wet?"

Cinderpaw's ears twitch with excitement. Then she looks up at Spottedleaf, "Poor breathing, sickness and leeches on fur."

Spottedleaf smiles and nods, "Very good now…examine him." Spottedleaf steps back and let Cinderpaw inspect Fireheart. Fireheart cock an eye at Spottedleaf then to his former apprentice. He was actually really amazed at how well Spottedleaf is training her. Cinderpaw asks Fireheart to take several breaths as she listens for the air flow. Once she was through expecting him then she ask him one last thing, "Are you breathing okay Fireheart? Do you feel sick?"

Fireheart looks to her, "No…everything is fine."

Cinderpaw steps back, "I think he is fine Spottedleaf. Just try not to jump into anymore flowing waters….we are not RiverClan cats."

Fireheart smiles to her and then looks up to Spottedleaf. Spottedleaf nods to Cinderpaw and she goes into the back to do a head count of herbs. Spottedleaf walks Fireheart to the entrance of her den, "She is right…you will be fine. As far as I can tell, you don't have signs of a chill, but just on the safe side, take this…it is rosemary. It will help keep the chill away. And no more adventures in the water."

Fireheart smiles to her comment. He loved her sense of humor, then he bens down and picks up the rosemary at his feet, "You do well when training her. She will be a great medicine cat. I'll see you later I need…." Fireheart lets out a yawn.

"Go….you're sleepiness is calling you." Spottedleaf smiles as she nudges him with her head. She could help but to flirt a little with that. With that nudge she watches him stagger toward the warrior's den. Then Spottedleaf goes back into her den to groom her fur in the dapple sunlight.

…

It was about dusk time when Spottedleaf and Cinderpaw met with Bluestar, Spottedleaf nods to Cinderpaw as the young she-cat limps toward her, "Bluestar….I will like to be an apprentice of a medicine cat…I think I finally know where I belong and what I can carry out my duties to this Clan."

Bluestar looks at Spottedleaf and then to the young cat. Then with a friendly purr she reply's, "I was wondering when you decided to tell me. Been waiting a while now. I see you have as much joy coming from learning about medicine and herbs whenever Spottedleaf takes you out of the camp. Your mother has told me a lot about you, and same as Spottedleaf." Then the leader gets up. "Come, I shall call a meeting. Spottedleaf, take Cinderpaw to the Highrock."

Spottedleaf smiles as Cinderpaw's tail held high in the air. She can feel her excitement raiding off her face as they made their way to the Highrock for a Clan meeting.

Spottedleaf stood on the Highrock with Cinderpaw beside her. Bluestar called out, "Let all of the cats old enough to catch their own pray, to gather around for a Clan meeting."

All the cats assemble near the Highrock. The Sun aluminate Spottedleaf's pelted, turning it to an auburn brown. Making her look radiant and beautiful. She spotted Fireheart near the center of the crowd with Graystripe beside him. She caught his eye, and he stared right back at her. He looked better than this afternoon. His shining emerald eyes glared into hers She kindly smiles back at him then her gaze lingers out to the rest of the cats.

Once every member was settled and assembled, Bluestar looks at Spottedleaf and steps back to let her speak. Spottedleaf gazes at her fellow Clanmates, then she began to speak, "Cats of ThunderClan…I have an announcement to make. As many of you know that I have been a medicine cat for quite some time, and almost had a close call of joining our fellow warriors in StarClan. If it wasn't for Yellowfang, I will not be here today." Spottedleaf looks to Yellowfang as she smiles back at her. Then she continues, "I have decided to take on an apprentice. I think it is time for me to pass on the wisdom to someone new. Who shares the same gift, and who understands the law of StarClan." She looks out and her gaze rest on Cinderpaw, "Your next medicine cat of ThunderClan will be Cinderpaw. She has shown great passion to many of her Clanmates, and she has a heart filled with care and love for medicine. The same care and love I felt back when I was at her moon."

A wave of cheers and praise came from the Clan below. Spottedleaf hops down and held up her tail to signal Cinderpaw to wait. Once the crowd below died down Bluestar spoke, "Cinderpaw do you accept the offer of apprenticeship to Spottedleaf?"

Cinderpaw boldly looks up to Bluestar and gave her reply, "Yes Bluestar I do."

Bluestar smiles and then as any other apprentice ceremony she continues, "Then at half moon you and Spottedleaf will travel to Mothermouth to be accepted by StarClan. Spottedleaf with your great experience you have shown over the years, I see to that you will give this young apprentice the knowledge and wisdom as Featherwhisker showed you. May StarClan be with you on your journey."

Spottedleaf then walks up to Cinderpaw and touch noses with her new apprentice. The moment felt so powerful, between the two of them, it felt like she was part of another realm. The Clan gathered around to congratulated both Cinderpaw and Spottedleaf. Mainly Cinderpaw. To her surprise even Tigerclaw came and congratulate Cinderpaw. He then briefly eyes Spottedleaf, and said nothing. Frostfur was so happy she was crying. She came up to her daughter and held her close and giving her encouraging licks.

"Train her well, Speckles. It will be hard to replace you, when you leave." Patchpelt stated beside her.

"Thanks...I will train her everything I know and learned…but part of being gifted and good as me, is by experience." Spottedleaf reminded her brother.

"Still….I'm biases. No one will be as good as you." Patchpelt replies. Then he embraces his little sister, "I'm so proud of you….Redtail will be proud."

Spottedleaf nuzzles her brother when he mention Redtail. Then he moved on to congratulate her new apprentice. Last to come congratulate was Fireheart.

Spottedleaf looks at him and he embraces her. It was the first time the can finally be close to one another not giving away their secrete romance, "Train her well…..for me okay."

Spottedleaf looks at him, and then nuzzles his face, "I will….for the both of us. She will be in my care."

Fireheart felt a tang of pain in his heart on his former apprentice, but the sight of her being happy as an apprentice for the next ThunderClan medicine cat, made him happy. He looks at her, "She can never have such a better mentor than you. She will make a better medicine cat, than a warrior." Then he moves on to have a moment with his former apprentice.