Herbs 36

Thornclaw opened his eyes.

At first he had no idea where he was. It was dark, a bit cramped and he could hardly see anything in front of him. The sudden smells of herbs and ThunderClan hit his nostrils. Now he remembered; he was in ThunderClan. And he remembered what Jayfeather told him. About Firestar dying—

"Awake, are you?"

He jumped. "Don't sneak up on me like that Jayfeather!" he hissed. Great StarClan did he give him a scare. The form of a small gray tabby crept out of the shadows. He didn't appear fazed as he sniffed Thornclaw's paws.

"How have you slept?" he asked, stiffing a yawn.

"Not well," Thornclaw admitted, settling back in his nest with a small groan. "Not after what you told me about Firestar." He felt something warm beside him and turned. A bunch of gray rags? He squinted and saw a face underneath it. Cinderheart! He jumped back. And hissed in pain as he stepped on his declawed paw.

Jayfeather pricked his ears. "Firestar?" he meowed. "What about him?"

Thornclaw arranged himself further away from the still sleeping she-cat. "About his death. I still can't believe he died."

Jayfeather stared. "Firestar's not dead."

"What?" Thornclaw blinked quickly. Did he hear correctly? "Of course he is."

"Not, he's not."

"That's not what you told me," Thornclaw frowned, confused. "Right after ShadowClan brought me back and Graystripe saw them off. You told me that same day that Firestar was dead."

"Thornclaw, you never came to camp conscious," Jayfeather explained, his eyes wrinkling in concentration. "When ShadowClan came here earlier today, they were dragging your body. Littlecloud explained the cold weather and infection on the paw was too much that they had to drag you the rest of the way."

Thornclaw felt his head whirl. Was this true? Did he really fall unconscious on the way to ThunderClan? He didn't remember it. "But I could have sworn..." Thornclaw shook his head. He didn't know what to say.

"Oaf," Jayfeather muttered, turning away. Thornclaw hissed softly, but not loud enough to wake the she-cat.

"Alright, so maybe I WAS dreaming, but if felt real enough to me," he mewed stubbornly.

"Thornclaw, you're speaking crazy," Jayfeather snarled, annoyed. In the darkness he almost looked like a very angry rat to Thornclaw. "How can Firestar be dead if I just saw him today? Your dream couldn't remotely make sense unless—" He paused, jaw open. His blind eyes widened in shock and realization. "Unless it wasn't a dream..."

Thornclaw frowned. "Eh, what?"

Jayfeather didn't answer. He bolted out of the medicine cats den, calling for Brambleclaw. In the bit of light the moon provided within the den, Thornclaw saw something stir just outside his line of vision. Briarlight was awaking.

"Thornclaw?" she yawned, training her sleepy eyes on the golden tom. "What's going on?"

Thornclaw didn't answer. He eased around Cinderheart and stared out the medicine cats den. Jayfeather was speaking rapidly with ThunderClan's deputy. Brambleclaw looked as if he desired nothing but to retreat to the Warriors Den for a nap. But he retreated his paw from the entrance to the den with a sigh to listen to the Medicine Cat.

"Firestar?" Brambleclaw frowned. He pricked his ears forward. "He went out. Why?"

Jayfeather didn't answer. "Did he say where he was going, or bring a patrol or Sandstorm with him?"

"Bring who with me?

As if called by name alone, Sandstorm climbed down the High ledge. She looked from Jayfeather to Brambleclaw curiously. Her pelt looked even paler in the moon's light. "What's up?"

"Jayfeather thinks Firestar—" Brambleclaw began, but the medicine cat over spoke him.

"Sandstorm, did Firestar say where he was going?"

The pale ginger she-cat shook her head. "He just told me he was going out for a walk. Why?"

Again, Jayfeather didn't answer. "Gather a patrol and look for him," he meowed to the deputy. "He might be in danger."

"What? Why? How do you know this?"

"I just do," Jayfeather replied, panic starting to edge his voice. "Now please, get a patrol before something happens to him!"

Brambleclaw opened his jaws to retort. But thought better of it and quickly rounded up a patrol of cats. Sandstorm, Berrynose, Lionblaze and, under his insistence, Dovepaw. Jayfeather also said he'd come too. With that, Brambleclaw raised his tail, and led the cats outside camp. By now most of ThunderClan were up and walking around, wondering what was going on. They almost looked like walking spirits under the moon.

Thornclaw quickly retreated his head back in the den. Briarlight had her ears angled outside, listening to the commotion. "What was that all about?"

Thornclaw shrugged. "I don't know." He stared at Cinderheart for a moment before choosing a nest closer to the entrance. He thought it would feel more comfortable here.

"You know she really likes you." Briarlight too was staring at Cinderheart. "When those two ShadowClan cats dragged you in here, she slept beside you to keep your body warm all day."

Thornclaw pricked his ears, listening. Was that a wheeze in her voice? It must be the cold weather, he decided. With Leaf-bare already here Briarlight would be prone to more coughs than normal. "How are you feeling?"

Briarlight shook her head. "Not well. But I'll manage."

A shadow suddenly fell over the den. A dark figured peered its head inside. "Briarlight?" It was Sorreltail. Thornclaw unconsciously inched further away from the she-cat. But she didn't seem to notice him. Her eyes were on the dark brown she-cat. "I heard a cough. Are you alright?"

Briarlight nodded. "Yes, Sorreltail. Thanks for asking." She played with a bit of moss beside her nest. "Is, um, Millie around?"

"She's on a night border patrol near ShadowClan," Sorreltail apologized. "She'd be here if she had the chance. Do you need some water?"

The she-cat was about to shake her head, then thought better of it. "Yes, I'd like some water please."

Sorreltail nodded before disappearing outside. Thornclaw let go of the breathe he didn't even know he was holding. Sorreltail had always been one of the most thoughtful and trusting cats he knew. But after what happened between them, he doubt he'd look at her the same way again.

"Thornclaw?"

"Mh?"

"What happened between you two?"

Thornclaw looked over his shoulder. "What do you mean?"

Briarlight fidgeted on he nest. "I heard Firestar tell Brambleclaw that Sorreltail was attacking you. They had gathered a patrol of cats to look for you two."

"What?" Thornclaw thought back to the time he had traveled with Sorreltail alone. It was muddy, but he remembered it clearly. It was too far away from camp for anyone to have heard them, and Sorreltail had said no patrol would be anywhere near the Old Twolegplace. Was she wrong?

"How did they know?" he asked curiously.

"Dovepaw."

He stared uncomprehendingly. "Dovepaw?"

Briarlight nodded, resting her head on her paws. "I heard Firestar explain to Brambleclaw that Dovepaw saw you two fighting," she wheezed. "So she came back to camp to tell Lionblaze. And he told Firestar." She coughed.

"But Dovepaw was in camp when I left," Thornclaw frowned. In fact, he didn't remember seeing Dovepaw anywhere near the incident at all. He was pretty sure the she-cat was in camp all along. Mostly because it was Lionblaze's day off from training the apprentice. The only explanation he could come up with was that Dovepaw was lying.

But then, how did she know that Thornclaw was almost force-mated? Or attacked, as it must have looked under the she-cat's eyes...

" It was a shame you were taken as prisoner though," Briarlight continued, breaking out of Thornclaw's thoughts. "When ThunderClan—" she brought off as more coughing erupted. Thornclaw stood worriedly. Where was Sorreltail with that water?

And as if called by his thoughts, the she-cat reappeared. She was dragging a water-filled moss into the den, careful not to let any of it touch the ground. Thornclaw bounded forward to help. The she-cat blinked in surprise, but didn't say a word as together they set the moss before Briarlight. Without a word she took a long drink, some of the water spilling from her mouth .

"Ah, much better!" She braced. "Thanks Sorreltail. I really needed it."

Sorreltail purred. "I can see that for myself." Her eyes angled to Thornclaw. She dipped her head. "Thornclaw. Thank you for your assistance."

Thornclaw's eyes hardened. "Don't talk to me." The hint of a snarl just touched his voice.

Sorreltail flattened her ears. For a long moment they stared at each other, just a mouse-length away. Thornclaw's neck fur slowly stood. Sorreltail narrowed her eyes. Briarlight looked between the two, aware of the tension that suddenly arose. She shifted uncomfortably in her nest.

Her small movement made the two warriors realize their place. Thornclaw quickly shook his head, the fur lying flat on his pelt. Sorreltail blinked quickly. Without another word she turned and left the den.

Thornclaw glared after her until she disappeared. He turned his back on the exit, nuzzling Briarlight as the she-cat lay her head down. "You okay?" he asked, acting as if he had not just come close to fighting the she-cat in the medicine cats den.

Briarlight nodded slowly. Thornclaw could see that she was already exhausted. Her eyes were drooping even as she lay her head back on the nest. It appeared the excitement of coughing and watching two warriors almost duke it out in front of her exhausted her. Poor thing.

"Do you need some more water?"

"I'm not a kit," she muttered sleepily.

Thornclaw snorted softly. "Nope. But that doesn't mean I still can't treat you like one." Even though he failed to complete Briarlight's apprenticeship, he still viewed the she-cat like his own kit and felt very over-protective of her. He groomed her between the ears. Briarlight shifted under her nest, her breathing steadying as she fell back to sleep.

A sudden commotion came from outside. Thornclaw frowned. What now?

" In my den. Hurry up!" That was Jayfeather. A moment later Graystripe and Sandstorm burst through the entrance, holding onto a sopping wet Firestar. It appeared Brambleclaw's patrol had met up with the border patrol, otherwise Graystripe wouldn't be here. Or Millie, as she came in as well.

Thornclaw backed away to give them room as they struggled inside. Briarlight immediately awoke from the noise, blinking in surprise. Cinderheart raised her head, looking left and right. "Wha's, goin' on?" she muttered sleepily.

Together, Graystripe and Sandstorm gingerly set Firestar in an empty moss nest as Jayfeather came inside. Thornclaw stared at the leader, stunned. Firestar was dripping wet, as if he had gone swimming. What happened to him?

His breathing was ragged. His eyes closed as he coughed every now and then. Graystripe and Sandstorm set to grooming his fur to remove the water and warm him as quickly as they could. Millie attempted to check on Briarlight while they worked on Firestar, but Jayfeather insisted the den was too full and forced her to turn back and leave.

"What happened to him?" Briarlight gasped. "Is he okay?"

No one answered. Thornclaw smelled a strong scent of herbs as Jayfeather appeared from the back of the den. He placed his herbs beside Firestar and began rubbing the ginger tom's chest firmly. A moment later Firestar turned over and threw up water, his coughs racking his entire body.

"Sandstorm, lay beside him to keep him warm," Jayfeather ordered.

"Will he be alright?" Sandstorm asked worriedly as she settled beside her mate.

Jayfeather didn't answer. Thornclaw didn't think he had to. Just the look he exchanged with his grandmother was all everyone needed.

((_endpage_))

Thornclaw breathed the smell of ThunderClan, happy to be out of the medicine cats den. He was tired of smelling nothing but herbs. Jayfeather gave him the okay to leave the den so long as he didn't go long distances at a time; he still had to heal the declawed paw, though for how long he wasn't sure. And he was still excused from warrior duties, which Thornclaw did not like at all. But he accepted it all the same as he watched the Clan before him.

He still remembered the uneasy conversation he had with Jayfeather this morning.

—flashback—

"I've been poring over the leaves you picked," Jayfeather had mewed. It was early in the morning. Firestar was currently sleeping, Sandstorm gone for her warrior duties after Jayfeather ensured her he was going to be okay. Briarlight had left to fetch some fresh kill after finishing her morning exercises. It was only Thornclaw and Jayfeather awake in the den.

Thornclaw remembered slapping his head with his tail. "Oh, foxdung, I forgot about that!" He lowered his tail, confused. "But wait, how did you get them if I was stuck in ShadowClan?"

"Dustpelt."

"Don't tell me he—"

"It doesn't matter if he touches them," Jayfeather interrupted. I had been poring over the stuff, testing them and speaking with StarClan for some clues. It turns out this scent—Temptations Essence, you call it—can only be achieved if you've eaten the plant and dipped yourself in water."

"Water? But I don't remember..." he suddenly remembered after he dragged himself under the bush. He had fallen on a puddle, much to Graystripe and Millie's enjoyment. Could that have been the cause of all his problems?"

"That's it?" Thornclaw shook his head. "That doesn't make any sense. What if it rains and someone comes across Dulcis Fructus without knowing what it'd do?"

Jayfeather frowned. "Dulcis Fructus?"

"Yeah, something Spottedleaf told me. She said... about..." Thornclaw froze. "Ah, dammit, that's right! Jayfeather, Yellowfang told me to warn you."

"Warn me?" There was a hint of disbelief in his tone. "Warn me of what?" Thornclaw hurridly explained about his dream of Spottedleaf's obsession with Firestar and of Yellowfang's instructions. When he was done, the medicine cat was wearing a look of skepticism and comprehension.

"Of course," he murmured to himself. "It all makes sense."

"Yes, it does," Thornclaw agreed. "They were trying to warn me."

"Yes," Jayfeather murmured. "All because of—"

"Sorreltail!"

Jayfeather looked up sharply. "Sorreltail? What about her?"

"She tried to force mate with me!" Thornclaw nearly exploded. "But Briarlight told me Dovepaw thought she was attacking me. Now do you see the connection?"

"Keep your voice down!" Jayfeather hissed. Firestar shifted in his nest, but stayed sleeping. "Do you want to wake everyone? And what connection?"

"Sorreltail's the she-cat that force-mated with a cat here in ThunderClan before!"

Jayfeather twitched his whiskers in astonishment. "What?"

"I overheard you and Leafpool talking," Thornclaw admitted, impatiently throwing it out in the open. He didn't have time to play deceivement "About a she-cat that force-mated with a tom here in camp. Well, it's Sorreltail. She did some tom here, and now she was trying to do me too!"

Jayfeather's expression slowly deflated. "I.. don't think it was Sorreltail last time."

What? Thornclaw shook his head in disbelief. "How can you be sure it isn't Sorreltail?" he demanded. Mistrust edged his voice. Was Jayfeather hiding something from him?

"I just do alright?" Jayfeather shot back. "You have no idea what's going on. So just shut up and-"

"Don't you tell me what I can and can't do," Thornclaw snapped, pushing the tabby. Jayfeather tripped and fell on his back. "I almost got force mated by Sorreltail, but you're telling me it wasn't her who did this the first time? What, is there more than one cat here Force-mating with other cats and you're just covering it all up?"

Jayfeather looked stunned. "What are you talking about? It's just one she-cat that-"

"Then who?" Thornclaw insisted, grabbing the tabby around the shoulders with his paws and shaking him as he lay on the ground. "Who is doing this? You've got to tell me. I have the scent. I could be next if this she-cat's been affected! Or if she and Sorreltail decide to come at me at the same time"

"Get off of me," Jayfeather grunted, struggling to get up. "You've got to listen to me. It's only one she-cat and it's-"

But Thornclaw was above listening. He was stressed, tired, grumpy, paranoid, scared, depressed and angry. And right when he revealed to Jayfeather more than he knew, the Foxdung medicine cat was still trying to keep secrets behind his back.

With a snarl Thornclaw hooked the tabby under his claws and threw him as hard as he could to the side wall. Jayfeather let out a startled yelp as he crashed, sprawling on the ground. Thornclaw came forward, fur bristling.

"Thornclaw!"

The golden tom turned wildly from the medicine cat, claws unsheathed. In front of the entrance was Briarlight. Her eyes widened in fear when she saw her ex-mentor's fangs glisten. She took a step back, about to drag herself away. But when her eyes darted back to Jayfeather, the she-cat instead took a step forward instead, her fur fluffed and teeth bared.

Thornclaw blinked in shock. He struggled to keep the fur on his neck down. "Briarlight..."

"What's going on in here?" Thornclaw groaned inwardly as Millie appeared. She looked over her daughter's shoulder to stare in the den: A dusty Jayfeather as he slowly got off the ground, and a wild looking Thornclaw standing over him. The gray she-cat immediately moved forward, pushing Briarlight behind her and unsheathing her claws.

Thornclaw knew what was coming next. "No, wait," he pleaded. "Please, just sto-"

Millie threw back her head and yowled at the top of her lungs.

Thornclaw's heart was pounding on his chest as Lionblaze and Brightheart appeared beside Millie in an instant, squeezing themselves in the den. By the time they got there, Jayfeather was already standing, a careful distance from Thornclaw, and dusting himself off.

—end flashback—

After his little outrage, Thornclaw was subjected under questioning of Brambleclaw and Graystripe, who was temporarily taking over Brambleclaw's duties while Brambleclaw took over Firestar's. Long story short, Thornclaw apologized to Jayfeather, and was promised by the deputy that after Firestar was well, the ginger tom would come up with a punishment for him.

Jayfeather was shocked and wary around Thornclaw after that, but he still treated him like a patient even so. It just made Thornclaw feel even more terrible about what he did, yet at the same time frustrated that Jayfeather was indeed hiding more than what he was telling the tom. And to make matters worse, Thornclaw found out that Sorreltail had lied to ThunderClan's patrol after they questioned the she-cat about her "attacking" the tom. She made up some explanation that they just had some disagreement between one another.

It was only because Thornclaw did not want to attract any more attention onto himself and strengthen Temptations Essence that he did not counteract the she-cat. And it seemed after their tense moment in the medicine cats den, Sorreltai would be too wary to try anything with him too soon. But it didn't help. Every time he saw the she-cat, Thornclaw would dig his claws on the ground without thinking.

He limped past Rosepetal and Foxleap as he made his way to the fresh-kill pile. Upon seeing the golden tom they immeidatly ducked their heads and whispered, looking after him. Thornclaw pretended he didn't notice. He had a feeling he knew what they were talking about.

He picked a vole for himself and tucked in. During his meal, Thornclaw noticed that not many cats stayed near him. Some would stare at him, as if expecting he'd explode any second. And few, such as Hazeltail and Mousewhisker, were giving him misty-eyed looks. It all become too much for the tom that Thornclaw didn't even feel if he was part of the real ThunderClan anymore.

He pricked his ears as he saw a familiar gray tabby leave the nursery. What caught the golden tom's attention was not Jayfeather, but because he was holding herbs in his jaws. Leaving the nursery with herbs during Leaf-bare normally wasn't a good sign.

Thornclaw hesitated for a moment. Shrugging in defeat his padded forward, closing the gap between the medicine cat in a few quick strides. Jayfeather's ears immediately flattned, and his tail grew stiff. Thornclaw didn't know how, but the medicine cat knew who was following him.

"Uh, hey Jayfeather."

A grunt.

Thornclaw waved his tail behind him. "Something wrong in the nursery?"

"You could say." He continued on his path to the medicine cats den. "It's Pricklekit."

"What?" Thornclaw ran in front of Jayfeather to block his path. "What about him? Is he alright?"

"No," answered the medicine cat truthfully. "His coughing is getting worse. I did all I could. But we'll just have to wait and see what happens." He padded past Thornclaw.

"Kits have died from coughs during Leaf-bare!"

Jayfeather flicked his ears behind him. "I'd appreciate it if you stopped yelling at me, or think about throwing me against another wall." Thornclaw cringed from the statement. "And if you want to see how he's doing, go inside yourself. He's not going anywhere."

Jayfeather padded around him and disappeared in the den. But the golden tom ignored him as he stared at the nursery.

Could he go in the nusrery and see Pricklekit? He wasn't the father, whoever that tom may be (Thornclaw rove his eyes around camp) and he didn't get along well with Daisy as often anymore.

But he still should be able to see him either way, Thornclaw reasoned. After all, he did help Daisy raise the kits. The least she could do was let him see Pricklekit and wish him well. Right?

Thornclaw knocked softly on the outer den wall, holding his breathe as a pattering of paws came closer from the other side.

Most would probably be disappointed Firestar's not dead. Sorry, but I'm making this small note to say it is part of the plot. Can't reveal anything, but you'll probably figure it out. If not, it'll all be explained on the next chapter somewhat.