Chapter 3
In the Skyclan camp Cinderpelt saw Sharpclaw trying to boss the Skyclan cats around "He's acting as if he's leader already" Cinderpelt grumbled "Yeah, who knows what kind of leader he's be" Firestar muttered and suddenly Bouncekit dashed over to the two "Hi Cinderpelt!" Bouncekit squeaked "Hello Bouncekit" Cinderpelt purred "Are you and Firestar going to have kits?" Bouncekit asked "No, we're not" Cinderpelt lied "Well Clovertail told me you look like you are" Bouncekit said and Cinderpelt got up and walked over to Clovertail "Oh, hello Cinderpelt" Clovertail purred "I see you figured it out" Cinderpelt mewed "When you've already had kits you notice these things" Clovertail said "Well please try to not tell any cat, it's forbidden for medicine cats to have kits" Cinderpelt whispered and Clovertail nodded "I promise you Cinderpelt" Clovertail purred and Cinderpelt trotted off to a grassy patch in a nearby forest and she laid down by a field of flowers, licking her chest fur she saw how pretty the flowers are Maybe if I put the flowers in my fur i'll look really nice Cinderpelt thought, grabbing some pretty daisies and putting them around her ears and tail, then grabbing some small vines with flowers on them and wrapping them around her arms, then walking over to some red flowers and she put the petals into her fur happily, Cinderpelt walked over to a nearby stream I think these flowers look super pretty in my fur! Wait until Firestar sees Cinderpelt thought happily, standing up and walking out of the forest, following the rushing stream over to the Skyclan camp where she saw Firestar laying down on the Skyrock so Cinderpelt walked on the gorge paths and up to the rock where Firestar was sitting down "Hi Firestar" Cinderpelt purred and she faw Firestar gasp and stare at her as she approached closer "Do you like the flowers?" Cinderpelt asked and all she got in response was Firestar's shocked face "Do you not like them..?" Cinderpelt sighed and suddenly Firestar pulled her closer "I don't have the words, you look amazing" Firestar purred and Cinderpelt smiled, feeling her heart lift happily "I'm so glad you do" Cinderpelt mewed shyly, looking up into Firestar's shining eyes and pressing herself onto his chest "Well Echosong could use some training" Firestar mewed and Cinderpelt nodded "I'll go over to her now" Cinderpelt purred, walking into the medicine den "Hi Cinderpelt" Echosong purred and Cinderpelt sat down next to Echosong "Hello Echosong" Cinderpelt purred, licking her chest fur "Are you ready to start?" Cinderpelt asked and Echosong nodded "Now what herb helps get cats to sleep if they are having trouble sleeping?" Cinderpelt asked "Yarow?" Echosong questioned and Cinderpelt shook her head "Yarrow is for making cats vomit out poison, that would never get them to sleep, poppy seeds are what makes cats go to sleep" Cinderpelt mewed and Echosong nodded "Now what herb gives strength?" Cinderpelt asked "I'm not sure" Echosong said "It's Juniper berries" Cinderpelt replied "Oh ok" Echosong said sadly "Don't worry, when I was a medicine apprentice I couldn't tell between dock and thyme, but I learned" Cinderpelt purred, remembering the sweet scents of the thunderclan medicine den and sitting by Yellowfang and learning all the herbs "Now what herb is this?" Cinderpelt asked, pulling dock leaves towards the edge of the storage and Echosong put a paw on the leaves and sniffed them "Dock leaves" Echosong purred and Cinderpelt nodded "You seem to be good at identifying herbs when they're in front of you, maybe I can try to teach you how to identify cures without seeing them" Cinderpelt mewed "Can we go out to get herbs Cinderpelt?" Echosong asked "You know Echosong, I think you're experienced enough to get herbs on your own, you're good at seeing which ones they are" Cinderpelt purred and Echosong's face lit up with joy "Thank you so much Cinderpelt!" Echosong said, walking out of the medicine den with her head high and Cinderpelt trotted out, seeing Leafdapple come back with her patrol "I see you got some good birds" Cinderpelt purred "Yeah, we got good prey today, and no rats were sighted" Sharpclaw said and Cherrypaw ran to the fresh-kill pile laying down a fat cardinal, Cinderpelt sighed remembering her days as a warrior apprentice walking over to the sky's den and laying down by the small pool of water it'll be nice to get some rest Cinderpelt thought, pressing her paws onto the warm stones and slowly drifting off to sleep. Cinderpelt awoke to screeches and she gasped awake, seeing rats dashing into the camp and the warriors fighting and she dashed out "Echosong did you get burdock root?" Cinderpelt screeched and Echosong nodded. She ran around the side looking for Firestar seeing him fighting off a large rat she ran into the medicine den and grabbed burdock root "Echosong get some too!" Cinderpelt yowled and Echosong did as Cinderpelt asked, running out with the large roots in her jaws seeing the battle rage on, soon the rats ran off and Firestar sighed and Cinderpelt ran into the crowd with Echosong at her heels she saw a large rat dead on the ground "This one was the leader, they most likely won't be back" Firestar said and Cinderpelt walked around, giving burdock to the cats who were bitten the worst and Echosong giving burdock to cats less affected "I'm glad you're ok" Cinderpelt purred, pressing herself onto Firestar's chest "I'm glad you're ok too" Firestar mewed, licking Cinderpelt's ear "Every cat that has wounds go to the medicine den, Echosong you give them poultice for their wounds "Alright" Echosong said, walking into the medicine den helping support the limping cats "She's learning fast" Firestar purred and Cinderpelt nodded in agreement "She just needs to learn to remember cures, then she'll be all set to be Skyclan's full medicine cat" Cinderpelt replied and Firestar smiled warmly "I love you Cinderpelt" Firestar purred and Cinderpelt felt as if she was glowing inside, licking her mate's cheek she looked into the medicine den and Echosong was putting poultice onto a wound on Leafdapple's tail "Are sure you feel ok? You've been carrying our kits for quite some time" Firestar asked "I'm feeling ok, but i'm sure they're coming soon" Cinderpelt purred and Firestar licked her head and Echosong walked out of the medicine den "Everybody's doing fine now Cinderpelt" Echosong purred "Good job Echosong" Cinderpelt said, wrapping her tail around Firestar's side and Cinderpelt walked to the nursery to check on Clovertail and her kits "Hey Cinderpelt I know you're having kits but who's the father?" Clovertail asked Cinderpelt sighed "Can you keep a secret?" Cinderpelt asked and Clovertail nodded "Firestar is the father" Cinderpelt muttered "Oh I knew it!" Clovertail squeaked and Cinderpelt felt as if a weight was lifted off her back "Well it seems your kits are going to come very soon!" Clovertail mewed "Well do you think we'll be gone by the time they're born?" Cinderpelt asked "I doubt it, unless you leave in one or two sunrises" Clovertail said "Well what do you think will happen once they're born?" Cinderpelt asked "Well Echosong will take over the medicine den, and you'll either stay there to advise Echosong or you could move to the nursery" Clovertail said "I'll have to ask Echosong and Firestar what would be best" Cinderpelt said "Well go do it now!" Clovertail encouraged Cinderpelt and she nodded, walking into the medicine den "Echosong, can I tell you something in private?" Cinderpelt asked and Echosong walked over to the side with Cinderpelt by her. "Well I'm expecting kits and they're going to be here very soon, do you think you'll be able to handle the medicine den by yourself?" Cinderpelt asked "Maybe stay in the medicine den for a moon to tell me any last things and then move to the nursery" Echosong suggested "That's a great idea! I'll just have to ask Firestar" Cinderpelt purred, walking out and over to Firestar who was eating a small robin from the fresh kill pile "Hey Firestar, since our kits are close maybe for a moon I could stay in the medicine den and then after that I can move to the nursery, but I want to know what you think" Cinderpelt mewed "That's a great idea!" Firestar purred "Alright then" Cinderpelt said, limping into the medicine den into the smaller den laying down in her moss Cinderpelt smiled, licking her belly in slick strokes these kits will be amazing, I know it