Waterpaw hopped happily with Windfur as they began their journey back to camp. She was bubbling with questions and made no resistance in spilling them all out.

"What do medicine cats do?" she asked for the eighteenth time.

"They heal cats." Windfur growled impatiently.

"Do they always do that?"

"Yes." Windfur muttered.

"Don't they fight?" Waterpaw mewed, her round blue eyes locked onto one of his twitching ears.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because they have to be busy with helping other cats and gathering supplies."

"Why is your ear twitching?" she asked as his ear twitched again.

Windfur's claws unsheathed and he sunk them into the ground. "Because…" he hissed, half to himself.

"Do medicine cats fight?"

"You asked that question already!" Windfur yowled, a bit angry. If his patience was snow, it was melting fast.

"I did?" Waterpaw meowed, her ears pricking upwards.

"Yes!"

"Oh, I'm sorry that I asked again." She paused. But much to Windfur's dismay, she began soon after. "What do medicine cats do?"

Windfur glared into her eyes with pure fury and impatience showing all over his face. Waterpaw blinked at him.

"I asked that question didn't I?" she guessed.

"You are learning well." he meowed sarcastically. Waterpaw didn't mind though.

"What are we going to learn today?" she asked.

Windfur sighed in relief. A new question at last! "We will learn how to collect and serve poppy seeds."

"What are poppy seeds?" Waterpaw asked curiously. "Do they hurt?"

That was when Windfur drew the line. He hissed sharply into her ear. "Stop with the questions. I will answer them all when we get back to camp."

"Got it." Then at last, she stopped talking. Windfur felt his shoulders relax. Having this cat as an apprentice would be a challenge! He sighed and whimpered to himself.

That was when he smelled something peculiar. It was located in a hedge nearby. He looked closer. Waterpaw saw him and followed.

There was a gasp and a fear scent poured out in waves from the hedge, next to a bilberry shrub.

"Hello?" Waterpaw whispered. There was an eerie pause. Then finally, a small brown cat head poked out slowly. It smelled like smoke and it's fur seemed roasted.

"Where do you come from?" Windfur asked.

"I-I am Wave-" she didn't even have a chance to finish.

"Cool!" Waterpaw exclaimed. "You are from the Tribe of Rushing Water! There was a special prophecy long ago and your Tribe was in it. I heard all about you from Threeleg!"

Wave looked taken aback. "Y-yes, I am." Then she shifted her paws. "I am lost. I don't know where my Tribe is. I was sniffing for them, when you guys came along."

"Do you happen to know Brook by any chance?" Waterpaw began to drown her in questions all the same.

"Brook?" The she-cat exclaimed. "She's my great grandmother! How do you know about her?"

"Threeleg." The her eyes began to widen even more. "Windfur, can we bring her to our camp?"

"I don't know, Leafstar may not approve of this outsider."

"Please? We can't leave her here!" Waterpaw pleaded.

Windfur thought about it. "Fine. We'll bring her there now." He still glanced hesitantly at the young brown she-cat, but in his heart he knew he couldn't leave her here to starve. This thought was encouraged by how her rib cage was visible underneath all those blackened fur strips.

"Hooray! I can tell you all about Clans and how we do things around here!" Waterpaw exclaimed. "I can't wait to tell Leafstar that you're related to Brook!" She tugged Windfur's tail.

Oddly, however, as he turned to her, Waterpaw dashed forward. She used her ears as a signal for Wave to follow.

That started a numerous amount of events to come. But these events will be mentioned later. So be patient.