A/N:Thanks for all of the kind reviews. Sorry I haven't been able to upload this chapter for forever, my computer at my mom's house won't let me do it for some reason, so I had to wait until I got to my dad's house to do it. I'll try to update again soon.

Note: I do not own Warriors, only the characters in this story. Erin Hunter owns Warriors, not me.

Chapter 3

As the two entered the den a black she-cat emerged from a crack farther back where the two medicine cats kept their herbs. She looked Ashenpaw up and down.

"He must have something in his paw, he was limping, and there's that deep gash on his head." She observed. "Do you want any help Paintedpaw or would you like to treat this patient without my guidance?"

"No thanks Spiderstep, I think I can handle this without help." Paintedpaw replied, her gentle green gaze falling on the tom beside her. "His injuries aren't that serious, he just has the risk of them getting infected." At this Spiderstep nodded and padded out of the den into the warm sunlight.

"Sit." The medicine cat-in-training commanded, flicking her tail towards a patch of moss. Ashenpaw nodded, quickly doing as he was told. "I'll start with your cut." She mewed as she searched among the carved out shelves that held the herbs. Looking pleased with herself she trotted back over to his side with a clump of cobwebs in her mouth. Her green orbs stared at the flowers lying at the apprentice's paws momentarily before continuing. Paintedpaw started to press the cobwebs against the wound to cease the bleeding but abruptly stopped as Ashenpaw winced.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." She exclaimed, looking guilty. Ashenpaw gave a small smile to reassure her.

"Its ok, it just stings." Paintedpaw nodded before continuing, this time pressing down more softly.

"So how is training with Thornflame?" The calico asked, pulling another clump of cobwebs, some herbs Ashenpaw didn't recognize, and a poppy head down from the stock.

"Oh, it's tough. Thornflame hates laziness and complaining. She says apprentices should try and act more like the senior warriors and help the clan every second of the day instead of laying around, gossiping like you she-cats are so fond of doing." He replied, laughing before becoming serious again. "But she is one of the best mentors you could have. She has very strong beliefs and never seems to break the warrior code." Paintedpaw purred at his remark, it all did sound very much like the Thornflame she knew.

"Yes, she is a very smart she-cat. She would make a better deputy than Splitmoon. I would be surprised if in her lifetime she never became leader, she would make a great one." The she-cat added thoughtfully. "Now it's time for that thorn. May I see you paw?"

Without hesitating, Ashenpaw held out his paw. Shaking her head, Paintedpaw sighed. She pulled a leaf with a green mixture on it to her side, dipping her paw into it.

"It's deeper than I thought. I'm going to use this ointment of yarrow to soften up your pad. Once I get this thorn out it will also help it heal." The medicine cat dabbed the ointment onto his paw before shaking a couple of poppy seeds out of the head. "Now this is the tricky part. It will hurt so eat these poppy seeds first; I will give you more later.

Ashenpaw reached for the poppy seeds and just when he started chewing them, Paintedpaw suddenly dug her teeth into the end of the thorn and yanked it out. Her patient yowled through gritted teeth and pulled his paw out of her grasp. The medicine cat spat the thorn out, looking pleased. The gray apprentice examined his paw as blood started to seep its way out of the hole in the pad. He gave Paintedpaw a grin when she pressed the cobwebs to the wound.

"Thanks Paintedpaw! It feels much better!" He purred pressing his nose to her flank appreciatively. The calico blushed as she nudged two more poppy seeds and some leaves towards him.

"The marigold leaves will keep infection away if you eat them. Dip your paw one more time into the ointment and you may go." Ashenpaw ate the leaves and did as he was told, but instead of leaving, stood gazing at the medicine cat. He pushed the flowers towards her with his uninjured paw.

"Paintedpaw…these are for you. I've loved you for a while now. I thought you should know about my feelings…" Green eyes widened in shock, the calico gasped.

"Oh Ashenpaw! I like you, actually I like you a lot, but I'm a medicine cat. If I can't have a mate then what's the point of us being an us?" As Ashenpaw's face fell she continued quickly. "Well, maybe StarClan will give me a sign that we were meant to be together. Only they know that I have wished we could be together."

Ashenpaw purred softly at the last part, nudging the other apprentice jokingly with his shoulder. Paintedpaw smiled back at him then shook her head to clear it.

"Come back tomorrow so I can check your paw." The tom nodded in response to the order, and before leaving the den, gave the blushing she-cat a lick on the cheek. Then he padded away, lost in thought.

Humming happily, Paintedpaw set the flowers next to her nest and began sorting out a pile of herbs. Spiderstep trotted back into her den and upon seeing her apprentice's dazed look, smiled knowingly. It seems at least once in every medicine cat's life, they fell in love even though they knew it would never work out. Spiderstep went through the same thing, but without her loved one ever knowing her feelings.

"Just don't end up pregnant or you would be breaking the warrior code for sure!" The wise she-cat advised. It was the same advice her own mentor had told her so many moons ago. The calico she-cat laughed.

"No. Spiderstep, I won't." She mewed, eyes dancing, before curling up in her nest to take a nape. 'Poplarpaw won't be happy at all. Boy will she be mad!'

A/N: Please review, I haven't gotten very many reviews and if it would be possible each of you please review. I have had about 173 hits on this story, but only 8 reviews and that makes it seem to me as if my story isn't good enough to get reviews.