"That's it. Keep Going!"
Plumleaf and Petalpaw were sitting comfortably at the edge of a mossy forest clearing while Heronpaw struggled to limp around in circles.
After his fitful night of sleep, Heronpaw had been rudely awakened at sunrise by the medicine cats. It was now past sunhigh and Heronpaw was quite done with his therapy. His muscles ached and his injured foreleg throbbed.
"Am I finished yet?" he panted. He flopped to the ground after what felt like the thousandth lap around the hollow. Plumleaf gave her fluffy chest fur a couple of licks and heaved herself to her paws.
"I suppose so." She sniffed. "Petalpaw, take him back to the camp."
The gray medicine cat swished her plumy tail through the air as she gave the order. Petalpaw rushed forward to help her patient to his paws.
"I'll see you back at the den. I have some things to collect." Plumleaf mewed over her shoulder. She didn't give Petalpaw a chance to respond before she disappeared through the brush.
"Is she always so blunt?" Heronpaw said. He shifted his weight so his painful leg could hang more comfortably. He sighed at the relief. Petalpaw leaned her shoulder against Heronpaw's for support. Together they began the walk back to camp.
"Well, yes, but you get used to it." Petalpaw said once they had cleared the heavier undergrowth.
"She seems like a tough mentor." Heronpaw said.
"So does Kestrelfeather." Petalpaw retorted. "But I know she cares about me and wants me to be the best medicine cat I can be."
Heronpaw gave an accepting grunt. The pair walked in silence for a while. Heronpaw flicked his ears a few times, trying to decide whether or not to bring up the sightings of the white cat. On one paw Petalpaw could know what to do. On the other she could tell Plumleaf or Blizzardstar. Then what? Would they force him to become a medicine cat? Would they decide that he was as crazy as a fox in a fit and deny his warrior name? Heronpaw shook his head. A few hallucinations didn't make a medicine cat. Nor did they mean he was crazy. Maybe Petalpaw could give him something that would make them stop. Heronpaw took a deep breath. He had to say something.
"Petalpaw?" His resolve cracked. Petalpaw turned, her green eyes curious.
"What's up?" she said. Heronpaw paused. He couldn't just blurt out everything. He decided to be more discreet. Maybe he could get some information out of her without her catching wise.
"Um, what made you decide to be a medicine cat?" He said quickly. Petalpaw's ears perked up.
"Oh!" her tone was pleasantly surprised. "Well at first I didn't. I wanted to be a warrior alongside my sister and mother, but one night before we were of age, I had a dream. Here, help me pick these dandelions for Plumleaf."
The pair sat down in the clearing they had wandered into. Heronpaw began nipping the fuzzy yellow heads from the milky stems while Petalpaw used expert claws to shred the leaves into a pile. She continued.
"I dreamt that the Clan was in a battle. I saw a cat that was running through the fight. She was so brave and focused. She found another cat that was injured and she stopped his bleeding and reassured him he would be okay. Then everything changed and I saw her at the side of a birthing queen. She helped bring kits into the world with such ease." Petalpaw stopped her shredding and her eyes glowed with the memory.
"I watched her at the side of her leader giving advice and counsel. I saw her under the moontree surrounded by StarClan as they accepted her into their ranks. I was so impressed by her strength and wisdom. She was confident and beautiful." Petalpaw closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, they were brimming with emotion.
"Before she left with StarClan she turned to look at me. When our eyes met, I knew. She was me. I had watched my life unfold before me. A life I had never even considered for myself. But now I know I was always meant to be a medicine cat, and my goal is to become that medicine cat."
"Wow." Heronpaw breathed. He locked eyes with Petalpaw. "That's amazing."
Petalpaw flattened her ears in embarrassment. Her gaze dropped to her paws.
"I've only told that whole story to Plumleaf and Morningpaw. You're really easy to talk to, Heronpaw." She said quietly. Heronpaw's ears started to get hot, though he didn't really know why.
"How did you know the dream was from StarClan?" he said, trying to change the subject. He didn't like how Petalpaw's gaze made his pelt tingle.
"I just knew. There was this feeling of surety and a presence." She paused before emphasizing the word.
Heronpaw nodded. He had felt a presence for sure but Petalpaw seemed to describe a life changing event that had a clear message. Heronpaw hadn't experienced that at all. But he had to know more.
"Can anycat receive a message from StarClan?" he asked. Petalpaw shot Heronpaw a glance. Her head tilted to the side.
"I'm not sure. Why?" The question was sharp. Heronpaw looked at her concerned face and suddenly didn't want to tell her about his visions.
"No reason." He tried to mew casually. His façade did not work. Petalpaw turned serious.
"Heronpaw if you've been having dreams you can tell me." Heronpaw's gaze dropped to his paws. He had to find a way to get Petalpaw off the scent.
"I have been having dreams about…" he threw his mind around. "Drowning." He settled. His lie worked. Petalpaw's gaze softened.
"Oh. Don't worry, you've experienced some trauma and you're bound to have a nightmare or two." She said, laying her tail on Heronpaw's spine.
"I can give you some more poppy seeds to help you sleep without dreams. Would you like that?" Her tone was that of a medicine cat talking to her patient again. Heronpaw nodded, relieved.
"We should get you back to camp." Petalpaw mewed. She gathered up the dandelion leaves in her jaws and stood. Heronpaw carefully took the flowers in his teeth and followed the medicine cat apprentice as she padded back towards camp. Heronpaw sighed inwardly. How was he supposed to get answers if he was so afraid to say anything? He shook his head in annoyance. It should've been easy to talk to Petalpaw. She had always been kind to him and discreet. He glanced up and watched her tabby body sway between ferns, her dainty white paws picking their way over rocks and plants. When did she become so pretty? He found himself staring at the movement of her legs, heat creeping up through his ears. He knew that medicine cats could never take a mate, but surely it was fine to admire her, right?
The two apprentices entered the fern tunnel into the camp. The change of scenery woke Heronpaw from a kind of daze. He suddenly felt ashamed of himself for openly staring at Petalpaw. Mousebrain. He scolded himself. She's your friend. Not to mention she's a medicine cat! He followed Petalpaw back to the medicine clearing where they dropped off their dandelion burden. Petalpaw flicked her paws a few times, trying to dislodge a few scraps of leaf.
"Want to get something to eat?" She asked brightly.
"Sure." Heronpaw purred. He took a few steps toward the well-stocked fresh-kill pile. He faltered as his injured leg groaned. He winced.
Petalpaw glanced at him. "Are you okay?"
Heronpaw hitched a casual expression onto his face. "Yep!"
Petalpaw eyed him. "Alright."
Together they made their way, Heronpaw trying hard not to limp, to the fresh-kill pile. It had been well stocked by the day's hunting patrols. The prey was still fat from green-leaf's plenty. Soon though as the days grew colder the prey would begin to shrink and wither. Heronpaw wasn't looking forward to crunchy mice and scrawny squirrels.
Petalpaw chose two mice from the pile and motioned with her tail for Heronpaw to follow her over to the apprentice's den where Specklepaw, Morningpaw, and Hawkpaw were lounging. Hawkpaw waved his tail lazily at the newcomers as they approached. Specklepaw leapt to her paws.
"Heronpaw!" she exclaimed eagerly. "Would you like my spot?"
"Err, no thanks Specklepaw." Heronpaw said awkwardly. The young apprentice usually only acted like this towards Hawkpaw. She hardly even gave other toms a whisker of attention, let alone offer them her sunning spot. Hawkpaw stared at Specklepaw, his mouth slightly agape. Specklepaw stayed standing.
"You're still recovering! I have to check the elders for ticks anyway." The young apprentice stared expectantly at Heronpaw.
He hesitated for another brief moment. His legs ached and Specklepaw's spot looked warm and comfortable. He shrugged and padded forwards.
"Thanks then." He mewed with a sigh.
Petalpaw dropped a mouse at Heronpaw's feet while Specklepaw bounded away, her dappled tail fluffed out behind her.
"What was that about?" Petalpaw asked, settling down beside her littermate.
Morningpaw shook her head. "I guess she's into heroes now." She said quietly.
Heronpaw couldn't help but notice that Morningpaw looked pleased. Hawkpaw however was still staring after Specklepaw, his whiskers twitching in annoyance.
"Come on Hawkpaw don't look so betrayed. She'll be back mooning over you again once she realizes I'm boring." Heronpaw snorted.
"You aren't boring!" Petalpaw protested. "You saved Slatefang's life!"
Heronpaw shrugged, taking a mouthful of mouse. "It was my duty." He tried to act nonchalant but Petalpaw's praise filled him with warmth from nose to tail-tip.
"Morningpaw!" A loud voice called from the camp entrance. Cloudpelt, Morningpaw's mentor, was standing there with Cherrynose and Shadowgrove. Morningpaw hopped to her paws and licked Petalpaw's ear.
"Evening patrol. See you." She mewed in her soft voice. She took a few steps towards her mentor and then turned. "Bye Hawkpaw." She added quickly before racing across the grove. Hawkpaw blinked.
"B-bye." He said.
Heronpaw purred at the dumbfounded look on his brother's face.
"Stop staring, mousebrain." Heronpaw hissed through his purr. "Tell me about training. What am I missing?"
The apprentices chatted about training for a while. Petalpaw seemed distracted for most of the conversation. She kept looking up at the Highbranch.
Heronpaw looked at her. "You ok?"
Petalpaw shook herself. "I just hope tonight goes well. We really need that catmint."
Heronpaw swallowed hard. The Gathering was tonight. Blizzardstar was going to have to confront WillowClan and try to get the trade going again.
"If any cat can wrangle Cougarstar, it's Blizzardstar." Hawkpaw said confidently.
Heronpaw nodded in agreement. "I'm sure it'll be fine."
Petalpaw flicked her ears. "I hope so."
They mostly sat in silence until Plumleaf poked her head out of the medicine den tunnel calling for Petalpaw. After she had left, Heronpaw and Hawkpaw shared tongues in the fading light of evening. Crowpaw eventually joined them after he returned from hunting with Talonscore. The brothers groomed one another until a loud call came from the Highbranch.
"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highbranch for a Clan meeting!" Blizzardstar's summons echoed through the camp. Cats began emerging from dens and gathering in the clearing before the Highbranch.
Hawkpaw and Crowpaw both perked up at the announcement, but Heronpaw only felt deflated. The gathering. He certainly wouldn't be going, but his brothers might get to. He tried to make himself excited for them but failed. Sighing, he heaved himself to his paws with Crowpaw's help. The three apprentices padded over to join the growing crowd of cats and settled on their haunches. Blizzardstar called for quiet.
"As you all know, tonight is the Gathering."
His announcement was completely unnecessary. There hadn't been any other topic of discussion the entire day. What would Blizzardstar say to Cougarstar? What excuse would she give? Would trade resume?
"I will take Elkheart, Sweetsorrel, Swiftwing, Hawkpaw, Falconstorm, Talonscore, Crowpaw, Slatefang, Dawnheart, Spottedfur, and Blackmoth. Any elders that want to come have an invitation. We leave at moonset" Blizzardstar finished. He jumped down from the Highbranch and gathered Whiteshade and Elkheart to him with a wave of his tail. The Clan began to break apart. Cats who had not been called moved back to their dens with excited murmurs.
Heronpaw flicked his tail at his littermates. "Congratulations." He said with a forced purr.
Hawkpaw looked very pleased with himself and grunted. Crowpaw avoided Heronpaw's gaze and shuffled his paws on the ground. His demeanor was obvious. Sorry you can't come with us, it said. Heronpaw felt a rush of warmth for his littermates.
"Be sure to tell me everything." He said, purring in earnest now. "I should go back to the medicine den before Plumleaf has my pelt." Heronpaw padded away before his brothers could answer. He didn't want to dampen their mood. They deserved to feel proud and excited without the dark cloud of his injury over their heads.
Heronpaw made his way over to the medicine den tunnel and pushed his way through the fronds. Petalpaw was sitting next to the stream washing her paws. There was a pile of sorted herbs next to her. Heronpaw hesitated. He didn't want to bother the apprentice, but an ache had started in his shoulder from the day's therapy. He limped fully into the clearing and gave a small cough to announce his presence. Petalpaw jumped despite the warning.
"Heronpaw!" she hopped to her paws. "Do you need something?"
Heronpaw twitched his ears. "Aren't I supposed to be here?"
Petalpaw tilted her head. "Didn't Plumleaf tell you? You can go back to the apprentice's den. We don't need to keep you under observation." She said.
"She didn't tell me…" Heronpaw began. He was interrupted by a brisk mew from the medicine den. Plumleaf was emerging from the cleft in the rock that was her herb store. Bits of dried leaves dusted off her fur as she squeezed her fluffy body past the lip of the rocks.
"That doesn't mean you can go back to regular apprentice duties." She huffed. "You'll still need to report here in the morning and do exercises with Petalpaw." Plumleaf waved her tail at Heronpaw. "Now come here."
Heronpaw limped hesitantly over to the fierce medicine cat. Plumleaf pushed and prodded at Heronpaw's injured shoulder. She had him flex and stretch his leg while muttering to Petalpaw about muscles and tendons. The apprentice nodded eagerly, drinking in every word her mentor said. Petalpaw's soft touch on his shoulder made Heronpaw shiver slightly. He let his eyes close as gentle paws massaged his tired muscles.
"Do you have any pain?" Petalpaw mewed softly. Eyes still closed, Heronpaw sighed.
"A little ache." He mumbled.
"Grab him a bit of willow to chew on." Plumleaf said. Petalpaw's touch vanished as she padded away to grab the medicine. Heronpaw blinked his eyes open.
"How is your eye?" Plumleaf said briskly, giving Heronpaw's scratch a sniff.
"Fine." He said. His eye hadn't bothered him since Petalpaw had applied the poultice.
"It's healing well." Plumleaf sounded satisfied. "Chew on the bark Petalpaw gives you. It'll ease the ache."
"Thanks, Plumleaf." Heronpaw said. The medicine cat nodded and padded out of the clearing leaving Petalpaw and Heronpaw alone. Petalpaw was sifting through her sorted herbs. She seemed to find what she needed and turned back to her patient. She had a piece of gray bark in her teeth and one forepaw lifted off the ground.
"Plumleaf really seems to trust you." Heronpaw said. He leaned forward to take the bark from Petalpaw's teeth.
"Only with easy things." Petalpaw shrugged. Heronpaw purred.
"I'm easy?" he mumbled around the bark.
Petalpaw purred back. "Hardly! You complained all the way through therapy."
"Petalpaw! It's time to leave for the gathering!" Plumleaf yowled from through the fern wall.
"Coming!" Petalpaw called back. She lifted her paw up to Heronpaw's mouth. "Here's a poppy seed so you won't have any more bad dreams," she mewed.
Heronpaw dropped the bark at his paws and leaned forward to lick the tiny seed off of Petalpaw's soft pad. Her green eyes went round at Heronpaw's touch. Their eyes met for a moment.
"Um. Have a nice night." Petalpaw said hurriedly before bounding across the clearing and disappearing through the fern tunnel. Heronpaw watched her go, the warmth seeping back into his ears. He shook himself, grabbed the piece of bark, and padded out of the clearing.
As the ferns brushed past his face, Heronpaw felt a chill go up his spine. His whiskers and tail twitched. Something was behind him in the medicine clearing. He instantly knew what it was. He swallowed hard, forcing his neck fur to lay flat. He let the willow bark fall from his mouth.
"Who are you?" he said, voice shaking. There was no answer. Heronpaw tried again.
"Are you from StarClan?" Nothing. Heronpaw took a deep breath.
"What do you want from me?"
A rush of cold air shot through Heronpaw like spears of ice. He leapt forward in fear, a tiny squeak of shock escaping his mouth. After a moment he steeled himself and whirled around to face the presence. Nothing was there. The only movement was a few stray leaves that danced in the slight night breeze. Heronpaw stared wildly around, his heart pounding.
When it was clear that nothing was there, Heronpaw gathered his bark in his jaws and crept quickly through the tunnel and across the main clearing. There were a few cats milling about the clearing but most of his Clanmates were either in their dens or gone for the gathering. Heronpaw kept to the shadows, trying to calm his frayed nerves.
He entered the apprentice's den relieved to find that the only occupant was Morningpaw. She was asleep, her calico flank rising and falling in a deep rhythm. Heronpaw picked his way over to his cold nest. He was pleased to see that somecat had replaced the old stale bedding with new soft moss and a few feathers. They carried Crowpaw's scent.
The familiar feeling of the apprentice den and the scents of his denmates wreathing around him, Heronpaw felt his anxiety melt away. He could still be a great CedarClan apprentice and serve his Clan despite whatever was happening to him. He settled down in his nest and began to slowly chew on his bark. He closed his eyes as the cool flavor bathed his tongue.
Morningpaw's heavy breathing soothed Heronpaw's frazzled mind. He just had to calm down. Calm down. Tiredness seeped into his bones. He felt sleep overtake his mind as the poppy seed began to take effect. With a final sigh of resignation, Heronpaw succumbed.