Poppy Seeds can help a cat sleep, but make sure you aren't confusing Foxglove Seeds with Poppy Seeds. Alder Bark is good for toothaches, Beech Leaves to carry herbs in, Borage Leaves can ease fevers and help queens produce more milk. Shellpaw turned, taking stock of the herbs mentally. Burdock root for rat bites, burnet for cats that need to travel, catmint for greencough and whitecough, chervil for bellyaches, infections, and kitting.
Brackenleaf was attending to a warrior, Ashface as far as Shellpaw could tell from a glance. Her eyes were mostly on their stock of herbs, running through their uses in her mind. Daisy Leaves could be used for aching joins and as a traveling herb, dandelion for dulling pain and soothing bee stings, fennel for hip pain. This made her remember that Thrushtail was complaining about his hip, and she mentally made a note to take some to him later. Her ear flicked backwards as Brackenleaf and Ashface talked. Brackenleaf suddenly padded beside her and looked over the herbs. Lamb's ear to give strength, Lavender for vigils and to hide the scent of death, mouse bile for ticks.
"What would you use for a cat with a stomach ache?" Brackenleaf croaked at Shellpaw. The she-cat blinked, her deep blue eyes coming back into focus and then searching for a moment before she used a paw to point at some herbs.
"Mallow Leaf. We have a surplus at the moment." She stated. Brackenleaf looked over their stock and nodded.
"Take the mallow leaf to Ashface then. Afterwords, take some fennel to Thrushtail so he stops complaining." Brackenleaf meowed. Shellpaw nodded and collected what she needed, taking some mallow leaves first to Ashface. The warrior nodded to Shellpaw, using a front leg to rub at his stomach and even from her standing point she could hear it grumbling.
"Are you sure you aren't hungry, Ashface?" She asked softly, presenting the herbs to him. Ashface shook his head.
"I ate earlier and I'm supposed to go on an evening patrol. Ever since I ate my stomach has been grumbling and giving sharp pains so I think that mouse may have eaten something bad before it was caught. This should help though, and I'll be sure to come back if it worsens. Um..." Ashface trailed off a bit so he could eat the herbs, scrunching his nose at the taste. Shellpaw looked the older tom over a bit, his fur was mostly white but he had gray splotches on his sides and tail, with a prominent gray splotch on his face. Hence his name, Shellpaw supposed. Ashface looked at Shellpaw nervously, his eyes glancing over at Brackenleaf before going back to her.
"Umm... Also, when I was visiting Lizardtail..." Ashface meowed nervously. Shellpaw nodded, keeping her eyes on him as his eyes seemed to glow at the mention of his mate, "Sorry, but... Sorrelcloud was complaining. Saying she was having a hard time making milk for her kits?"
"Borage Leaves help queens produce milk." Shellpaw said in a monotonous voice, blinking and shaking her head as she felt her body heat up.
"Do we have any? Sorrelcloud's kits are so small still..." Asheface meowed. Shellpaw looked back at their storage, Brackenleaf taking some stock before she went to him.
"Do we have borage leaves? Sorrelcloud may need some." She asked. Brackenleaf looked over at her, the dark brown medicine cat regarding her before turning to his storage.
"Not much, and Lizardtail is due soon. Take what we have to her, and afterwords we will go out to find more and some more poppy seeds." He croaked at her. Shellpaw nodded, under her breath reminding herself not to confuse poppy with foxglove. Brackenleaf gave her a proud look, nodding.
"Correct. After this you can spend some time relaxing. We will be joining the other medicine cats at Moon Pool tonight, and I heard Rabbitwhisker intends to finally make Whitepaw a full medicine cat. Keep up the good work, and maybe I'll get to promote you before Badgerpaw!" He meowed. Shellpaw nodded, not trusting herself to speak under the elder medicine cat's prideful gaze and Ashface's approving look. She collected what she needed, fennel for Thrushtail and borage for Sorrelcloud, and headed out into the camp.
The clan hasn't changed much to her, and for that she was happy. Warriors came and went from patrol and hunting parties, some laying in the sun and sharing tongues. Thrushtail and Spiderleaf were near the elder's den, sharing tongues and Thrushtail giving loud and scratchy accounts of old battles to any cat who would listen. Adderface was limping slightly as she returned to the camp, Mosspaw bouncing happily with a finch in her jaws. The mentor and apprentice broke off from each other, Adderface giving Mosspaw some praising words for her catch before heading to the medicine cat's den while Mosspaw took the finch to the fresh kill pile.
Thankfully, Sorrelcloud was sitting outside the nursery today, enjoying the warmth of the sun as her three small kits stayed close by. Shellpaw found it hard to believe any cat could be so small, and to be honest the kits were only just starting to walk and still only mewed when approached, more content to be near Sorrelcloud than anything else. There was Lilykit, a long furred white kit, Palekit, a brown tabby with a pale brown throat, and Tawnykit, a long furred white cat with dark tortie splotches. The kits all still had their blue kit-hood eyes and their personalities hadn't yet emurged, but Shellpaw knew it wouldn't be long.
Sorrelcloud nodded a greeting, her yellow eyes showing how tired the queen was as Shellpaw gently put down her two herbal bundles, and taking a moment to ensure she was giving the correct one to Sorrelcloud.
"Here, some borage leaves. Asheface said you were having trouble with milk for your kits." Shellpaw meowed. Sorrelcloud nodded and took ate the herbs, sighing as she settled down in her spot.
"Sorry Shellpaw, I'm just very tired." She meowed. Shellpaw nodded in understanding.
"I can't imagine taking care of kits that young is easy. Is there anything I can help with? I have to take some fennel to Thrushtail first but I can come back and help if you need it." Shellpaw asked. Sorrelcloud shook her head.
"No, no. I'll be fine, I just need a bit of a nap. Lizardtail said she'd be out in a moment to help watch them while I sleep." the queen murmured. Shellpaw nodded and left Sorrelcloud to her nap, nudging Palekit closer to their mother before continuing on. Mosspaw was with Thrushtail and Spiderleaf, boasting about how she caught the finch while it was mid flight. Both elders had some fresh kill with them, Spiderleaf eating his mouse as he kept an eye on Mosspaw talking so animatedly, so Shellpaw figured that Mosspaw brought the fresh kill to them.
"Ah, Shellpaw! Finally bringing me something for my hip, huh?" Thrushtail announced, his voice as raspy and his fur as disheveled as ever. The elder was the oldest cat in the clan, and while Spiderleaf was able to keep him in line in most cases Shellpaw felt herself smiling in amusement as he had cut off Mosspaw.
She placed the bundle before him, undoing the leaf so he could see the fennel inside.
"Fennel for hip pain, this should help you." She said, mostly from memory. Thrushtail ate the fennel, his nose scrunching as he ate though she knew it wasn't from the taste. It was just the way his jaw moved.
"How has training been going? Is Brackenleaf teaching you anything other than just herbs and how to treat us?" Mosspaw asked. Shellpaw looked to the gray tabby she-cat. Mosspaw was the oldest apprentice at this point, and Shellpaw knew she would likely become a full warrior soon.
"Mostly just having me memorize herbs, how they look, smell, and taste, and what they are used for. There is a lot to remember, and I don't think Brackenleaf knows how to fight." Shellpaw admitted. Thrushtail gave a rumbling laugh, rasping slightly at Shellpaw's words.
"Of course he doesn't! His mentor, Flintheart, was an utter pacifist. She never learned how to fight and never taught Brackenleaf! If you ask me, Brackenleaf's training is definitely lacking without it. Sure, a Medicine Cat isn't expected to fight but you never know when that kind of skill would come in handy!" He rasped. Spiderleaf nudged him slightly.
"You're being to loud." He meowed softly. Shellpaw nodded her head in agreement with Spiderleaf, earning a rasping laugh from Thrushtail.
"The thought of hurting another cat... I just can't handle that." Shellpaw admitted. Mosspaw flicked her tail over Shellpaw's flank.
"I don't know about the other apprentices, but battles are just scary. But, y'know, cats from other clans aren't the only threat to a clan. Adderface was telling me about foxes, badgers, and even snakes. Yeah, you might never need to know how to fight, but what happens if you are out looking for herbs and come nose to nose with a fox?" She asked. Shellpaw blinked at her, feeling her mind turn a bit.
"Brackenleaf... doesn't know how to fight though... right?"
"Well, then we will teach you! I'm sure Dawnpaw and Blackpaw will help to!" Mosspaw announced, her tail and ears perked up. Shellpaw flinched, startled, before settling back in.
"Well, I have to go looking for borage and poppy seeds with Brackenleaf after this, and we are leaving for Moon Pool tonight. I'll bring it up with Brackenleaf, and see if he will give me the time every now and then to learn a few things." Shellpaw meowed. Mosspaw nodded happily, and Thrushtail launched into a loud raspy tail of battles that involved medicine cats from before his time, tales that Shellpaw discretely fled from and back to the den she shared with Brackenleaf. The talk did make her think of Dawnpaw and Blackpaw, her brother and sister. Perhaps not by blood, but by bond and to her that was as real as any blood tie.
Both had been kept busy with training, Shellpaw having only seen them early that morning as they departed. She wasn't upset, but as she made her way back into her haven from the clan she could feel the pang of longing from missing them both. Brackenleaf was finishing some sorting, and turned to look at her as she entered.
"How was Sorrelcloud? Thrushtail?" He asked.
"Sorrelcloud is very tired, but she ate the herbs. Thrushtail is... Thrushtail. So... well, I guess." She meowed. Brackenleaf chuckled, shaking his head.
"That old tom. Used to go on and on how Flintheart never taught me how to fight and how disrespectful it was. From what I could hear, he launched into that with you?" He asked. Shellpaw nodded, licking at her chest and ignoring how warm she felt from knowing that Brackenleaf overheard. The brown tabby shook his head, looking at her with amusement.
"Well, in any case, we need more poppy seeds and borage, so let's head out." He meowed. Shellpaw trailed behind him, nodding to cats as she passed and nodding to the sentries as they left the camp. Brackenleaf already knew where everything grew, and Shellpaw focused on memorizing the placements and paths.
"Mosspaw mentioned that she and the other apprentices might teach me some combat moves, provided we had the time?" Shellpaw tentatively posed it as a question. Brackenleaf looked back at her.
"I thought you said the thought of fighting scared you? What need would you have to fight, the clan has warriors for that." He meowed, turning to look at her fully. Shellpaw couldn't read the expression in her eyes, and she felt the fur along her back bristle despite herself.
"W-well, I just..."
"If you can't articulate yourself, I won't allow it." Brackenleaf said, his gaze steady. Shellpaw felt herself go cold under his watchful eyes, but she forced herself to breathe and re-arrange her thoughts.
"Mosspaw... Mosspaw brought up a good point... The clan doesn't just face other clans as threats... "She began, talking slowly and keeping her breathing even. She kept her eyes on her paws, the white fur standing out next to the dark brown dirt. For a moment, she realized that it was like looking at Brackenleaf and her, two cats that stood out against one another. She looked up, meeting his green eyes and thought of her paws on the ground, how different in color her fur was to the dark brown dirt that Brackenleaf could blend with so easily.
"There are badgers, foxes, snakes..."
"Our warriors can handle those."
"Firepaw and Graypaw couldn't." Shellpaw saw Brackenleaf flinch, averting his gaze for only a moment before looking back into her eyes.
"And?" He asked, his tone clear. Shellpaw took a deep breath.
"In New Leaf and Greenleaf we have to worry about twolegs and the dogs they bring. We have to watch the skies for hawks, herons, eagles, and other birds I don't have names for. All these threats wont stop of a border we have made. If the clan gets raided, what am I meant to do if I can't defend myself? Let this threat kill me in my own den? What if I'm in the nursery with a queen that is kitting? Just step aside and let the badger or fox kill her because I don't know how to fight? I am not saying I want to know how to fight and go out attacking any perceived threat, but I can't ignore that sometimes the threats will come to us." Her voice became more firm, more sure of herself, as she talked. Something seemed to change in Brackenleaf's expression as she talked, but she wasn't sure what it was. She took a deep breath, looking around them at the trees, shrubbery, and back to her paws and the dark brown dirt.
"I don't like to fight. The thought of blood on my paws makes me want to vomit. But I can't stand the thought of dying or letting another cat die just because I don't know how to defend myself or others." She said, her tone firm and filled with finality. In the distance she heard a bird chirping but neither she nor Brackenleaf gave it any attention.
Her mentor was silent, regarding her with an unreadable gaze. Despite the confidence that Shellpaw worked up while they talked, now she felt herself waver a bit. The longer the two sat there in silence, the more nervous she became. Her thoughts turned to her siblings and she drew strength from that, refusing to waver. Suddenly, Brackenleaf started laughing, startling Shellpaw so much she jumped.
"I'll admit, you took me by surprise with that. All this time I though you were just a scared little kit taking the easy way out of warrior training!" Brackenleaf laughed. Shellpaw felt her fur bristle.
"To get out of-! I have spent moons learning herbs, listening to you and the elders, caring for our clan! I wanted to be a medicine cat!" She hissed, her tail stock straight in the air as she dug her claws into the ground. Brackenleaf shook his head.
"I can tell you're dedicated, but you have to admit that it was hard to believe you'd last when you came to me begging to become a medicine cat because of how bad you were scared of ending up like Graypaw or Firepaw." He meowed. Shellpaw forced herself to calm down, licking at her chest and shoulder in an attempt to get her fur to smooth out.
"It did, though..." She meowed. Brackenleaf nodded.
"As it should have, but that is the reality all of us face, not just cats but every living thing in the forest and beyond. At any point anything could kill us, its how we live before that matters. Still, you've made your point and I can't argue with it. I'll start training you in combat soon." He said. Shellpaw blinked.
"But... Flintheart didn't..."
"Flintheart? No. She was to kind, and that is what ended her life early I'm afraid. But that doesn't mean I didn't learn how to fight." Brackenleaf meowed, smiling at her.
"Did a warrior teach you?" She asked. Brackenleaf nodded.
"The warrior unfortunately died moons ago, but yes. They felt I needed to know, so they trained me in secret. Now, let's go get what we came out here for before the sky turns dark. I want to take a nap before we head to Moon Pool." Brackenleaf said, padding off. It took Shellpaw a moment before she trailed off of him, letting her mind run through the herbs they used, their uses, and where to find them in their territory.
There was always a bit of a risk in napping out in the camp, but the sun was so warm and inviting that Shellpaw couldn't help it as she napped in a nice sunny spot outside the medicine cat's den. She was nudged awake by Dawnpaw, the yellow tabby giving her an amused look as she blinked the sleep away. The sky was dyed red and orange, the sun setting. If Brackenleaf wasn't up from his nap, he would be soon and they'd have to get ready to go to Moon Pool soon. Shellpaw yawned, feeling her jaw pop before she snapped it shut. Dawnpaw nuzzled the side of her head, purring loudly.
"Mosspaw said we might teach you how to fight soon!" Dawnpaw meowed. Shellpaw nuzzled him back and looked around camp. The queens were all outside of the nursery enjoying the last rays of light, Applepelt and Redheart were laying together near the warriors den. Nettlepelt was standing sentry and she saw Snowfoot talking with Willowpaw near the apprentice's den.
"Brackenleaf said he was going to teach me, yes." She murmured, rubbing at her eyes with her paw. Dawnpaw chuckled, nudging her slightly.
"Busy day? I don't think I've ever seen you nap out here before!" He meowed. Shellpaw nudged him back, glad to have her brother here. With the red and orange sky, his fur seemed to blaze like gold, and his eyes looked like actual ice. A call came from behind them, and the two apprentices turned to see Rainstar padding towards them. Her fur was as sleek as ever, and her eyes looked kind as she looked padded up to Dawnpaw and Shellpaw.
"Dawnpaw, Applepelt told me you managed to chase off a Sun Clan apprentice during a patrol. Good job." She meowed. Shellpaw saw Dawnpaw go stiff, trying to look a bit taller than he was. He was already taller than Shellpaw herself, so the image was comical to her.
"Y-yes Rainstar! It.. uh... wasn't really that exciting though. It was just another apprentice... and uhh... yeah." He murmured at the end. Rainstar nodded.
"Still, that is good work. Shellpaw, is Brackenleaf in his den? I wanted to speak with him before you two headed out." their leader said. Shellpaw hesitated.
"To be honest, I just woke up myself so I'm unsure. I can go look real quick if you like." Shellpaw offered. Rainstar nodded.
"Headed out? Oh right, to the Moon Pool for the super secret Medicine Cat meeting! Sounds exciting!" Dawnpaw purred. Rainstar smiled at him.
"I doubt it is any more exciting then a normal Gathering like we go to."
"It really isn't if I'm honest. At our last meeting Foxwhisker and Morningfur spent half an hour discussing which herb was more effective to deal with a stomach ache." Shellpaw groaned despite herself. She remembered almost dozing off during that discussion and would have fallen into Moon Pool if it wasn't for Whitepaw waking her back up without the others noticing. If Brackenleaf is right, Rabbitwhisker might be making Whitepaw a full medicine cat, so at least that meant something more exciting than herb discussion, the lack of omens from Star Clan, and how their clans were fairing would take place. Rainstar chuckled.
"Sounds riveting." She purred. Shellpaw nodded, saying good night to Dawnpaw as her brother headed to the apprentice's den and she went inside the medicine cat's den. The inside smelled as thick with herbs as ever and she looked around until she spotted her mentor, the dark brown tabby curled into a nest in the back of the den. She poked him, nudging him a bit more harshly when that didn't wake him up.
"Come on you lazy bag of fur, Rainstar wants to talk to you!" Shellpaw hissed, biting into his scruff and dragging Brackenleaf off of his nest. He yowled, getting to his paws and glaring at Shellpaw.
"If it isn't night yet-"
"Good to see you are up, Brackenleaf, do you have a moment?" Rainstar meowed, shuffling her way into the den. Brackenleaf nodded, his eyes widening slightly before sitting. Shellpaw tried to leave but Brackenleaf used his tail to motion to her to sit next to him so she did.
"Are you sure you want your apprentice here?" Rainstar asked, her voice smooth. Brackenleaf nodded.
"I'm getting old, Rainstar. I won't be your medicine cat for much longer so she needs to be prepared to take over once I'm gone."
"You're old but you aren't Thrushtail old. You still have many moons in you." Shellpaw meowed before looking down at the ground with emberressment as Rainstar laughed.
"I meant to old to keep up with my duties. You noticed how Foxwhisker is, as you described, Thrushtail old? Only reason he is still an active medicine cat is because Badgerpaw hasn't finished his training. He plans to retire the instant Badgerpaw is ready." He explained. Rainstar nodded.
"A welcome change to form, since Flintheart had died so suddenly. Besides, I'm not entirely sure Thrushtail will ever die. I swear he has been an elder since I was a kit!" Rainstar laughed. Brackenleaf nodded.
"Fair that. He was already an elder when I was a kit and I was a full medicine cat by the time you became an apprentice. I can't count how many moons old he must be."
"Dawnpaw thinks he might be immortal. Or a ghost." Shellpaw mused.
"A bit loud for a ghost!" Rainstar laughed.
"Wasn't aware ghosts could get infested with ticks so easily." Brackenleaf joked. The three cats laughed before Rainstar sat down and got to the point of her visit.
"Before you leave I wanted to discuss with you about the sickness plaguing the clans. I wanted to see if you could ask the other clans about it." Rainstar said. Brackenleaf nodded in agreement, the two discussing exactly what Rainstar wanted to know: How it was effecting the clans, if the medicine cats had a theory of its source. Shellpaw remembered it being brought up at the last Gathering and how it was apparently ravaging Hill Clan. They had lost some cats to the sickness as well, but for the most part Mist Clan hadn't yet been truly effected by it. She had heard from Badgerpaw that they had lost some elders and a few kits, but so far they haven't been seriously effected, though Rain Clan and Hill Clan seem to be the worse off. She wondered why, if perhaps they might be closer to the supposed source? Shellpaw wasn't sure.
"Also, I want you to see if you can commune with Star Clan tonight as well. I am on my last life, and I am concerned that things are taking a turn for the worse." Rainstar meowed. Shellpaw stopped dead.
"You're last? But why?" She meowed in startled confusion. Rainstar gave her a comforting look, purring softly.
"Don't be so fearful, Shellpaw. I am the eldest of the leaders and have been a leader for more moons than many of the current warriors have been alive. I had lost a life to sickness not to long ago, and am now on my final life. If I am honest, I have been around for long enough that I do not look towards my death with sadness." She explained. Shellpaw looked at their leader, but her coat looked as pristine as ever, her eyes as clear as a sunny day.
"But... you don't look old..." Shellpaw meowed. Rainstar purred.
"No, I don't, but I am. Brackenleaf, will you look into what I asked?" She turned back to the older medicine cat. Brackenleaf nodded.
"We will, no worries. Shellpaw, we don't have much longer left so let's head out now." Brackenleaf meowed. Shellpaw nodded and all three cats left the medicine cat's den, Rainstar padding off to talk with some warriors outside the warriors while Brackenleaf and Shellpaw turned to leave the camp.
The trip to Moon Pool was mostly quiet outside the occasional bird songs and bug chirping. Suddenly, Brackenleaf stopped, hopping up on some stones. Shellpaw jumped up with him and through branches and bushes cat lengths away she could see Moon Pool. Even now, on her third trip, it took her breath away. The water was so clear you could see the stones beneath, wisps of mist floating just above the crystal clear water. The grass around the pool was a deep green and a fallen log nearby allowed a long branch to reach across the water with moss hanging down to just the water surface. Badgerpaw told her the log was hollow, and that older medicine cats would enter to drink collected rain water to commune with Star Clan on nights they planned to stay over night.
The sun was just entering its final stages of sunset and she could see starts dotting some of the night sky. The Moon Pool was empty, the other medicine cats having yet to arrive. Brackenleaf flicked his tail, getting Shellpaw's attention.
"When we are in the meeting, I am going to ask the other Medicine Cats how many lives their leaders have. I need you to swear that you will speak to no one about what they say." Brackenleaf meowed. Shellpaw looked at him with wide eyes.
"But why? Why would we need to know that?" She asked. Brackenleaf shook his head.
"Rainstar losing a life recently combined with the sickness made me concerned. I wanted to ask the other medicine cats if their leaders are losing lives as well and if this is being consistant in the other clans." He meowed. He looked up towards Moon Pool suddenly and Shellpaw looked over. A bright ginger she-cat had appreached Moon Pool, a smaller flat faced gray tom next to her.
"Morningfur and Seedpaw. Let's head over, I'm sure the others will be here soon." Brackenleaf meowed, hopping down and padding off with Shellpaw right behind him. Morningfur and Seedpaw were waiting by Moon Pool but looked up at Brackenleaf and Shellpaw as they approached, meowing a greeting.
"How are you fairing tonight?" Brackenleaf meowed in greeting.
"Well as ever, though it seems the others are running a bit late." Morningfur noted, looking around the pond. Her ginger fur stood out against the darkness of the night, making her more eye catching than her smoky gray apprentice beside her. Seedpaw nodded to Shellpaw, padding over to her as the two medicine cats made small talk.
"How has your training been going? Memorizing the herbs correctly?" Seedpaw asked. His flat broad face and droopy looking mouth always looked comical to Shellpaw, but she shoved that thought aside as she nodded.
"Brackenleaf has me recite them randomly through the day, so I have been doing well so far. How has your training been going?" Shellpaw mewed. Seedpaw shrugged.
"I still catch myself mixing up some herbs from time to time, nothing to major. But I'm getting better about it." He admitted, shaking his head sheepishly, "Kind of wish Morningfur would quiz me as often as Brackenleaf does with you."
"Shellpaw! Toothache!" Brackenleaf suddenly called out.
"Alder Bark!" Shellpaw replied without a moment's hesitation. Brackenleaf nodded and went back to talking to Morningfur. Seedpaw nodded to her, an amused look on his face.
"Like that. I wouldn't have been able to answer that right away."
"They each have their own teaching methods. Oh!" Shellpaw looked behind Seedpaw as more cats approached. One was an older gray and white tom, his amber eyes clear with a slightly smaller white tom with thicker fur and blue eyes, Rabbitwhisker and Whitepaw of Hill Clan. Behind them, slightly slower, was a ragged and old russet red tom with a white underside and faded yellow eyes, leaning slightly against the taller gray tom with a white chest and missing a good chunk of the left side of his face including his eye. His one good golden eye was kind as he helped the older medicine cat enter the clearing of Moon Pool. Foxwhisker and Badgerpaw of Sun Clan. Foxwhisker and Rabbitwhisker joined the older medicine cats, with Whitepaw and Badgerpaw joining Shellpaw and Seedpaw. If Seedpaw was comical and Whitepaw handsome, Badgerpaw was frightening to look at. Shellpaw remembered first meeting him and hiding behind Brackenleaf for most of that first meeting, a comical sight she was told since it was at a Gathering instead of their meetings. Now, she felt ashamed of her reaction but Badgerpaw never held it against her.
"Shellpaw, Seedpaw! How has training been going?" Whitepaw asked, sitting near Shellpaw. Badgerpaw sat across from her so the four were in a circle, similar to the older medicine cats nearby.
"My training is going well, I've fully memorized herbs and their uses now!" Shellpaw meowed happily. Whitepaw nodded his head.
"That is good to hear! I struggled with that in the beginning, but then again I have a lot going against me." Whitepaw meowed. Shellpaw looked at him oddly, but Whitepaw didn't elaborate as Badgerpaw nodded.
"Foxwhisker is very happy with my training and plans to promote me next meeting, if not sooner. He is getting to old to keep up with his duties but he is being a bit stubborn." Badgerpaw explained. Seedpaw nodded in understanding.
"It is our job to be stubborn with the health of our clan after all. Any ideas what your full Medicine Cat names might be?" Seedpaw asked, musing slightly.
"I wanted to suggest to Foxwhisker a name a good friend of mine made... it was more of a joke really but... The humor of it? I can't help it." Badgerpaw sheepishly poked at the ground as he spoke. Shellpaw tilted her head.
"Oh, what name is it?" She asked.
"Honestly? Badgerfright. One of my closest friends, Icepaw, suggested it back when she was a kit and it kind of just... called to me. I liked it a lot." He explained. Whitepaw nodded.
"I know the feeling. I don't know what Rabbitwhisker will name me, but I hope it isn't Whitewhisker." He chuckled, "Or worse, Whitewhisper."
"Why not those names?" Seedpaw asked.
"We already have Rabbit'whisker' and Fox'whisker'. Why continue that trend? As for Whisper... I can't hear much out of one ear, and I can't hear when a cat whispers at all. I can make a guess of what their saying if they are looking at me but..." Whitepaw explained. Shellpaw nodded. Naming him Whitewhisper would be unfortunate than.
The other medicine cats called them over, now ready to start the full discussion now that the pleasantries were out of the way.
"Our first topic should be this sickness going around. It hasn't hit Mist Clan to heavily, but it is only a matter of time if it keeps up like this." Brackenleaf started. The other medicine cats nodded in agreement.
"We lost a few elders and kits, and I fear one of our recent littler may be infected. Do any of you have any ideas on treatment or a source?" Foxwhisker rasped. His voice sounded just as ragged as his appearance.
"Rain Clan has had a few issues with it, but outside of the incident a few moons ago with a few kits and elders dying it hasn't started a wide spread panic. As for a cure, I have no leads so far." Morningfur meowed. Rabbitwhisker looked at her.
"I heard that you were given an omen of Star Clan concerning the sickness. Something about an apprentice and your deputy, is that true? We have had almost a full year with no ability to commune with Star Clan." Rabbitwhisker stared directly at her. Morningfur shook her head.
"Sunpaw was being singled out by the clan as the source of the sickness, some claiming it was a curse due to Cave Clan. I couldn't just let them cast him out or kill him when he is innocent of Cave Clan's charges, so I had to make a call."
"So the omen?"
"A complete lie." She admitted. There was a moment of silence before Rabbitwhisker spoke up again.
"Hill Clan lost almost an entire litter, all of our elders, and some warriors are now starting to fall sick. Whitestar has lost lives to the sickness as well. I have started... noticing a trend however." Rabbitwhisker meowed. The other cat's undivided attention was on him as he spoke.
"I can't know for sure just yet, but I have noticed that the kits that fall to it? None of them are in the nursing stage of life. They had started or had been eating fresh kill." He explained. Shellpaw thought on it and realized that, yes, this was true of Deerkit as well, who had been of the age to eat fresh kill when he died as well. She looked to Brackenleaf and he nodded in agreement.
"Now that I think of it, you are correct. Perhaps there is a correlation? That fresh kill might be the source?" He asked. Rabbitwhisker shook his head.
"I can't prove it yet, since there could be other factors such as this also being the age they start drinking water, but it is worth noting."
"Yes. Keeping on the trend of lost lives... Have the leaders of your clans also been losing lives to the other clans?" Brackenleaf probed. Rabbitwhisker nodded his head solemnly, as did Morningfur and Foxwhisker.
"Whitestar has lost at least four lives to the sickness. If what he has told me is true, he is on his last life." Rabbitwhisker said. Shellpaw felt the fur on her back rise, but forced herself to relax. Morningfur nodded her head.
"Honeystar has lost a life to the sickness a few moons ago, though I am unsure how many lives he has now."
"Bearstar lost two lives to the sickness. I am electing to not say how many she has left."
"That is fair, I am more interested to see if our leaders are being more effected then the rest of our clan. Rainstar lost a life to the sickness as well." Brackenleaf said. The medicine cats sat silently for a moment, Foxwhisker looking to the pool.
"It has been almost a full year since we've been able to commune with Star Clan. Should we try again?" the elder tom asked. Rabbitwhisker huffed.
"We can, I suppose, but before that I made a promise." He meowed. Attention turned to him.
"I have taught my apprentice well, and I feel he has completed his training. If we are finished with this talk I would like to make my apprentice into a full medicine cat." Rabbitwhisker said. The other cats nodded and respectfully watched as Rabbitwhisker and Whitepaw hopped up onto the log and carefully walked across the branch until they were above Moon Pool and below the Moon itself.
"I, Rabbitwhisker of Hill Clan, call upon our warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained with dedication to learn the ways of the medicine cat, and with your help he will serve his clan for many moons. Whitepaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of the medicine cat, to stand apart from the rivalry between the clans and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?" Rabbitwhisker called loudly, his voice carrying around the clearing.
"I do." Whitepaw nodded.
"Then by the powers of Star Clan, I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Whitepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Whitecloud. Star Clan honors your dedication and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of Hill Clan." Rabbitwhisker finished. He reached over and rested his muzzle against Whitecloud's head, the white tom licking their mentor's shoulder. The other medicine cats began calling Whitecloud's name, Shellpaw happy for the apprentice as the two sat on the branch for a little while longer before making their way down.
The cats went to the edge of Moon Pool, the older medicine cats quick to drink from the water and settle in for the night. Whitecloud was the first of the younger apprentices, followed by Badgerpaw and Seedpaw. Shellpaw hesitated, looking into the water and the stones bellow. She glanced over at the other medicine cats, Foxwhisker already sound asleep, then back to the water. She took a few laps and settled next to Brackenleaf.
She didn't dream the entire night.
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Fun Chapter to write, focusing on Shellpaw instead of Dawnpaw this time XD
Feedback is loved