The Past, Present, and Future

by CeruleanWind

The four Clans around the lake changed their names. Follow the adventures of SunClan as we tread into mixed feelings of despair and joy.

2. The Past, Present, and Future 2

Hi! Here's part 2 of this story! I just wanted to clarify a few things. First, I thought Mousepool's leg was a little bit weird, so I kind of mentioned it as Cinderpelt's kind of leg. Also, this story has same gender pairs and some very creepy stuff to do with Mousepool. I won't spoil anything! Anyways, enjoy, and be sure to review.

Sootkit woke beside her brother, Adderkit. The golden brown tom was sleeping peacefully next to her. The black she-kit scrambled out of the nest and stood in the nursery, looking over at her sick friend, Brightkit. The cream she-kit's fur was ruffled, and a horrible stench of sickness rose from her pelt.

Sootkit wrinkled her nose and peered over the edge of the nest, unknowingly waking Brightkit's mother, Reedwing, up. The cream-furred queen rose her head. "Good morning, Sootkit," she whispered.

The pure black kit didn't take her gaze away from her friend. "Do you want me to ask Mousepool for herbs?" she asked.

Reedwing curled her tail protectively around her kit. "Sure," she breathed in a 'I gave up long ago' tone.

Sootkit stared at her adoptive mother. "You mustn't give up, Reedwing. We will make Brightkit better."

Reedwing stifled a sob, shifting around in her nest. Sootkit settled beside her friend and started to groom her ruffled fur.

Reedwing watched in silence for a few moments until Sootkit got up and left the den.

The five-moon-old kit trotted across the clearing. Her body was becoming slim and supple, a great change from the fluffy kit she used to be. She pushed past the screen of lichen shielding the medicine den, and encountered Mousepool lying fresh herbs out to dry. The brown tabby she-cat looked up. "Hello, Sootkit. What can I do for you?"

"Make Brightkit better," Sootkit replied promptly. "I think…" She thought for a moment. "I think catmint, tansy, coltsfoot, and juniper berries would help."

Mousepool nodded and pulled out the herbs Sootkit had mentioned. She folded them in a leaf wrap and dropped it at Sootkit's black paws.

Sootkit briskly took the leaf wrap in her mouth and charged out of the den, bounding gracefully across the camp and into the nursery.

She released a sigh as she placed the leaf wrap on the ground and unraveled the leaf, revealing the herbs.

Reedwing gently shook her kit awake with a paw. Brightkit stirred and sat up, trembling weakly. "Sootkit?" She blinked. "Do you have herbs for me?"

"Indeed," Sootkit meowed. "Eat all these for me, then I'll get you a nice juicy mouse to wash the taste away."

Brightkit leaned forward and ate half the herbs, then fell back in her nest, panting.

"Brightkit," Sootkit mewed sadly, "remember when we used to play moss ball with Brackenflight? If you eat all the herbs, we can play it again."

Brightkit's amber eyes widened. She leaned forward again and ate the rest of the herbs. She struggled to her paws, but Sootkit could see weariness in every movement Brightkit made.

Sootkit waited patiently. She didn't see Adderkit creep up behind her and watch.

Brightkit stretched luxuriously. She had been confined to the nursery by Mousepool for a moon now. The cream kit slowly padded out of the nursery, squinting as the sunlight hit her eyes. Sootkit and Adderkit followed, watching in amazement.

Brightkit padded over to the little stream that ran through the camp, and bent her head to take a drink of water that didn't taste of moss.

Blazestorm watched his kit emerge into the camp, looking a little better, with an expression of pure happiness on his face. He bounded over to greet his daughter. "Brightkit!" he called, delighted. Brightkit looked up, her eyes still dull. "Father!" she croaked back. "I'm almost better. Sootkit gave me some herbs."

Blazestorm turned his head to look at Sootkit. The black she-cat fidgeted uncomfortably. "Any cat would have done the same," she mumbled.

Mousepool limped out of her den. Her eyes widened when she saw Brightkit. "Oh, Sootkit! It really helped!"

Sootkit looked up at Mousepool. "I suppose."

"You know," Mousepool meowed thoughtfully, "I think you'd make a good medicine cat. You knew what to do for Brightkit, didn't you?"

Sootkit tilted her head. "Yeah, I guess I did," she sighed at last.

Blazestorm, Adderkit, and Brightkit were staring at her, almost urging her to say yes. Her icy blue eyes were wide with shock. "I-I don't know," she stammered. "I'll have to think about it."

Adderkit came to sit by her side as Mousepool hopped away on three legs. "She's right, you know," he murmured in his sister's ear. "You'd be an excellent medicine cat."

Sootkit stood quickly, her tail flicking. "Maybe," she meowed. "Anyway, let's see if Brackenflight will play with us."

The three kits trotted over to Brackenflight, who was returning from patrol. "Brackenflight, come play with us!" Brightkit begged, her eyes shining.

The broad-shouldered warrior dropped his prey and gazed at the three kits. "Oh, alright," he purred. He grabbed a moss ball from inside the nursery and tossed it at the kits.

Sootkit darted in front and grabbed the moss between two paws. Adderkit, using his weight to his advantage, threw himself on top of his sister until she collapsed, and snatched the moss from her grasp.

Adderkit charged across the camp with Sootkit and Brightkit in hot pursuit. Sootkit's lean body helped her speed up and strategically dart underneath her brother and grab the moss. She then tossed it to Brightkit, who darted into the nursery, screeching with triumph. "I win!"

Adderkit and Sootkit skidded to a halt, panting. "Good game!" Sootkit purred. She padded over to her father, Brackenflight. "Thank you. You can go do you warrior duties now." She waved her tail dismissively.

Brackenflight twitched his ears curiously before trotting quickly away.

Sootkit sat down and curled her tail around her paws, thinking. She was interrupted by Adderkit. "Sootkit, have you decided yet?"

Sootkit lifted her head to meet her brother's gaze. "Yes. I will do it."

Adderkit gently nudged her to her paws and guided her inside the nursery. Reedwing looked up. "Are you going to become Mousepool's apprentice?" she asked excitedly.

Sootkit nodded. "I think I will. I'll go see if I can help her."

"You know," Reedwing murmured, "your mother was a medicine cat. You're following in her pawsteps."

Sootkit let out a happy purr before padding out of the den. She entered Mousepool's den, making the medicine cat look up from her work. "Hello, Sootkit. Have you decided?"

"Yes," Sootkit meowed confidently. "I will become your apprentice."

Mousepool nodded nonchalantly. "I look forward to training you."

"Well, I'll become six moons tomorrow. I suppose you can start training me then."

"Good," Mousepool purred. "Have a good evening, Sootkit."

The black kit nodded and trotted out of the den, the orange glow of the sunset shining on her pelt.

The sun was long gone, and the moon was emerging from behind the ridge by LeafClan. Reedwing was urging the three kits into their nests. "Long day tomorrow. You're becoming apprentices!"

Sootkit curled into her nest, watching Brightkit- a stronger, less sick Brightkit- climb into her own nest.

Adderkit was sinking into his nest and closing his luminous amber eyes. Sootkit gazed at him, seeing Brackenflight in every hair on his pelt.

Sootkit finally closed her icy eyes, wondering how it will be to be a medicine cat. Sleep finally overtook her, taking her into its soft paws.

She woke in a clearing, surrounded by herbs she recognized. Coltsfoot, borage, feverfew, thyme, mallow…

Sootkit sat up, bounded over to the plentiful plants, and buried her muzzle in the leaves, knowing how much Mousepool needed these.

"Hello, Sootkit," a voice murmured. The black kit straightened up and looked around. A StarClan cat was drifting down from the sky. She met the spirit's gaze. "Hello. Who are you?" she asked.

"My name's Leafpool," the cat purred. "I was ThunderClan's medicine cat, long ago. You know how ThunderClan became SunClan, right?"

Sootkit nodded. "Of course."

"I've come here to tell you that you have to be a medicine cat," Leafpool hissed, her eyes fierce. "You already know so much. You were like me. I always liked helping my Clanmates. We have a prophecy for you, but we won't tell you yet. You're too young."

Sootkit stared at the ancient medicine cat with shock. "O-okay," she meowed. "I already said I wanted to be a medicine cat."

Leafpool relaxed. "I know," she mewed softly. "You're going to be great. Good luck, Sootkit." With that, Leafpool faded and she found herself in the nursery once more.

Sootkit sat up and twisted to groom her black pelt, making it sleek and glossy. The other two kits were doing the same in their own nests. Reedwing was gazing at them with pride. "Oh, you three will be great cats. I'll never forget when you were tiny little one-moon-old kits!"

Sootkit nodded briskly and walked out of the den. The cats were already gathering in the clearing and gazed proudly at the kits as they emerged into the open.

Amberstar was already standing on the Highledge. "Would all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

Sootkit instinctively padded forward, and the cats sat in a semicircle with the three kits standing in the middle.

Mousepool looked on, her eyes shining.

"Brightkit, from now until your warrior name is chosen, you will be known as Brightpaw. Brackenflight will be your mentor."

Brackenflight stood up, looking delighted at being chosen for an apprentice. He paced forward and touched noses with Brightpaw.

"Adderkit! From now until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Adderpaw. Pinefang will be your mentor."

Pinefang bounded down the pile of rocks that led up to the Highledge, and touched noses with his new apprentice.

"And finally, Sootkit. Your new name will be Sootpaw. Mousepool has told me you're interested in being a medicine cat."

Sootpaw nodded. "I am, Amberstar."

"Then Mousepool will be your mentor. I hope she passes down everything she knows to you."

Behind them, the Clan was cheering their names. "Brightpaw! Adderpaw! Sootpaw!"

Amberstar stood, raising his tail for silence. "Meeting dismissed," he meowed.

The cats dispersed. Mousepool limped toward her new apprentice and rested her tail on Sootpaw's shoulder. "Come," she urged. "There's a lot I need to teach you."

Sootpaw followed Mousepool into the medicine den. Overwhelming scents flooded her nose and she sneezed.

"Sorry," Mousepool purred, a hint of amusement in her voice. "I took out all the herbs to teach you."

"Okay," Sootpaw mewed, sniffling. "Are you going to teach the whole line today?"

"I hope to," Mousepool replied. "Then we'll go over it every day so the herbs are imprinted in your mind."

The black she-cat nodded. "Very well. I can probably name a few of these."

"Yes, you can." The crippled medicine cat pointed to an herb with furry leaves. "What's that?"

"It's borage, of course. It's for curing fever and helping queens' milk come," she replied promptly.

"Wow!" Mousepool meowed, amazed. "Okay. What's this?" She gestured to the next one in the line, an herb with tiny leaves and an aromatic scent.

"It looks like thyme," Sootpaw ventured. "It's for calming shocked cats.

"Precisely," Mousepool murmured. "The next one is…" She trailed off. The medicine cat honestly didn't know what this one was.

It's goldenrod! Leafpool hissed inside Sootpaw's head. She blinked her icy eyes. "It's goldenrod," she mumbled. "I think it's to… oh! Cure wounds!"

Mousepool stared at her. "H-how did you know that?"

"I… I just guessed?" Sootpaw mewed.

"Well, I was right. You do take after your mother," Mousepool murmured wistfully. "I miss her."

The day was coming to an end. Sootpaw had learned a lot that day. The lithe black she-cat emerged from the medicine den and trotted over to Adderpaw. "So, how was your first day?" she asked.

Adderpaw turned around. "Oh, just wonderful! I got to see all the territories, and learned how to set border markers."

Sootpaw nodded, padded over to the fresh-kill pile, and tugged a vole out of it. Her mouth watered at the tantalizing scent of the warm meat.

She carried it over to Brightpaw, who was eating a mouse at the side of the camp. "Hello, Brightpaw. How was your first day?" she asked the cream apprentice.

Brightpaw looked up with a mouthful of mouse. "Hi, Sootpaw! It was great. I got to learn battle moves! What about you?"

"I learned about herbs," Sootpaw replied. "Mousepool said she'll train me in battle soon."

"Hm," Brightpaw grunted. "That's good."

Sootpaw took a huge bite out of her vole, swallowing it quickly. She purred with delight as the warmth of fresh food spread through her body. Sootpaw devoured the rest in a matter of moments, and trotted quickly back to the medicine den.

Mousepool looked up to see Sootpaw slipping quietly into her new nest. She looked over at her apprentice. "Sootpaw! Are you going to sleep without saying goodnight?"

Sootpaw started. "Sorry. Goodnight, Mousepool."

Mousepool huffed with exasperation. "Goodnight."

Sootpaw curled her tail over her nose and closed her ice-blue eyes.

Mousepool watched her apprentice, unable to look away from the she-cat's lithe body and smooth, sleek pelt. She blinked and looked away, her fur heating up. Do I like her? No, of course not.

Mousepool curled up as well, snuggling down into the warm moss of her nest.

Sootpaw's fur prickled uncomfortably. Is some cat watching me? She looked up, but nothing. The black apprentice rested her head back onto her paws, trying to fall asleep.

She woke by the lake. The lean apprentice blinked, standing up. A squirrel darted in front of her, and she took off after it. The squirrel stumbled, and Sootpaw caught it. She quickly nipped its spine, and the prey fell limp in her paws. Is this what it feels like to be a warrior? she wondered.

Her dream faded around her, and Sootpaw was roused by Mousepool nudging her flank with a paw.

"Okay, keep your fur on," Sootpaw grumbled. "I don't like mornings."

Mousepool rumbled with amusement. "Very well."

Sootpaw sat up and groomed her fur like she usually does. Mousepool watched her intently, once again admiring the she-cat's slim, supple body.

Sootpaw looked up, blinking away sleep from her icy eyes. "What are we doing today?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.

Mousepool tore her gaze away from her apprentice. "We're going through the herbs again, then battle training."

Sootpaw shrugged. "Okay." She began to name all the herbs and what they were used for.

At about sunhigh, Mousepool put the herbs away. "It's battle training time," she announced. "Get ready."

Sootpaw raised each paw to flex her claws, then cleaned off the herb dust from her pelt. She was aware of her mentor watching her. She blinked, looking up. "Mousepool? You've been acting weird lately."

Mousepool shook her head quickly. "Nothing. Come on, let's go."

Sootpaw followed her mentor out of the camp and into one of the many clearings surrounding it.

Mousepool halted and spun around to face her apprentice. "Okay. So, you're going to try to get past me and capture those ferns over there. Okay?"

"Yes, Mousepool," Sootpaw meowed, squaring her shoulders.

The two cats crouched in the attack position. Sootpaw darted to one side, then the other.

Mousepool watched Sootpaw, admiring the black she-cat's agility and speed. She was so distracted, she didn't even know what was happening until Sootpaw let out a triumphant screech. "I did it!"

Mousepool blinked. "Wow, you're fast! Let's try another one."

Sootpaw gazed at Mousepool questioningly for a heartbeat before shrugging. "Okay. What do I do?"

"You rise up on your hind paws like this." Mousepool tried to stretch up, but failed because of her crippled hind leg.

Sootpaw stretched out a paw to steady the other she-cat. "Slow down. Let me do it."

Mousepool's fur tingled under Sootpaw's touch. "O-okay. Okay. You try."

Sootpaw rose up on her strong hind legs and battered the air with unsheathed claws.

Mousepool nodded approvingly. "I think that's good for today. Come on, let's get back to camp. It's the half-moon tonight, so we'll go to the Moonlit Clearing."

Sootpaw's eyes shone. "Yay! I can't wait to meet the other medicine cats!"

Mousepool let out an amused purr as she led the way back to the camp.

Sootpaw trotted along behind her mentor, nodding to Brightpaw as she returned from patrol.

They disappeared into the medicine den. Sootpaw stretched out on her nest, sighing contently. "That was fun," she breathed.

Mousepool stood on the other side of the den, sweeping herb fragments to the side with her tail. "It was," she agreed.

The crippled medicine cat finished her work and sank into her nest, letting out a tiny gasp of pain.

Sootpaw heard the gasp and looked over at her mentor, ears perking up. "You okay?" she asked.

"Yes. My leg's just a little stiff," Mousepool responded, secretly delighted at being fussed over by the pretty medicine cat apprentice.

Silently, Sootpaw settled next to her mentor and ran her paws over the crippled leg. She then massaged the muscles rhythmically, carefully watching Mousepool's reaction.

Mousepool released a sigh as the tension in her muscles ebbed away. "Thanks, Sootpaw. That feels better."

Sootpaw leaned down and began to rasp her tongue over Mousepool's crippled leg. The brown tabby medicine cat shifted around, butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

Sootpaw looked up anxiously. "Am I doing something wrong?"

"No," Mousepool sighed. "Just- no cat has ever fussed over me like this."

Sootpaw leaned back down and continued. Mousepool forced herself to keep still, her eyes tightly shut. She imagined how Sootpaw's tongue would feel grazing against her cheek, neck fur, or between her ears.

Sootpaw finished and sat up, curling her long black tail over her paws. Mousepool opened her eyes, never liking one cat so much in her life. "Thank you," she meowed gratefully, trying not to make her voice shake.

Sootpaw dipped her head. "It's nothing. Do you need any herbs collected?"

Mousepool shivered. "N-no. No, thanks."

Sootpaw fixed her mentor with a steady gaze. "You're acting awfully weird. You can tell me, you know. I'll take a secret to StarClan if I have to."

Mousepool's eyes scanned over Sootpaw's lean frame with hunger. "Sootpaw," she growled, "you're the prettiest she-cat I've ever seen. I love you so much, Sootpaw." She shuddered from nose to tail-tip.

Sootpaw didn't flinch. She didn't move. Mousepool's need grew stronger as she admired Sootpaw again.

"Mousepool," Sootpaw meowed at last, "I knew you were acting weird." She watched Mousepool shiver with need again. "Do you really love me that much?"

"Great StarClan, yes!" Mousepool yowled. "Press your fur against mine, Sootpaw!"

The black she-cat pressed against her mentor, feeling the other she-cat shudder at her touch. She twined her tail with Mousepool's.

Mousepool let out a long sigh, her needs fulfilled. "I love you so much, Sootpaw."

Sootpaw stretched out her neck to press her cheek to Mousepool's. "I love you too, Mousepool."

"I'm so sorry, Sootpaw. I don't know what came over me." she admitted, her fur slightly ruffled.

"Yeah," Sootpaw sighed. "But still, we can go to the Moonlit Clearing tonight, right?"

Mousepool nodded, amusement glowing in her green eyes. She looked more like a mentor again.

Sootpaw stood up and settled in her own nest, right before Pinefang looked into the den. "Are you guys okay? I heard yowling."

"Yes, we're fine," Sootpaw meowed smoothly. "We're just excited about the half-moon medicine cat meeting tonight."

Pinefang nodded and padded away.

Sootpaw let out an amused purr, twisting to smooth her ruffled black fur.

Mousepool shuffled around, giddiness bubbling up inside her. But it felt even better to release her secret.

The black she-cat gazed around the den awkwardly. The silence was almost unbearable. "This is awkward," Sootpaw confessed.

Mousepool looked over at her. "I agree," she purred.

"Why… why don't we just forget the past few moments?" Sootpaw suggested, her fur heating up.

Mousepool smiled lightly, twitching her ears. "Okay."

Sootpaw stood up and padded out of the den. She saw Adderpaw sharing a rabbit with their father Brackenflight. She bounded over to the two toms. "Hi, Adderpaw!"

Adderpaw looked up. "Oh, hi, Sootpaw. How's your training?"

"It's great. Mousepool taught me some battle moves."

"That's good," Brackenflight put in. "You both are trying hard, and that's what matters."

Sootpaw nodded and trotted away. She couldn't rid her mind of what happened with Mousepool. She didn't know cats could feel love so strongly. Her fur spiked up with the thought. Sootpaw selected a mouse from the fresh-kill pile and ate it in three bites.

Mousepool padded out of the medicine den and jumped with surprise as she saw Sootpaw. "Oh, er-." She paused. "Hi, Sootpaw."

Sootpaw nodded to her mentor as calmly as she could. She knew that Mousepool was gazing over her body, but the apprentice was used to it by now. It was now that Sootpaw began to admire Mousepool's gentle tabby markings and her luminous green eyes.

Mousepool guided her into the medicine den. "We need to talk," she had hissed.

"This is just weird," Mousepool murmured.

"Yeah," Sootpaw agreed with a sigh. "Now that it's out, we just have to… go with it."

"I love you a lot, Sootpaw," Mousepool meowed. "I like the other side of you, the fiercely loving side."

Sootpaw kept still, gazing out of the den entrance. "I love you too, Mousepool. I like how you're so straightforward."

Mousepool began to get that feeling again, in that place that craved the touch of fur against her own. The place that craved a tongue rasping over her cheek. The place where the burning heat of her love for Sootpaw lived. She wanted Sootpaw, and she was going to tell her.

"Sootpaw, I need the touch of your fur. The rasping of your tongue on my cheek. I need you, Sootpaw!" she meowed, flattening her ears.

Sootpaw let out a growl. "Me too, Mousepool." She stood up and pressed fiercely against her mentor. Their fur touched, brown against black. Mousepool rested her head on her paws so Sootpaw could press her cheek against Mousepool's.

Mousepool purred. "Thank you, Sootpaw."

Sootpaw gently pulled away and began licking her mentor's neck. She felt Mousepool shudder softly. "Just relax," she cooed.

"Sorry," Mousepool breathed. "I-I just, really wanted that."

The two she-cats fell silent. All that could be heard was the sound of a tongue rasping against fur. Mousepool decided to break the silence. "We should get going if we want to be there on time."

Sootpaw stood up, her ears flicking. "Okay."

They left the den, then the camp, and began to pad along the LeafClan border. They scrambled up the slope and finally reached the Moonlit Clearing. The medicine cats from LeafClan and PoolClan were there.

"We're just waiting for Tinyleaf," the medicine cat from LeafClan, Breezestep, mewed. Tinyleaf was the medicine cat from DarkClan.

A few moments later, Tinyleaf could be heard scrambling up the rocky slope just like they did. "Tinyleaf!" Mousepool greeted warmly. "We've been waiting."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Tinyleaf panted. "One of my Clanmates had an infected thorn in his paw."

"No worries," Breezestep meowed. "Let's get to dreaming."

"Just a moment," Mousepool meowed. "I must present my new apprentice to StarClan."

Sootpaw instinctively crept forward. "Hello," she mewed shyly.

"Warriors of StarClan, I present to you this apprentice. She has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Sootpaw, is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?"

Sootpaw nodded. "It is."

"Then come forward."

The moon rose above the trees and washed the clearing in moonlight. All the medicine cats curled up on the short, soft grass and began to dream.

Sootpaw woke in the same clearing as before, the one surrounded with plentiful herbs. She resisted trying to collect them, though, because she knew that a StarClan cat would try to speak to her. The black she-cat looked up, and sure enough, Leafpool was floating down from the sky.

"Hello, Sootpaw," Leafpool murmured. "You're officially a medicine cat apprentice now, huh?"

"Yes," Sootpaw purred. "It's a lot of fun."

Leafpool sat down, her starry pelt beginning to get vaguer. "Love is a wonderful thing," she sighed, "but I made that mistake when I was young."

Sootpaw blinked questioningly. "You did?"

Leafpool lowered her head shamefully. "I had kits with a warrior from WindClan- you know it as LeafClan- once."

Sootpaw tilted her head. "Who was the warrior?"

Leafpool watched as a lean dark gray warrior emerged from the ferns. "This is Crowfeather," she meowed. "I loved him, and I still do."

Crowfeather dipped his head. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sootpaw. We know that Mousepool loves you, correct?"

Sootpaw fidgeted uncomfortably, not liking this topic. "Yeah, I guess she does."

"Well, you two can be together, just as long as it doesn't distract you from your duties. I think you will work well together in emergencies," Leafpool meowed logically.

"Okay," Sootpaw mewed, shrugging.

Leafpool leaned close to Crowfeather and twined her tail with his. "Good luck, Sootpaw," she murmured before fading away.

Sootpaw slowly opened her icy eyes. The other medicine cats were waking around her. Mousepool sat up with a slightly guilty look on her face. Did she have the same dream as me? she wondered, tipping her head to one side.

"Well, goodbye, Pebblefoot and Fuzzypaw." Sootpaw could hear Breezestep's voice from across the clearing.

A gray tom nodded. "Goodbye, Breezestep. May StarClan light your path." He padded off with Fuzzypaw trotting along behind.

Mousepool limped over to her. "Come on, Sootpaw. Let's go."

The two medicine cats left the clearing. Tinyleaf and Breezestep stayed behind, chatting about remedies for infections.

Sootpaw trotted along beside her mentor in silence. She couldn't hold back a yawn.

"You're tired," Mousepool observed. "Of course you are. It's almost dawn."

Sootpaw kept her eyes fixed ahead of her. Her eyes were dull and weariness showed in every movement. Finally they reached the camp, and they slipped inside their den quietly.

The black she-cat curled up in her nest, and almost immediately fell asleep. She heard Mousepool settling in her own nest right before sleep washed over her.

She woke to Pinefang yowling. "Sootpaw! Are you available? Adderpaw's hurt!"

Sootpaw sat up drowsily. "Yes, where's- oh, Mousepool's gone! Okay, what happened to him?"

"He… he fell from a tree when we were doing tree training!" Pinefang meowed sadly, his gaze horrified. "Will he be okay?"

"He should be," Sootpaw growled, hastily grabbing the herbs she would need. Comfrey, thyme, cobwebs, bindweed…

She ran after the deputy, her jaws stuffed with herbs, until they came to a tall tree with a broken body lying underneath. She crept over to Adderpaw. Her brother weakly turned his head. "Oh, Sootpaw. My leg hurts," he moaned.

Sootpaw rolled the golden brown tom over to reveal his foreleg, which was swelled up and sore. She carefully straightened his leg with a gasp of pain from the tom.

Sootpaw dropped the herbs she was carrying and chewed up some comfrey root. She ran her paws over Adderpaw's leg to feel for heat. His leg was warm.

Sootpaw spread the poultice in the fur. Adderpaw let out a little sigh of relief. She then bound his leg with cobweb first, then bindweed. "Okay," she meowed. "That should do it. You're going to have to come to the medicine den, though."

The young apprentice was trembling with shock. Sootpaw dropped a sprig of thyme beside him, the last of the herbs she brought. "Eat, then we'll take you back to camp," she urged firmly.

Adderpaw quickly ate the thyme, then Pinefang took his apprentice onto his back. Adderpaw was too exhausted to object, so he kept still. Sootpaw followed them, carefully watching Adderpaw to make sure he didn't slip off Pinefang's back.

They arrived back at the medicine den, and Sootpaw directed for Pinefang to drop his apprentice into a spare nest they had. Sootpaw carefully positioned her brother so he was comfortable. Adderpaw looked at her gratefully. "Thank you, Sootpaw. You saved my life."

Sootpaw flicked her ears briskly. "I'm not sure about that. Now, get some rest."

Adderpaw obediently closed his amber eyes, and his breathing slowed within moments.

Mousepool crept into the den, looking quizzically at her apprentice. "Adderpaw was hurt? What happened?"

"Sh," Sootpaw mewed. "He fell from a tree and hurt his leg. I helped him."

"Good job," Mousepool praised. "It looks great."

Sootpaw snorted with laughter. "It was easy. I'm going back to sleep now."

Mousepool settled beside her. "Not so fast," she purred playfully. She pressed against Sootpaw, licking the top of her apprentice's head, between her ears.

Sootpaw purred with laughter and squirmed as her mentor licked her ticklish spot.

Mousepool pressed her cheek to her apprentice's, twining her tail with Sootpaw's. She lay very still, letting Sootpaw lean against her as she fell asleep.

"Sootpaw? Sootpaw?"

Sootpaw woke to her brother calling her. She blinked her ice-blue eyes. "Oh, Adderpaw! What's wrong?"

Adderpaw's face was twisted with pain. "My leg," he gasped.

Sootpaw scrambled out of the nest, carefully pulling away from Mousepool. Luckily Adderpaw didn't say anything about it. She deftly sliced off the dressings on Adderpaw's leg and drew a sharp breath in. "I'll… I'll ask Mousepool."

Sootpaw gently shook Mousepool awake. The brown tabby she-cat leaped to her paws. "What's wrong?"

Sootpaw flicked her tail at the injured apprentice. "His leg… something's wrong."

Mousepool padded closer, examining the swollen leg. "It looks like there might have been a broken bone," she observed.

Sootpaw lowered her head. "Oh, I should have known, Adderpaw!"

Adderpaw blinked at his sister, fighting back the pain. "It's okay," he whispered.

"Okay," Mousepool meowed decisively, "Sootpaw, get some poppy seeds to ease the pain. Adderpaw, you need to try to keep still."

Sootpaw returned with a few tiny black seeds on her pad. "Lick them up, Adderpaw, and try to relax," she ordered firmly.

Adderpaw stared at his sister with a gaze full of horror. "O-okay…" he mewed, licking up the seeds and closing his eyes.

Mousepool planted one paw on Adderpaw's leg and the other on his flank. Sootpaw watched carefully in case she had to do this again.

Mousepool moved the paw that was on Adderpaw's leg in a quick movement, hearing a snap as the bone was shifted into its proper place. Adderpaw let out a scream of pain, his eyes shooting open. The pain faded from his leg slowly.

Adderpaw let out a tiny sigh of relief, closing his eyes once more.

Sootpaw chewed up some more comfrey root and spread the poultice on Adderpaw's leg once more. She didn't put cobweb on it this time, it would just keep the heat in.

Mousepool had already curled back into her nest. "Herbs are plentiful right now," she murmured, gazing over the herb piles.

Sootpaw curled into her own nest, watching Adderpaw sleep. Her black tail-tip flicked back and forth boredly. "I'm not tired," she sighed.

Mousepool lifted her head blearily. "You aren't? Well, I guess it is past sunhigh."

Adderpaw stirred, his amber eyes opening. "Sootpaw? My… my leg doesn't hurt anymore." His voice was filled with wonder. "How did you do that?"

"I didn't do that," Sootpaw protested. "Mousepool did most of it."

Adderpaw stretched out in his nest comfortably. "Can I go now?" he asked Mousepool.

Mousepool flicked her ears. "If you can walk with no pain, which won't be for a while yet."

Adderpaw lowered his head. "How long?"

"For about a quarter moon," Sootpaw chimed in. "But I can teach you about herbs and help you strengthen your leg if you want."

Adderpaw brightened, letting out a purr. "Really? Oh, Sootpaw, thank you!"

"But," Mousepool interrupted, "you have to sleep in the apprentices' den. It's much too crowded in here."

Adderpaw frowned. "I guess, but-." He was cut off by Mousepool slapping her tail across his muzzle. "No buts," she meowed sternly.

Adderpaw nodded quietly and Mousepool removed her tail from his muzzle. "You can go for today, but let Sootpaw support you, okay?"

Sootpaw shoved her shoulder underneath Adderpaw's and helped him up. He hopped along beside the black she-cat until they arrived at the apprentices' den. Sootpaw let him flop down into a nest. "Don't thank me," she growled before darting away.

She barged into the medicine den, her anger evaporating as she saw Mousepool. "Hello," she greeted, settling in her nest.

Mousepool's eyes met hers, green to blue. "You don't have to say that every time you walk in the den."

Sootpaw shrugged, not looking away. "It's nice to do."

Mousepool settled on her side, stretching her forepaws over the side of her nest.

Sootpaw let out a purr, standing up and walking over to her mentor's nest. She pressed her fur to Mousepool's lovingly. "Why did you kick Adderpaw out of the den?" she asked quietly, her paws shuffling in the moss.

"I… I wanted to spend more time with you," Mousepool replied, ducking her head.

Sootpaw rested her chin on Mousepool's head and licked between her mentor's ears, making the brown she-cat shiver. She paused her licking. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Mousepool breathed. "I'm ticklish."

Sootpaw kept licking, watching Mousepool's reaction. Her rough tongue scraped over her mentor's fur repeatedly, Mousepool's ears twitching.

"I'd… I'd give my last drop of blood to save your life," Mousepool mewed softly. "I'd protect you for as long as I could."

Sootpaw moved her licking to Mousepool's cheek. The brown she-cat shut her eyes tightly. "Stop," she ordered her apprentice.

Sootpaw quickly pulled away, looking alarmed. "What happened?"

Mousepool opened her green eyes. "Nothing," she purred. "You can't do all the work."

Sootpaw tucked her forepaws under her chest and let Mousepool smooth her neck, back, and head fur. After a little while, Mousepool removed her tongue from Sootpaw's fur with satisfaction.

Sootpaw sat up, blinking with gratitude. "Thank you. May I go check on Adderpaw now?"

Mousepool flicked her tail, looking a bit annoyed. "I suppose."

Sootpaw rose to her paws and trotted out of the medicine den and into the apprentices'. She saw Brightpaw curled next to Adderpaw, her fur pressed against his. She blinked with surprise. "Adderpaw, I came to check on your leg," she mewed, trying not to notice.

Adderpaw looked up at his sister. "Okay. The pain's almost gone now."

Brightpaw shifted out of the way, looking slightly embarrassed. "Hello, Sootpaw."

The lean black apprentice nodded politely to her friend. "Hello."

Sootpaw weaved among the moss on the floor until she reached her brother. She sat down and gently moved the injured leg into view. She softly looked up at Adderpaw. "Are you feeling okay?" she asked worriedly.

Adderpaw met his sister's piercing ice-blue gaze. "I'm okay. Do you think I can hunt again?"

Sootpaw leaned closer, examining her brother's injured leg. "I think so. It'll just take a while to heal."

Adderpaw cast a glance at Brightpaw, who was watching Sootpaw with fascination.

"I just think you should stay in your nest, Adderpaw," she advised him, sitting back on her haunches. "I haven't talked with you guys in forever! What's up?"

Brightpaw fumbled for words. "It's… it's good, Sootpaw. What… what about you?"

Sootpaw met her friend's gaze with confidence. "Medicine training," she meowed, shrugging.

Brightpaw nodded. "I've been learning a lot from Brackenflight," she mewed, her amber eyes wide. "He's a great teacher."

Adderpaw shifted around to get more comfortable. "Pinefang's a good teacher, too."

Sootpaw flicked her ears approvingly. "You two will make great warriors."

Brightpaw ducked her head and spoke in a low voice. "Sootpaw, can I talk with you for a moment?" Glancing at Adderpaw, she added, "in private."

Adderpaw looked embarrassed. "Should I move?"

"No," Sootpaw replied with authority. "We'll go outside."

The two she-cats padded out of the den and sat on the side of the clearing, in the shade of some rocks. Sootpaw settled with her long tail curled over her paws. "Yes?"

Brightpaw ducked her head lower, making Sootpaw frown. "What is it, Brightpaw? You have me worried."

"Er…" Brightpaw lifted her head, but fixed her gaze on her paws, unable to meet Sootpaw's icy eyes. "I-I like you, Sootpaw."

Sootpaw let out a long sigh. Shaking her head quickly, she met her friend's terrified amber gaze. "Well, I've had that before. I don't know what to say, Brightpaw… I thought you liked Adderpaw."

Brightpaw closed her eyes. "I've been pretending to like him… he said he liked me, and I like you, so I… I did what I had to do…"

Sootpaw's eyes sharpened. "You should at least tell him. The truth, I mean. Anyway, Mousepool likes me too."

Brightpaw's tail drooped. "I… I knew it. You're taken…"

"No, Brightpaw, you mean a lot to me. I would gladly be your mate, but… I've told Mousepool that once I get my full name, I'd be her mate," Sootpaw mewed, casting her gaze down as well.

Brightpaw nodded, trying to look nonchalant, but miserably failed. Sootpaw stretched out her tail and curled it around Brightpaw's shoulders. "Don't be sad," she whispered in Brightpaw's ear, a hint of a purr in her mew.

The cream-furred apprentice blinked. "What?"

Sootpaw rested her head against Brightpaw's. "I never said I couldn't do this, hm?"

Brightpaw let out a purr. "I suppose… but won't the other cats see us?"

Sootpaw was suddenly aware of the various warriors milling around in the clearing, staring at the others. She stiffened, worrying that someone had seen them. She quickly flinched away from Brightpaw, worry sparking in her gaze.

Brightpaw was trying to act nonchalant, trying to act like… normal friends. Sootpaw sat like she usually did, her head held high and her tail curled over her paws. She desperately tried to look casual as Brackenflight approached, his gaze fixed on Brightpaw.

"Brightpaw! There you are," Brackenflight called, speeding up to meet the two she-cats. "I've been looking all over for you. I thought you were hunting."

Sootpaw nodded politely to her father. "Hello, Brackenflight."

Brackenflight let out a short purr before turning back to his apprentice. "We're going battle training with Rainstripe."

Brightpaw stood and followed her mentor out of the hollow, leaving Sootpaw alone. The black she-cat padded back into the medicine den.

"Sootpaw! Great StarClan, did it take you that long to check on Adderpaw's leg?"

Sootpaw forced herself to keep a calm voice. "Yes. I talked with Brightpaw and Adderpaw. I barely get to see them anymore."

Hurt flashed in Mousepool's green eyes. "Isn't talking with me good enough for you?"

Sootpaw sat down in her nest and lowered her gaze. "I don't really know," she mewed. "You're… a great cat, but I'm not sure anymore, Mousepool."

The brown tabby she-cat closed her eyes in pain, curling into her nest and refusing to make any contact with Sootpaw.

"I'm really sorry, Mousepool. I thought I loved you, I really did… but I love someone else now…"

Mousepool slowly lifted her head. "I… understand, I think. I was never good enough for you. I should have known that."

Sootpaw shook her head vehemently. "No, Mousepool! You're so nice and caring. It's just… I love someone else. You'll always be my mentor, and I'll always be your apprentice. Nothing, nothing in the world, will change that."

Mousepool turned away from Sootpaw, dismay showing in every movement she made. The black-furred apprentice sighed, leaned forward and licked the back of Mousepool's neck.

"I'm sorry, Mousepool. I thought the truth would be best for both of us."

The brown tabby she-cat curled her tail over her paws, lowering her head.

Sootpaw choked with emotion, quickly hurrying out of the den. She approached the apprentices' den and mewed a flat hello to Adderpaw.

Adderpaw tilted his broad golden brown head. "What's wrong, Sootpaw?"

"Mousepool's mad at me." Well, that wasn't entirely false. "Do you know where Brightpaw is?"

"She's out training with Brackenflight. Did… did she tell you that I… liked her?" Adderpaw asked worriedly.

Sootpaw moved closer to her brother, her eyes shining with apprehension. "She did. She'll get mad at me for telling you this, but I can't hide secrets from my own brother. Promise you won't tell anyone?"

Adderpaw stretched out his injured leg, then leaned down to rasp his tongue over the injury. "I promise."

"She… she said that she was pretending to like you, because... because she said she liked me."

Adderpaw paused his licking and stared up at his sister. "What? That's insane!"

Sootpaw rolled onto her side, her tail swishing over the side of the unused nest. "I know," she mewed. "She really did say that."

Adderpaw blinked, his eyes slowly gaining hatred.

Sootpaw let out a gasp of horror. "Adderpaw, no! You can't immediately hate her! Please," she begged, "talk it out with her."

Adderpaw took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Okay. But I'll be mad…"

"Don't be too hard on her, Adderpaw. Love is a beautiful thing."

Adderpaw closed his eyes with pain. "I loved her. She said she loved me. Brightpaw's a liar!"

Sootpaw thrust her muzzle close to her brother's face. "You better not say that to her face," she hissed. "She can get support, and especially from me, so watch your tongue."

Adderpaw let out a low growl. "Fine. If you see her, tell her I'm looking for her."

Sootpaw nodded curtly and bounded quickly out of the den, anger still boiling in her blood. She stomped across the clearing before she was stopped by Amberstar.

"Sootpaw! Why are you so mad?" he asked softly, resting his tail on her shoulder.

Sootpaw let out a long sigh. "Reasons. Just leave me alone."

Amberstar quietly walked away. At least someone listens to me in this Clan, Sootpaw thought bitterly.

She continued across the clearing and entered the medicine den. Mousepool was sorting herbs at the side of the den and blinked at her apprentice, her eyes dull. "Can you sort these for me?" she whispered before stumbling back to her nest.

Sootpaw sat down and spread out the leaves, quickly placing them in their piles, then stored the piles in the rock. She left the den, tension crackling in the air. Brightpaw was returning from training, looking tired. She bounded over to her friend, happy for once. "Brightpaw! Adderpaw wants to talk to you, in the apprentices' den." She paused, leaned closer to the other apprentice, and added, "It's definitely not good."

Brightpaw blinked her beautiful amber eyes. "Okay."

"I told him not to be too harsh, I hope he listens." Sootpaw sighed, her eyes glowing with worry.

Brightpaw nodded, her neck fur fluffing out, and padded slowly toward the apprentices' den. Sootpaw followed her, blending into the shadows with the help of her dark pelt. She sat beside the wall of the apprentices' den and pressed her ear to the wall to eavesdrop. Adderpaw was glaring at Brightpaw, his fur fluffed up as well.

"Brightpaw, you told me you loved me." Adderpaw's voice was a soft, menacing growl.

"I know! I made a mistake," she sighed, dipping her head. "I like Sootpaw now."

"She told me that. Now how can I trust you when you betrayed me?"

Sootpaw felt her jaw drop. He really said that?

"Please trust me, Adderpaw! I promise I won't lie to you ever again!" Her voice was desperate. "Please! I don't have many friends in this Clan!"

Adderpaw let out a sigh, swishing his tail thoughtfully. "I suppose I can give you one last chance. Just one."

Brightpaw's fur lay flat and blinked at the tom gratefully. "Thank you, Adderpaw." She turned and squeezed out of the den.

Sootpaw was relieved that the two had made up. She didn't like conflict at all. She quietly crept out from behind the apprentices' den and met Brightpaw in the center of the clearing.

"Hey, Brightpaw… I need to talk to you too. If you don't mind." She shrugged nonchalantly.

Brightpaw blinked with surprise. "S-sure. Over here?" She gestured to the shady spot under the rocks again.

"That's good," she purred, padding into the shade, relishing the coolness. Brightpaw settled beside her and gazed out at the camp.

"It's hot today," Brightpaw commented, rolling onto her side.

Sootpaw nodded, doing the same. "It's hotter when you have a dark pelt. You're lucky, Brightpaw!" she joked, laughter sparkling in her blue eyes.

Brightpaw gazed into her friend's eyes. "You're so nice, Sootpaw. That's why I like you," she purred.

Sootpaw paused for a moment. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Brightpaw gulped. "What?"

"I'll be your mate, Brightpaw," Sootpaw announced, keeping her voice low so no one would hear. The Clan was sharing tongues, it was sunset.

Brightpaw's beautiful amber eyes widened. "Really? Oh, Sootpaw, thank you!"

Sootpaw purred, warmth flooding into her icy gaze. "Come on, we'll share tongues and no one will notice."

Brightpaw's eyes lit with amusement. She was going to like this. The she-cats laid down on the grass beside the other cats. Sootpaw leaned forward and smoothed Brightpaw's neck fur. The cream-furred apprentice licked Sootpaw's back.

Blazestorm stared at the two she-cats before going over to Reedwing. The cream warrior blinked at her daughter and padded over to the pair.

"Hello, Brightpaw, Sootpaw!" Reedwing purred, sitting next to them.

Sootpaw looked up, Brightpaw did the same. "Hello, Reedwing," Sootpaw mewed politely, sitting up.

Blazestorm approached them and sat beside his mate. "How's your training, Sootpaw?" he asked, his tail curling around Reedwing's shoulders.

Sootpaw flicked her ears irritably, but carefully hid it from Brightpaw's parents. "It's good. Mousepool's a great teacher. I've learned a lot from her."

Reedwing nodded with approval. "That's great. I'm happy you're doing so well. Are you hanging around with Brightpaw very much?"

"Er… yeah, I am," Sootpaw mewed, grinning falsely.

"Sorry," Blazestorm interrupted apologetically. "We'll leave you two alone." He nudged Reedwing to her paws and led her away.

Brightpaw sighed with relief. "StarClan thank Blazestorm," she murmured.

Sootpaw rumbled with agreement. "Where were we?"

Brightpaw purred, going back to licking Sootpaw's sleek black fur.

The Clan was breaking up and heading for their dens. Sootpaw groaned with frustration and got up, her tail flicking angrily. Brightpaw rested her tail-tip on Sootpaw's shoulder. "Tomorrow," she whispered in Sootpaw's ear.

Sootpaw calmed down and walked Brightpaw to her den. "Goodnight," she mewed.

"Night," Brightpaw yawned.

Sootpaw turned and bounded back into the medicine den. Mousepool turned to face her apprentice, her ears flattened. "Came to yell at me, huh?"

Sootpaw jumped, startled. "N-no, I wasn't going to say anything."

"Sure," Mousepool scoffed.

"I don't want it to be like this!" Sootpaw meowed, her eyes wide and distraught.

Mousepool paused and stared into Sootpaw's eyes. "Oh, really? Then why did you say mean things to me?"

"I-I never!" Sootpaw protested.

Mousepool sighed, swishing her tail. "I suppose I exaggerated. I'm sorry I was so mean, Sootpaw. We'll just be, mentor and apprentice again…"

Sootpaw nodded, curling into her nest. She closed her icy eyes and let sleep overtake her.

.

The black she-cat woke the next morning. Mousepool was asleep beside her. She blinked away sleep and looked up into Brightpaw's wide amber eyes. Sootpaw jumped with surprise, but Brightpaw shoved her tail across the medicine apprentice's muzzle.

"Shh," Brightpaw whispered. "Come with me."

Sootpaw scrambled out of her nest and bounded out into the forest. The two she-cats' paws crunched on the pebbles of the lakeshore.

"I didn't want to wait until tonight to share tongues with you," Brightpaw explained. "So I thought we could share tongues before the Clan wakes up."

Sootpaw backed up the lakeshore until the grass met the pebbles. She laid down on the grass and watched the dawn light shine on the lake. Brightpaw settled beside her and began to groom Sootpaw's sleep-ruffled fur.

The two apprentices shared tongues silently for a while before they heard pawsteps coming through the forest. Sootpaw quickly sat up and curled her tail around her paws. "Someone's coming," she whispered frantically.

Brightpaw stiffened and did the same, gazing out at the lake. A patrol burst out of the ferns, Amberstar in the lead. Sootpaw quickly turned around. "Amberstar? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same," Amberstar retorted. "We're the dawn patrol."

Brackenflight and Rabbitclaw followed their leader out onto the lakeshore.

Brightpaw stepped forward. "I love to see the dawn light on the lake. I was too scared to go alone, so I brought Sootpaw."

Amberstar snorted and led the patrol back through the forest, heading for the LeafClan border.

Sootpaw frowned. "We should get back to camp."

Brightpaw got up and followed the black she-cat through the forest and back to the camp. Sootpaw quietly slipped back into her den and into her nest. Mousepool was still asleep.

Meanwhile, Brightpaw walked into the apprentices' den. Adderpaw was awake, eating a mouse in his nest. He looked up at Brightpaw.

"Hi, Brightpaw. I heard you get out of your nest early." His voice was suspicious.

"Yeah, I did. I like to see the dawn light on the lake," Brightpaw replied, curling back into her mossy nest.

Adderpaw was surprised. He thought Brightpaw would sneak out with Sootpaw, but no. "I like it too," he murmured, taking another bite from his mouse. "I hope my leg heals soon."

Brightpaw gazed over the edge of her nest at Adderpaw. "I hope so too. I have no apprentices to train with anymore, so I have to train with Rabbitclaw." Her mew was laced with amusement.

Adderpaw rumbled with laughter. "It won't be long now."

Brightpaw huffed and fell silent, gazing out of the den entrance absently.

Back in the medicine den, Sootpaw was restless, gazing over the herb stores again and again and reciting the names and uses for them until Mousepool woke up.

The brown tabby she-cat groomed her fur and moved down to her crippled leg. She rasped her tongue over the scarred flesh a few times before looking up. "Morning, Sootpaw."

The black-furred apprentice pretended to blink sleep from her eyes. "Morning. It's almost sunhigh."

Mousepool rose to her paws and quickly scanned the herb stores. "We can do some battle and hunting training today. You've learned all the herbs I know, so why bother?"

Sootpaw nodded, unable to feel amusement. "Shall we start now?"

Mousepool nodded, leading her apprentice out of the den. They went into the forest and came to the mossy clearing, the place where ThunderClan cats trained when they still had that name.

Not waiting for an order, Sootpaw launched herself at her mentor, wrestling Mousepool to the ground, holding her with her forepaws, and battered Mousepool's belly with sheathed hind paws. She nimbly leaped off Mousepool and scurried up a tree.

Mousepool looked up at her apprentice in surprise. She didn't even see it coming until it hit her. "You're… doing great, Sootpaw. I'll teach you how to hunt now."

"Actually, Mousepool, I had a dream where I hunted. I'm sure I'll be fine."

The surprised expression on Mousepool's face was amazing. Sootpaw laughed and climbed the tree higher, quickly scenting a squirrel. She leaped gracefully up the branches, which were dipping slightly under her weight, and knocked the squirrel from the branch. It plummeted to the ground, the fall probably killing it. She leaped back down the tree, landing softly on the grass.

The fall had indeed killed the squirrel, and Sootpaw picked up her prize with a smug expression. Mousepool silently followed her apprentice back to camp.

As they came through the camp entrance, Brightpaw bounded up to her. "Sootpaw! Did you catch that?"

Sootpaw dropped her plump squirrel. "Yes, I did! It was easy," she purred, nudging it onto the fresh-kill pile.

Mousepool touched her muzzle to Sootpaw's head briefly. "Good work today," she murmured.

"Thanks," Sootpaw meowed flatly, watching Mousepool limp off to her den. She turned to Brightpaw and discreetly brushed her tail-tip along the cream she-cat's cheek. "Let's go hunting," she whispered.

Brightpaw bounded along at her side as their pelts swished through the ferns. The forest was bathed in the greenleaf lushness. Sootpaw paused, her ears perked. "I hear something!" she breathed, her voice barely audible.

Brightpaw's fur fluffed out excitedly. "It's a mouse."

Sootpaw crept through the ferns, her body falling smoothly into the hunters' crouch. She spotted the mouse, which was eating a seed from a nearby tree. The black she-cat leaped and caught the mouse between her forepaws. She cleanly nipped its spine and stood up straight, the mouse dangling from her jaws.

Brightpaw stood wide-eyed. "You're a natural, Sootpaw! You'd have been a great warrior. But you're a great medicine cat too!" she exclaimed, in awe.

"It's not too late to change," Sootpaw reminded her friend quietly.

Brightpaw nodded and padded to Sootpaw's side, letting their fur brush. "Are you really going to change?"

Sootpaw sat down, dropping the mouse. "I-I think so…"

Brightpaw curled her tail around Sootpaw's shoulders. "I'll support you, whatever decision you make," she whispered, barely a breath in Sootpaw's ear.

"I'll have to tell Mousepool. I'm sure she won't care. She's already mad at me, even if she doesn't show it."

"Come on," Brightpaw urged. "The faster we get back to camp, the faster you can start your warrior training."

Sootpaw picked up her mouse and hared away into the trees. Brightpaw purred with laughter and followed, lengthening her stride to catch up. They quickly reached the camp, and they padded in casually, Sootpaw dropping her mouse on the fresh-kill pile.

Brightpaw turned to murmur to her friend. "Just suck it up and tell Mousepool. She won't care, remember? Then we can tell Amberstar, okay?"

Sootpaw swallowed hard and walked into the medicine den. "Mousepool? I need to talk to you, it's urgent."

Mousepool looked up, a spark of hope in her eyes. Sootpaw ignored the pang inside her that told her she would be erasing Mousepool's tiny flicker of hope forever.

"I want to be a warrior," she announced, pushing away all feelings of doubt. This is what she wanted.

Mousepool closed her eyes in pain. "A-are you sure?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"Yes, Mousepool, I'm sure."

Mousepool opened her eyes, her ears now flattened. "Why are you doing this? Do you have a grudge against me all of a sudden? What did I ever do to you?"

Sootpaw stayed calm, gazing confidently at Mousepool. "You did nothing to me. My wish is to be a warrior. So will you grant me that wish, or leave me in a world of sadness?"

"I… I suppose you can talk to Amberstar," Mousepool replied, the last glow of light leaving her eyes.

The black she-cat nodded politely and whisked out of her old den. She knew, with another pang of sadness, that she had broken Mousepool's heart forever. She flicked her tail at Brightpaw, and the cream apprentice came bounding over.

"Let's go to Amberstar now," Sootpaw murmured, bounding up the pile of rocks that led to the Highledge. She announced her arrival at the den with a stomp of her paw.

"Come in!" Amberstar called.

Sootpaw continued forward, facing the golden leader. "Hello. I have decided that I would like to become a warrior."

Amberstar tilted his head. "Okay. Have you asked Mousepool?"

"Yes, I have. She said it would be okay."

"Very well. Go tell Rabbitclaw that I said he's your mentor now," Amberstar meowed decisively, swishing his tail.

Sootpaw dipped her head and raced across the camp, Brightpaw bounding along beside her. They arrived at the warriors' den. Sootpaw poked her head in, scanning the sleeping cats. She spotted Rabbitclaw and quietly weaved among the cats until she reached the dusky brown warrior.

"Rabbitclaw?" she whispered, nudging him with a paw.

The young tom opened his green eyes. "Sootpaw? What are you doing in here?"

"Amberstar wanted to tell you that I'm your apprentice now."

Rabbitclaw got to his paws and led the way out of the den. "Very well. Would you like to start training now?"

Sootpaw followed, nodding to Brightpaw. "I… maybe tomorrow, instead. Is that okay?"

Rabbitclaw nodded. "It's fine. Go make yourself a nest in the apprentices' den.

Sootpaw shrugged, padding off with Brightpaw at her side. They went into the apprentices' den and Sootpaw shaped a nest with some of the moss and bracken.

Adderpaw looked at his sister questioningly. "Is Mousepool mad at you for something?" he asked.

"No," she responded firmly. "I decided to be a warrior apprentice. Rabbitclaw's my mentor."

Adderpaw nodded. "Cool- wait, then you can't heal me anymore?"

"I didn't say I couldn't heal you," Sootpaw pointed out quietly. "I… wanted to escape from Mousepool. She looks at me as if… she wants to kill me."

Brightpaw rested her tail-tip on her friend's shoulder. "I'm sure she doesn't want to kill you. She's just… mad that you didn't like her after all."

Adderpaw sat up. "What? Mousepool liked you?"

Sootpaw sat down and curled her tail around her paws. "Yes. She did like me. A lot, and I mean a lot. It got a little creepy… so I ended it. She was so mad."

Brightpaw pressed her cheek to her friend's. "It must have been hard for her, but it was a little creepy."

Adderpaw sighed. "I think that's weird too... Maybe we could set up a guard each night so Mousepool doesn't, you know, come in and hurt Sootpaw."

"I don't think that'll be necessary. She isn't that treacherous, unless I've never noticed…" Sootpaw shuddered, for the first time feeling fear.

Brightpaw pressed against her friend comfortingly. "If she hurts you, we'll kill her, I promise."

Adderpaw frowned. "We can't kill our own Clan's medicine cat. Maybe we should tell Amberstar."

"I think," Sootpaw put in, "we should just go to sleep and worry about this tomorrow. I'm tired, and I have my first training session tomorrow morning."

"I agree!" Brightpaw purred, curling up in her nest. "I have training too."

Adderpaw sighed with exasperation. "I don't have training, and I'm not tired, so I'll just sit here, I guess?"

Sootpaw snorted. "You should at least get some rest, Adderpaw," she meowed, curling into her own nest.

Adderpaw sighed, carefully tucking his injured leg close to his body. "Fine. I will."

Sootpaw snuggled down into her nest and closed her eyes, already excited for the next day, when she would train as a warrior apprentice for the first time.

So, hope you enjoyed, and stay tuned for the next chapter. Make sure to leave a review.