Rusty yowled as he was barreled over, staring in surprise at the gray tom that now stood over him. Grunting, he thrust his head forward and hit the tom's, sending him reeling back.

The tom shook his head, blinking a few times to regain his vision after being headbutted. Seeming calmer, he sat down and smiled at the ginger. "Hiya! What's a kittypet like you doing here?"

Hesitant to answer, Rusty felt his fur rise. "Why'd you attack me? And why are you acting so calm about it now!?"

Snorting, the gray cat flicked his tail. "You're on ThunderClan territory, that's why! You don't seem like much of a threat, though. You're lucky I'm the one that found you, you know. If my mentor, Lionheart, were here he would've torn a scrap like you to shreds."

Rusty's eyes widened, his fur bristling further.

Tilting his head, the wild cat smiled reassuringly. "He's not here now, though. He's back a little ways with Bluestar, my leader."

"Are we?" The large golden tom stepped out from the forest and into the clearing, a gray-blue she-cat close behind. "Who is this, Graypaw?"

Graypaw's eyes widened as he spun, plastering an awkward smile onto his face. "Lionheart! Uhh, this is nobody. He's just a kittypet I was telling to leave." He turned his head, emphasizing the last word to Rusty.

Bluestar stepped around the young tom, eyeing the kittypet. "And what's your name, kittypet? Why are you here?"

Raising his head, his eyes sparked defiance despite his fear. "Rusty. I wanted to see the forest and look for wild cats."

Lionheart tilted his head, looking at Rusty. "Why might you be looking for wild cats, Rusty?"

He smiled, though tense. "Because I want to join them! I've grown restless as a kittypet. I've been having dreams of the forest and I'd like to leave my old life behind."

Bluestar's brows raised, seeming surprised. "Dreams of the forest, you say? Well, Rusty. Life here isn't like your twoleg home. We fight for survival every day. In leaf-bare, cats go hungry. Do you really want to live like that?"

Rusty refused to hesitate, feeling that any sign of weakness would show he wasn't certain. "Yes. I don't want an easy, pampered life. I'd like to earn my place in ThunderClan, was it?"

Lionheart nodded, his eyes glittering thoughtfully. "I see. Bluestar?"

She tipped her head to the side, eyeing the ginger. "Yes. Rusty, if you are so sure of your choice then I think we will allow you a chance. Come, we will see how the Clan receives you."

Rusty brightened, a little surprised, and nodded.

The leader turned, flicking her tail for the three cats to follow as she lead the way back to the ThunderClan camp.

Graypaw trotted beside the kittypet, his tail high. "Rusty, huh? That's an odd name."

Rusty blinked, nodding once. "I suppose it's a kittypet name? It's a little strange, I guess."

Lionheart fell back a little to speak with the young tom. "If you are accepted, Bluestar will change your name. I do doubt that the Clan would be happy to see you though, Rusty. Most cats who live in the wild resent kittypets for allowing twolegs to rule them in exchange for food and shelter. Kittypets are frowned upon."

Bluestar called from ahead, her fur shining in the scattered sunlight. "We're just about there."

Rusty's eyes widened as they entered the camp, the scents of cats hitting his nose strongly. His fur prickled as cats eyes landed on him, eyeing him with suspicious curiosity.

The she-cat leapt onto a pile of rocks near one end of the clearing, yowling for the Clan to gather together. She beckoned the ginger forward. "This newleaf has been hard. Not all the prey has returned and there are too few kits in the nursery. ThunderClan need more cats. I have found a cat willing to train as a ThunderClan warrior."

"Lucky to, you mean!" A lanky tom pushed through the crowd of cats, glaring at the newcomer. "Look at that collar! He's just a kittypet."

Lionheart leaned down, his deep voice a low murmur in the young cat's ear. "He smells your fear, your weaknesses. They all do."

Rusty lifted his head, standing to face the tom. "I've left that life behind me. I'm prepared to face the hardships of life in the wild."

The tom sneered, his long tail lashing. "You wouldn't last one battle." He looked back up at Bluestar, growling. "He's just another mouth to feed! We don't need this scrap of fur!" Looking back at the ginger, the tom hissed before leaping.

Rusty screeched as the cat's claws tore into his pelt, desperately swiping with the claws of a cat new to life.

Chuckling, the tom lunged for his throat, finding the kittypet collar in his jaws. Rearing back, his eyes glittered with malice as the collar choked the young cat. He suddenly felt it snap and failed to regain his balance as he fell back.

A tortoiseshell she-cat stood over the bleeding tom, her claws sheathing after having cut off the collar. She snarled at the tom, eyes wild with rage. "Longtail! This tom is only just old enough to become an apprentice, much less old enough to fight!" She looked up at Bluestar, her eyes glittering with wisdom beyond her years. "This cat has been sent to us by more than just desire to live as a wild cat. A moon ago, I received a vision from StarClan that I now know the meaning of."

Bluestar's eyes widened as she jumped down to face the she-cat. "You think that was about this cat?"

She dipped her head, brows furrowed. "He is not a fighter, that is clear. I believe StarClan sent him to become my apprentice."

Gasps rang around the clearing.

Longtail staggered to his paws, eyes wide in disbelief. "This cat? A medicine cat apprentice? You must be joking, Spottedleaf!"

Shaking her head, the she-cat bent over to inspect the ginger's wounds. "StarClan have decided that, Longtail. He answered the call." She carefully picked Rusty up, nodding to Bluestar. "Once he is recovered he may have the ceremony. For now, he needs to let the bleeding stop." She winced as she felt blood drip past her shoulders, quickly moving to take the tom to her den."

Bluestar watched them go for a moment before nodding and taking her spot atop the rock once more. "It is decided then. He will be joining our ranks as Spottedleaf's apprentice. Dismissed." She jumped down, heading for the medicine den to speak with the she-cat inside.

...

Rusty groaned, regaining consciousness as he blinked awake.

Spottedleaf quickly returned to his side, consoling him with her feathery tail. "It's alright, little one. You're in the medicine den."

He took a deep breath, hissing as his wounds stung from being stretched. "What happened?"

She growled, glaring past him towards the clearing. "Longtail decided to attack you. He left fairly deep wounds, but you'll be alright. They've stopped bleeding and show no signs of infection. You've been asleep all night."

Nodding, Rusty tried to sit up. He struggled, but got there after a little help from the she-cat.

Spottedleaf eyed him, tail flicking. "Why did you decide to come to the forest, young one?"

He blinked, tail flicking. "I was having dreams of the forest and.. I felt like I belonged out here. More than a house, anyways."

She purred, eyes bright. "I was right, then. I believe our ancestors, StarClan, summoned you to the forest to join us." She sat, her tail curling around her paws. "Bluestar and I discussed it and we believe you're meant to train under me as a medicine cat."

Tilting his head, Rusty blinked. "What's a medicine cat?"

Pausing, she chuckled. "I am one, for example. We are the healers of the Clan and the interpreters of StarClan. We connect the Clans to their ancestors and, somewhat, to each other."

Rusty's eyes widened in awe, his mouth open. "So you think I'm supposed to become one too?"

Spottedleaf nodded, nudging him up. "Exactly. Anyways, if you're able to walk out, we should have your ceremony. You need to recieve your clan name, after all."

He staggered to his paws, leaning against her as they padded into the clearing.

Bluestar sat over the body of a small black tom, her eyes dark with grief.

Spottedleaf stiffened, telling him to stay where he was as she bounded over, inspecting the body.

A large tabby and a tom with a ginger tail entered, their pelts littered with wounds.

The tabby growled, his eyes dark as he glared at the black body. "He was wounded by RiverClan. I suppose it was too much."

The second tom dipped his head, tail waving slightly. "He fought bravely, but he was too young for battle. Ravenpaw will be missed.

Bluestar stood, tearing her gaze from the body and passing over Rusty before she turned to jump onto the rockpile, calling the Clan together.

Spottedleaf returned to Rusty's side, guiding him towards the front of the gathered crowd.

Sighing, Bluestar addressed the Clan. "RiverClan attacked a border patrol at Sunningrocks. They were driven away, but Ravenpaw died from his wounds. We mourn him, and regret that he has passed so early in his small life. Redtail and I will discuss how to move forward with RiverClan. We will proceed as best we can and will show the other clans no weakness. Yesterday, a young tom joined the Clan and Spottedleaf revealed to us that he was sent to ThunderClan by StarClan. Rusty, step forward."

He got up with a helpful nudge from Spottedleaf, carefully padding forward to stand at the base of the rocks.

She looked down at him, eyes narrowed and reflecting something Rusty couldn't identify. "Is it your wish, young tom, to walk the path of StarClan as a medicine cat apprentice?"

Rusty nodded, his eyes sparkling. "It is."

Bluestar dipped her head. "Then you will be known as Firepaw, until you have completed your training and receive your full medicine cat name. Spottedleaf will, soon, take you to Highstones to present you as her apprentice to StarClan."

Firepaw purred as he touched noses with his new mentor, the medic giving him a fond look.

Nodding, Bluestar dismissed the clan and jumped down to stand beside Spottedleaf, looking down at the new apprentice. "The half-moon only just passed, so it'll be nearly an entire moon before you are received by StarClan. Until then, you will learn the ways of healing."

Spottedleaf led the tom back to their den, still supporting his more wounded side. "For now, you will learn the herbs and their uses. I'll teach you as we work, and by the time the half-moon comes around you will be able to heal an injured cat."

Firepaw sat back in his nest, watching the she-cat as she prepared herbs to change out the poultice on his injuries.

She spoke as she gathered herbs and webs together. "I'm using a mix of goldenrod and horsetail to ward off infection. The cobweb keeps it in place and keeps your wounds from bleeding out." She padded over with a small bundle, dropping them at his paws. "Chew these together while I clear away the old poultice."

He wrinkled his nose at the taste but chewed anyways, putting it on the wounds when he was instructed to.

Spottedleaf carefully applied the cobweb and nodded. "Alright. You'll have those off tomorrow, but you should still be careful about reopening those. For now, you'll learn the smells and names of each herb so that once I show you the territory and the best places to get the plants, you can track them down."

Firepaw moved to sit beside his mentor as she pointed out each herb, trying to commit each one to memory.