Disclaimer: I don't own warriors – if I did Firestar wouldn't be such a Mary-Sue OvO

Chapter 3

Pumpkin groggily opened her eyes, only to shut them as light flooded into them. Slowly, she managed to wake herself up and look at her surroundings.

It appeared to be an earthy hollow, and was filled with different herbs and leaves. Pumpkin wondered how she got here, but then, as she tried to move, she remembered her shoulder.

It had cobwebs stuck to it for a reason she couldn't place, but it felt much better than before.

"Feeling better?" Pumpkin jumped as she heard a tom's voice. She turned to see Owlclaw was sitting a little way off.

Surprised that she hadn't noticed him and that he was here she simply nodded and turned away awkwardly.

Owlclaw sighed and left the hollow and Pumpkin stared after him, observing the strong muscles under his sleek tabby coat.

Just then another tom walked in, but he was much smaller, with a tabby coat. He was carrying more herbs in his mouth. Pumpkin tried to sit up but the small tom stopped her.

"Don't move - you'll open the wound again." He said matter-of-fact.

Pumpkin realized that this cat must be an experienced healer, and he didn't seem hostile at all.

"Um…where am I?" She asked timidly.

"You're in the Shadowclan Medicine-Cat's den." He replied, his back turned because he was putting herbs away.

Pumpkin cocked her head to one side, not understanding a word of that, but didn't question him again.

The tom sighed, "I'm called Littlecloud. I'm the Medicine-Cat."

"Wh-what is a Medicine-Cat?" Pumpkin asked, worried that she might offend, but Littlecloud didn't seem to mind.

"It's a cat who heals their clan members when they're injured, and they also receive messages from Starclan."

"Wh-" Pumpkin started but Littlecloud cut her off

"Starclan is our warrior ancestors. They live in the stars and when we die, we go to Starclan to help our past clan, by speaking through the Medicine-Cat and leader with signs and prophecies."

Pumpkin nodded; she had managed to understand that, though the thought that you lived in the stars when you died seemed a little far-fetched.

"You mentioned Shadowclan…is that where I am now?" She asked Littlecloud, who had finished putting away his herbs.

"Yes, there are four clans, Shadowclan, Thunderclan, Windclan and Riverclan surrounding this lake. Well, what used to be a lake…" he sighed

"Isn't it a lake anymore?"

"It's practically gone with the heat wave. Dried up, but Firestar, the Thunderclan leader, seems to think there's something blocking it." He said and it was obvious that he didn't agree with 'Firestar'.

Suddenly Pumpkin realized she recognized that name, the group of Shadowclan cats that found her were talking about how stupid he was.

"Who's the Shadowclan leader?" She wondered

"Blackstar. He's a big white tom with black paws."

"Why is he called 'Blackstar' if he's white?" Pumpkin questioned

"He used to be called Blackfoot." Littlecloud meowed and Pumpkin was really confused; why did he change his name?

Littlecloud, recognizing her confusion said "Names show what rank in a clan you are, so kits always have the word 'kit' after their first name, apprentices, er cats training to be warriors or Medicine-Cats, have 'paw' after their name, then warriors, deputies and Medicine-Cats have any word that the leader chooses after their name. And all leaders have 'star' after their name."

I guess it makes a bit of sense, but still…it must be confusing having your name changed all the time!

Littlecloud sighed again and went back to sorting herbs, and Pumpkin lied down again to sleep.

Just then, a handsome flaming orange tom walked in.

"Littlecloud! Crowfrost snagged a claw and is refusing to move. Oh, hey, uh…" the ginger tom looked at Pumpkin, clearly wondering her name.

"Pumpkin." She said and the tom nodded.

"Hey, I'm Flametail. Littlecloud!" he turned his attention to the small tabby and they both left.

Pumpkin sighed. Life here was weird. She couldn't wait till she could return home. Suddenly she remembered that she didn't know where home was. She was lost…

So tempting to leave it here… but nah!

Pumpkin lifted her head as she heard a cat walk into the Medicine-Cat's den. It was that pure white she-cat who she remembered as Snowbird.

"Hi, feeling better?" Surprised that the beautiful she-cat should care about her, Pumpkin answered,

"Um, yes, much better thanks. Why is Shadowclan looking after me?" she asked

"You would've died out there, and although the Warrior Code says we can kill to win our battles if the cat is outside of the clans, you're a kitty-pet and therefore we wouldn't call it a battle." She said, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"What's the Warrior Code?" Pumpkin asked, surprised that the same cats that attacked her would then look after her till she was better.

"It's a list of rules that all cats in the forest follow. There are 15 altogether." Snowbird told her.

"What are they?" Pumpkin asked, intrigued.

"You don't need to know, you're not a warrior." Snowbird dismissed and Pumpkin realized that she was becoming too interested in these wild cats.

Her fur prickling with embarrassment, she lied her head down and pretended to fall asleep. Snowbird left and Pumpkin opened her eyes again.

She licked the cobwebs off her wound but stopped as Flametail walked in again.

"Oh don't! Ah no actually you can, it's stopped bleeding." He said and was followed by Littlecloud and a tuxedo tom.

"Prince?" Pumpkin said but then immediately shut up as she realized that this was Crowfrost, the cat who had snagged a claw.

The gruff black and white tom stumbled in, limping slightly,

"I don't need any help! It's just a snagged claw, honestly!" he grumbled

"Yes but it could be infected." Littlecloud said, "Sit there next to Pumpkin."

Crowfrost then looked at Pumpkin with a look of disgust.

"Pumpkin? What sort of name is that?" He meowed as he slowly sat down

"It's better than Crowfrost." She spoke clearly as to make sure he heard her.

"My name shows that I am a warrior! Your name shows you're a kitty-pet, and that's something to be ashamed of!" Although his words were harsh, he spoke them in an almost teasing tone.

But still, that didn't change the fact that Pumpkin was hurt, but she ignored it. She knew that although kitty-pets seemed pathetic to them, they were probably just jealous.

But despite her thoughts, Pumpkin still had a nagging feeling that they were right.

Okah there you go! If I'm slow in updating, it's because I'm working on an animation at the mo :D Just worked out how to use Sony Vegas!

Oh, also I was wondering if you needed a list of allegiances?

Anyway, please take a small amount of time to review! Even if it's just one word! Thank you!

-Hollymist