A/N: I'm getting through this faster than I thought I would. Okay, well here you go! Another chapter!

Jayfeather's Temporary Apprentice

"Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Firestar yowled as Jayfeather led his brother, Alse, and Dovepaw into the camp.

"Good timing Jayfeather." Lionblaze commented. He and his apprentice took a seat near the back of the group. Jayfeather shook his head and motioned for Alse to follow him.

"Firestar was waiting for you wasn't he?" She asked the blind medicine cat. Jayfeather only nodded. Alse looked at him and then up at Firestar. The ginger tom was watching her as every cat came out and sat around him.

Jayfeather threaded his way to his leader and snapped, "Come on Sun." He sat by the base of the ledge his leader stood on. Alse took a step back and bound forward. She leaped over several cats and landed soundlessly beside the medicine cat.

Some cats began to whisper in awe. "And for your information, medicine cat," Alse snapped, "My name is Alse." Jayfeather just looked at her and nodded to his leader. Alse sat grudgingly beside Jayfeather.

Firestar's yowl brought silence to the Clan. "I told you all this morning that Jayfeather had had a vision about five rouges." He paused and glanced at the rouge, "Jayfeather brought back the leader of the group. She didn't make it here by herself so we won't all die!"

"Yet." Jayfeather muttered. Alse glared at him and stood up.

"Pardon me," She said as politely as her angry would allow, which made her snap at them, "But we weren't going to kill you all. We wanted to know if we would get a chance to meet the great Firestar and his family. Cloudtail, Jayfeather, Lionblaze, Dovepaw, Ivypaw, Leafpool, and Squirrelflight."

Firestar flinched, "My daughters, their kits, and grandkits?" He asked after a moment.

"Oh I'm sorry if I hit a nerve," Alse said with a viscous smile, "But yes. Your family has an odd Prophecy around it. Not just the Fire will save the Clans one, but the Power of Three and Female Fury... Oh wait! You don't have any clues about that last one." She laughed, "Opps, and I told Ilce not to give anything away."

Firestar blinked in astonishment, "Umm, okay then." He looked around at his Clan, "Anyway this rouge... what's your name?"

Alse stood up taller, "My name is Alse."

"Alright." Firestar meowed, "This rouge, Alse, has joined our Clan as a prisoner like Yellowfang had so long ago." The Clan bowed their heads.

"What if she becomes part of the Clan?" One warrior asked. Alse turned and saw that it was Cloudtail. He puffed up his chest and looked at her, "What will happen then Firestar?"

Firestar shook his head, "That is very unlikely." Alse just smiled to herself and sat back down. "We need to make a nest for her."

"I'm not a bird!" Alse said automatically, "I'm sorry but its a thing with my group: we don't call them nests. Plus I'm not a kit, I can make my own bed."

Firestar exchanged glances with his Deputy, "You sound like a cat from Clans of old." Brambleclaw said. "How old are you?"

Alse lowered her head and mumbled, "Eight moons." Jayfeather looked shocked and Sandstorm fell over. Firestar looked surprised and Brambleclaw was speechless.

"Only eight?" Brambleclaw asked. Alse nodded slowly, "Damn! Your young."

"And she fights like a freaking senor warrior." Cloudtail muttered.

"Don't you mean avoid warriors like I'm a senor?" She asked lifting her eyes to glare at him. Cloudtail lowered his head. Alse's laugh rang out through the camp, "You cower to a mere... apprentice aged she-cat?"

Jayfeather laid his tail along Alse's flank, "Hush before you get in trouble." He snapped, "StarClan your annoying."

"Look who's talking." She snapped back. He moved his tail away and shook his head.

"Oh great!" Squirrelflight gripped, "A female Jayfeather." The other cats laughed. "Come on Brambleclaw, let's get bedding for the grouch." She got up and her mate followed her.

Alse crawled under the ledge and lay comfortably in the crack on the side, "If its okay with you, Firestar, I'll sleep here."

Firestar hopped off the ledge and the cats went back to what they were doing. "If it rains or anything you will be in the medicine cat den, understand?" He meowed.

Jayfeather and Alse both looked shocked but she managed a "Yes sir." and Firestar walked away. Jayfeather and Alse just sat there in shock. "In your den?"

Jayfeather nodded and shock his head, "It's going to rain soon anyway so I'll pick out a nest for you in my den."

"Damn it!" Alse said, "I don't want a tom to pick out my bed for me! I'm not a helpless queen!"

Jayfeather smiled, "I was going to make you sleep in one of the sickly beds, but if you prefer you can sleep in the apprentice's bed."

"The medicine cat apprentice's bed?" Alse said, "You don't have an apprentice?" She stood. Jayfeather could tell she was shuffling her paws, "Could I... umm... Could I be your part-time apprentice?"

Jayfeather's gray head turned toward the leader's den where Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw where talking with Firestar. "Hang on." He told her. She nodded and Jayfeather walked over to his aunt, uncle, and grandfather.

Firestar and his family glanced at Jayfeather, "No need to get her bedding, she'll be staying in my den." They all just looked at him. "She wants to learn how to be a medicine cat, but I told her I was going to ask first."

Firestar looked at the black rouge. She was watching with a worried glint in her eyes. "Go ahead and let her, but be careful and don't tell her any secrets."

Jayfeather nodded and flicked his tail, "Come on Sun." He bound over to his den and Alse followed closely behind him.

"It's Alse!" She snapped. Jayfeather smiled and pointed with his nose.

"The herbs are back there, my bed is over there and you will sleep there." He pointed to a dark hole in the wall, then a small alcove, and then a shadowed indent. He turned his face in her direction, "And you will not go by your name after a moon."

Alse stepped back, "What do you mean?" She asked looking astonished. He just smiled and went into the herb area.

When he came back out he had a few herbs, "What are they?" He asked. There were bumpy brown seeds, small pink flowers, and dark red berries.

Alse smelled each one. The seeds smelled like poppies, the flowers were intoxicating, and the berries smelled delicious. "Poppy seeds, catnip, and... deathberries?" She asked.

"Yep." Jayfeather said, "So you know herbs, but can you use them?"

"No. I've accidentally poisoned Ilce... but luckily Icron knew what do to about poison." Alse said remembering her best friend's death call.

Jayfeather frowned, "Okay then." He said hesitantly, "We have work to do."