Disclaimer: I based the Clan structure on the Warriors books by Erin Hunter.

Thanks again for reading my story.

Special thanks to Leopardpaw! You made my day!

Now here is the next chapter. Enjoy and please review.

Chapter 7

Falconstar led her sister and the ForestClan deputy into her den. The black-and-ginger she-cat sat down comfortably in her nest and gestured the other two cats to sit down as well. Talonwing looked around the Clan leader's den and then decided to stay closer to the entrance where he sat down.

"Well, Talonwing. Why did you come here today?" Falconstar asked the ForestClan deputy.

"There is something I wanted to discuss with you. Both of you actually." The black tom glanced between Falconstar and her deputy.

"It's about Cloudkit, isn't it? I saw how you eyed her before coming to my den." The black-and-ginger Clan leader continued. Hawkfeather had crouched beside her sister, but Falconstar could see that she wanted to rush to her mate. She nudged her sister and pointed to Talonwing.

"Go to him. I know that's what would you wanted to do since he came to the camp." Hawkfeather gave Falconstar a quick lick between the ears and walked to sit with her mate. Talonwing pressed his muzzle into the black she-cat's fur and purred; then he ran his tongue lovingly over her ears while Hawkfeather pushed her pelt to his.

"Now, if you would tell me what you wanted to discuss, Talonwing." Falconstar pressed.

"Well, it's about Cloudkit. I have been thinking about what will happen when she is apprenticed and then became a warrior. Right now there is no tension between our Clans, but what if that changes. I don't think I could fight against my own daughter."

"Perhaps the two of you should have thought about that before you became mates."

"Please, Falconstar, don't blame us now for falling in love." Hawkfeather looked at her sister.

"But you broke the warrior code. Maybe that's your punishment from StarClan."

"Our warrior ancestors wouldn't punish Cloudkit, would they?" Talonwing mewed. "If she knew I was her father she wouldn't want to fight against me either."

"Cloudkit doesn't know who her father is. We will tell her when she is old enough." Falconstar mewed sternly before Hawkfeather could reply.

"She might find out herself. Even you noticed that she looks a bit like Talonwing." Hawkfeather told her sister.

"Please don't remind me of that. It gives me nightmares. What if our Clanmates notice it, too?" Falconstar mewed, her eyes clouded with worry.

"Erm, that's why I came here." Talonwing started again. The MeadowClan cats had interrupted his speech. "I was thinking, maybe Cloudkit could become a medicine cat. That way we wouldn't meet in battle."

"A medicine cat?" Falconstar shifted her paws on the ground and thought about the tom's proposal for a moment. "Grasswhisker is getting old. Perhaps he would agree to mentor her. Hawkfeather, go to his den and call him. We might as well ask him right away."

The black she-cat dipped her head and left her Clan leader's den. A few moments later she returned with the black-and-white medicine cat. The old tom briefly glanced at Talonwing and seemed to understand what they meant to discuss with him.

"I guess, this is about Cloudkit." Grasswhisker mewed. "She will remain in MeadowClan, Talonwing."

"Of course, she will stay with her mother. I didn't come to claim her for ForestClan." The young deputy told Grasswhisker.

"Talonwing proposed that Cloudkit becomes your apprentice, when she is old enough. As a medicine cat, she wouldn't need to fight against her father if there should ever be a battle between our Clans." Falconstar explained.

"Oh, you want her to be my apprentice." Grasswhisker seemed genuinely surprised by her words. "Hawkfeather, what do you think about this?"

"I think it would be a good solution. I don't want Talonwing to have to battle against our daughter. If she became your apprentice, Grasswhisker, they would never have to. Medicine cats hold a special position within the warrior code. They stand aside from any Clan rivalry."

"Yes, that is true." The black-and-white tom sat down and thought about what they he had just heard. He watched Talonwing for a moment; the black tom seemed mortified by the mere thought of fighting a battle to death with his daughter. However, he doubted that there would be any conflict between their Clans. If at all they would have problems with HedgeClan, but not with ForestClan. But he could understand the tom's concern. And Grasswhisker was getting old. Having an apprentice to take care of the Clan when he was gone, wasn't a bad idea.

"We cannot force Cloudkit to become a medicine cat apprentice if she much rather be a warrior. However, she is still very young. Maybe we can guide her into wanting to be my apprentice." The black-and-white medicine cat mewed at last.

"Does that mean you agree with my suggestion?" Talonwing asked hopefully.

"Yes, it does. If Cloudkit wants to be a medicine cat apprentice I will be happy to mentor her."

"Thank you, Grasswhisker." The ForestClan deputy mewed and bowed his head to the old tom.

xxx

A moon later, Grasswhisker was in the nursery to help Lilyheart with her kitting. The pretty tortoiseshell would raise her second litter. A few days ago she had watched Cloudkit again while Hawkfeather had gone to the Gathering with Falconstar and their Clanmates. Now the deputy and her daughter were watching as Lilyheart had her two kits, a tom and a she-kit. Cloudkit was excited to have denmates to play with. Grasswhisker had kept his promise and tried his hardest to get Cloudkit interested in caring for her Clanmates. The little kit even helped with the kitting. She brought Lilyheart borage and wet moos to drink from, and she had looked after the new born kits and made sure that Pebblekit and Stonekit were getting enough milk. The medicine cat was hopeful that their plan would work out.

xxx

Leaf-bare was coming to an end. Cloudkit was five moons old and would soon be apprenticed. She had helped Grasswhisker sorting through his herbs and looking after Lilyheart's kits. Hawkfeather's daughter was excited to become his apprentice. She thought that being a medicine cat apprentice was the best thing in the world. Cloudkit was in Grasswhisker's den watching him prepare a poultice of comfrey to apply to Grayfeather's strained paw. The medicine cat would soon need to leave to attend the Gathering.

"Cloudkit, at the next full moon you will come with me to the Chestnut Hollow as my apprentice. Would you like that?" the black-and-white tom asked.

"I would like that a lot. Hawkfeather has told me much about the Chestnut Hollow. I can't wait to see it for myself." the young cat answered excitedly.

"Well, Grayfeather, you have to stay in camp and rest. I need you to stay in your nest for the next two days and be careful not to trip into rabbit holes again."

The young gray warrior dipped his head in acknowledgment and curled up in his makeshift nest in the medicine cat's den.

Grasswhisker left his den and went to join his Clanmates. Falconstar had already called for her warriors to leave camp for the gathering. Now, the black-and-ginger she-cat was leading her Clanmates down the slope into the clearing where the huge chestnut tree stood. Leaf-bare had left her Clan vulnerable. They lost Tallfoot and Wetpaw to an eagle attack, and Blacktail had died of greencough. Birchheart had been very sad to loose his apprentice. A few days ago, Sweetcloud had received her warrior name and the Clan would be without apprentices until Lilyheart's kits were old enough to start their training.

"Hello Hawkfeather, how is your kit?" Talonwing asked courteously. He always wanted to know how his daughter was doing and Falconstar worried that he would draw to much attention to them.

"She is fine. She'll soon be apprenticed. She wants to train as a medicine cat." Hawkfeather told the crowd. Hawkstar and Rabbitstar had joined them and would occasionally ask about her kit, too.

"It's good for Grasswhisker to have an apprentice. He is getting a bit old." Rabbitstar mewed.

"Well, he isn't that old, yet." The ForestClan leader objected.

"We are all getting old, Hawkstar. We have to face the truth." The HedgeClan leader replied.

"He is getting old, but I hope Grasswhisker will stay with the Clan for many moons to come. But it's best he had an apprentice to help with the work." Falconstar mewed. "How about we start the Gathering now, Hawkfeather has to get back to Cloudkit."

"Of course, let's get started." Hawkstar mewed brisk.

Continues soon...