"What is this herb?" Jayfeather asked, pushing a leaf towards me. I knew it was marigold. He had rubbed a poultice of it on Dewkit the day before, after she got tangled in the brambles of the warriors' den. But of course, I wouldn't tell him. I could feel his frustration. "Won't you cooperate? I know you know this!" He meowed. I didn't say anything. He hissed and whirled around, replacing the leaf on a pile of more marigold. I began to clean myself, proud of my stubbornness. I perked my ears as I heard pawsteps outside the medicine den. I recognized Bramblepaw's scent. She limped inside.
"I stepped on a thorn. It got stuck in my pad and I couldn't get it out." She mewed. I sniffed the air. There was something strange about it. Something I had only noticed once before. Fernkit had gotten an infected wound from a play fight that went wrong. It smelled a lot like that.
"How long has it been stuck?" I asked. Bramblepaw shifted her paws.
"Since the first day I went out. It hasn't bothered me much until now." She mewed guiltily.
"You should have come right away! Now it is infected." Jayfeather mewed, grabbing the marigold and some cobwebs. "Want to help me with this?" I glared at him and didn't reply. No. Why would I? I thought bitterly. He rolled his eyes and began to pull at the thorn. It finally came out, with a mew of pain from Bramblepaw, and Jayfeather began to press the cobweb to the now bleeding wound. He rubbed the chewed marigold on top. Bramblepaw set her paw down, wincing a bit. "No training until I give the okay. If you want you cans stay here, or go back to the apprentice den. Just keep in mind that the more you use your paw the longer it will take to heal." He mewed. Bramblepaw nodded and limped out. Of course. I glared at Jayfeather as he continued to sort the herbs. "Not many cats can tell when a wound is infected." He pointed out. I rolled my eyes and curled up in my moss nest. I was soon asleep.
I ruffled my pelt against the wind and rain. I hadn't expected any place to be so unbearably cold. Around me, the scents of all four Clans swirled around as if one. It seemed strange.
"You have come at last." I whirled around. A gray tabby she-cat was staring at me. An old scar wound around her throat as if it had once been slashed by sharp claws. One ear was almost completely missing.
"W-who are you?" I asked.
"I was once a new cat. Now I am my own spirit, but the other stays close." She mewed. I just got more confused.
"That doesn't answer my question." I pointed out, noticing for the first time the stars dotting her pretty pelt.
"Does it have to?" This cat was beginning to annoy me, but I noticed the gleam of amusement in her eyes.
"Who are you?" I repeated.
"Your past." She mewed. Frustration welled up inside me. She was talking in riddles!
"What do you mean by my past?" I asked, trying to stay calm with the StarClan cat. The cat flicked her tail at my paw, which felt as though it had never been injured, yet it still looked twisted and dead. I tilted my head as she turned. Another cat suddenly appeared at her side, an identical replica, yet something was different. Her back leg was hanging like mine, as if once injured. I stared in awe. It was the old medicine cat. The other, I knew was someone I had only known for a short bit of my life.
"Cinderheart!"