Yowls of outrage filled the stone hollow. Mothpaw watched from the medicine cat's den as her mentor, Whiterabbit, rushed forwards to tend to Fawnpaw's shock. The smell of thyme wafted from the white she-cat's jaws.

"TwilightClan!" spat one of the elders, her tail lashing violently against the sandy floor. "First Lionstar, now Amberfall! They'll stop at nothing to cause trouble!"

Mutters of agreement rippled throughout the gathering warriors. "We need to fight back!" Dovestrike, a grey tom, meowed. "What if TwilightClan attacks again? Are we going to lie down with our bellies up?"

"Everyone knows Lionstar's death was an accident, Malicefang," Redstar called, trying to quiet the discontentment rising among his clan. "And Dovestrike, we don't know everything yet. This could be the work of rogues." As he spoke, the brambles guarding the camp entrance rustled. Gorseclaw stepped into view, carrying the limp body of Amberfall. The she-cat's throat was slashed, and blood smeared down her chest.

"She's still breathing," Gorseclaw's mew rumbled against the stone walls, and whispers that were mixed with shock and relief rose up.

"Mothpaw!" Whiterabbit called urgently, and the dappled apprentice sprung forward.

"Take Fawnpaw into the den," her mentor instructed, passing the thyme to her. "And get a nest ready for Amberfall."

"Yes, Whiterabbit!" Mothpaw meowed, nudging Fawnpaw gently in the direction of the medicine cat's den. "Here, Fawnpaw," she said softly once they arrived. Mothpaw pawed the thyme over to her. "Take this, it'll help with the shock."

As Fawnpaw chewed on the herb, Mothpaw scraped together some fresh moss from the back of the den into a nest outside the entrance. Whiterabbit padded over with Gorseclaw, the two of them taking great care to keep from disturbing Amberfall any further. When the injured warrior was laid in her nest, Mothpaw thought she looked unusually small. Her heart ached.

"Cobwebs," Whiterabbit grunted, and Mothpaw hurried to fetch the wrappings.

"Press them here," her mentor said, guiding Mothpaw's paw to the open gash on Amberfall's neck. "That'll stop the bleeding. Or slow it," Whiterabbit murmured. Mothpaw noticed that her mentor didn't sound too hopeful.

"We'll make a poultice and put it on the wound. What herbs should we use?"

Mothpaw's ears flicked with irritation. This was no time for quizzing her! "Marigold," she answered. When Whiterabbit nodded, Mothpaw quickly fetched the herb and began chewing the petals into a pulp. She spat them out onto her paw and gently applied them to Amberfall's neck.

"We can only wait now," Whiterabbit said softly, laying her tail on her apprentice's shoulder. "You did well. I'll speak to Redstar. Could you keep an eye on Fawnpaw for now?"

Mothpaw nodded and waited until Whiterabbit had left before she settled down beside Fawnpaw. The young apprentice was no longer shaking, but her eyes were still as round as the full moon. Mothpaw gave her a gentle lick.

"What's going to happen to Amberfall?" Fawnpaw whimpered, looking up at Gorseclaw. The black-and-white tom shifted his paws. "Whiterabbit and Mothpaw will take good care of her. You did the right thing, coming to get me when you found her," he added, seeming to hope that his praise would settle his apprentice's anxiety.

Fawnpaw simply nodded and tucked her paws beneath her.

"Fawnpaw will be fine after she's rested," Mothpaw told Gorseclaw, "you should go check on Honeynose. She seemed nervous earlier." It would be easier for Fawnpaw to recover without the clan deputy hovering over her. Gorseclaw nodded stiffly before padding over to the nursery to see to his mate.

Just as he left, Silverpaw came bounding over. "Mothpaw!" she called to her sister, "is everything okay?"

Mothpaw's pelt prickled with frustration. Any other time she'd be glad for her sisters company, but right now with two patients in need of her attention, Mothpaw didn't have time to spare.

"Yes," she mewed, "everything's fine. Whiterabbit has gone to speak to Redstar."

Silverpaw was looking at Fawnpaw, curiosity and worry in her eyes. "Are you okay, Fawnpaw? Were there any TwilightClan warriors at the border? Did you and Gorseclaw have to fight them off?"

Fawnpaw was too shaken up to reply. Mothpaw began to tell her sister to stop badgering the brown apprentice when Whiterabbit returned, hissing.

"This isn't the apprentices' den!" the medicine cat snapped, shooing Silverpaw away. "Go do something useful instead of bothering my patients! Unless you want me to send you to the elder's den with some mousebile."

Mothpaw let out an amused purr. Whiterabbit could be snappish and grumpy at the best of times, but most of the clan knew that her harsh words hid her care and concern.

Silverpaw muttered something under her breath too low for Mothpaw to hear before leaving. "Bye, Fawnpaw!" she called over her shoulder as she left.

"Apprentices," Whiterabbit muttered, stepping over to Amberfall and sniffing her wound. "They never change."

Days had passed since Amberfall's arrival to the medicine den, but the clan's emotions were still high. After making sure she'd recovered from her shock, Whiterabbit had sent Fawnpaw on her way. Mothpaw noticed, though, that Gorseclaw seemed to be taking it easy with her training, and had delegated the young apprentice to light hunting and doing chores around camp.

Amberfall's condition hadn't improved. The wounded warrior had been unconscious since being dragged into the camp. Though the bleeding had finally stopped, infection had crept in. Whiterabbit had been sure to tell Mothpaw that it was in no way her fault, but Mothpaw couldn't help but feel responsible. She'd been the one to apply the marigold poultice, after all.

Redstar had been by only once, and had said nothing, even when Whiterabbit had asked if he planned to mention the attack at the upcoming gathering. According to Gorseclaw, no scent of TwilightClan had been found near where Amberfall had been attacked, but that hadn't stopped the warriors of AmberClan from accusing their neighbours of the assault.

Mothpaw sighed, and touched her nose to Amberfall's paw pad. It was hot. The dappled apprentice grabbed a wad of moss in her teeth and carried it to the small pool at the back of the medicine den, dipping it in and letting it soak before she returned. Carefully, she parted Amberfall's jaws and trickled in some of the water.

"Thank you, Mothpaw," Whiterabbit's mew came from behind her. Her mentor spat out the leaves of feverfew she'd gone to collect. "You've done well," she added, resting the tip of her tail on Mothpaw's shoulders. Mothpaw beamed. Praise did not come lightly from Whiterabbit.

"How is she?" Whiterabbit asked, gazing down at the brown she-cat curled up outside the medicine den.

"She still has a fever," Mothpaw mewed, "but her wound's stopped bleeding. I scraped off the old poultice and applied a new one earlier."

Whiterabbit sighed, and Mothpaw blinked up at her. She'd never seen the medicine cat look so dejected. "Her fate is in StarClan's paws," was all she said, but her tone betrayed what she really thought. Whiterabbit didn't expect Amberfall to make it.

"Help me chew up some of these leaves. We can at least try to bring her fever down."

Mothpaw nodded, sweeping some of the feverfew over to her with her tail. As she began to chew them up, a familiar scent filled her nose.

"Hello, Whiterabbit. Mothpaw."

Brightfire had padded up to them, carrying a plump rabbit. She set it down before the two, dipping her head respectfully. "I thought you might want this. You've both been working so hard."

A rough purr escaped Whiterabbit. "Thank you, Brightfire," she mewed.

Brightfire merely nodded, her tail twitching as she looked curiously to Mothpaw. "What's that you've got there?"

Mothpaw spat out the leaves onto her paw. "Feverfew," she said, "Amberfall's got a fever. This should help bring it down." I hope.

"Here, let me help," Brightfire offered. The two she-cats gathered around Amberfall, and Brightfire carefully parted her jaws to allow Mothpaw the chance to dribble the juices from the mashed leaves down Amberfall's throat.

"Thanks," Mothpaw said after she was finished, purring as she stroked her tail along Brightfire's spine. The torbie-and-white warrior had always been a kind and thoughtful cat, even as an apprentice. Mothpaw was glad for her help.

"Mothpaw, you have the first bite," Whiterabbit offered once the two were finished. "I'm going to speak to Redstar."

Mothpaw hesitated. "Are you going to ask him if he's going to say anything at the gathering?"

"He's going to have to say something," Whiterabbit grumbled, "and seeing as I'm the medicine cat, I'm the one who has to advise him."

As she left, Mothpaw settled down and pulled the rabbit over to her. "Want some?" she asked Brightfire.

The warrior shook her head. "Oh, no! I'm going hunting with Juniperpaw later. I'll eat then. Besides, you've been on your feet for days. You must be exhausted."

Mothpaw nodded, eagerly digging in to the fresh-kill. The juicy taste of the rabbit exploded in her mouth, and Mothpaw realized just how hungry she was. For days she and Whiterabbit had worked non-stop to stabilize Amberfall's condition, working tirelessly to save the she-cat's life. So engrossed in her work, Mothpaw hadn't noticed how exhausted she'd become.

"Whiterabbit seems tense," Brightfire observed, her head cocked as her eyes followed the medicine cat as she limped up to Redstar's den.

"She's worried," Mothpaw said quietly, "She doesn't think Amberfall will make it."

"She told you that?"

"No…I could just tell," Mothpaw said, shuffling her paws. "Whiterabbit hates losing patients."

"Sometimes nothing can be done about that," Brightfire meowed. "When a warrior is called to StarClan, we must accept that our ancestors have seen a better future for them among the stars."

Mothpaw twitched her whiskers. Brightfire had always had wisdom beyond her age. Mothpaw supposed it came from having Leafgaze as a mentor. The tabby tom was full of wise colloquialisms.

"Well, I should go find Juniperpaw," Brightfire mewed, brushing her muzzle against the medicine cat apprentice's before hurrying off. "Bye, Mothpaw!"

"Bye," Mothpaw said softly, watching her go. She sighed and settled down to her meal once more. Once she'd polished off half the rabbit, she drew a paw over her ear and began to wash herself.

Then she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.

Stuck between Amberfall's claws was a tuft of fur. Curious, Mothpaw leaned down and sniffed. It didn't smell of any clan she knew of. Gently, she plucked the fur out with her teeth. It was dark grey in colour. Beneath the smell of leaves and rain Mothpaw thought she could scent something else.

"Mothpaw!" a shrill voice caught her attention.

Larksong limped over, one paw extended. "There's a thorn in my pad!"

Mothpaw looked to Redstar's den once more, but Whiterabbit had not yet left. She nodded to Larksong to stay put before heading into the den. At the back, she placed the tuft of fur on a shelf hewn out of the rock wall. It would have to wait.