Okay here's CH 5, if you haven't already I recommend reading chapters 3 and 4 again because I made some changes to them. I decided only to put in the unfamiliar cats from each Clan in the allegiances for this Chapter. This (*?*) means that these characters exist in the Warriors series, but they didn't have a description and/or warrior name and I am providing one. This *?* means they are an original cat I created.

ThunderClan

Medicne apprentice: Sparrowpaw- light brown tabby she-cat with distinctive white markings on chest and paws, Firepaw's sister Princess

Warriors: (*Nightsong*)-black she-cat with green eyes, Tigerclaw's sister

(*Mistflower*)- Pale gray she-cat blue eyes, Tigerclaw's sister

ShadowClan

Warriors: (*Wolfstep*) - a gray tabby tom with thick bushy tail

(*Deerfoot*)- A long legged brown and cream tabby tom.

(*Creamfur*)- Cream furred tabby she-cat with white legs, pale blue eyes

(*Milkpelt*)- White she-cat with a bright pink nose, flat face bright green eyes

Apprentices: *Whitepaw*- white she-cat with soft blue eyes mentor, Wolfstep

*Snowpaw*- dark gray tom with white paws, flat face amber eyes mentor, Deerfoot

RiverClan

Warrior: Skyheart- a pale brown tabby she-cat, Blackclaw's sister

Other cats outside Clan: Smudge- a black and white tom

*King*- a thick furred silver-gray tabby and white tom with long bushy tail, light blue eyes

Okay here we go

Chapter 5

Sparrowpaw turned to look at King who wore a look of complete shock. She looked at him in amusement.

"Of course I am, why did you think I was out here hunting?" King had the decency to look embarrassed.

"I thought you were out here for fun, like I was I didn't think you were actually one of these forest cats." He told her, "I mean you don't look like it." Sparrowpaw wasn't sure what to say to him so she stayed silent for the moment.

"Well, I really do need to get back to hunting, "she informed him as she started to sniff around bushes looking for a scent of prey. "I suppose you can come along if you're silent." She glanced back at him and he stared almost uncomprehendingly at her.

"Sorry, I think I'll just go home." He told her, turning and racing back toward the twolegplace. Sparrowpaw watched him go with a little surprise, since she thought the tom would still stay and bug her. 'I guess being a forest cat scared him off,' she thought with a little shrug. She turned back to hunting.

By the time she met up with Spottedleaf she had caught a sparrow, two voles, a wren and a squirrel in addition to her mouse she had buried earlier. Spottedleaf was pleased by her catches.

"Well done, it almost looks like your trying to feed the whole Clan." She remarked as she looked over the prey that Sparrowpaw had caught. Sparrowpaw puffed out her chest a little in pride, happy with her mentor's remarks of her. 'I'll need to feed the whole Clan if I want to prove my worth.' She thought

"Come let's take this prey back to camp." Spottedleaf picked up the squirrel and held the mouse and one of the voles under her chin. Sparrowpaw picked up the sparrow and wren by one of their wings and followed Spottedleaf's example and tucked the other vole under her neck. She followed closely after her mentor.

It wasn't long before they had made it back to camp and deposited Sparrowpaw's prey in the fresh-kill pile.

"Did she catch all of this herself?" asked Willowpelt who came to stand beside her sister. Spottedleaf nodded.

"Yes she did, she is learning quickly, she even has most of the herbs and their uses memorized." Spottedleaf told her. "If she keeps it up she may be a medicine warrior before leaf-bare." Sparrowpaw lowered her head trying to hide her embarrassment. 'The only reason I'm learning this fast is because Featherwhisker has been helping me.' She thought to herself, she briefly wondered if Featherwhisker wasn't planning to help her anymore remembering that the tom hadn't been in her dreams the night before. She shook herself from her thoughts as Spottedleaf suddenly spoke to her.

"I'm sorry Spottedleaf what were you saying?" she asked showing her confusion.

"I said you should eat and rest now, we'll be leaving for highstones soon and we'll need rest." Sparrowpaw nodded in understanding and once more became nervous at the thought of meeting the other medicine cats as she headed for the medicine den. 'I hope they approve of me.' She thought as she settled into her nest and shut her eyes.

Sparrowpaw awoke to a paw prodding her in the side, she sat up abruptly staring into Spottedleaf's amber eyes.

"Come Sparrowpaw it's time to go," she meowed to her, then head out of the den. Sparrowpaw sat up and began stretching to work out the kinks in her back. She shook out her pelt and headed out of the nest. As she left the den she spotted her brother talking with Spottedleaf, she headed over to him.

"Hey Firepaw," she called to her brother, starling him, she blinked in confusion. "Are you alright?" she asked curiously. Firepaw licked his chest in embarrassment and glanced at Spottedleaf a little.

"Yes I'm fine," he murmured looking at his sister. "Good luck tonight," he told her before dashing into the apprentice den. Sparrowpaw looked at Spottedleaf and saw she wore a look of amusement on her face. She headed toward the gorse tunnel.

"Coming Sparrowpaw?" she called over shoulder, Sparrowpaw dashed after her.

They had reached Fourtrees and were making their way into WindClan territory. Sparrowpaw was surprised by how open their territory was, she felt very exposed in the open and it made her feel a little nervous. They were continuing on their way across the moor, when suddenly the scent of WindClan had grown stronger.

"It's a WindClan patrol, I wouldn't worry too much, as long as we don't provoke them to fight they will not harm us, as medicine warriors we must share tongues with StarClan every half-moon." She told her. Sparrowpaw tried to feel assurance from her mentor but she still felt uneasy with the knowledge that they were about to be confronted by WindClan warriors and they hadn't spent much time on her fighting skills. 'What if they decided to attack us?' she thought suddenly. She didn't have time to dwell on the thought, since the patrol was now insight and making their way over to the pair. There were three cats in the patrol, a mottle dark brown tom, a dark gray tabby tom and a black tom with twisted paw.

"Hello Spottedleaf, I take it you're on your way to Highstones?" meowed the black tom. Spottedleaf dipped her head to the tom."

"Yes Deadfoot, we are on our way to Highstones, Has Barkface left yet?" she asked politely

"Yes he left camp not to long before we did, he is probably waiting for you and the others as we speak." He meowed "You didn't mention you received an apprentice." He meowed as he looked Sparrowpaw over.

"I just acquired her after the last gathering." She looked to the sky a moment before turning her attention back to Deadfoot. "Please forgive us but we must be going it will be dark before long."

"Of course, may StarClan light your path." He told her sincerely

"And yours as well," she returned heading back in the direction of highstones, "come along Sparrowpaw," Sparrowpaw politely dipped her head to the WindClan warriors racing after her mentor. When they were out of ear shot Sparrowpaw turned her attention to Spottedleaf.

"Why did they stop us?" she asked glancing back at the WindClan warriors. "I thought we were allowed to cross through their territory to get to Highstones?"

"We are,"

"Then why?"

"Whether we are medicine cats or enemy warriors they will stop us all the same, even if they have no real reason to, just to find out what we are doing there, sometimes they simply forget or they were using it as a training exercise for an apprentice." Spottedleaf told her, "Whatever the reason we must always remember to be polite and to answer any questions they have for us as long as we don't expose any weaknesses in our Clan."

"Did we have to talk to them for so long though?"

"No but I thought it would be best to speak with Deadfoot for a little while, considering he is WindClan's deputy." Sparrowpaw's jaw dropped in shock.

"He's WindClan's deputy?" she thought aloud with a deep fascination. "But his paw…"

"He has overcome that weakness and has become one of WindClan's strongest warriors." She told her, Sparrowpaw glanced back once more at the WindClan patrol disappearing in the distance.

They soon reached the familiar solid black path of rock known as the Thunderpath. Sparrowpaw shivered remembering the large monsters that raced along the path. She turned her head both ways looking for a monster, currently there wasn't one in sight, but she knew at any moment that could change. Spottedleaf lead her over to a hedge at the side of the thunderpath.

"Okay Sparrowpaw we have to cross the Thunderpath to reach the Highstones. To cross the Thunderpath you need to look both ways, make sure there are no monsters coming from either side." Spottedleaf meowed looking in her eyes. "Once the path is clear and you don't see any monsters coming then you run as fast as you can and don't stop until you reach the other side; do you understand?" Sparrowpaw looked nervously at the path then gave a sharp nod to Spottedleaf.

"Good, I'll cross first and show you how it's done then you follow okay?" Sparrowpaw nodded again. Spottedleaf crept forward and stared through the hedge, she looked left, then right and repeated the action once more, then she tore across the Thunderpath, two heartbeats later she was on the other side of the path.

"Okay Sparrowpaw, now it's your turn, remember look both ways." Spottedleaf called to her. Sparrowpaw nervously approached the edge of the hedge, she looked both ways twice, then took off across the path, she had almost reached the other side, when a large monster came racing down the path, and she pushed herself to move even faster, her paws barely touching the ground as she ran. The monster just missed her by a paw as she raced into the grass on the other side. Her heart was pounding unbelievably fast, she panted a little relieved that it was over. Spottedleaf touched her nose to her shoulder reassuringly.

"You did well, the monster was unexpected, but that is the unpredictability of the Thunderpath." She told her. "Come now it's not much farther to highstones" Spottedleaf stood and began to head for the large rock face that was Highstones. Sparrowpaw felt the fear of nearly getting killed on the Thunderpath become replaced with the nervousness of meeting the other medicine cats.

Sparrowpaw's nervousness grew the closer she got to Highstones, she could then make out the pelt of a brown tom, he had a short tail. Spottedleaf picked up her pace calling out a greeting to the tom.

"Barkface, it's good to see you are the others here yet?" she asked curiously looking around. Barkface shook his head. "Not yet, they shouldn't be much longer."

"No apprentice yet Barkface?" Spottedleaf noticed with a look.

"Yes none of the kits seem to have the gift for it yet." He explained, "But you don't seem to have that problem." He looked over Sparrowpaw. "Is she one of the kittypets that joined ThunderClan?"

"She is this is Sparrowpaw, she is training as a medicine warrior." Spottedleaf told him with pride. "She's learning quickly."

"It's nice to meet you Sparrowpaw, you must be excited for tonight."

"It's nice to meet you too, I am a little excited to be here," She told him

"Are you nervous?"

"Just a little, I'm more excited than nervous though," Sparrowpaw told him.

"Of course, that's understandable, I'm sure you'll do just fine." He told her. 'With what? What will I be doing?' she thought. She saw two more cats approaching from a distance. One was an older gray she-cat with ruff fur and the other was a small gray and white tom. The scent of ShadowClan carried in the breeze and she realized that they must be Yellowfang and Runningnose. As the group grew closer she started to understand why the tom was called 'runningnose'. 'How can he be a medicine cat when he can't cure his own cold?" she thought to herself. She thought that Yellowfang looked kind of scary and was surprised that she had been the mate of the former leader of ShadowClan, she watched fascinated as Spottedleaf came up to greet Yellowfang.

"Yellowfang, Runningnose it's good to see you both." She meowed. "I trust things are well in you clan?"Yellowfang sniffed a little before answering.

"As well as they can be,"

"How's Milkpelt and her kits doing?" she asked gently.

"They are well, the pair of them are apprentices now, Deerfoot is mentoring Snowpaw and Wolfstep is mentoring Whitepaw." Yellowfang reported.

"Cloudpelt would be proud of them."

"Yes he would," Yellowfang's eyes seemed to glow as she spoke. Sparrowpaw wonder who Spottedleaf was talking about. She then remembered what Spottedleaf had told her that morning about, Yellowfang having three kits, one of the kits names was Milkpelt, she figured Snowpaw and Whitepaw were her kits, but she didn't have a clue who Cloudpelt was. She looked questioningly at Barkface who purred at her in amusement.

"He was the ShadowClan deputy before Brokenstar." He informed her. Sparrowpaw blinked in surprise. 'Those kits must be treated with high regard, Having a grandfather who was leader, an uncle who is leader, a grandmother who is a medicine warrior and a father who was deputy. She thought in slight disbelief. She didn't dwell on her thoughts as the focus of conversation was shifted to her.

"I see you have an apprentice now Spottedleaf," Spottedleaf purred as she glanced over at Sparrowpaw her amber eyes glowing. "She's one of the kittypets isn't she?" Sparrowpaw felt her pelt start to fluff up under the stare of Yellowfang.

"Yes I do, this is Sparrowpaw she is training as a medicine warrior."Spottedleaf explained, "She's a fast learner, I just told my sister earlier today that she knows the use for most herbs already." Yellowfang watched her closely.

"Is that so? Tell me Sparrowpaw what do we use Chervil for?" Sparrowpaw took a moment to think about it. 'Let's see chervil is used for infected wounds and for bellyaches.' She thought

"It's used for infected wounds and bellyaches. The leaves are chewed and the juice is applied to the wounds, and the root is chewed and those juices are consumed to sooth bellyaches." She answered a little nervously under the scrutiny of Yellowfang. Yellowfang narrowed her eyes at her then nodded approvingly.

"Well done," she meowed. Sparrowpaw felt better now that she had gotten Yellowfang's approval. Yellowfang suddenly growled as she looked around.

"Mudfur needs to hurry up the sun has almost set." Yellowfang growled irritably, her tail swishing back and forth. Sparrowpaw looked around not seeing any sign of the RiverClan medicine warrior.

A few moments later, a light brown tom with long fur came racing toward them.

"Sorry I'm late, Skyheart had a bit of a cold, and I wanted to make sure she wasn't getting any worse before I left." Mudfur told them as he approached.

"Well now that we're all hear let's head down to the moonstone, we've spent enough time out here," grumbled Yellowfang, heading into Mothermouth. Runningnose followed after his mentor. Barkface was next and Mudfur followed him. Spottedleaf looked at Sparrowpaw.

"Okay follow my scent, and stay silent we will have a short ceremony down there. After it's over, lie down before the moonstone and touch your nose to it and close your eyes." Sparrowpaw nodded her head in understanding. Spottedleaf followed after the other medicine cats, Sparrowpaw followed after her.

As they crept further down the cave, she was trying not to turn around and race out the tunnel. It was so dark that she couldn't even see her nose. Spottedleaf's gentle scent calmed her enough that kept her from turning tail in terror. Sparrowpaw wasn't sure how far down they had traveled but she was surprised to see that the tunnel she was currently in opened into a chamber, within the chamber was a large glittering stone that looked like a large chunk of the moon. The moon illuminated the chamber causing her pelt to look almost copper from the shine. She noticed the same effect on the others. Spottedleaf sat in front of the moonstone, her pelt glowed beautifully in the light. Spottedleaf beckoned her forward with a flick of her tail. Sparrowpaw came to sit before her mentor. Her pelt tingled with excitement and curiosity. Then Spottedleaf began to speak.

"StarClan," Spottedleaf called to the moon above. "I bring you my apprentice, Sparrowpaw, and pray you accept her as you once accepted me." Spottedleaf looked into Sparrowpaw's eyes then glanced at the stone. Sparrowpaw stepped forward and lied in front of the stone. She pressed her nose to it as she closed her eyes and she could hear the others do the same. She sat quietly for a few moments wondering what was supposed to happen next and she wondered if she should risk opening her eyes. After a few more minutes she decided that it wouldn't hurt to look and squinted through her eyes only to snap them open seconds later. She recognized that she was at Fourtrees standing in the clearing. 'Am I dreaming?' she thought in wonder as she looked around. She was relieved to see Featherwhisker watching her in amusement as she looked around.

"Featherwhisker," she breathed in relief.

'Sparrowpaw, it's good to see you, you're doing just fine." He told her, Sparrowpaw looked at him in confusion.

"Why haven't I dreamt of you lately?" she asked staring unblinkingly at him, "Why have you abandon me?"

"I haven't abandon you Sparrowpaw, but I cannot always be there to help you. You must learn to rely on your own skills." He told her calmly. "You are not the only cat I watch over"

"I understand I guess I just got use to seeing you in my dreams." She thought aloud. "Was it wise for me to start training as a medicine warrior?"

"Of course, don't you?" Sparrowpaw thought about his question, despite some of her Clanmates having little to no faith in her, she was thriving under Spottedleaf's teachings and she enjoyed learning about the different use of herbs and the different hunting techniques. She could honestly say she was happy with her choice, but still…

"It's just some of the Clan aren't thrilled that I've taken on this position is all." She shrugged.

"Do you think I had it easy?" a voice spoke suddenly. Sparrowpaw looked around in alarm, she suddenly spotted a sleek, stone-gray she-cat with flecks of dark brown fur, approaching her suddenly.

"Who are you?" she asked in surprise,

"I am Thrushpelt, the first medicine warrior in the history of the Clans," Sparrowpaw stared in shock for a moment, until she remembered Thrushpelt's statement.

"What do you mean? About what you said earlier?" she asked softly.

"Do you think it was easy for me to change the way things had been done for countless seasons?" she asked Sparrowpaw once more. After a moment Sparrowpaw her head negatively. "And you'd be right."

"It wasn't easy, my Clan believed that things should remain how they had been in the past. Many believed it gave medicine cats too much power."

"But others relented and felt this was a better path, the code that medicine cats created that prevented them from having mates, had been broken for countless seasons, and the solution was easier on every cat not just them. They also felt that it was better that medicine cats learn to defend themselves in case they were randomly attacked without a warrior to aid them. But it took moons after I had become an elder for my efforts to be accepted,"

"I shouldn't let what they say get the better of me," she meowed mostly to herself. "I need to prove to them that I can and will be a medicine warrior regardless of my kittypet roots." Thrushpelt nodded in acceptance.

"We'll be here for you Sparrowpaw, will guide you." Featherwhisker told her, Thrushpelt meowed an agreement. Sparrowpaw had almost forgotten that he was there.

"But wait aren't you from WindClan? Why you help me?" Sparrowpaw asked her confused.

"Because I am a part of StarClan now, while my former Clan is still important so are other cats that a part of the future of the Clans.' Thrushpelt reassured her. "I will be there for guidance if you need it."

"Thank you," Sparrowpaw spoke softly with warmth.

"It's time for you to return young one." Featherwhisker told her gently.

Sparrowpaw opened her eyes into total darkness, she could sense the other cats beginning to waken and wondered what they should do next. Spottedleaf's gentle scent reached her nose and she followed it as it led her out of the cavern.

Once they had reached the outside she found that it was getting close to dawn.

"Did you dream Sparrowpaw?" Spottedleaf asked softly, Sparrowpaw nodded and was about to tell her dream she had had, but Spottedleaf stopped her.

"I don't need to hear the dream just yet, was it a prophecy?" Sparrowpaw shook her head "Then it was meant for you alone, take comfort in their words and let them guide you to your destiny."

"I will Spottedleaf" she spoke with determination.

"Then let's go home."

Whew okay here's the new chapter like I said I encourage others to read the redone chapters 3 & 4.

Anyway review let me know what you think the poll for Ravenpaw is still available in my profile I encourage voting.