The medicine cat of MoonClan, Havenspirit, has just been killed when another clan attacked. While walking with her mentor to StarClan, she begins to think about some moments in her life that she treasured.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Warriors. However, I do own most of the characters used in this story.

One more thing, this story was written for a challenge on Pebblewish's form, Clans of the Woods, (which you should really check out) and not planned.

Havenspirit struggled beneath Bearsnout. He had her pinned and now was trying to bite down on her throat. She yowled for help, but the others were probably too busy fighting the other intruders. "You wouldn't kill a medicine cat." She growled, hoping he would listen.

"Try me!" Bearsnout snarled. He trust his head forward and bit down in her neck.

Havenspirit let out a gurgled cry and weakly clawed at the ground. He pulled away, tearing open her throat. She clawed at the ground, trying to breathe. "No!" she heard her apprentice, Waterreed, yowl. Then everything went black.

"Wake up. Havenspirit, wake up." A familiar voice whispered in her ear.

She blinked open her eyes and found herself in the medicine den. Except, the herbs and nests were gone. The only other thing in the den was a blue-gray she-cat with heather-blue eyes. "Bluefeather!" Havenspirit exclaimed, sitting up.

Her paw felt different... She looked down and gasped, her paw wasn't twisted as it had been most of her life!

Bluefeather purred, "Yes, it's me. Come on." She stood. "It's time to go."

"What about the others?" Havenspirit asked.

"They will be fine." Bluefeather meowed. "Now its time for you to come to StarClan.

Havenspirit nodded. She stood up, "I'm ready."

Bluefeather began to ascend to StarClan. Havenspirit followed, taking a moment to remember some of her favorite moments in her life...

*First Glimpse*

"Come on sis! Let's play." Gentlekit squealed.

Havenkit yawned and stood, "Alright, alright. Just give me a minute."

"Okay, but the first kit out is always the first to become a warrior." Gentlekit said teasingly, taking some show-offy steps toward the entrance.

"Oh yeah? Guess you'll just have to wait!" Havenkit jumped to her feet and ran toward the nursery entrance. The two sisters raced toward the entrance and reached it at the same time, getting stuck in the door way.

Gentlekit squirmed, "Looks like Blazestar will have to grow another mouth."

"Nope, because it's gonna be me." Havenkit giggled, trying to squirm lose.

"How about me?" Acornkit jumped over his sisters and landed outside. "See you later."

"No far!" Gentlekit squealed.

Havenkit rolled her eyes and continued to squirm. Suddenly she fell to the ground and rolled. She stopped at a cat's paws. She looked up and her green eyes met two blue eyes. "Hello." The elder rasped. "What's your name?"

"H-Havenkit." The black and white she-kit answered.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Bluefeather." The elder said...

*Apprentice Ceremony*

"Get back here! I still have to clean you." Cardinalwing meowed.

Havenkit impatiently waited as Cardinalwing smoothed out the kit's black and white fur. "The ceremony is starting!" Gentlekit announced, running outside.

"Wait for me." Havenkit squirmed away from her mother and raced outside. Her siblings were gathering at the bottom of the Highrock. She joined them, her paws itching with excitement. I'm going to be a warrior!

"These kits are ready to be apprenticed! Wolfheart, Skymask, Twistedleaf, Mistcloud, Riversong, and Hollybranch come forward too. Skymask you will mentor Gentlepaw, Twistedleaf will mentor Willowpaw, Wolfheart will mentor Acornpaw, Mistcloud will mentor Pebblepaw, Riversong will mentor Honeypaw, and Hollybranch will mentor Mistpaw." Blazestar announced.

Havenkit listed, suddenly realizing he didn't say her name. "What about me?" She called out without thinking.

Twistedpelt gave Havenkit an apologetic look and Gentlepaw gave her a nudge as well, but Havenkit hardly noticed. Why wasn't I given a mentor?

Blazestar shook his head to clear it, "Forgive me my clanmates. I'm still focusing on the war we now face, and the kits my mate is bearing."

One of the warriors said they understood and several others agreed. Havenkit noticed her siblings seemed to be anxious as well. The she-kit shifted her weight, please just say who my mentor is!

"Leapfoot you will mentor Havenpaw." Finished Blazestar.

Finally! Havenpaw almost wanted to yowl her joy. She turned excitedly as Leapfoot padded over. They touch noses as her silbings did the same with their mentors...

*The Battle*

A couple days later, Redpaw and Havenpaw were talking when a battle cry sounded. Suddenly enemy warriors streamed into the camp, leaping on Havenpaw's surprised Clanmates. "Oh no!" Havenpaw was shocked.

Havenpaw looked around and saw Huntclaw struggling beneath Liongaze. She leapt onto Liongaze's back and dug her claws in, biting down on his shoulder.

Suddenly she felt him roll and found herself stuck between him and the ground. She released his shoulder and squirmed under him.

Liongaze pulled away, but he grabbed her scruff and threw her against a rock.

The world seemed to spin around her. Havenpaw blinked to try to get her vision under control. Teeth latched onto her right forepaw and pain spread up her leg. Havenpaw yowled in agony and her gaze rested on Liongaze, who had just broken her paw.

Black dots filled her vision and soon seemed to consume her. The world went black.

*Changing Tides*

There had been a couple days since the battle. Havenpaw was laying down in a patch of sun. She had been unable to train ever since her paw injury. Now it felt weird.

Havenpaw moved onto her belly and looked at her paw. It's healing wrong. One of her toes stuck out at an awkward angle and the rest of her paw looked twisted. The apprentice sighed and muttered, "Maybe Blazestar was right to forget my name at the ceremony. I'll never be a warrior like this."

Gentlepaw suddenly bounded over, "Hi Havenpaw!"

"Hi." Havenpaw sighed. She tried, but failed to keep her emotions out of her voice.

"What's wrong?" Gentlepaw cocked her head.

Meeting her sister's gaze, Havenpaw said, "I don't think I'll be a true warrior."

"What?!" Gentlepaw sat down. "Why did you say that?"

"My paw is healing the wrong way. It will keep doing that and once it is done, I won't be able to walk correctly." Havenpaw said. She laid her head down. "You and our siblings will grow into warriors without me."

Gentlepaw flattened her ears, "But what will happen to you?"

Havenpaw sighed, "I don't know."

Gentlepaw suddenly noticed Bluefeather limping past them, that's it! "I know!"

"What?" Havenpaw cocked her head. I could still serve the Clan? But how?

"You could be a medicine cat! That way you can still serve the Clan." Gentlepaw exclaimed.

Havenpaw was surprised. She recalled the time as a kit when she met Bluefeather. "Are you sure Bluefeather would accept me?" Havenpaw asked.

"Yes. Besides, the elders used to tell us about Cinderpelt and Jayfeather, who became Medicine Cats because of their disabilities." Gentlepaw said. True. Havenpaw thought. But still, she needed Bluefeather's approval.

Havenpaw tried standing on her own. She barely managed, but once she was standing it became easier. Turning to Gentlepaw, she said, "I'll ask Bluefeather about it."

Gentlepaw nodded, "Good luck." Gentlepaw bounded off.

Havenpaw nodded and limped toward the camp entrance, where Bluefeather now sat. As she came closer, Havenpaw heard Bluefeather muttering, "I need to get more cobwebs and marigold. Some poppy seeds would be good too..."

"Bluefeather!" Havenpaw called as she reached the blue-gray she-cat. "Could I come too?"

Bluefeather looked up, obviously surprised. Great going Loudpaw, Havenpaw scolded herself. The medicine cat nodded, "Very well." Havenpaw smiled and shifted so she was right next to Bluefeather.

The two she-cats headed out. While they were looking for marigold, Bluefeather said, "Something you want, or need to talk about?"

Havenpaw hesitated. She looked down at her injured paw, I won't be able to hunt or fight with this. She looked up and said, "I want to be a medicine cat."

There was a pause before Bluefeather rasped, ""Honestly, I'm not surprised. You have more spirit and courage than any warrior I know, but that doesn't make up for your leg-wound. Luckily for you, there is an opening."

Havenpaw nodded, "I would be honored."

Bluefeather sat down, and sighed, "I know what it's like…how hard it can be to prove yourself."

Havenpaw took the chance to sit as well, "What do you mean?"

"It's no secret that you will have to overcome a lot, but I know how that feels." Bluefeather sighed, "When I was younger, I fell in love with my mentor, Webtail, I birthed three kits, but they were all killed by cats who believed they were impure. I was scorned for breaking the code, and for a long time no cat trusted me…not even…" The words seemed to catch in her throat. Havenpaw licked Bluefeather's shoulder encouragingly. Bluefeather sighed, "In any case, to top it all off I was born to a rogue, and my father is that tyrant Claystar! I relied on my brother for so long…but when I had kits he abandoned me!"

Havenpaw was surprised. She couldn't imagine that happening to her... "Wow."

Bluefeather smiled, "Now, let's head back and tell Blazestar."

The two she-cats limped back home.

*The First Death*

Havenspirit sorted through a collection of leaves, putting them in their proper stacks. She had just received her medicine cat name a few days ago. Bluefeather had decided to retire now that Havenspirit was fully trained. The elderly medicine cat was now away at the Moonstone for some reason.

Blizzardstorm rushed into the medicine cat den, "Where's Bluefeather?"

"She went to the Moonstone. Why?" Havenspirit said.

"I was on patrol and a badger attacked. We chased it off, but Lightcloud is badly injured. We need help." Blizzardstorm meowed quickly.

Havenspirit took a bunch of cobwebs, marigold, and poppy seeds. "Lead me too her." she said.

Blizzardstorm nodded and raced out of camp. Does he even remember I have a twisted paw? Havenspirit sighed. She hurriedly limped after him. However, her attempt to go fast was only about the speed of a trot for an average cat. By the time she got out of the camp, Blizzardstorm was at the top of the valley.

"Come on!" He called.

"I'm trying." Havenspirit tried going faster, but couldn't. Stupid paw!

Eventually, they reached Lightcloud. Cinderfang was watching over the injured she-cat. Havenspirit limped over and began trying to stop the bleeding. There's too much blood!

Lightcloud's breathing grew faint and Havenspirit stopped, she was too late. "What are you doing? Heal her." Cinderfang said.

"I'm too late." Havenspirit said, her voice barely audible.

"I-It's okay." Lightcloud rasped. "I-I d-don't blame y-you." The warrior's eyes rolled back and she was gone.

"No, Lightcloud!" Blizzardstorm yowled.

Havenspirit stood and limped away. She didn't know where she was going and didn't care. Eventually she crawled under a bush and laid down. There she began to cry. I was too late. Lightcloud died because I was too late. It's my fault...

Time seemed to just seep by while she was there. It felt like days when it was only an hour or so. Even so, dawn came and Havenspirit still hadn't moved. "Ahem." Someone said.

Havenspirit looked up and saw Bluefeather. "What are you doing?" The elderly she-cat rasped.

"I failed." Havenspirit cried. "Lightcloud died because I didn't get there in time."

Bluefeather looked sympathetic. She laid down beside Havenspirit and gave the younger she-cat a few comforting licks. "Lightcloud's death wasn't your fault. It was her time to go to StarClan. Your first sight of death is always the hardest. But let this remind you that, next time, you'll do better." Bluefeather meowed.

Havenspirit relaxed and soon fell asleep...

"What are you waiting for?" Bluefeather called back. Havenspirit looked up and realized she had stopped.

"Sorry." Havenspirit padded up to Bluefeather. "Thank you."

Bluefeather nodded, "Your welcome." The two medicine cats went up into StarClan, meeting old friends.