It was a bright sunny newleaf morning as two small cats slowly patted through the dense undergrowth, their eyes peaked and jaws scenting the air for herbs.
"Hey Spottedsong? What herbs did Blueclaw say we needed again?" Starlingpaw asked as she sniffed around a bramble bush, which had some juniper barries growing on it.
The tortoiseshell medicine cat apprentice paused in her task of uprooting some stalks of goldenrod from the forest floor.
"She said we needed some more marigold leaves, goldenrod, juniper barries, yarrow, and cobwebs." The medicine cat answered with a friendly smile. "And it would seem that you've already found some juniper barries. Good eye, you're a very sharp apprentice."
Starlingpaw stayed silent, only shifted her paws awkwardly. "Oh! I uh... thanks, Spottedsong."
Spottedsong purred back. "It is good that you know your herbs. Knowing how to heal yourself or another cat is vital information in a tough situation."
Starlingpaw was in the forest helping Spottedsong gather herbs. The sable-furred she-cat would normally be training with her mentor, Darkfeather, but she was instructed to take it easy after a bad accident during a sparring match with her brother, Larkpaw.
"How is your leg doing? Is it still giving you trouble?" the medicine cat asked her, her amber eyes filled with concern as she stared down at the young she-cat.
Starlingpaw shook her head. "It still hurts a little, but not as bad as it did before." She meowed, twitching her whiskers and purring softly.
Spottedsong nodded and purred back. "Well that is a good sign, it will be fully healed in a few more days or so."
"So I can go back to my normal training in a few days?" she asked the older cat with a hopeful look on her face.
"Yes," Spottedsong replied with a soft smile. "That is if everything heals properly." The medicine cat told her with a flick of her dark-brown-and-gold striped tabby tail.
As the two cats continued there trek through the forest, a flash of green and purple caught Starlingpaw's eye. She turned to Spottedsong and mewed, "Hey, Spottedsong! I think I found some comfrey!" the sable-furred she-cat gestured with her tail to a leafy green plant with purple flowers.
Spottedsong raced over and her eyes gleamed with pride as she looked up at Starlingpaw. "Wow! You've got a good eye for finding herbs!" Spottedsong praised, still staring at Starlingpaw with wide eyes.
Starlingpaw blushed and licked her chest fur, self-conscious. "Oh! I uh... t-thank you, Spottedsong." She stammered out a response.
"Ok, I'm gonna quiz you." The tortoiseshell medicine cat meowed suddenly, making the sable apprentice stop in her tracks.
"Oh, um, ok I guess." She meowed cheerfully but a little nervously. "But why?" she asked her a few seconds later. "I'm no medicine cat."
Spottedsong purred and twitched her whiskers in amusement. "There's no particular reason, I'm just curious to see how much knowledge you have on herbs." She replied simply.
"So, Starlingpaw, tell me! What herbs do you know?" Spottedsong meowed in a friendly tone.
The sable she-cat purred softly and replied with a kind smile. "Comfrey is good for broken bones, yarrow is used to make cats vomit if they have stomach troubles, marigold leaves help cure infection, blackberry leaves are used for bee stings, cobwebs stop bleeding, watermint helps nursing queens produce more milk, poppy seeds help with pain, honey is good for soar throats, raspberry leaves ease the pain of queens who've kitted, thyme is used to calm a cat in shock, catmint cures greencough, and borage is used to treat fevers."
Spottedsong's jaw dropped in shock. "Oh, my StarClan, how do you know so much about herbs?" the tortoiseshell she-cat meowed, still shocked at how much Starlingpaw knew about herbs and their uses.
Starlingpaw blushed and ducked her head. "I-I just do," she meowed truthfully. "My mother, Batpounce, always told me that I would've been a great medicine cat if I would've chosen that path." Spottedsong smiled and nodded her head in understanding.
It was silent for quite some time before Spottedsong finally regained the ability to speak. "I think we need to have a talk with Duskstar," she mewed, purring softly and flicking her tail from left to right." Starlingpaw frowned in puzzlement but nodded her head at her friend's statement.
Spottedsong's amber eyes swam with emotion, but she said nothing, instead motioning for Starlingpaw to pick up the herbs and return to camp.
•••
The two she-cats padded through the brightly lit woods and pushed through the thicket tunnel into StormClan camp, which was sheltered from the rain by the towering trees that built a canopy over the dusty clearing.
"Looks like Duskstar called a Clan meeting," Spottedsong mewed as the two cats entered camp. "I wonder what's happening."
Starlingpaw just shrugged her shoulders and slowly limped over to join Darkfeather and her brother, Larkpaw.
The dark-furred medicine cat apprentice quickly dashed into the medicine den, set the herbs down, and dashed back out and took a seat beside her mentor, Blueclaw.
Duskstar waited until every cat was gathered, then started to speak.
"The biggest honor a leader can do is to turn an apprentice, or two in this case, into warriors. Darkpaw, come forth." Darkpaw then went to the base of the Highrock to meet Duskstar. "I, Duskstar, leader of StormClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." She then looked at Darkpaw, who raised her head. "Darkpaw," Duskstar continued, "do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan even at the cost of your life?"
"I do." Darkpaw replied. "Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Darkpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Darkfrost. StarClan honors your courage and faithfulness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of StormClan." When she was done, Duskstar then rested her muzzle on Darkfrost's head, who then licked the leader's shoulder. "Darkfrost! Darkfrost! Darkfrost!" the whole Clan cheered. Brightpaw and Dawnwish chanted the loudest.
After Darkfrost stepped back it was Brightpaw's turn to step forward. "I, Duskstar, leader of StormClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." She then looked over at Brightpaw as she raised her head. "Brightpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan even at the cost of your life?" Duskstar said. "I do." Brightpaw replied with determination. "Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Brightpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Brightwing. StarClan honors your determination and bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of StormClan." She then put her muzzle on Brightwing's head, who licked Duskstar's shoulder.
"Brightwing! Brightwing! Brightwing!" the Clan chanted Brightwing's new name. Brightwing then went to sit beside her sister. "As of tradition, Darkfrost and Brightwing will sit in silent vigil all night and guard the camp while the rest of us sleep. You are all dismissed." When Duskstar was finished a few cats went to the prey pile to get something to eat before going to sleep for the night.
As cats were heading toward their dens to sleep for the night, Starlingpaw saw Darkfrost and Brightwing being congratulated by their mentors, Mossflower and Ebonypetal respectively.
•••
When the first rays of sun began peaking through the canopy of the apprentice's den, Starlingpaw slowly began to stir, her tail flicking lazily from left to right and her yellow eyes half-opened in the early morning light.
The sable-furred she-cat yawned and slowly stood to her paws. Shaking out her fur, the young she-cat slowly patted outside and breathed in the crisp newleaf air. Her whiskers twitched and her tail swooshed from side-to-side. She smiled and quietly patted outside, letting the dawn sunlight wash over her, turning her pelt amber.
She waved her tail in greeting to Darkfrost and Brightwing as she slowly approached the fresh-kill pile to get something to eat. She chose a raven and patted over to join Lightningpaw and Foxpaw, who'd both just emerged from the apprentice's den.
As Starlingpaw sat outside near the entrance of the apprentice's den, she took the time to glance around the camp. It was still quite early but the sun was just beginning to peak out from behind the tall pine trees, making them shine like emeralds in the yellowish predawn light.