Stormbrook heaved a massive sigh as he massaged some more catmint down Robinwing's throat. With help from Birdpaw, they were able to get the catmint down Robinwing's throat, but she didn't even know why they were bothering. They had been through so much catmint, and every herb that was out there for treating any sort of illness, but there wasn't a dent in Robinwing's condition. It was something Stormbrook had said he had never seen before.
"Nothing is working," Birdpaw whispered as Stormbrook turned back into the store and pawed through the berries. She could see that he had a juniper berry in his paws, something they hadn't tried, but Birdpaw doubted it would make any difference. Juniper was used to soothe bellyaches and ease troubled breathing. Robinwing didn't have a bellyache, and perhaps it would help with her breathing, but nothing else had, and so Birdpaw didn't have any faith in the juniper.
It had been a moon since the newly named warrior, Hawkflight, brought Robinwing to their den. Robinwing had collapsed during his assessment, and originally Stormbrook had thought she had greencough with her incessant coughing, but no matter how much catmint they shoved down her throat, she would not react to the treatment. They had then turned to other herbs—coltsfoot, borage, feverfew, and tansy. But the illness did not react to any of those treatments. Instead, Robinwing simply got worse. She hadn't moved in days, and she was unable to eat on her own. Stormbrook and Birdpaw had taken to chewing prey to a pulp that they could trickle down Robinwing's throat. Birdpaw pressed next to the brown she-cat, hoping she could use her body to warm the warrior, but she was burning up already.
"We missed the Moonpool meeting last time," Stormbrook said slowly, "to stay here and treat her. It's half-moon again tonight. Birdpaw, I want you to go alone. Ask StarClan for any advice if they can point us in the right direction."
Birdpaw stiffened. StarClan? She had avoided the Moonpool for a while, not wanting to see Raggedstar in regard to how she had broken the medicine cat code. But she would have to put all of that aside if StarClan could give her advice on how to treat Robinwing. "Why can't you go?" she asked.
Stormbrook sighed. "You've been training for a while, Birdpaw, but it's best if I stay to watch Robinwing. There may be something that I haven't tried yet." Even though the words were hopeful, his voice was detached and flat, as if he knew it was wishful thinking. Birdpaw scuffed the ground with her paw, knowing that Stormbrook was right.
"I'll go now," Birdpaw meowed, dipping her head to Stormbrook. Stormbrook blinked his gratitude as she turned on her heel and raced out of the medicine den. She slammed into a heavyset body and looked up to see Leafshade, one of the newly appointed warriors alongside Hawkflight, Eagleflight, and Owlfang. She had been so busy with Robinwing that she had only found a few spare moments to spend with him—although she cherished them gratefully.
"Birdpaw," Leafshade breathed out, touching her nose with his. "How is Robinwing?"
"No better," Birdpaw sighed. "I'm going to the Moonpool to see if StarClan has any advice." The chilly late leaf-fall wind billowed against Birdpaw's pelt, and she fluffed out her fur to protect her from the cold. She could taste the arrival of leaf-bare on the winds, and knew that Robinwing's condition would only get worse when the cold arrived and the snow set in.
"Do you need an escort?" Leafshade asked.
Birdpaw paused. She would love to walk with Leafshade, but she was going to the Moonpool, and that would mean seeing Raggedstar or Littlecloud. If she arrived there with Leafshade, StarClan would most likely banish her on the spot. Birdpaw shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, Leafshade, but I'll be meeting the other medicine cats there."
"And you don't want them to know," Leafshade murmured. Whether he was referring to their forbidden relationship or Robinwing's illness, Birdpaw had no idea. She pressed her muzzle to his shoulder and looked around rapidly, hoping no one would notice.
"I'll be back by morning," Birdpaw promised.
"Stay safe!" Leafshade called out as Birdpaw scrambled out of camp, using her paws to haul her over the walls of the hollow until she emerged onto the ground of the pine forest. This would be her first journey to the Moonpool alone, and she was still an apprentice. She hoped that the ThunderClan cats would leave her alone if they saw her—she was a medicine cat, and she was allowed to travel wherever she liked. All she was doing was going to the Moonpool. It didn't matter if Stormbrook wasn't with her.
The sun's golden rays silhouetted Birdpaw's outline as she bounded through the pine forest. The ground was nearly frozen beneath her, and the pine trees were loose of all their shedding. Leaf-bare was coming with an iron hold on the forest. Birdpaw's teeth chattered as she leaped over a small stream and saw the lakeshore within the distance. I'm getting faster, she thought triumphantly.
She made sure she was three tail-lengths within the lake so that no ThunderClan cat could accuse her of trespassing, medicine cat or not. The sun's descent into the sky was nearly complete as Birdpaw made imprints in the sand during her travel. She quickened her pace until she saw the start to the Moonpool stream that made the border between ThunderClan and WindClan. She climbed up the slope and leaped across the stream, very much aware that she was in WindClan territory now. Swiftstar might not be so kind to me if he saw me without Stormbrook, she thought wryly. She kept close to the streambank as it climbed through the moorland.
Moonlight was starting to show its shafts onto the moorland, but Birdpaw was already close to the Moonpool. She could hear the bubbling of the waterfall as it tumbled from the stream towards the pool in the hollow that was so close to her. Birdpaw approached the steep stone hollow, looking down to see the moss-covered rocks that would help her with the descent. The pool glittered with starshine, and the medicine cats from the three other Clans were already surrounding it. Their tail-tips were twitching in irritation, and Birdpaw knew she was late. She scrambled down the rocks and landed on the stony ground.
"Finally!" Violetheart's tail lashed in irritation. "You missed last half-moon's meeting, and where's Stormbrook?" Her seething blue glare looked Birdpaw up and down.
"Calm down," Ashenhawk murmured. Starlingpaw glared at Violetheart, as if silently reprimanding her for her outburst, while Pale-eye simply rolled her one good eye. "There must be something wrong if both of them missed the last half-moon meeting and Birdpaw is the only one here."
Birdpaw flicked her tail. She hadn't asked Stormbrook if she could tell her fellow medicine cats. She knew that there was a tension among the medicine cats that hadn't been there prior to when the Clans broke out into war, but looking from their faces, she couldn't believe that any of them would use a sickness in another Clan to convince their leader to attack.
"We have a sick cat in our Clan, and she's not getting any better," Birdpaw told the medicine cats. "We missed the last half-moon meeting because she was getting worse. Stormbrook sent me here alone so I could get advice from StarClan on how to heal her. He stayed behind to keep an eye on her."
Ashenhawk's eyes rounded with sympathy, while Violetheart looked sheepishly away and Pale-eye frowned. Starlingpaw padded over to Birdpaw and touched her shoulder with her nose, a quiet comfort.
"What are the symptoms?" Ashenhawk asked.
"Rough breathing, coughing, high fever, and vomiting," Birdpaw listed them off, one-by-one. "We've tried catmint, tansy, coltsfoot, and feverfew. Nothing seems to be working."
"That's everything I would try, too," Pale-eye meowed. "Have you tried bright-eye?"
"Stormbrook did, once," Birdpaw told Pale-eye, recalling back to her mentor's one-off treatment. "It made her worse in seconds. He didn't use it again."
"Odd." Pale-eye tilted her head. "Strange how her illness didn't react to any of those methods. Perhaps it doesn't have a cure."
Birdpaw flattened her ears. "Then why isn't she dead yet?" she demanded. "As long as she's alive, I have to believe there's a cure!"
Ashenhawk rested her tail comfortingly on Birdpaw's slight shoulders. "You and Stormbrook are both trying your best," she meowed, "but maybe that's not enough. Maybe you need StarClan's guidance. Drink from the pool and see what your ancestors have to say."
Birdpaw gazed despairingly at Ashenhawk. My ancestors hate me because I'm making the same mistake you and Stormbrook did. Wouldn't you love that? But it was clear the ThunderClan medicine cat was trying to be kind. She nodded to the silver-and-black tabby she-cat and crouched down near the Moonpool. The other medicine cats followed suit as Birdpaw licked up some of the crystal water from the Moonpool. She tucked her paws under her chest and closed her eyes.
Then, she slept.
When she opened her eyes, Birdpaw found herself surrounded by a throng of pine trees. She tilted her head in confusion. I'm back in ShadowClan territory. Did I sleepwalk here, or does StarClan just not want to meet me? She snorted. I wouldn't be surprised. But it's not about me, today. It's about Robinwing and saving her life.
"Raggedstar?" Birdpaw called out. "Littlecloud?"
"Nope." The voice belonged to a cat she didn't know, and Birdpaw angled her ears, startled as a gray tom with a white patch on his chest emerged from behind one of the pine trees. She had never seen this tom before. He was small, with slight shoulders but kind amber eyes. Stars draped his pelt, so Birdpaw knew he was a StarClan warrior. But who was he?
"Who are you…?" Birdpaw asked.
"My name is Pebble Heart," the tom meowed, lifting his dazzling amber eyes to gaze at Birdpaw. "I was the first medicine cat of ShadowClan."
At those words, Birdpaw immediately prostrated herself to the ground, bowing deeply in front of the first ShadowClan medicine cat. What an honor! she thought, excitement making her heart pound loudly. Meeting the first ShadowClan medicine cat! I bet even Stormbrook hasn't met him. She glanced back up, thankful that it wasn't Raggedstar who was meeting her here. She was sure that Raggedstar would've ranted and raved the entire time. However, there was nothing but kindness in Pebble Heart's eyes.
"You are worried," Pebble Heart meowed, tilting his head as he gestured with his paw for Birdpaw to stand up.
Birdpaw got to her paws. "I'm sure you know why," she meowed. But to entertain you, I'll tell you anyway. "There is a very ill cat in our Clan. I don't know what she has, and neither does Stormbrook. None of the traditional remedies are working to heal her. Stormbrook tried bright-eye, something that's not often used, but that just made her sick. Please, Pebble Heart, give me some advice to help her."
Pebble Heart was silent, and Birdpaw wondered if her words had gone unheard. Her tail twitched in irritation. What was the point of meeting ShadowClan's first medicine cat if he couldn't help her? Had he seen something similar to this, in his lifetime? Or maybe another medicine cat did. Can't I talk to one of them?
"There is a cure for the illness you speak of," Pebble Heart said after a few moments.
The petals of joy bloomed in Birdpaw's heart as Pebble Heart spoke the words she had been longing to hear. The strength that had evaporated from her paws over the last few moons after desperate attempts to treat the illness that never seemed to heal surged in her blood.
"Where do I find it?" Birdpaw asked.
"He has a thick golden pelt," Pebble Heart replied.
"He…?" Birdpaw tilted her head. "Do you mean golden petals?" The cure isn't a cat, is it? Oh, StarClan, Stormbrook would shred me into pieces if I told him that!
"No." Pebble Heart shook his head. "The cure is in the paws of a tom with thick golden fur who lives in the Twolegplace. You will have to bring him to your camp to treat the she-cat who is ill."
"You want me to bring a rogue into ShadowClan camp? Into the medicine den?" Birdpaw couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Pebble Heart's tail twitched irritably. "I was treating cats since before the Clans were formed, and we didn't judge based on heritage. In fact, every Clan cat you know is descended from either rogues or the Tribe of Rushing Water. Whether this cat is a rogue or a loner does not matter. He holds the cure you seek. You must find him and bring him to ShadowClan. He is your only hope of saving Robinwing."
Birdpaw realized that it wasn't worth arguing. Pebble Heart was telling her where the cure was, and she wasn't going to argue about its origins. If this golden cat had it, then they needed him. "I can't go and find him. I have to stay with Stormbrook. He needs me."
"Then find another cat in your Clan who can," Pebble Heart said. "Without the help of the cat with the golden fur, Robinwing will die." His words were ominous, but the way he delivered them was soft. The contrast sent a shiver straight into Birdpaw's bones, and she nodded, knowing time was of the essence.
"I'll let Lionstar know," Birdpaw told Pebble Heart. "Thank you so much."
Pebble Heart dipped his head. "StarClan does what it can."
"Pebble Heart…" Birdpaw murmured. "If you see Raggedstar, tell him that I'm sorry."
The old ShadowClan medicine cat's eyes darkened, and he seemed to know exactly what Birdpaw was referring to. She didn't know if that was the reason Raggedstar wasn't here—he had always met with her before—but she had to let him know that she was sorry she disappointed him. Pebble Heart gave her a nod and disappeared into the pines. Birdpaw watched him go until there was no trace of the starshine that trailed from his body. She looked at her own body, watching it grow transparent until the pine forest was no more.
She opened her eyes again and was greeted with the star-flecked Moonpool in front of her. Getting to her paws, she shook out her pelt and stretched out her arms. For the first time in a moon, her heart felt light. She knew where the cure to Robinwing's illness was! Now she just had to convince Lionstar to send a cat to go find the cat who held it. She wanted to run straight to ShadowClan territory, but she was well aware it was rude to leave without bidding farewell to her fellow medicine cats.
Ashenhawk was the first medicine cat to awaken. She let out a large yawn, showing her pure white teeth. She turned her sleek silver head to Birdpaw, and a soft grin spread on her face. "Someone looks happy."
"One of my ancestors told me where to find the cure," Birdpaw breathed out in excitement.
"That's great!" Ashenhawk's tail curled up in joy for the gray-and-white apprentice. "I won't press you too much, but I told you all you needed was StarClan's help."
Yes, but StarClan won't be the cat to go and get it, Birdpaw thought. A journey to the Twolegplace would mean a warrior needing to cross both RiverClan and WindClan territory. RiverClan wasn't sympathetic to any cat at all—whoever had to get the cat would need to cross inconspicuously. Who's up to the task? We have to get it as soon as possible!
The rest of the medicine cats rose. Violetheart's blue eyes were shadowed. "I had the oddest dream," she murmured.
"What was it?" Starlingpaw asked.
"Fire everywhere," Violetheart told the black-and-white apprentice. "There was a silver tabby cat who burned in it." She looked at her paws. "We have no silver tabbies in WindClan, so I don't know who it could have possibly been."
"StarClan may be sending you a warning," Pale-eye said. "Let Swiftstar know. Perhaps you need to dig fire breaks in the moor when greenleaf comes."
Violetheart nodded. "That's a good idea, Pale-eye. I'll tell him."
Birdpaw itched to get going. She had to let Stormbrook know what Pebble Heart had told her. Any second may be a second too late. Ashenhawk let out a rumble as she watched Birdpaw's jittering paws.
"Go on, get going," Ashenhawk told the gray-and-white she-cat. "Stormbrook would like to know what you saw, I'm sure."
"Thanks, Ashenhawk," Birdpaw meowed, quite aware of the emotion that was thick in Ashenhawk's voice as she spoke of Birdpaw's mentor. "Bye, all!" She quickly turned on her heel and raced away from the Moonpool, climbing the mossy rocks and darting away from the stone hollow. She kept close to the stream, watching as the moonlight slowly started to melt away to make room for the rising sun. Dawn patrols would be out any moment. She had to get back to camp before she was caught by a WindClan or ThunderClan patrol.
Birdpaw ran through the moor, across the stream bank until WindClan's scent became thick. She shuddered, hating the scent of heather and rabbit. Although WindClan wasn't as much of a pain in the side as ThunderClan or RiverClan was to ShadowClan, she knew only too well that Swiftstar was known as the Viper of WindClan, showing no mercy to his enemies. Flintstar was a much better cat to have on their borders than Swiftstar was. Even Otterstar, who was recently made leader in light of Reedstar's death at the claws of the WindClan leader, showed mercy to his enemies. It was simply in the warrior code. But Swiftstar had been born a rogue. Maybe that's why.
Shoving all thoughts of WindClan and Swiftstar out of her mind, Birdpaw crossed the stream into ThunderClan territory. Oddly, she felt safer here than she did in WindClan land. Her paws were screaming at her to stop and take a break, but there was no time to waste. She had to let Stormbrook and Lionstar know of what Pebble Heart told her, and that way, they'd be able to send a cat as soon as possible. Who is this golden cat? Is a medicine cat as well? He can't be—only Clans have medicine cats. Pebble Heart said he lived in the Twolegplace.
The oak forest started to disappear to be replaced by the familiar pine trees of ShadowClan. Birdpaw recognized home immediately. Adrenaline gave her the speed she needed as she pressed forward until she saw camp in the distance. As if she was a rabbit running away from a predator, she darted across the last stretch of pines into the camp. She leaped down the side of the hollow and took no notice of the rising cats watching her as if she was an invader. She shot straight through the camp into the medicine den.
"Stormbrook!" Birdpaw exclaimed, seeing her mentor dozing off next to Robinwing. She bounded over to him and shoved him roughly, trying to rouse him. "I know how to cure Robinwing!"
"Wha…" Stormbrook's amber eyes opened slowly, blurred with sleep. He looked up at Birdpaw, recognition clearing his gaze. He got to his paws and shook out his ungroomed gray-and-black fur. "What is it?"
"There's a cat in Twolegplace who has the cure," Birdpaw told him. "We have to send a cat to go find him. He has thick golden fur."
"Twolegplace?" Stormbrook tilted his head. "That sounds awfully odd… and far. How is there no herb in the forest that can treat her?"
"Can you not doubt me?" Birdpaw's tail lashed. "I thought you trusted me!"
"I do," Stormbrook said mildly. "But it just doesn't sound right."
"Pebble Heart told me himself," Birdpaw said, walking over to check on Robinwing. "You can go to the Moonpool yourself and talk to StarClan if you don't believe me. But that would take an awful lot of time, and we don't have that to waste. We must send a cat to Twolegplace to find that cat."
Stormbrook blinked. "All right," he said. "Let's tell Lionstar." He led the way out of his den towards the boulder beneath the low-hanging branches of the pine tree that made Lionstar's den. He nosed his way through the screen of brambles at the entrance and called out Lionstar's name. Birdpaw angled her ears, and when Lionstar grunted, both medicine cats took that as a signal to come in.
When Birdpaw entered the den, she stiffened at the sight of it. Lionstar was sleeping in moss that most likely had not been changed in days. There was rotting fresh-kill next to him, a single bite taken out of it. Lionstar's golden tabby fur was matted with clumps, and his green eyes were hazy, as if he hadn't slept in days. He looked up at the two medicine cats, and a growl rose deep in his throat.
"Are you here to tell me Robinwing is dead?" Lionstar growled. "You don't have to. I know that already."
"That's not true, Lionstar," Stormbrook said, shaking his head. "Birdpaw, please tell Lionstar what you saw at the Moonpool."
Birdpaw took her spot in front of the golden tabby warrior. "I met with Pebble Heart. He was the first medicine cat of ShadowClan. He told me that there was a cat in Twolegplace who had the cure that Robinwing needed. He has thick golden fur. We need to send a cat to find him and bring him back here."
Lionstar narrowed his green eyes into slits, and Birdpaw wondered if he didn't believe her. After all, Clan cats weren't exactly welcoming to Twolegplace cats. Birdpaw prepared herself for an argument, but was completely baffled when he said, "Who should we send?"
What…? Birdpaw exchanged an appalled glance at Stormbrook, who had his mouth open as if he was prepared to argue with Lionstar. Stormbrook shut his mouth and stared at Birdpaw, just as surprised as she was. Lionstar really must be worried for Robinwing if he's willing to stake her entire life on this. But so am I.
"This cat would have to cross RiverClan and WindClan territory," Birdpaw meowed. "It'd have to be one cat, too. Anything bigger than that would be seen as a threat, if caught by RiverClan or WindClan."
"Then they just can't be caught," Lionstar growled. He looked up at the ceiling of his den, twitching his ears. "Would your brother do it?"
Talonclaw? Birdpaw nodded. "Of course he would!" He was devastated to see Robinwing in the state she was, she thought. I trust him to find the golden cat and bring him back.
Lionstar blinked. "Get him," he ordered Stormbrook. Stormbrook nodded briskly and left his den. Birdpaw shifted her paws and tasted the air. The scents of Toadstep, Sparrowflight, and Featherheart, who were often with Lionstar, were stale. They must not have been here in days, she thought. They're usually in here every day. He's even been alienating them. Oh, StarClan, if we lose Robinwing, we lose Lionstar, too.
There was silence between the two cats. Birdpaw was thankful that Lionstar didn't press her any further. He seemed to believe her dream, which only furthered Birdpaw's belief that this was right. There was a golden-furred cat out there who had the cure. Talonclaw would find him. For now, it was Birdpaw and Stormbrook's job to keep Robinwing comfortable until he was found.
Birdpaw could taste Talonclaw's scent and heard his heavy pawsteps as he poked his dark tabby head into the den. His amber eyes widened—he was equally taken aback by the state of the den, and Lionstar, as Birdpaw and Stormbrook had been. Talonclaw sat down near Birdpaw and bowed his head to Lionstar. Stormbrook settled on Talonclaw's other side.
When did he get so big? Birdpaw thought as her brother shifted his weight on both sides. He was twice Birdpaw's size, and he was nearly as big as Lionstar. And he's still growing. Birdpaw licked her shoulder self-consciously.
"Stormbrook told me," Talonclaw meowed to both Lionstar and Birdpaw. "And I'm willing to go. I'll find this golden-furred cat, no matter what."
Lionstar gazed at Talonclaw steadily. "It will be your first duty as one of my great generals."
Talonclaw's amber eyes flashed wide in surprise.
"You need to go now," Birdpaw told Talonclaw. "There's not a moment to go. Are you well rested? Have you eaten?"
The dark tabby nodded. "I'm ready to go."
"Then go," Lionstar ordered. "Don't come back unless you have the golden cat with you."
Talonclaw bowed deeply to Lionstar. "Yes, Lionstar." He turned his head to gaze at Birdpaw. "Don't worry. I'll come back with the golden cat, and we'll save Robinwing." He touched his nose to Birdpaw's muzzle and gave Stormbrook a respectful nod. There was no time for a proper sendoff, Birdpaw knew. Talonclaw slipped away from the den and was gone.
Birdpaw watched him go. He's going into completely unknown territory, she thought. None of us have been to the Twolegplace before. And who knows what he's going to encounter? RiverClan is out to get us. And if he's caught on WindClan territory, Swiftstar will have a field day with him. He's never traveled outside of ShadowClan territory before.
Oh, Pebble Heart, please be right!