The fragrant scent of marigold and goldenrod tickled Birdpaw's nostrils as she dropped the bundle of plants near the herb store. She sat down and started to sort the leaves into their respective spots, tossing away old, shriveled herbs and replacing them with the newly collected ones. She held back a sneeze as the specks of herbs found their way into her nostrils. The medicine den was quiet, with no sign of Stormbrook. But he had ordered her to pick these herbs, and Birdpaw had been training long enough to know that these herbs were for battle wounds. Who are we fighting now? she thought despairingly.
The entrance to the den rustled, and Birdpaw looked over her shoulder to see that Stormbrook had entered the den. In his jaws he held a wad of cobwebs. The tom let out a grunt as he padded over to Birdpaw and dropped the cobwebs right next to her.
"Start sorting those," he ordered gruffly.
"More cobwebs?" Birdpaw inquired, staring at the herb store. "But we have plenty."
"You can never have enough cobwebs." There was a veiled warning in Stormbrook's voice, as if warning her not to ask too many questions. But Birdpaw's curiosity was too much for her as she gazed at their herb store. The herbs for battle wounds far outnumbered their herbs for everyday illnesses. It was as if her mentor was expecting a battle any second.
"Why do we have so much marigold and goldenrod?" Birdpaw asked, stopping in her tracks. "And why does it look like you invaded a family of spiders to get that many cobwebs? Are we going to battle soon?"
Stormbrook winced, and his gray-black fur fluffed up. There was a flash of anger in his eyes, but it died just as soon as it appeared. Birdpaw recoiled, surprised by the wave of emotions that ran through her mentor in such a short span of time. The tom hunched his shoulders but said nothing. Birdpaw flicked her tail in irritation.
"I hear me," Birdpaw muttered. "How come you don't?"
"Don't get smart with me," Stormbrook growled. "I've been treating cats since before your mother was kitted." He patted the cobwebs with a dark paw. "You know me far too well, Birdpaw. Yes, I'm expecting a battle any time soon. The dawn patrol have brought news to Lionstar that ThunderClan scents were found deep in ShadowClan territory. And this isn't the first time, either."
Birdpaw frowned, wondering if Rootberry had been any of those scents. If he's fighting in the patrol, will Lionstar believe me when I say that he's the threat Raggedstar warned me about? she thought to herself. Raggedstar said that he'd be known as the God of War. A shiver ran down Birdpaw's spine as she recalled the first battle she had seen with ThunderClan. It was my first time treating so many cats. Leafpaw got hurt badly…
"Birdpaw?" Stormbrook's voice was rife with irritation. "Stop daydreaming! I'm telling you something important."
The ShadowClan medicine cat apprentice shook out her gray-and-white fur and gave her mentor a brief nod. "Sorry, Stormbrook." A fresh wave of anger swamped over her as she recalled what he had just said. "So, what you're saying is that Lionstar wants to go to war? Over scents?"
The fur on the back of Stormbrook's spine pricked up. "They've been trespassing."
"When I became a medicine cat, I didn't sign up to taking care of cats who get ripped apart because of scents," Birdpaw growled, lashing her tail.
Stormbrook's ears flattened. "When you became a medicine cat, you signed up to treat everyone, regardless of how they got their injuries!" he snapped at her.
"What's the point of saving lives if their lives are threatened because of something stupid?" Birdpaw demanded.
"Fighting for your Clan is not foolish!" Stormbrook yowled, fury blazing in his yellow eyes.
"When the reason is because there are scents over the borders, it kind of is!" Birdpaw retorted, anger bubbling in her blood. Can't he see that it's stupid to fight over simple scents? I don't want cats to die for such foolish reasons! Why is he okay with that? "What a waste of herbs, if we can stop it from happening in the first place!"
Stormbrook's ears pricked up. "You want to stop the battle?" he asked, his voice a low growl. "Are you willing to risk your life? No cat dictates what battles their Clan leader fights in!"
Birdpaw let out a low growl in her throat. "Well, let's just see what Lionstar says!" She turned on her heel and started to march out of the medicine den, her lashing tail twitching up some fallen herbs from the ground.
"Birdpaw!" Stormbrook yowled as Birdpaw raced away from the medicine den, ignoring the curious gazes her Clanmates were shooting her as she bounded over to Lionstar's den. She skidded to a halt as she heard the hushed voices of Featherheart, Sparrowflight, Toadstep, and Lionstar, all exchanging what seemed to be differing opinions. But she had no time to eavesdrop—her heavy breathing, scent, and the thumping of her pawsteps had already alerted the toms to her presence.
Lionstar called out, "Birdpaw? Is that you?" His voice was confused.
"What is your daughter doing here, Sparrowflight?" Featherheart demanded.
"I'm not sure." Sparrowflight sounded just as baffled as Lionstar.
"Yes, it's me," Birdpaw said through clenched teeth. "May I come in?"
There was silence. Finally, though his voice was rife with impatience and perhaps irritation, Lionstar said, "Yes, come in."
"Thank you." Birdpaw slithered in the gap in the den and squared her shoulders, looking at the four great warriors in front of her. Featherheart's blue eyes blazed, while Sparrowflight's ears twitched. Birdpaw wondered how Sparrowflight felt as her path towards a medicine cat—her father was much more orientated towards warrior business, while Birdpaw's path focused solely on herbs and StarClan, leaving them not much room to interact. He was closer to Talonpaw than he was to Birdpaw, but oddly enough, Birdpaw wasn't bothered by that. Although she respected Sparrowflight, she had come to accept she would have more of a father figure in Stormbrook than she ever would in Sparrowflight.
"What is it, Birdpaw?" Sparrowflight's voice was soft. Birdpaw twitched her tail angrily. She didn't need to be coddled! And she wasn't going to beat around the bush.
"Are you all really going to attack ThunderClan?" Birdpaw demanded.
Sparrowflight's piercing amber eyes widened at her tone, while Featherheart snarled. Lionstar's ears flattened, but it was Toadstep who replied in a voice with the utmost calm, "Yes, Birdpaw, we are."
"You can't!" Birdpaw exclaimed. She had become a medicine cat to save lives, so she wouldn't be forced to take them. But what was the point if there was the chance that they would be lost anyway, in a foolish and useless battle, started solely because of scents? She had never lost a Clanmate before—what if it was Leafpaw who died? Or Thistlesnow? Or Talonpaw? Fear flooded in Birdpaw's blood. Leafpaw had already had a narrow escape with death before. Maybe this time, he wouldn't be so lucky.
"Why not?" Toadstep asked, tilting his head. "Have you had a sign from StarClan?"
"Or do you think that we are too cowardly to defend our borders?" Featherheart snarled.
"I didn't say that!" Birdpaw whirled on Featherheart, undaunted by the massive gray-furred warrior with his cold, unfeeling blue eyes. "But I don't want cats to die."
"There is always the risk of death in battle, Birdpaw," Sparrowflight warned her. "It does not mean we should shy away from it."
"That's why you're a medicine cat," Featherheart growled, lashing his thick-furred tail. "Stay out of this and let us decide."
"I'm a medicine cat to save lives!" Birdpaw hissed at Featherheart. Do warriors see nothing but battle? Are they so short-sighted that they don't see the value of life? They think it's something that can just be thrown away? "But what's the point of saving them if they're put in danger for a useless battle?"
"Useless?" Featherheart's blue eyes stretched wide. "Sparrowflight, did you not teach your daughter any manners? Or does she think that because she's a medicine cat apprentice, she's above the rest of us? Even her Clan leader?"
"Silence, Featherheart!" Sparrowflight snapped at the gray warrior, but Birdpaw could see embarrassment in his amber eyes.
Birdpaw's voice was low in her throat as she growled, "You all are starting a fight because of scents across the border. Have you not considered sending a diplomat to ThunderClan? To ask them what's going on, why their scents? Have you ever sat and thought that there may be a good reason? Perhaps their scent is drifting, maybe a cat crossed without knowing. You say you know that lives can be lost in battle, but you treat these lives as if they're disposable. Do you not know how sacred life is? How much of a gift it is?"
Featherheart's claws unsheathed and dug into the ground. "It is glorious to die for your Clan," he hissed.
"What is the point of dying for your Clan if you can't continue to serve it after the battle?" Birdpaw snarled at Featherheart.
"Birdpaw," Sparrowflight breathed, his amber eyes wide. Birdpaw guessed she had said something that would shake the bravest ShadowClan warrior to their core—but she didn't regret it. Life was sacred and precious. As she gazed across the four warriors, she saw strength in them, but she could also taste the yearning for their end. Once someone entices the thoughts of a glorious death into their soul, it is there to stay, slowly corrupting them until they find their way back to life or give up and let demise claim them.
Every cat had spoken but Lionstar. Birdpaw fixed her green eyes on her Clan leader, and for the first time, she wondered if she had gone too far. The entrance to Lionstar's den rustled behind her, and she looked over her shoulder to see Stormbrook scrambling in. His amber eyes were wide, and he lowered his head.
"Please, forgive her, Lionstar!" Stormbrook exclaimed. "Whatever Birdpaw said—she's young, forgive her! If you must punish someone for her insolence, punish me. I should have taught her better."
Birdpaw opened her mouth to say something to her mentor, but Stormbrook slapped his tail against her jaws, and the only thing that came out of her was a mewl in protest of the fur in her mouth. Stormbrook gazed at Lionstar, who had tilted his head, as if he were deep in thought.
"You believe that talking to ThunderClan may work this out?" Lionstar finally asked.
"What?" Featherheart gasped, and Sparrowflight's amber eyes widened. Toadstep shifted his paws uncertainly, and even Stormbrook stepped back, as if he hadn't expected Lionstar to even entertain Birdpaw's suggestion. Birdpaw was in agreement—she had expected Lionstar to send her out with sharp words and a threat. She never expected the big tabby tom to listen to her.
"Yes," Birdpaw told her leader. "I don't think you should rush headfirst in an attack without trying to discuss it with them first. Flintstar is an honorable leader, regardless of being your enemy. He would be honest with you."
"Flintstar is not known for being a liar," Toadstep murmured.
Lionstar was quiet, still visibly pondering. Featherheart leaped to all four paws. His lip was curled back and his ears were flattened as he snarled, "I cannot believe you are considering this! You are really going to step back from a battle because a half-trained medicine cat apprentice told you to do so?"
"Hold your tongue, Featherheart," Lionstar growled. "You forget who you are speaking to."
Featherheart bit his lip.
"If there is a way to solve this without losing lives, then I'm willing to try it," Lionstar went on. "Birdpaw, you're right that life is precious, but I will never waver from my belief that dying for your Clan is the most honorable thing you can do. But, I agree with you that there's no point in dying for your Clan if it's not for a good reason. I don't like sending my warriors into fights they cannot win, or that should not be fought in the first place." He rolled his shoulders back, and his green eyes blazed with fire. "I will speak to Flintstar and figure out why ThunderClan scents are so deep in our territory." His gaze hardened as he looked Birdpaw up and down. "But if I find his reasons blasphemous, I will attack."
"All I ask is that you speak to him first," Birdpaw said quietly. "Nothing more than that."
"Very well." Lionstar got to his paws. "Stormbrook, Birdpaw, I want you both with me. Toadstep, you as well."
"Yes, Lionstar." Toadstep lowered his head, and Stormbrook nodded. The fury that had kindled a fire inside of Birdpaw's heart as she snarled at the warriors dwindled away to a few embers. It worked, she realized with a sigh of relief. Her bristling fur flattened, and she sent a silent thanks to StarClan. Thank you. Maybe I won't lose any Clanmates today. Maybe I was able to stop this battle after all! Hopefully Flintstar has a good reason for those scents on our land.
"Are we leaving now?" Stormbrook asked Lionstar.
Lionstar nodded. "Yes." He waved his thick striped tail and bounded out of the den. Before he could disappear out of sight, he looked over his shoulder at Sparrowflight and Featherheart. "If we're not back by sunset, send a patrol to search for us."
Sparrowflight nodded, but his amber gaze was focused on Birdpaw. Birdpaw met her father's gaze, unable to decipher what laid behind the yellow orbs. Is he proud of me that I was able to convince Lionstar into talking? she wondered. Or is he disappointed? Maybe he wanted to fight, and he's upset with me for stopping that.
"Birdpaw!" Stormbrook's voice was clipped. Birdpaw turned on her heel and followed her mentor's voice. Her small paws sent pine needles flying up as the four cats scaled the hollow and raced through the heart of ShadowClan territory. Birdpaw found herself having a hard time keeping up with the three toms—Toadstep and Lionstar both had long, lean legs and incredible stamina, while Stormbrook was stoutly built with muscular legs and broad shoulders. Compared to them, Birdpaw was half their size with short legs and less than impressive endurance. But she didn't dare waver. This was too important. Birdpaw quickened her pace, trying to ignore the strain in her paws as she tried her best to keep pace with the three most important cats in ShadowClan.
They raced through a swerving path through the throng of pine trees, the shadows from the massive trees draping over their backs. Birdpaw tasted the air, and she was able to make out the many scents of various herbs and berries, but she knew she couldn't stop to pick them, no matter how much she wanted to. Birdpaw kept pace with Stormbrook, casting a glance at her mentor. Stormbrook's face was unreadable as Birdpaw recalled back to their argument in the medicine den, and then how he had pleaded for forgiveness on her behalf. What does he really think? Birdpaw wondered. I know Lionstar doesn't trust him with ThunderClan, because of all that business with Ashenhawk. Is he mad at me? Or maybe he really didn't want this battle in the first place… not that he did anything to stop it.
The pine trees started to fan out to give way to an open grassy clearing, and the streambed that had once been dry when Birdpaw had seen it was now rushing to the brim with pale blue water. The scent of ThunderClan mingled with the pines of ShadowClan. Birdpaw looked up at the sun, which was resting at its highest peak in the sky. The sunhigh patrol should be here soon, she thought. We should be able to talk to them.
Lionstar spoke what had ran through Birdpaw's thoughts. "We won't trespass. We shall wait for their sunhigh patrol and ask to speak to Flintstar." His golden tabby fur was buffeted by the greenleaf wind, and he held his head high. Stormbrook nodded briefly, while Toadstep simply flicked his tail. Birdpaw ran her tongue down her ruffled gray-and-white fur, finally able to breathe.
It wasn't long until a ThunderClan patrol approached the stream. Birdpaw swung her head and recognized the leader of the patrol, with his finely shaped face and the elegant way he carried himself, with a serene smile on his face, although beneath it was laced with danger. It was Rootberry! His brother, Peartuft, was behind him, and bringing up the rear of the patrol was Lightningfang. Peartuft's amber eyes narrowed in suspicion, while Lightningfang immediately unsheathed his claws, as if he were already preparing for a fight.
"Greetings," Lionstar meowed to Rootberry. Birdpaw wondered if Lionstar remembered what Birdpaw had said to him about the black-and-white warrior. He listened to me about this. Maybe if I tell him about Rootberry again, he'll listen. If this works out well, of course.
"Hello, Lionstar," Rootberry meowed, dipping his head in respect towards the Clan leader. "You're an awful long way from the ShadowClan camp. Is there anything we can do for you?"
Peartuft shouldered his way near Rootberry. "What are you doing here?" he demanded roughly, his ears flattened as he looked the ShadowClan cats up and down, his long claws flexing out of their sheathes and tearing up grass.
"Peartuft," Rootberry warned his brother with a low growl, looking much calmer and more composed in contrast to his kin. "I am leading the patrol. I will take care of this."
The gray tabby warrior snorted and stepped back, but his suspicious glare never left the ShadowClan patrol. Birdpaw shuddered as his amber eyes bore through her own pelt. I'm a medicine cat apprentice, she thought. He won't harm me.
"Yes, actually," Lionstar said, fixing his vivid forest-green gaze on Rootberry's sleek black-and-white pelt. "I would like to speak to Flintstar."
Rootberry narrowed his eyes, the only sign that he was taken aback by the ShadowClan leader's bold request. "Regarding…?"
"That is a matter for Flintstar's ears only," the ShadowClan leader said, his voice carrying the hint of a warning—and a threat.
"Mm." Rootberry's neat ears twitched, as if he wanted to press more, but his next words did not indicate any sense of prying. "Very well. I will escort you to our camp, where you can speak to Flintstar."
"Are you out of your mind?" Peartuft demanded as he whirled on his brother, his amber eyes blazing with the same fury Birdpaw had seen in Featherheart's gaze. They'd make good friends, she thought wryly. "Leading the ShadowClan leader and deputy to our camp? Are you trying to get us killed?"
"We come in peace!" Toadstep exclaimed. "If we wanted to shred you, we'd have done it already. Plus, our medicine cats are here. We have no intentions of fighting!"
Peartuft and Lightningfang exchanged a glance of disbelief. Never trust a ShadowClan cat, Birdpaw guessed they were saying in their heads.
"I believe you," Rootberry meowed kindly, as if Peartuft had never spoken. "Come, I will escort you."
"Thank you." Lionstar cleared the stream with a massive leap, landing on the other side of the streambank with relative ease. Toadstep followed him, settling right next to the big tabby. Birdpaw glanced at the rushing stream, uneasiness rooting her paws to the ground. Suddenly, persuading the senior warriors of ShadowClan seemed easier—and more preferable—to crossing the fast-moving stream.
"Do you think you can jump this?" Stormbrook murmured in Birdpaw's ear.
"The last time I was here, it was greenleaf and the stream was dry," Birdpaw murmured, hoping that Stormbrook didn't detect the tremble in her voice. "I just walked through the streambed."
"You're going to have to try," Stormbrook said. There was a soft, almost paternal like look on his face as he smiled softly at her. "I have faith in you. Go first."
Birdpaw stared at the stream and shifted her paws. She looked up to see Toadstep and Lionstar watching her, impatience flaring in their eyes. Peartuft scowled at her, lashing his tail, but to Birdpaw's surprise, Rootberry padded over to the streambed, his voice encouraging as he meowed, "It's not as far as it seems. You'll do fine. Just crouch down and jump—you look strong to make the jump!"
Why is Rootberry trying to encourage me? Birdpaw wondered. But the ThunderClan tom's voice was so soft and comforting that she found herself following his words. She crouched down, gathering all the strength in her hindquarters, and propelled herself off the ground with a powerful leap. To her surprise, she found herself landing right on the streambank on all four paws. She looked up, trying to hide a purr, and Rootberry met her gaze, his amber eyes glowing. Stormbrook followed them, landing with a huff. When all four ShadowClan cats had made the crossing, on the side of the stream where oaks and birches replaced the tall, looming pines, Rootberry turned on his heel and took the lead. Peartuft and Lightningfang flanked the ShadowClan cats on each side.
The overwhelming scents of different types of prey and foliage was a shock to Birdpaw. In ShadowClan territory, it was mostly pines, but there were so many different trees in ThunderClan territory that Birdpaw didn't think she'd have time to learn all their names. Different birds sang their songs, and every now and then Birdpaw could detect the scuffle of a mouse—or maybe it was a shrew. The forest floor was not as smooth as it was in the pine forest, with the ShadowClan cats constantly having to leap over fallen branches or rocks embedded in the ground. Sharp brambles pricked at Birdpaw's long fur, and she found herself sending a silent thanks to StarClan as Rootberry slowed the pace, indicating that they were close to their camp.
"Almost here," Rootberry promised the ShadowClan patrol. Lionstar sniffed in response as Rootberry brought them towards the ledge of a stone hollow. The small black-and-white tom tasted the air, and then scrambled down the low wall of the stone hollow. Lionstar followed him, and Toadstep was on his heels. Stormbrook brushed his tail encouragingly against Birdpaw's pelt, and Birdpaw picked her way delicately down the stone hollow, holding onto clefts worn away by time and weather to make her descent steadier. She landed on the grassy floor of the hollow and looked up to see a thorn tunnel, much like the entrance to the medicine den.
Rootberry squeezed delicately through the tunnel, his small figure making it visibly easy for him to slip through. Lionstar grunted in pain as the thorns scratched his broad shoulders, but eventually he was able to climb through the tunnel, albeit he left multiple tufts of golden fur between the thorns. Toadstep chuckled, but he made the crossing much easier. Stormbrook slipped through the thorn tunnel, and Birdpaw was on his heels, thankful for her small size, although her long fur caught on a few thorns. She could feel Peartuft's breath right at her heels, as if he were ready to snap at them any moment. Finally, Birdpaw slipped out of the tunnel right at Stormbrook's side. She looked around to see the massive ThunderClan camp spanning for fox-lengths in every direction. The walls of the stone hollow were much taller on the opposite side of camp, in contrast to the side that Rootberry had entered.
Multiple ThunderClan cats went about their business, just like ShadowClan on a normal day. She recognized the warriors Brookfeather and Stormwing sharing tongues near a pile of fresh-kill. Their ears twitched as they looked towards the ShadowClan cats, and immediately their fur began to bristle. A yellow-furred she-cat who was exiting a bramble bush backed up and headed back into the shadows of the bush. Foxstorm and Falconheart, two of ThunderClan's senior warriors, curled their lip at the ShadowClan patrol. Rootberry waved his tail towards Lionstar and Toadstep.
"Stay there," the slight tom meowed. "I will go get Flintstar for you."
"Tell him he's free to match his Clanmates with mine," Lionstar told the black-and-white cat. Rootberry nodded and crossed the camp before disappearing up a ledge and into a cave on top of it. Birdpaw sat down and wrapped her tail across her paws, refusing to show that she was intimidated by the venomous glares the ThunderClan cats were shooting her. Lionstar's fur bristled, and Birdpaw guessed that he did not enter enemy camps often, even if it was under the banner of peace.
The ThunderClan cats began to form a circle around the camp, as if preparing for an invasion. Birdpaw let out a sigh of irritation.
Toadstep growled, "I wish they weren't acting like we brought the entirety of ShadowClan!"
"They just want to protect their Clan," Stormbrook meowed. "If Flintstar or Reedstar entered our camp like this, we'd do the same thing." His gaze was focused on a cavern near the tallest part of the cliffs, with a screen of brambles covering the entrance. Birdpaw tilted her head, trying to guess what exactly he was looking at. Is that the medicine den?
It seemed like ages until Birdpaw spotted Flintstar's tall, muscular figure appearing from the ledge Rootberry had disappeared in. His silver fur carried a glossy sheen, but his yellow eyes were dark with suspicion as he stared at the ShadowClan patrol. Rootberry appeared from behind his leader, and Sootfall, the deputy of ThunderClan, was on Flintstar's other side. Flintstar murmured something to Rootberry that Birdpaw couldn't catch, and the black-and-white tom disappeared down the tumble of rocks into the den that Stormbrook was gazing at. Flintstar waited, and then Rootberry exited the den with Ashenhawk in tow. Flintstar climbed down the rocks, Sootfall behind him, and Ashenhawk tagged on Flintstar's other side. The three ThunderClan cats approached the ShadowClan warriors.
"Flintstar," Lionstar greeted the silver tabby tom. His voice was polite, but not friendly. After all, they were enemies, and that was how it was going to stay. Sootfall locked gazes with Toadstep, while Stormbrook met Ashenhawk's gaze. A storm of emotions raged in both medicine cats' eyes, but no cat, save for Birdpaw, seemed to take notice of it. They were much more focused on Lionstar and Flintstar.
"Lionstar." Flintstar's tail-tip twitched, the only indication that he wanted nothing to do with these cats. "What are you doing here?"
Lionstar cleared his throat. "We've found ThunderClan scents, deep within our territory. I was wondering if you had an explanation for it."
Sootfall flattened his ears. "ShadowClan cats asking for an explanation before lunging into us with their claws unsheathed? Next thing I know, Swiftstar will be showing mercy to his enemies."
Lionstar let out a low growl in his throat, while Flintstar shot Sootfall a glare that rendered him silent. The silver tabby tom swung his head to stare at Lionstar. "I do not know why there are scents so deep in your territory."
"That is a pathetic answer, and you know it," Lionstar growled. "I want an explanation for those scents before I grant Sootfall what he wants—a battle."
Birdpaw held her breath, hoping that Lionstar's words wouldn't provoke any of the ThunderClan cats to attack. Hold your tongue, she thought. She glanced at the crowd of ThunderClan cats, and she saw two toms, similar in their silver tabby pelts, look down at the ground in embarrassment. The bigger of them stepped forward, shame in his eyes. "I think I know what those scents are."
Flintstar glanced at the tom who had spoken. "Frostpaw?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. "What do you mean?"
Frostpaw shifted his paws. Lionstar fixed the silver tabby tom with a stony stare, and the entire clearing was engulfed in silence as both the ThunderClan and ShadowClan cats waited for the apprentice to speak. Frostpaw cleared his throat as he meowed, "It was me."
"No!" exclaimed the silver tabby tom from next to him, who Birdpaw guessed was his brother in terms of their similar looks. "It was me."
"It was both of us," Frostpaw said. "Winterpaw and I were daring each other on who could do the bravest thing. I challenged him to go to ShadowClan territory. He did, but he didn't come back. I was concerned for him and crossed the border to find him. But I didn't know where I was. I wandered the pine forest all night until I finally found him—and he was stuck in a gully. It took me a while to get him out." His ears flattened with shame as he stared at the ground. "I'm so sorry, Father. And Lionstar, too." He swung his head towards the big ShadowClan leader. "I'm willing to endure whatever punishment either of you wish to give me."
The ThunderClan leader was silent, staring at both his sons with narrowed blue eyes. Birdpaw winced, knowing the two toms would get a harsh reprimand the moment the ShadowClan cats left the clearing. Lionstar focused his vivid green eyes on the two apprentices. Birdpaw held her breath, wondering what her leader would do. Would he really punish two apprentices for a foolish mistake? Hadn't he made mistakes before, as an apprentice?
Suddenly, Lionstar let out a low chuckle in his throat. "Ahaha…!" He doubled over, chuckling vicariously. Flintstar eyed the golden tabby tom, a frown on his face. Lionstar straightened up. "Only a truly honorable cat would confess to his wrongdoings in front of the Clan leader of the very territory who he has crossed—and in front of his own father, too! When I was your age, I would never dream of doing that. I would be too frightened of the repercussions from my Clan leader and my father, which, in your case, is both."
"Are you… are you praising me?" Frostpaw's blue eyes were wide with shock.
"Indeed," Lionstar purred. "You may be my enemy, but I admire your courage—both in crossing enemy territory to find and save your brother, and for confessing the truth in front of your father and the enemy. Although it was foolish to hold a contest on who could do the—dare I say it, most irresponsible thing—it was honorable to brave the danger to save your brother and to be honest, when you could have shut your mouth and said nothing in the first place."
"It won't happen again," Flintstar told Lionstar, his face ashen with embarrassment.
"See that it doesn't," Lionstar said, his green eyes dark. "I will let it go this time, but next time, you won't be so lucky, foolish apprentice. You'll be searching for your brother in our camp." He padded over to the silver tabby, who flinched but didn't move. "Take care of him." He flicked his tail and looked over his shoulder to the ShadowClan cats. "We're leaving."
"Rootberry will escort you back to the border," Flintstar told Lionstar.
"Very well," Lionstar said, allowing the black-and-white tom to lead them out of the thorn tunnel. Birdpaw stayed at the end of the ThunderClan cats before stopping and angling her ears towards the camp. She stiffened as she heard Flintstar immediately begin to scold his sons, but once she realized she was left behind, she squeezed through the tunnel and found the ShadowClan patrol, staying on their heels.
Thank StarClan, Birdpaw breathed a sigh of relief. It was just two new apprentices doing something stupid. It wasn't an attack patrol, like Lionstar originally thought. And there doesn't have to be a battle! She looked up at the sun that was starting to set in the sky, casting blood-orange rays over the forest.
"Well done, Birdpaw," Stormbrook murmured in the gray-and-white apprentice's ear. "You did a fine job. I have no doubt that Lionstar would've gone forward with the attack had you not barged into his den and reprimanded every cat in there." Although his words had a sting to them, his amber eyes were soft with affection. "You saved lives, I'm sure."
"Thanks, Stormbrook," Birdpaw meowed as they approached the same stream that they had leaped over to enter ThunderClan territory in the first place. Lionstar listened to me this time. Finally, I've been able to do something good as a medicine cat apprentice. Stormbrook was right—I probably saved lives and stopped injuries from preventing a battle that never should occur in the first place. I know that I can't stop every battle from ever happening, but maybe I can stop the ones that shouldn't happen.