Disclaimer: I don't own the Warriors series!

Title: Red Pearls

Summary: Brightfur just wanted to be a medicine cat. Her mentor, Ravenwind, has very different ideas on what that means- for her and for ShadowClan. With Ravenwind controlling her every move and more than willing to kill to keep it that way, Brightfur will need more than just luck to live to tell the tale.

Chapter Title: Smells Fishy

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A Warrior at Heart- Ravenwind typically has more self-control lol. Birchpaw's death has put her into a more vicious mindset. (She's always been doing this sort of thing, of course, but she typically did stuff more like what happened to Puddle. I think the Criminal Minds term for it would be devolving.)

...

"Intruders!"

Brightpaw felt her stomach clench at the sudden outcry. She lifted her head from her paws, trying to decide if she should answer or stay hidden, before Maplepaw practically ran her over to get outside. I can't let her face the enemy alone, she thought, sighing, before slinking out of the den.

Her heart hadn't been into her work since the night of Hawkflower and Grayfeather's vigil. She was listless. Easily confused. Lonely. The knowledge of Ravenwind's betrayal had lodged deeply into Brightpaw's ribs, making it almost impossible to move forward, so she'd instead taken to sleeping in the apprentices' den. I can't just accuse her, can I? I need proof. Until I have that, I'm alone.

The medicine cat knew the smell of RiverClan, but she didn't know the brown and white tabby she-cat that pushed into camp, followed close behind by a tiny all-black molly. Lastly came Houndface, looking older and more tired than ever.

The brown and white tabby regarded the closest warrior- Mossyear- with a nod of respect. "I'm here to speak with Alderstar."

"Where's Burnstar?" Newtfrost hissed, eyes slitted with suspicion. "Why should ShadowClan's leader meet with a mere deputy?"

She tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "I hope to avoid bringing Burnstar into this," she meowed calmly. "If Alderstar won't meet me, why not Duskspring? I didn't come all this way just to go home empty-pawed."

Slatestep took a bold step forward. "How do we know this isn't just one of your tricks, Huskfrost?"

"I brought a medicine cat," Huskfrost replied. "And a young warrior. Not much of a battle patrol, don't you think?" She waved her tail at the black she-cat. "This is Sageleaf, by the way."

Sageleaf, clearly not used to being under a lot of eyes like this, bristled. "You better let her through," she warned.

"Or what?" Rainblaze snapped, claws slithering out. "I could eat a kit like you in two bites."

The RiverClan cat snarled and pounced. Rainblaze, clearly taken off-guard, fell back in an ungainly heap as Sageleaf clawed at her muzzle. ShadowClan warriors swarmed the two in an instant, pulling Sageleaf away with looks of disgust. Rainblaze stiffly sat up, her lip cut open and gushing blood.

"Alright," she meowed, though she didn't look very happy about it. "I suppose I deserved that."

Huskfrost lowered her voice as Sageleaf sulked back to her side. Brightpaw just caught the words. "You act like that again and you'll wish I'd left you to bury it."

"I don't trust ShadowClan," she grumbled.

"That doesn't matter." Huskfrost lifted her head as Alderstar poked his nose out of the Clanrock. "RiverClan wins with cunning, not brute force."

The old ShadowClan leader stared at the scene a moment, conflicting emotions on his face, before reluctantly jerking his head for her to join him. Huskfrost shoved Sageleaf and flicked her ears for her to follow. They disappeared inside without a word.

"That's it?" Maplepaw complained. "I thought there'd be more action than that."

"If it makes you feel better, it certainly doesn't seem like Huskfrost has any good news." Barkfall bumped foreheads with the apprentice, then turned to Brightpaw. "I hate to make it sound like I know your job more than you, but maybe you oughta check on Rainblaze? She seemed pretty shaken by Sageleaf going off like that."

"Right, right." She scanned the clearing for her blue pelt, but came up empty. "Where is she?"

"She said something about hunting and stomped off. But she was shaking, y'know? It wasn't like her."

The thought of leaving the camp at a time like this was almost enough for Brightpaw to refuse, but she dipped her head. "Of course. I'll be right back."

"I'll come!" Hawkflower chirped, having come up behind them. Brightpaw jumped. "I need to stretch my legs anyway."

He's going to ask about that night, a voice in the back of her mind whispered, and Brightpaw couldn't handle that. She couldn't look Hawkflower in the eye and tell him what happened. How could she? Flowerpaw had been his sister. She shook the idea away, sternly padding out of camp. I can't tell him. Not until I have proof.

"Hey, Brightpaw?" The gray and black tom had quickly caught up. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she meowed, lying through her teeth. "I'm just worried about Rainblaze."

Hawkflower's tail carefully wound around hers. "You've been on edge lately. Everyone's noticed." He touched the tip of her ear. "I won't press. But if you ever wanna talk to me about it, I'm here. That's what best friends do."

Brightpaw leaned into his side. His familiar scent calmed her nerves. "Thanks."

A low yowl of pain split the duo up before he could respond. They'd not gone very far, but Rainblaze's scent was thick as a cloud with fear and pain. Brightpaw took off as fast as her paws could take her, calling her friend's name. "Over here!" Rainblaze wailed. The molly had taken residence in a natural hollow made by a tall oak tree. The grass was covered with pine needles and pinecones as they approached, smelling of sap and mice.

"Barkfall told me you seemed off," Brightpaw said as she curled her legs under, nosing Rainblaze's shoulder. "Did Sageleaf hurt you somewhere other than your muzzle?"

She frantically shook her head, eyes wide with fear. "My stomach won't stop cramping! I can't tell if I'm kitting or if a badger is clawing into me!"

"Kitting. It's basically the same thing." The light ginger apprentice was all business now. "Hawkflower, get me a stick. She needs something to bite."

"Why now?" Rainblaze moaned as Brightpaw moved her to lay on her side.

"Stress. It can bring about early kitting." She slid her paw across the warrior's stomach. Rainblaze hadn't been a warrior long. She'd never even fought a battle. With her first litter on the way, it was easy to understand how she might have felt invincible, and how hard a small scuffle could've damaged that. "I'd say there's two in here. Ravenwind told me small litters are pretty normal for first time queens. You're still early enough on to get back to camp if you want."

She shook her head. "I started here. I'm finishing it here." Rainblaze tried to sound sure of herself, but Brightpaw could sense stress coming off her in waves. "Can I- can Flamepaw stay with me? He should be here for this."

"Absolutely. Hawkflower, you get that?"

He set a decent-sized stick down at her paws. "Yes, ma'am. I'll be right back."

Barely any time at all had passed when they returned, but to Brightpaw and Rainblaze it felt like hours. Flamepaw burst through the undergrowth with the speed of a LeopardClan warrior, fur bristling. "Did I miss anything? Are they here?"

"Not even close," Brightpaw reassured, moving further down Rainblaze. Flamepaw curled his head into his mate's shoulder.

"I've been thinking," she croaked. "Our kits will be so strong, won't they?"

"The strongest," he promised. "Please, Rainblaze. Please be okay. Don't leave me."

"I won't. I was thinking... we should name them after the original Clans." Her eyes met his. "Lions and tigers and leopards. It's who we are."

Flamepaw licked her ear. "That's perfect."

"Flamepaw," Brightpaw meowed. "Come over here. It's time."

Her brother was trembling as he came up on Brightpaw's side. Hawkflower had been sent back and forth for supplies; with Huskfrost still in the camp, few warriors felt safe enough to leave, no matter how pressing things were. He was off to get some raspberry leaves now, if Brightpaw's memory served. Things had gone from slow to fast in what felt like moments, blurring together.

Rainblaze gave a mighty push, and a dark brown tabby plopped out. Brightpaw nipped the sack, took a second to check for any glaring health issues, then turned it over to Flamepaw. "Congratulations. You have a daughter."

"A daughter..." he whispered before bending down to clean her fur. "Look, Rainblaze. She's beautiful."

The queen risked a look, half-afraid something might be wrong, but when she saw the kitten her face softened. "She's our tiger, Flamepaw. Our little Tigerkit."

Flamepaw nodded, maneuvering Tigerkit so she was suckling. An abashed chuckle ripped through the tom. "She's got my tree-legs."

"And your brother's pelt."

He shuffled so he could nose the kitten's scruff fur. "Isn't she perfect?"

"Hate to interrupt," Brightpaw meowed. "But the second one's coming."

The last kit was the same golden-yellow that Brightpaw and Flamepaw carried, with Rainblaze's stocky build and ears. They quickly dubbed him Lionkit. Brightpaw breathed a sigh of relief as they watched Lionkit and Tigerkit feed. Pride swelled from her tail to ear-tips as she took them in. Nothing bad will ever happen to you. Not while your Aunt Brightpaw is here. Even if Ravenwind tried to do something about it. She'd throw herself in front of them without a second thought. That would just have to be enough.

Author's Note: Kind of an abrupt ending, but it seemed best to split it up into two chapters. More on RiverClan's wishes next time! Huskfrost is actually an old OC of mine too, though she was originally ThunderClan. She's the sister of both Hollowtail and Burnstar.

-Mandaree1