Disclaimer: I don't own the Warrior Cats 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: Fresh Drink of Water

...

Ravenwind was quick to request Brightpaw be bound to camp while her hip healed. Brightpaw tried to argue, but Alderstar wouldn't hear of it, fussing over her like a kit in the nursery.

"Nothing is too good for my medicine cats," he proclaimed, nosing Brightpaw's ear. "Just try to avoid any sharp branches from here on out, alright?"

Brightpaw expected quarantine to be terrifying, filled with ominous threats and further incidents, but Ravenwind hardly seemed to notice she existed. She spent most of her time outside camp, doing stars-knew-what. She was left high and dry and bored out of her mind, trapped in the web of her Clanmates' concern.

If there was one good thing about the whole scenario, it was that Brightpaw had plenty of time to spend with her young kin. She was bound to her nest, true, but Lionkit would undergo the arduous challenge of dragging the biggest piece of fresh-kill across the clearing to give to her. He would then settle in and tell her about his day. Tigerkit would join them, but spend the time poking and prodding Lionkit, who laughed and poked and prodded back.

Being stuck in ShadowClan also gifted Brightpaw with a new perspective. She was always hanging around the apprentices or away from Ravenwind, and it was a bit surprising all that she'd missed because of that. Grayfeather and Barkfall, for example, would spend a huge chunk of time sharing tongues every morning. They would trade a loving nuzzle, then split apart for their routines- Barkfall on patrol, Grayfeather watching over Lionkit and Tigerkit for Flametuft and Rainblaze. Brightpaw hadn't even known they were courting, let alone mates.

Maplepaw did her best to spend time with her younger littermates, usually bringing a trinket of some kind to show off. Between the two of them, Brightpaw was sure Antkit was closest to the 'paw. The brown molly was quickly growing into a polite, rule-abiding cat. The same could not be said of Willowkit, who was bristly and rebellious. It didn't help that- unlike Lionkit and Tigerkit, who got along in spite of their differences- Antkit and Willowkit were constantly arguing.

Hardest of all was the newfound loneliness of being the only 'paw in her litter. Ravenwind's distant nature had given Brightpaw a closeness with the warrior apprentices a medicine cat might not normally have. She slept with them, hunted with them, and even trained with them. But there's too much for warriors to do; Flametuft had a litter to care for, Brackenclaw seemed determined to get in the senior warriors' good books, and Berryshade was very rarely in camp, and even less willing to talk to Brightpaw after that disaster of an assessment. Maplepaw was nice, but it wasn't the same.

This must be part of growing into a medicine cat, she thought glumly, setting her head on her paws. Brightpaw was really starting to reconsider her decision, though she knew it was impossible to turn back now. Even if Ravenwind wasn't clearly keen on keeping her around, it didn't feel right to leave the position open for some unsuspecting kit to leap into. The stars chose me. I guess that will just have to be enough.

"Psst!" Someone whispered, and Brightpaw opened her eyes in time to see Hawkflower poke his head into the den, whiskers twitching mischievously. "You wanna get out for a bit?"

"Do I!" she whispered back. "But Ravenwind-"

"Can take it up with Alderstar if she's so worried. Even he thinks it's time you got some air." The black and gray tom approached, nudging her gently. "Lean on me, okay? We can go for a walk to the stream- you're probably sick of drinking from wet moss, amiright?"

Brightpaw gleefully got to her paws, ignoring the twinge in her hip as she leaned on Hawkflower's side. She tucked her muzzle under his chin and purred gratefully. "You have no idea."

Tails intertwined, the two ShadowClan cats eased their way into the clearing. The meager Leaf-fall sunlight felt like heaven on Brightpaw's pelt, which was beginning to lighten even more from being in the den all the time. She shivered and bushed out her fur, too stubborn to turn back now. Hawkflower seemed to notice, pressing closer to her. He felt warm and comforting.

Almost instantly the moment was broken as Willowkit slammed into Brightpaw, buckling her legs. Hawkflower yelped and grabbed her scruff so she didn't squish the kitten, who quickly scrambled back, eyes wide.

"I'm so sorry!" Willowkit squeaked. Her fur was wild and sticking up at random places, reminding her a bit of a thorn bush.

"I'm fine," Brightpaw grunted, struggling to get her feet back under her. She straightened and inhaled sharply as her hip complained even more. "Just watch where you're going next time, okay?"

She nodded, opening her jaws to apologize again, but was cut off by Antkit racing up to them. "Willowkit! You have to be more careful; Brightpaw's hurt!"

Willowkit's pelt fluffed out even more, this time with irritation. "Well, then maybe she shouldn't have been in the way!" she snarled, surprising the medicine cat. She was nice a second ago!

Antkit stomped a brown paw. "Say you're sorry!"

"Don't tell me what to do!" she meowed, dodging around her littermate with a scowl. Antkit followed close behind, demanding she wait up.

"What was that?" Brightpaw asked, head tilted to the side.

Hawkflower shrugged. "I don't know them as well as Grayfeather does, but I think Willowkit gets jealous easy."

"Jealous?"

"Well, yeah. Thank about it; most everybody seems to prefer Antkit. And then there's her pelt- Maplepaw and Antkit are both darker colored, whereas she's so bright. Hunting at night is going to be a problem for her."

"Oh," she said, feeling a bit frog-brained. Sure enough, a quick look at the two sisters drew her eye to Willowkit's thick fur, but that wasn't always a good thing. Not in ShadowClan, where cats prided themselves on their abilities to melt into the dark. "I never thought about it before."

Hawkflower gave her a gentle nudge. "Let's get you that drink."

A shudder went up Brightpaw's spine at the first cold rush of water hit her jowls. She quickly settled in closer, delighted beyond words to get something to drink that didn't taste of dirt and moss. Hawkflower sat next to her but didn't join in, instead reaching down to clean the spot between her shoulders she couldn't get on her own.

"Thanks," she said, feeling some water drip from her chin.

Hawkflower looked embarrassed. "Sorry. I should've asked first."

"You should've, but it was nice."

The warrior studied her reaction a moment, ears pinned back, before finally blurting out, "Brightpaw, I need to talk to you."

Brightpaw felt her heart give a solid jerk to the left. "O-oh?" She cleared her throat. "We do?"

Hawkflower nodded. "I think I have a problem."'

"A problem?"

"Maplepaw is padding after me."

Brightpaw sat up slowly, trying to decipher why her guts twisted painfully instead of her hip. "What's wrong with that? She's not being pushy, is she?"

The tabby shook his head. "No, nothing like that. She just keeps giving me these looks. I just- I dunno what to say to her."

"Well," she meowed, trying to keep her voice neutral, "do you like her back?"

Hawkflower's eyes felt like fire on her fur. "Of course not, Brightpaw," he meowed. "I mean, she's nice! I'm honored Maplepaw is my Clanmate. But between the age difference, and her still being a 'paw, I just can't imagine-"

"I'm a 'paw myself, you know."

"True, but you're not even a moon younger than me. And we're not, you know. We're not mates."

"Of course not."

"I mean, if you-"

"Hawkflower, I'm a medicine cat. You know that."

He flinched at her tone. "I know. I'm sorry." Hawkflower hesitantly placed his paw over hers. "You don't seem very happy, though. I know I'm just a warrior, but if there's anything I can do to help you feel better..."

You could reset time, she thought, but didn't say. Brightpaw brushed their noses together. "That means a lot to me," she promised. "I just get stuck in my head sometimes, I think. It's hard to live in Ravenwind's shadow."

"You're a great medicine cat," Hawkflower reassured her.

"I guess."

"You could be a great warrior, too. If that's what you decide."

Brightpaw felt herself smile, but it didn't reach beyond the surface. Maybe I could've been. Maybe I decided too young. But Ravenwind won't let me go now. I know too much. "You mean a lot to me, Hawkflower. Had things been different... I would've said yes."

Hawkflower trailed a loving lick across her cheek. It felt like goodbye. "I love you too."

They lapsed into silence as they went back to the camp, separating at the entrance of the medicine den. Ravenwind had returned while they were gone, a clump of ferns in her jaws, but she said nothing as Brightpaw slid back into her nest.

"He's a good tom," she commented finally, spitting the last fronds out.

Brightpaw's eyes slid shut. "Shut up. There's nothing going on."

"I never said there was, did I? Calm down, fussy-fuzz. It's normal for cats your age to get crushes."

"Since when do you care about my development?"

Ravenwind scowled. "I don't mind you doing normal things. Just don't get in over your head."

"Or what?"

"I think you know."

Brightpaw rolled over onto her bad side, hating the molly's gaze more than she did pain. "Whatever."

Author's Note: This is more of an inbetween chapter, developing stuff between Hawkflower and Brightpaw, but it's also examining the new litter!

-Mandaree1