Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors!

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: Cats Always Land on Their Feet, Right?

...

Brightfur's nest was old and dusty, but she didn't feel up to gathering new moss so late. She took it into her jaws and drug it over to the edge of the den, just able to peer into the clearing, and curled up in a ball. Ravenwind didn't acknowledge her. Didn't even twitch. Back facing her, Brightfur wasn't able to parse out if the molly was awake at all.

Tired beyond comprehension, she barely had time to recognize that before slipping into a deep sleep. As nice as being away had been- relatively speaking- the same set of troubles and fears was comforting. She knew who to trust in ShadowClan.

The sound of voices eventually stirred her from her slumber, prompting her to look outside. Briarspots was setting up dawn patrol. Brightfur watched the cats gather with a prick of nostalgia. I remember when Addershine was just a young warrior! The creamy yellow tom looked absolutely ancient compared to Lionmask and Tigercloud, who were sleek and strong. Stars, I helped bring those two into the world! When did I get so old?

A squirming against her side startled Brightfur out of her reverie. Dewkit had snuck into her nest at some point, drawn in by her familiar scent, and was sleeping tightly-pressed to her pelt. The medicine cat twisted her head around almost instinctively, half-expecting her mentor to be nearby and watching, but Ravenwind was long gone. She wasn't sure if that was more concerning.

"I never took you for the maternal type," meowed Willowpaw, having just stuck her muzzle into the den.

Brightfur snorted. "I had absolutely nothing to do with this," she replied, then noticed exactly what the apprentice was carrying in her mouth. "Is that... catmint?"

"Yup. You need it for Greencough, right?"

"Yes?" She stretched her nose out to sniff at it. Freshly picked, and no signs of any major pest damage. "Where did you get this?"

"I dunno. Around?"

"You don't just find this much catmint laying around, especially at the end of Newleaf."

Willowpaw scowled at her. "Maybe you just aren't looking hard enough for it, then."

Brightfur opened her mouth to argue, then reconsidered. What does it matter where she got it? As long as no one dangerous saw her do it. She took the offered plant and carefully disentangled herself from Dewkit. Willowpaw surprised her yet again by gently stepping over the kitten and following her inside, watching intently as she cut into a leaf to stir Antpaw with the mouth-watering scent.

Antpaw's eyes cracked, showing some gooey remnants of sleep. "...Brightfur?"

She set a few leaves in front of her muzzle. "Eat."

The brown she-cat reluctantly sat up. "Ugh, my head hurts." She squinted out into the sunny clearing with a shudder. "Why do I feel so cold?"

"That's fever."

"Am I gonna die?"

"Not even close."

"Ravenwind said I might."

"Ravenwind said the same thing when I was a kit, and look at me now. Full-grown. Grumpy. Telling you to eat your dang medicine."

Antpaw sighed and took a leaf into her mouth. She finally seemed to notice Willowpaw, expression souring. "Oh. You're back."

Willowpaw nodded. "I'm back. I got those for you."

She paused. "Brightfur?"

"Yes?"

"How... sure are you that these are catmint?"

"Hey!" Willowpaw's scruff bristled. "You can't mess up that smell!"

"I can't smell," she snapped, snorking back a glob of snot.

Brightfur ignored the tension with some level of precision, shrugging. "Sure enough to eat some myself, if it'll make you feel better."

"No, no, it's okay." Antpaw forced herself to swallow. "I trust you, Brightfur."

Hurt seemed to flow off Willowpaw in waves. Brightfur could only imagine the tiny voice in the back of her head, yowling about how she had been the one to get the herbs and how she deserved that same kind of trust. She laid her tail across the apprentice's shoulders. "Let's get you some prey. You deserve it."

Willowpaw blinked at her gratefully. "Thanks."

Antpaw's eyes darted between the two of them. "I'm sorry, Willowpaw," she grunted finally. "I just don't feel good. It makes me cranky. And you got to go on a super cool mission into a completely different territory! I just feel... left out."

"Aww, don't be, okay? It won't change anything."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey meet me at the Clanrock for a Clan meeting!"

Brightfur's ears flicked backwards. "Sounds like Slatestar's making an announcement." Probably about Dewkit and Hazelkit. "Come on, Antpaw. You can sit by me."

Slatestar looked as if she hadn't slept in at least a moon as ShadowClan gathered before her. Briarspots wasn't faring much better, though he made an effort to keep his tail perked up. Tigercloud and Newtfrost were laughing off to the side, heads bent close together. Badgerthroat, Stonebreeze, and Fallingfeather had made a pile near the back, sharing eager tongues. Grayfeather and Flametuft watched as Maplenose collected Dewkit and carefully set him down beside his brother, Hawkflower close behind. Rainblaze and Barkfall were seated side-by-side, the spitting image of their mother. Brightfur craned her neck, but couldn't see Smokestripe no matter how hard she searched for her.

"I'm sure you've noticed our new blood," Slatestar meowed. "Briarspots and I both agree that it's best to make this official as possible; ShadowClan, we welcome Dewkit and Hazelkit amongst our ranks. From this moment forth, they are young of Maplenose, daughter of Mossyear and Badgerthroat, sister to Willowpaw and Antpaw. Is there any cat who wishes to fight this?"

"What are we gonna tell the other Clans?" Lionmask spoke up. "They're going to notice-"

Slatestar cut him off. "We'll tell them what I just said. They're Maplenose's kits."

Maplenose drew them closer to her belly, giving Lionmask a dirty look. The young warrior flinched and hurried to apologize. "I just don't want any trouble for them, that's all. They're big kits- almost apprentice age- and you've never looked pregnant."

"So what? Adoption is just as natural as childbirth."

"Yes, but they'll want to know who you adopted from."

"Let them," Slatestar growled. "ShadowClan's business is ours alone." The molly's eyes swept the crowd, seeming to almost zero in on Brightfur before moving on. "But, I suppose if it means so much to you, we'll give them bigger things to think about. Willowpaw, step forward."

Willowpaw's jaw dropped. "Ma'am?"

"Step forward. Now."

Brackenclaw's eyes were wide with excitement as he shoved the silver and white tabby to the front of the crowd. Willowpaw awkwardly stumbled on her big paws as she carefully craned her neck to see the leader. "Ma'am?" she repeated.

"You did well, Willowpaw," Slatestar said. "You went on a mission not knowing the risks, and stayed with it until the end. Just this morning, you brought a huge boon of catmint to ShadowClan. It's a big deal."

Willowpaw swallowed. "Ma'am, I barely know how to hu-"

"This isn't an option, Willowpaw. This is for Dewkit and Hazelkit." She whisked her tail in a grand gesture. "Willowpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Willowthorn. StarClan honors your courage and adaptability, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan."

Brackenclaw threw his head back to yowl her new name. "Willowthorn! Willowthorn! Willowthorn!"

ShadowClan joined in. Brightfur watched Willowthorn as she twisted her head around, trying to find some level of sense in all of this. She couldn't fault her brother for his exuberance, necessarily- it was a big deal when an apprentice was singled out for their name, even if it was to aid Mabel's kittens and their transition into the Clans- but it felt a bit hard to watch as he bounced around, ignoring Willowthorn's clear discomfort for the sake of his own pride.

"Of course," hissed Antpaw. Brightfur had forgotten the apprentice was even here. Her face was twisted up in a fit of hurt and disgust. "If you can trust Willow for anything, it's that she'll lie."

Brightfur angled her ears toward the new warrior, hunched over and wary. "Somehow, I don't think she planned this."

"And you planned to be sitting here now?" she snarled. Antpaw's throat flexed as she tried to keep a fit of coughing at bay. "So she got a bit of luck. So what? Let's see her stick the landing."

Author's Note: Aaaannnnd we're back! Sorry for the delay- I've been busy with other things in my outside life, along with rethinking the story lines for Brightfur and co. I went digging through some of my old notes and found one about Flowerpaw being Ravenwind's original apprentice and I'm kind of kicking myself for not doing it- it would've made her a character of note, it would've given her actual voice, etc- along with some other little details I didn't fully utilize to my advantage.

But I still enjoy the story, and I still fully intend to finish it, even if it might take some time yet!

-Mandaree1