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: Liar

...

Brightfur was reminded of that first walk through the territory with Lionmask and Tigercloud as the patrol crept along the land. The two had been so excited to see the world around them and bask in its greatness. But things had changed drastically since then- her grandfather was dead, and Burnstar as well. Whereas Tigercloud and Lionmask had felt nothing but joy, Hazelpaw and Dewpaw were warily sneaking glances around. And how could they not, when beyond the borders lay so many troubles?

Hazelpaw choked on air. "What is that?" he asked, tilting his nose towards the Carrionplace. Brightfur knew he could see just enough to know the fence was there, even if he couldn't determine what it was.

"Garbage dump," Dewpaw replied, giving her a nervous look. "We don't have to go in there, do we?"

Tigercloud opened her eyes. She'd been padding after the group with them closed, trying to understand Hazelpaw's struggles to give a better tour. "No way! We only go in if there's nothing else to eat. Hunting rats is dangerous. And there's no herbs or anything in there..." she shot Brightfur a questioning look. The medicine cat shrugged. "I think."

Brightfur's tail flickered over to Dewpaw's haunches, gaining the 'paw's attention. "When that does happen, it's our job to watch over them from a distance and give help when needed."

Swallowing, Dewpaw gave a minute nod.

Next stop was the familiar river, which Brightfur watched flow with some level of remorse. She hadn't spoken to Flowerpaw for so long now, and while she'd never regretted her decision, the medicine cat couldn't help but miss her guide.

"We don't drink here," Tigercloud hissed in a joking manner, whispering it to Hazelpaw. "Water's cursed."

"It's what?"

"The water's cursed," she repeated, louder this time.

"It's not cursed," Brightfur grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Who told you that?"

"No one! But have you ever seen anyone drink out of it?" Tigercloud gave her a look of 'try arguing that'. "It's bad luck."

Dewpaw stared out into the waters. A full-body shiver went over him. "Someone died here."

The tabby drew back a little, clearly taken off guard. "You, uh, you know I was kidding, right? I'm sorry if I scared you."

"No one drinks it because someone died," Dewpaw uttered, looking at Brightfur with haunted eyes. She felt bad for the tot. Is this what a normal, healthy amount of belief in StarClan does to someone? I don't remember it being like that. "Did you know them?"

Brightfur dipped her head. "Flowerpaw. She's Hawkflower and Grayfeather's sister; died when I was only a bit older than you. She... drowned."

"Oh," said Tigercloud. "I... I did not know that. I mean, I knew they had a sister, but..." Her ears flattened with sheepish intent. "I'm sorry for making a joke out of it."

"It's fine. You didn't know." She gestured for the molly to take the lead with her paw. "C'mon. Let's show them the Thunderpath next."

Tigercloud hesitated, and Brightfur realized a second too late that she might have taken that as a jab. She'd watched Burnstar die on the Thunderpath. She went to apologize, but the warrior shook herself off and trotted on ahead, calling for Hazelpaw to follow.

Dewpaw tilted his head to the side. "Why did you lie?"

"It wasn't Tigercloud's fault. We never really told-"

"No, no, not that. Why did you lie about Flowerpaw?"

Brightfur's tail bristled defensively. She still wasn't sure who'd spoken to Dewpaw at the Moonstone- logic dictated Leafleg, but perhaps Flowerpaw had been there. Perhaps they'd both said something. But why tell all that to one kit?

"I didn't lie," she meowed at length. "Flowerpaw did drown."

"You made it sound like an accident."

"I said she drowned," Brightfur spat. "What more do you want me to say? You want me to make a full confession? Ruin you and your brother's first day?" Tail lashing, she followed after Tigercloud and Hazelpaw, content to leave it at that. She refused to look back, but she could feel Dewpaw's eyes on her. Probing.

"Is this really necessary?" Dewpaw asked as Brightfur attached a veritable wreath of juniper berries around his neck.

"Of course it is," she dismissed. "We're going uphill at night. There's a cold breeze." The medicine tied the remnants of the bushel around her wrist, pulling it tight with her teeth. "Once we know how much this will take out of you, we can cut back."

Dewpaw rolled his eyes. "But I'm not gonna need the entire stock."

"Is that sass?" Brightfur gently cuffed his ear. "You're too young for sass."

The gray tom paused, ears positioned at half-mast, as if the touch took a few seconds to load for him. "You're nervous, aren't you?"

"I'm always nervous," she rebuffed.

"You don't trust the other medicine cats."

"I don't trust a medicine cat. The rest are fine."

"Bristlepelt?"

Brightfur stared at Dewpaw. She was almost positive that the apprentice had never heard her talking about the WindClanner before- and she couldn't think of a single ShadowClan cat who would otherwise. Not even Ravenwind, though she'd kept Dewpaw far away from her. "How do you do that? Just- know things?"

Dewpaw blinked at her owlishly. "Don't you?"

"No. Not even when I was your age."

"Huh." He studied his paw, flexing his claws contemplatively. "I guess I just... see things."

"When I touch you?"

"When anyone touches me, or when I touch them. It's not a lot- usually just a name, or a pelt. Doesn't work on ghosts though."

Brightfur processed this as she tucked a last juniper berry behind her ear, sticking it with cobwebs. "Dustfeather- do you know Dustfeather?" Dewpaw mutely shook his head. "He was the medicine cat before Ravenwind. He could see the future."

"I don't think it's the future?"

"Maybe not. Maybe StarClan's given you the past." Brightfur stook and shook herself. "Try to be careful talking about this to others, okay? Cats can be prickly when they're reminded of the dead."

"I can't talk about it at all?"

"I didn't say that! Just... keep an ear open. If it's someone they don't want to remember, you'll know their names by word of mouth."

Dewpaw stared up at her, eyes swirling with emotions she couldn't place. "...I can ask you about them, right?"

She draped her tail across his shoulders, watching curiously as Dewpaw's gaze snapped to the appendage. "I don't always know the answers," Brightfur warned him. "But I'll tell you what I can."

Dewpaw slowly nodded. "Okay."

"Alright, alright," Dewpaw wheezed, chowing down on his first juniper berry of the evening as they trekked up the Thunderpath. "Maybe they were necessary."

Brightfur's tail lashed as she tried not to crowd the young tom. She wanted, more than anything, to give him a checkup. She wanted to reassure him that his breathing would settle with time. But she honestly didn't know. "Are you going to be okay getting to Highstones? It's uphill."

"It's fine," he insisted, ears flat and defensive. "I just need to go slow."

She dipped her head. Brightfur heard the familiar pitter-patter of pawsteps sprinting across the road and held a paw up for Dewpaw to wait.

"Brightfur!" Sparrowfang cried jovially, seeming even more surprised to see her the second half-moon in a row. He headbutted her shoulder and turned to the speckled tom with a wide smile that showed off his fangs. "And friend! Is this one of the kits you told us about?"

"It is," she agreed. "Dewpaw, this is Sparrowfang. He's one of WindClan's medicine cats."

Dewpaw, overwhelmed by the ginger's general attitude, shrunk into his shoulders. "Hi."

"You're traumatizing the poor lad," Bristlepelt tsked, creeping up beside Dewpaw. He gently brushed pelts with the 'paw. "I'm Bristlepelt."

Fur raising at the touch, Dewpaw smiled nervously and backed away. Brightfur could only imagine what he'd seen. "N-Nice to meet you both," he grit out.

Bristlepelt blinked inquisitively at Dewpaw, then turned to his old apprentice. "Slow your roll, Sparrow. We can't go barreling up the hill with our newest member."

"I remember," Sparrowfang shot back, rolling his eyes good-naturedly. "It's like you think I'm still a pipsqueak."

The WindClanners argued playfully as they continued up the Thunderpath. Brightfur held up the rear with Dewpaw, placing her tail over his back in what she prayed was a soothing maneuver. "You okay?"

Dewpaw's eyes flicked to hers, then Bristlepelt. "He knows," he whispered.

Brightfur sighed. "I know."

"Why hasn't he told?"

"He loves her."

That got the apprentice to stop. "How can someone love-" he started, voice wobbly.

"I dunno, Dewpaw. They've known each other for more seasons than I've been alive."

In the darkness, Dewpaw's darker flecks were practically nonexistent. He was a small bundle of shivering gray fur as they came upon Hollowtail and Specklepaw in Creamstep's normal spot. The RiverClan apprentice bolted to her paws, skipping over to Dewpaw.

"Finally!" she bellowed, eyes bright. "I thought I was gonna be the youngest forever. It's like every medicine cat was born an elder."

Brightfur tuned the introductions out as she dipped her head respectfully to Hollowtail. "Where's Creamstep?"

"Sick," he grunted. "ThunderClan's the never-ending hotspot for Greencough. How's it going in ShadowClan?"

"Pretty well. Antpaw's back to her apprentice duties, and Stonebreeze's sniffles are almost gone. I'm still baffled Flowerstrike didn't catch it- he was old when I was a kit."

"You'd be amazed at the things a cat can survive," Hollowtail rumbled, shrugging. "That's the kit with wet-lung, yes?"

Brightfur held out a leg covered in juniper. "What gave you that idea?"

"It's nice to see ShadowClan is an impudent as ever," he acknowledged, turning to Specklepaw and Dewpaw. They'd begun chatting in earnest. "Let's go."

It felt like the night was coming and going in flashes. Brightfur barely blinked before the stone was glowing. She turned to Dewpaw. "Dewpaw, is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?"

Dewpaw trembled against the light. "Yes."

"Then come forward," she replied. Brightfur remembered the words like she'd heard them just yesterday. "Warriors of StarClan, I present you with this apprentice. He has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant him your wisdom and insight so that he may understand your ways and heal his Clan in accordance with your will."

Dewpaw brushed past her as he came upon the Moonstone. Brightfur wondered if he was doing it on purpose now; checking to see what her flashes would bring to him. He stared at the stone like it was a badger.

"You'll be okay," she murmured quietly. "You've seen it before. StarClan's a safe place."

He hesitantly placed his nose down and went limp. Brightfur methodically tucked his limbs under him for a peaceful rest, wondering all the while what he had seen in her. Not even a moon into his training and Dewpaw is more talented than I've ever been. Is this what a real medicine cat is like?

"He's definitely a talented young chap," Bristlepelt hummed. "Could use a little more confidence, though."

Brightfur suppressed a sigh. She'd left as soon as the others had laid down to dream, sitting on top of the hill. The sky was only beginning to gray when the elderly WindClanner joined her. "Is this our routine now? You wake up early just to pester me?"

"Not everything is about you, you know." Bristlepelt's ears fell back as he breathed in deeply. "I'm just here to enjoy the morning."

She growled low in her throat but didn't argue.

A familiar wheeze caught Brightfur's ear. Dewpaw stumbled out into the air with a small cough, tearing at a juniper berry. "Augh. The air in there does not like me."

"Next time I'll wrap you in moss," she promised, only half-joking. The cover might do him good against the cold. "Did StarClan trigger any attacks?"

He dutifully shook his head. "It's warm there. The air tastes like honey."

"Fascinating," Bristlepelt muttered under his breath. Brightfur shot him a look. "I assume it went well?"

Dewpaw stared the tom down. "That's a conversation for me and my mentor. No offense."

"Medicine cats share their experiences, lad. It's how we put the puzzle together."

"I don't view you as much of a medicine cat," he replied bluntly. "Brightfur, can we go back? I'm tired."

She shot to her paws, gobsmacked. They'd teased each other back and forth, sure, but this was an entirely new level of sharpness that Brightfur hadn't expected from the 'paw. "Sure, kiddo." Bristlepelt seemed just as baffled as she dipped her head. "May StarClan light your path. Tell Sparrowfang the same for me."

Bristlepelt's tail slowly swished, as if wiping away the strange mood. "Of course."

Brightfur had to trot to catch up with Dewpaw, who was stalking away with his hackles raised. She bumped his hip with hers. "Bad night?"

Dewpaw shook his head. "Why does he get to be a medicine cat?"

"Same reason Ravenwind was, I suppose."

"But at least she has faith," he snarled. "Every StarClan cat I've met has tried to talk to him, and he never listens. He's shut them out."

Brightfur flinched and watched her paws slowly move down the path. It'd been almost half a season since she'd pressed her nose to the Moonstone. It felt much, much longer. "Faith isn't everything."

Dewpaw winced. It was like all the anger left him in an instant. "I'm- I'm sorry, Brightfur."

"StarClan turned its back on me," she told him. "I know I'm not a kind cat, but for the stars to throw me away because I spoke out of turn..."

"I don't think it's that simple," he confessed. "Everyone was so happy to have a ShadowClan cat to talk to... I think they miss you."

Brightfur snorted, cuffing his ear. "You little liar. Leafleg was probably celebrating."

Dewpaw hummed but didn't answer. He pressed against her side. "StarClan says my place is here. But mama..."

"I could ask Willowthorn to set up a meeting for you two. Mabel's probably chomping at the bit to bitchslap me for letting Slatestar change your names."

He shuddered. Brightfur wondered what he was seeing. The fire? Or was he dipping into her memories, witnessing his father rip out Parsnip's eye? "It's fine. I... I don't miss her as much as I thought I would."

Brightfur licked his shoulder and let the topic go. Looks like we're both liars, kid.

Author's Note: WOW, I did not realize it'd been so long since I updated! I've had half this chapter sitting in my drafts for a solid five or six months, and just been too busy or too lazy to tackle it. RIP Dewpaw, the poor squirt doesn't deserve to have a bunch of traumatized bitties draped all over him.

-Mandaree1