~ Shards Of Light: Breaking Or Broken ~~ Chapter 5 Up! ~
Oct 18, 2016 9:08:12 GMT -5
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Post by Flickerblaze on Oct 18, 2016 9:08:12 GMT -5
Greetings one and all. 
I started this fanfic on the Old forums as "Broken Or Breaking", but kinda ended up never going anywhere with it. However, I have decided to try and breath life back into it, so here it is again, back and juicy. It is based on a story arc I had made years ago and is set in the canon world, way after Bramblestar's time, centring on ThunderClan (predictably).
I hope somebody somewhere finds some enjoyment from this!! 
S H A R D S O F L I G H T
Breaking Or Broken
By Flickerblaze
ALLEGIANCES
THUNDERCLAN
LEADER:
Brightstar – tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes
DEPUTY:
Blackear – large tabby tom with a black ear
Apprentice, Fawnpaw
MEDICINE CAT:
Stormlight – light brown tabby tom with white paws and blue eyes
Apprentice, Lightpaw
WARRIORS:
Lightpaw – pale grey tom
Ashpaw – light grey she-cat
Irispaw – small tabby tom with blue eyes
Sparrowpaw – tabby she-cat
Pinepaw – dark brown tom
Emberpaw – dark tabby she-cat
Ivypaw – small, dusty brown she-cat
QUEENS:
Amberpelt – light auburn tabby she-cat with blue eyes (mother to Jadekit and Shinekit)
Brookflower – beautiful dappled white she-cat (mother to Silverkit and Redkit)
ELDERS:
Greymoon – grey tabby tom with pale amber eyes
SHADOWCLAN
LEADER:
Greystar – massive grey tom with blue eyes
DEPUTY:
Foxclaw – reddish tom with amber eyes
MEDICINE CAT:
Poppytail – pale brown tabby she-cat
WINDCLAN
LEADER:
Rabbitstar – tawny coloured tom with blue eyes
DEPUTY:
Hailblaze – blue-grey tom
MEDICINE CAT:
Heatherdawn – dark brown tom with yellow eyes
Apprentice, Wrenpaw
RIVERCLAN
LEADER:
Featherstar – grey she-cat with green eyes
DEPUTY:
Iceflame – big white tom
MEDICINE CAT:
Minnowshine – silver she-cat with yellow eyes
PROLOGUE
S H A R D S O F L I G H T
Breaking Or Broken
By Flickerblaze
ALLEGIANCES
THUNDERCLAN
LEADER:
Brightstar – tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes
DEPUTY:
Blackear – large tabby tom with a black ear
Apprentice, Fawnpaw
MEDICINE CAT:
Stormlight – light brown tabby tom with white paws and blue eyes
Apprentice, Lightpaw
WARRIORS:
Tallash – long-legged dusty brown she-cat with green eyes
Apprentice, Ashpaw
Iceclaw – black tom with a white face and paws
Gorsepelt – large dark brown tom
Apprentice, Irispaw
Spottedflower – pale grey she-cat
Rosethorn – grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes
Apprentice, Ivypaw
Apprentice, Ivypaw
Brackentail – tabby she-cat with dark amber eyes
Cloverheart – pale tabby tom
Apprentice, Emberpaw
Bluefrost – blue-grey tom
Raintail – brown tabby tom with blue eyes
Mistypath – grey tabby she-cat
Apprentice, Pinepaw
Sunheart – pretty golden she-cat
Snowstorm – white she-cat with blue eyes
Nightfur – black tom with amber eyes
APPRENTICES:
Fawnpaw – tawny dappled tomLightpaw – pale grey tom
Ashpaw – light grey she-cat
Irispaw – small tabby tom with blue eyes
Sparrowpaw – tabby she-cat
Pinepaw – dark brown tom
Emberpaw – dark tabby she-cat
Ivypaw – small, dusty brown she-cat
QUEENS:
Amberpelt – light auburn tabby she-cat with blue eyes (mother to Jadekit and Shinekit)
Brookflower – beautiful dappled white she-cat (mother to Silverkit and Redkit)
ELDERS:
Greymoon – grey tabby tom with pale amber eyes
SHADOWCLAN
LEADER:
Greystar – massive grey tom with blue eyes
DEPUTY:
Foxclaw – reddish tom with amber eyes
MEDICINE CAT:
Poppytail – pale brown tabby she-cat
WINDCLAN
LEADER:
Rabbitstar – tawny coloured tom with blue eyes
DEPUTY:
Hailblaze – blue-grey tom
MEDICINE CAT:
Heatherdawn – dark brown tom with yellow eyes
Apprentice, Wrenpaw
RIVERCLAN
LEADER:
Featherstar – grey she-cat with green eyes
DEPUTY:
Iceflame – big white tom
MEDICINE CAT:
Minnowshine – silver she-cat with yellow eyes
PROLOGUE
As the clouds rolled in from the west, the shadows crept like ghosts into the forest, reaching with long fingers into every burrow, every hollow trunk, every frond of bracken. The sky swelled with the promise of rain and the silence in the clearing became deafening, agonising. Blood soaked the dry earth and cats lay, dazed, wounded or dead.
"It is done."
"It is done."
The hoarse cry came from a muscular, pale tabby tom with one black ear, from which blood now welled. Tiredness dulled any triumph that may have lurked his amber eyes. "Leave now, rogues. You have no place here." Although his flanks were heaving with fatigue, his mew was fierce and authoritative. The rogues lay scattered around the clearing, some slowly finding their paws, others lying still. As they started to leave the clearing, some cast wary or frightened glances at the Clan cats.
"Blackear, we need to make sure they leave our territory," mewed a tawny dappled tom, his eyes still burning with the thrill of battle.
Blackear narrowed his eyes without looking at the young cat.
"Don't worry Fawnpaw, I can get by without your advice," he growled. "Remember which one of us is the deputy." His harsh tone silenced his apprentice. One of the rogues, a large black tom glared at the clan cats, his eyes burning with hatred.
"Don't worry Fawnpaw, I can get by without your advice," he growled. "Remember which one of us is the deputy." His harsh tone silenced his apprentice. One of the rogues, a large black tom glared at the clan cats, his eyes burning with hatred.
"This isn't the end," he spat. "You can't hold us off forever!"
"Get out of here, mange-pelt!" hissed a golden she-cat, her mew echoed by the other clan cats surrounding her. At a flick of the black tom's tail, the rogues left the clearing, most of them at a limp. Many of the rogues did not follow, as many had wounds that would never heal.
Blackear looked from side to side then signalled with his tail. "Gorsepelt, Cloverheart and Raintail," he called, the three toms coming forward. "Follow them to the border. Make sure they cross it." With that, the three warriors bounded into the trees on the trail of the rogues.
Fawnpaw growled. "It was my idea! Why couldn't I go?"
Blackear ignored him. "Back to camp," he called briskly, turning around. "Carry any wounded." His eyes rested for a moment on a small tabby she-cat lying beside a black tom, both motionless and hideously wounded. "Or dead."
His clan streamed into the trees from the clearing, some encumbered by their wounded Clanmates. At that moment, the storm broke. The rain fell suddenly and savagely, pummelling the ground like falling stones. It beat the sand of the clearing into mud and sunk deeply into the still warm bodies of the dead and dying, quenching the final embers of life.
CHAPTER I
"For StarClan's sake, Lightpaw, wake up!"
The medicine cat apprentice jerked his head up suddenly. "Oh...sorry Stormlight!" he stammered.
Stormlight sighed in exasperation. "Seriously, you're never going to learn anything if you never concentrate. Did you hear anything I just said?"
The pale grey tom gave his chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks, but didn’t reply. The tabby medicine cat looked away. "You should have learned to concentrate by now, I've been training your for nearly six moons!" The tom began to return the various herbs to the cleft in the back of the den, his white paws moving swiftly. "I suppose there's no point trying to teach you anything else today," he sighed.
"I already know most of it," Lightpaw retorted. He turned his head to look out of the den, through the bramble screen. "Do you think they'll be back soon?"
"Yes, I'm sure they will," Stormlight replied briskly, without looking back. He suddenly paused and turned around. "Hang on. You're worried about Fawnpaw, aren't you?"
Lightpaw sighed. "You know what he's like. Every cat does. He'll get hurt soon, the way he throws himself into every battle."
"Warriors always get hurt in battle," Stormlight pointed out, returning to sorting herbs. "It's just a fact of life." The medicine cat grimaced at the memory of the other battles with the rogues. This was the third battle they had fought with the same group and, although ThunderClan had beaten them every time, they never seemed to give up. What in StarClan's name do they want? he thought. No cat knew why these rogues hated the clan so much; the first patrol they had encountered, they attacked without warning. Tearing his thoughts away from the rogues, Stormlight reminded himself how well the clan was doing at the moment; eight apprentices were in training, prey was running well, new kits were in the nursery; StarClan was smiling on them, he had to believe that.
"They're back!" Lightpaw's anxious mew brought Stormlight back from his thoughts. He dropped the last few herbs into the cleft and followed his apprentice out of the medicine den and into the clearing. He watched as the battered cats padded wearily into the camp, their pelts laced with scratches. I'm going to be busy tonight! he thought, a little irritably. As usual, he sought out his sisters, the usual anxiety that they would not return trickling down his spine like icy water. To his relief, he spotted them walking side-by-side, one golden, one pure white.
"Sunheart! Snowstorm!" he called, trotting briskly over to them. The two young she-cats turned at his voice.
"Don't worry, we're okay!" Sunheart mewed, touching her muzzle affectionately to Stormlight's ear as he reached them.
"Yeah, we sure taught those rogues a lesson!" Snowstorm joined in.
Stormlight looked each of them over. Apart from a nasty looking wound on Sunheart's ear, they seemed to be free of any serious injuries. "I'm just glad you're okay," he confessed. "You know how I feel about fighting. It's mouse-brained, if you ask me."
"Sometimes, you need to fight," Snowstorm pointed out. "If we hadn't fought the rogues, they would've wiped us out."
At that moment, a grief-stricken wail cut through the clearing. Stormlight turned to see Tallash with her muzzle buried in the fur of her dead daughter, Sparrowpaw. The senior warrior's flanks were shuddering with anguish. Sparrowpaw's litter mates Emberpaw and Pinepaw sat, a little way off, gazing at the body of their sister in disbelief, whilst their father, Iceclaw, sat beside them, his head bowed.
Stormlight looked on and gulped. Clearly, others had not been as lucky as he. He glanced at his sisters, whose eyes were filled with sorrow and he contemplated how easily one of them could have died. He noticed another body, a black tom, and felt a pang of sadness as he recognised the young warrior Nightfur. He had only been a warrior for two moons. Stormlight felt a surge of anger against the rogues. They had no honour, no warrior code, so they were bound by no rules. Killing meant nothing to them.
It was well past sunhigh before Brightstar emerged from her den above Highledge and called a clan meeting. Stormlight was half way through treating Brackentail when he heard the call.
"I wonder why she didn't call a meeting sooner," the tabby she-cat meowed.
"Perhaps she wanted to let the clan rest," Stormlight guessed. He paused. "And grieve."
Brackentail got to her paws, but Stormlight quickly blocked her path. "Excuse me? Where do you think you're going? I haven't finished your dressings."
"But I feel fine," the warrior contested. "And I want to hear what Brightstar has to stay."
Who's the medicine cat here? Stormlight thought. "You can hear fine from here. Sit down."
Reluctantly, the she-cat sat down near the entrance to the den, with Stormlight next to her. The rest of the clan had gathered now, streaming out of the dens and coming to rest around the clearing.
"Cats of ThunderClan!" Brightstar began, from her position on Highledge. "Today, a battle has been fought and won. Our clan is strong."
"Yeah, those rogues are no match for us!" called out Bluefrost.
"But may we also honour the fallen," the leader continued, solemnly. "The loss of Sparrowpaw and Nightfur will be felt deeply by us all."
Stormlight heard Tallash let out a whimper of sorrow from her position at the edge of the clearing as Brightstar continued.
"May it serve as a reminder that these rogues will kill you if they get the chance. They have no code, they have no mercy. I fear this is not over." Her eyes clouded for a moment. "But we must now train harder, as well as celebrate what we have. Fawnpaw, please step forward."
Stormlight saw the apprentice step forward, his pelt fluffed up with surprise.
Lightpaw gave a little excited bounce. "He's becoming a warrior!" he squeaked, seeming as thrilled for his brother as Fawnpaw was himself. Fawnpaw stepped forward and sat in front of Brightstar.
"I, Brightstar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice," the clan leader began, reciting the words that were as old as the clans themselves. "He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Fawnpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Fawnpaw gazed back at his leader, his eyes glowing. "I do."
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Fawnpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Fawnleap. StarClan honors your courage and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."
"Fawnleap! Fawnleap!" chanted the cats of ThunderClan, as the new warrior stepped forward, puffing out his chest fur with pride.
Stormlight rolled his eyes. "Just what he needed to cut his ego down to size," he muttered, sarcastically.
Lightpaw gave him a sharp look. "He's a loyal warrior!" Then he snorted and turned away. "You're always grumpy, Stormlight!"
With that, the pale grey tom padded away and fought his way into the knot of cats surrounding his brother.
Brackentail laughed. "We're going to have to make a lot more room in the warriors den before long," she commented. "Seeing as we have seven..." she paused, her eyes darkening with sadness for a moment. "...I mean six more apprentices nearing the end of their training."
Stormlight grunted in reply. At that moment, Brightstar leaped down from the Highledge, signalling the end of the clan meeting. Stormlight perceived anxiety surrounding the she-cat. For all her optimistic words, he could tell she was far from content. He recalled their conversation the previous night.
"Has StarClan sent you a sign?" she had asked. "Anything on how to tackle the rogues?"
But Stormlight had shaken his head. "Nothing. It's been moons since I've heard anything."
Brightstar had been frustrated, but had said no more.
Sighing, Stormlight remembered that it was the half-moon tomorrow and he was due to meet the other medicine cats at the Moonpool. He hoped that StarClan might shed some light on the rogues, if they spoke to him at all. Or else, the rogues may start winning.
As afternoon darkened to evening, Stormlight finally had a moment's rest. Ever since the clan meeting, he had been treating an endless stream of injured cats. Most had only had light scratches or torn claws, but two cats had more serious injuries. He glanced around at Mistypath and Irispaw, sleeping soundly after he had given them each a poppy seed. Their injuries were more serious than most of the others he had seen, but he had no doubts that they would recover soon enough.
Lightpaw was carefully finishing the dressing on the wound along Mistypath's flank, making sure not to rouse the senior warrior, who also happened to be Brightstar's older sister.
"Lightpaw, I think that's enough," Stormlight mewed. "You don't want to put too much poultice on. We'll have to redress more wounds tomorrow, so we'll need some left."
The medicine cat apprentice stepped away from Mistypath and headed toward his mentor. "We're going to the Moonpool tomorrow, aren't we?" he meowed, as he washed his paws with his tongue.
Stormlight fixed him with his blue gaze. I know where this is going.
"You'll be a full medicine cat soon enough, Lightpaw," he meowed.
Lightpaw seemed startled that his mentor knew what he was thinking.
"Oh...well I wasn't really talking about that..."
"Liar," Stormlight retorted.
Lightpaw sighed and looked away. "How long?" he asked, after a pause.
"Whenever I feel like it," Stormlight replied, not giving anything else away.
Lightpaw snorted. "Fine then, be like that." He started to head out of the den. "Are you hungry? Shall I bring you a mouse?"
Stormlight began sorting through the leaves he would need to make extra poultices for wound re-dressings the following day. "I'm more in the mood for shrew," he replied, without looking up. "Oh and Lightpaw."
The apprentice looked back.
"Bringing me fresh-kill won't make you a full medicine cat sooner," Stormlight meowed, his mew edged with humour.
As Lightpaw left the den, Stormlight felt a surge of hope against his worries about the rogues. We're strong, he thought to himself. It'll take more than a bunch of mangey old rogues to break us!
"For StarClan's sake, Lightpaw, wake up!"
The medicine cat apprentice jerked his head up suddenly. "Oh...sorry Stormlight!" he stammered.
Stormlight sighed in exasperation. "Seriously, you're never going to learn anything if you never concentrate. Did you hear anything I just said?"
The pale grey tom gave his chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks, but didn’t reply. The tabby medicine cat looked away. "You should have learned to concentrate by now, I've been training your for nearly six moons!" The tom began to return the various herbs to the cleft in the back of the den, his white paws moving swiftly. "I suppose there's no point trying to teach you anything else today," he sighed.
"I already know most of it," Lightpaw retorted. He turned his head to look out of the den, through the bramble screen. "Do you think they'll be back soon?"
"Yes, I'm sure they will," Stormlight replied briskly, without looking back. He suddenly paused and turned around. "Hang on. You're worried about Fawnpaw, aren't you?"
Lightpaw sighed. "You know what he's like. Every cat does. He'll get hurt soon, the way he throws himself into every battle."
"Warriors always get hurt in battle," Stormlight pointed out, returning to sorting herbs. "It's just a fact of life." The medicine cat grimaced at the memory of the other battles with the rogues. This was the third battle they had fought with the same group and, although ThunderClan had beaten them every time, they never seemed to give up. What in StarClan's name do they want? he thought. No cat knew why these rogues hated the clan so much; the first patrol they had encountered, they attacked without warning. Tearing his thoughts away from the rogues, Stormlight reminded himself how well the clan was doing at the moment; eight apprentices were in training, prey was running well, new kits were in the nursery; StarClan was smiling on them, he had to believe that.
"They're back!" Lightpaw's anxious mew brought Stormlight back from his thoughts. He dropped the last few herbs into the cleft and followed his apprentice out of the medicine den and into the clearing. He watched as the battered cats padded wearily into the camp, their pelts laced with scratches. I'm going to be busy tonight! he thought, a little irritably. As usual, he sought out his sisters, the usual anxiety that they would not return trickling down his spine like icy water. To his relief, he spotted them walking side-by-side, one golden, one pure white.
"Sunheart! Snowstorm!" he called, trotting briskly over to them. The two young she-cats turned at his voice.
"Don't worry, we're okay!" Sunheart mewed, touching her muzzle affectionately to Stormlight's ear as he reached them.
"Yeah, we sure taught those rogues a lesson!" Snowstorm joined in.
Stormlight looked each of them over. Apart from a nasty looking wound on Sunheart's ear, they seemed to be free of any serious injuries. "I'm just glad you're okay," he confessed. "You know how I feel about fighting. It's mouse-brained, if you ask me."
"Sometimes, you need to fight," Snowstorm pointed out. "If we hadn't fought the rogues, they would've wiped us out."
At that moment, a grief-stricken wail cut through the clearing. Stormlight turned to see Tallash with her muzzle buried in the fur of her dead daughter, Sparrowpaw. The senior warrior's flanks were shuddering with anguish. Sparrowpaw's litter mates Emberpaw and Pinepaw sat, a little way off, gazing at the body of their sister in disbelief, whilst their father, Iceclaw, sat beside them, his head bowed.
Stormlight looked on and gulped. Clearly, others had not been as lucky as he. He glanced at his sisters, whose eyes were filled with sorrow and he contemplated how easily one of them could have died. He noticed another body, a black tom, and felt a pang of sadness as he recognised the young warrior Nightfur. He had only been a warrior for two moons. Stormlight felt a surge of anger against the rogues. They had no honour, no warrior code, so they were bound by no rules. Killing meant nothing to them.
It was well past sunhigh before Brightstar emerged from her den above Highledge and called a clan meeting. Stormlight was half way through treating Brackentail when he heard the call.
"I wonder why she didn't call a meeting sooner," the tabby she-cat meowed.
"Perhaps she wanted to let the clan rest," Stormlight guessed. He paused. "And grieve."
Brackentail got to her paws, but Stormlight quickly blocked her path. "Excuse me? Where do you think you're going? I haven't finished your dressings."
"But I feel fine," the warrior contested. "And I want to hear what Brightstar has to stay."
Who's the medicine cat here? Stormlight thought. "You can hear fine from here. Sit down."
Reluctantly, the she-cat sat down near the entrance to the den, with Stormlight next to her. The rest of the clan had gathered now, streaming out of the dens and coming to rest around the clearing.
"Cats of ThunderClan!" Brightstar began, from her position on Highledge. "Today, a battle has been fought and won. Our clan is strong."
"Yeah, those rogues are no match for us!" called out Bluefrost.
"But may we also honour the fallen," the leader continued, solemnly. "The loss of Sparrowpaw and Nightfur will be felt deeply by us all."
Stormlight heard Tallash let out a whimper of sorrow from her position at the edge of the clearing as Brightstar continued.
"May it serve as a reminder that these rogues will kill you if they get the chance. They have no code, they have no mercy. I fear this is not over." Her eyes clouded for a moment. "But we must now train harder, as well as celebrate what we have. Fawnpaw, please step forward."
Stormlight saw the apprentice step forward, his pelt fluffed up with surprise.
Lightpaw gave a little excited bounce. "He's becoming a warrior!" he squeaked, seeming as thrilled for his brother as Fawnpaw was himself. Fawnpaw stepped forward and sat in front of Brightstar.
"I, Brightstar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice," the clan leader began, reciting the words that were as old as the clans themselves. "He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Fawnpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Fawnpaw gazed back at his leader, his eyes glowing. "I do."
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Fawnpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Fawnleap. StarClan honors your courage and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."
"Fawnleap! Fawnleap!" chanted the cats of ThunderClan, as the new warrior stepped forward, puffing out his chest fur with pride.
Stormlight rolled his eyes. "Just what he needed to cut his ego down to size," he muttered, sarcastically.
Lightpaw gave him a sharp look. "He's a loyal warrior!" Then he snorted and turned away. "You're always grumpy, Stormlight!"
With that, the pale grey tom padded away and fought his way into the knot of cats surrounding his brother.
Brackentail laughed. "We're going to have to make a lot more room in the warriors den before long," she commented. "Seeing as we have seven..." she paused, her eyes darkening with sadness for a moment. "...I mean six more apprentices nearing the end of their training."
Stormlight grunted in reply. At that moment, Brightstar leaped down from the Highledge, signalling the end of the clan meeting. Stormlight perceived anxiety surrounding the she-cat. For all her optimistic words, he could tell she was far from content. He recalled their conversation the previous night.
"Has StarClan sent you a sign?" she had asked. "Anything on how to tackle the rogues?"
But Stormlight had shaken his head. "Nothing. It's been moons since I've heard anything."
Brightstar had been frustrated, but had said no more.
Sighing, Stormlight remembered that it was the half-moon tomorrow and he was due to meet the other medicine cats at the Moonpool. He hoped that StarClan might shed some light on the rogues, if they spoke to him at all. Or else, the rogues may start winning.
As afternoon darkened to evening, Stormlight finally had a moment's rest. Ever since the clan meeting, he had been treating an endless stream of injured cats. Most had only had light scratches or torn claws, but two cats had more serious injuries. He glanced around at Mistypath and Irispaw, sleeping soundly after he had given them each a poppy seed. Their injuries were more serious than most of the others he had seen, but he had no doubts that they would recover soon enough.
Lightpaw was carefully finishing the dressing on the wound along Mistypath's flank, making sure not to rouse the senior warrior, who also happened to be Brightstar's older sister.
"Lightpaw, I think that's enough," Stormlight mewed. "You don't want to put too much poultice on. We'll have to redress more wounds tomorrow, so we'll need some left."
The medicine cat apprentice stepped away from Mistypath and headed toward his mentor. "We're going to the Moonpool tomorrow, aren't we?" he meowed, as he washed his paws with his tongue.
Stormlight fixed him with his blue gaze. I know where this is going.
"You'll be a full medicine cat soon enough, Lightpaw," he meowed.
Lightpaw seemed startled that his mentor knew what he was thinking.
"Oh...well I wasn't really talking about that..."
"Liar," Stormlight retorted.
Lightpaw sighed and looked away. "How long?" he asked, after a pause.
"Whenever I feel like it," Stormlight replied, not giving anything else away.
Lightpaw snorted. "Fine then, be like that." He started to head out of the den. "Are you hungry? Shall I bring you a mouse?"
Stormlight began sorting through the leaves he would need to make extra poultices for wound re-dressings the following day. "I'm more in the mood for shrew," he replied, without looking up. "Oh and Lightpaw."
The apprentice looked back.
"Bringing me fresh-kill won't make you a full medicine cat sooner," Stormlight meowed, his mew edged with humour.
As Lightpaw left the den, Stormlight felt a surge of hope against his worries about the rogues. We're strong, he thought to himself. It'll take more than a bunch of mangey old rogues to break us!
CHAPTER II
As night began to fall over the hollow, Ivypaw climbed into her nest in the apprentices' den. Fawnleap's move to the warriors den pleased her, as it saved her from being constantly woken by his snoring. As she relished the extra space, she felt a pang of sorrow, remembering that the surplus room was partly caused by the absence of Sparrowpaw. She glanced at Emberpaw's and Pinepaw's empty nests. They'll be sitting vigil for their sister, she thought sadly, grief for her lost friend weighing heavily in her chest.
Sighing, she settled down in the soft moss. As she lay, she wondered what battle was really like. Although she had been apprenticed for four moons, she was still the youngest apprentice and had not fought in any battles yet. Part of her was itching to fight, to prove herself. Although she was happy that Fawnleap had left the apprentices' den, she still felt a twinge of jealousy. How long until I become a warrior? she thought, impatiently. I seem to have been an apprentice for nine lifetimes!
Ivypaw was the only daughter of Brightstar and her only surviving kit; Ivypaw's brother, Whitekit, had died not long after birth. As she lay in her nest, she tried to picture his white face, his grey tabby pelt, but the image escaped her, too long buried in the past. As her thoughts lulled, she slowly drifted into sleep.
Ivypaw blinked open her eyes as sunlight streamed into the apprentices' den. She yawned and realised she was the first one awake, as usual. She picked her way out of the den and into the clearing and took a deep breath of cool morning air, relishing the warmth of the greenleaf sun on her pelt. The sky was a cloudless, pastel blue that promised to deepen to vivid azure as the day drew on; Ivypaw could tell it was going to be a very hot day.
"Ivypaw!"
A voice called her from beside the fresh-kill pile. Blackear was sitting with a group of warriors. "You're on the dawn patrol!"
Ivypaw scampered over to the group of cats, quickly noting that all the cats present had not fought in the battle, except the deputy himself. The warriors who fought will need their rest, Ivypaw thought, recalling some of the injuries she had glimpsed the previous day, with an inward shudder. The deputy led the patrol out of camp, Spottedflower and Gorsepelt following, with Ivypaw bringing up the rear.
"Remember to look out for any signs of the rogues," Blackear called back. "We can't let them find our camp."
Ivypaw gulped. What if they did? She shivered at the prospect of a group of vicious, codeless cats attacking the camp, killing at will. But we'd defeat them! she thought, defiantly, feeling a surge of pride overwhelm her foreboding. She knew her clanmates were stronger than the rogues and they would surely win, like they always did.
Gorsepelt, Ivypaw's father, slowed so that he padded beside his daughter. "You're up early," he commented.
Ivypaw glanced at him. "I'm always up early! I like to see the sunrise."
Gorsepelt smiled. "Rosethorn tells me your training is going well," he mewed. "She says she's planning your assessment soon."
"What?" Ivypaw cried. "Really?"
Gorsepelt purred with laughter. "Yes. Soon." The large tom sped up to join Spottedflower ahead as they approached the ShadowClan border. Ivypaw remained at the back, her heart racing. My assessment's soon! she thought, excitedly. So it's not long now until I'm finally a warrior!
The patrol was heading back past the abandoned Twoleg nest, as Stormlight had asked Spottedflower to check on the catmint plants that grew there, planted many moons ago by their ancestors. As Ivypaw padded past the tumbledown wall of the den, she wondered how long it had been here and how long it had been abandoned. Suddenly, Spottedflower froze. Blackear had tensed as well.
"Rogue scent," the deputy hissed. "And fresh."
Ivypaw's pelt fluffed out with fear. "Are they still here?"
Spottedflower tasted the air. "No. But I'd say they were here only just before dawn."
Gorsepelt bristled beside Ivypaw. "They're getting dangerously close to our camp," he spat.
"And this is very far inside our territory," Blackear commented. "You'd think we'd have scented them already."
The four cats sat in uneasy silence for a few moments.
"Well, the catmint is fine," Spottedflower mewed, briskly. "We should go back to camp. Brightstar needs to know about this."
The dawn patrol padded swiftly into camp through the thorn barrier. Ivypaw noticed now that most of the clan was awake or stirring. The patrol halted at the base of the rockfall that led up to the Highledge.
"Brightstar!" called Blackear.
Within a heartbeat, the clan leader was out of her den and down the tumbled rocks, on the camp floor. "What is it?" she asked, urgently, her voice strangely intense. Ivypaw noted that her eyes seemed haunted, as if she had not slept at all. Is she sick? Ivypaw thought with sudden panic. Or was it something else?
"We found rogue scent at the abandoned Twoleg den," Spottedflower mewed. "Fresh scent."
Brightstar's eyes widened. "What? But that's near the centre of our territory! How did they get there without us noticing?" Her tone was harsh, almost accusatory.
"StarClan knows," Blackear replied, deflecting the accusation. "We certainly didn't scent any other trace of rogues on the dawn patrol this morning. Whatever they're doing, they're being careful."
Brightstar snorted. "Careful? By the sound of it, they're achieving the impossible. They're far too close to our camp for comfort."
She sighed and paused for a moment, her eyes growing dark.
"Tell all patrols that go out today to be extra vigilant for rogue scent. Even hunting patrols." With that, Brightstar dismissed the patrol. As Ivypaw padded away, she could hear the clan leader speaking to Blackear in a hushed voice. Unable to stop herself, she listened.
"These rogues trouble me greatly," Brightstar hissed. "And what troubles me more is that StarClan doesn't seem to care."
"Maybe they think we can handle them on our own," Blackear guessed. He sounded uneasy.
"They're killing cats! Blackear, we can't afford to lose two cats in one battle. We can't keep this up. Sooner or later, the rogues are going to win one of the battles and when that day comes, our clan will be at their mercy."
"Ivypaw!"
Ashpaw's mew distracted her from her eavesdropping. "Brackentail is taking me out hunting! Coming?"
"Brackentail? She's not your mentor."
Ashpaw sighed. "Tallash is being relieved of duties while she grieves. She won't be mentoring me for a while."
At that moment, the senior warrior, accompanied by her two surviving kits, Emberpaw and Pinepaw and her mate, Iceclaw, returned to camp after their vigil for Sparrowpaw, their paws heavy with fatigue and grief. Cloverheart, Nightfur's brother, followed a little way behind. Ivypaw felt her sorrow for her lost clanmates renewed as she remembered what Brightstar had been saying. Her anxiety worried her, being both her leader and her mother, shaking the confidence in her clan that she had felt earlier that morning. She had always seen Brightstar as fearless and strong; to see her fretting about the rogues made Ivypaw terrified about what they were capable of. And what they could do to her clan.
Sighing, she settled down in the soft moss. As she lay, she wondered what battle was really like. Although she had been apprenticed for four moons, she was still the youngest apprentice and had not fought in any battles yet. Part of her was itching to fight, to prove herself. Although she was happy that Fawnleap had left the apprentices' den, she still felt a twinge of jealousy. How long until I become a warrior? she thought, impatiently. I seem to have been an apprentice for nine lifetimes!
Ivypaw was the only daughter of Brightstar and her only surviving kit; Ivypaw's brother, Whitekit, had died not long after birth. As she lay in her nest, she tried to picture his white face, his grey tabby pelt, but the image escaped her, too long buried in the past. As her thoughts lulled, she slowly drifted into sleep.
Ivypaw blinked open her eyes as sunlight streamed into the apprentices' den. She yawned and realised she was the first one awake, as usual. She picked her way out of the den and into the clearing and took a deep breath of cool morning air, relishing the warmth of the greenleaf sun on her pelt. The sky was a cloudless, pastel blue that promised to deepen to vivid azure as the day drew on; Ivypaw could tell it was going to be a very hot day.
"Ivypaw!"
A voice called her from beside the fresh-kill pile. Blackear was sitting with a group of warriors. "You're on the dawn patrol!"
Ivypaw scampered over to the group of cats, quickly noting that all the cats present had not fought in the battle, except the deputy himself. The warriors who fought will need their rest, Ivypaw thought, recalling some of the injuries she had glimpsed the previous day, with an inward shudder. The deputy led the patrol out of camp, Spottedflower and Gorsepelt following, with Ivypaw bringing up the rear.
"Remember to look out for any signs of the rogues," Blackear called back. "We can't let them find our camp."
Ivypaw gulped. What if they did? She shivered at the prospect of a group of vicious, codeless cats attacking the camp, killing at will. But we'd defeat them! she thought, defiantly, feeling a surge of pride overwhelm her foreboding. She knew her clanmates were stronger than the rogues and they would surely win, like they always did.
Gorsepelt, Ivypaw's father, slowed so that he padded beside his daughter. "You're up early," he commented.
Ivypaw glanced at him. "I'm always up early! I like to see the sunrise."
Gorsepelt smiled. "Rosethorn tells me your training is going well," he mewed. "She says she's planning your assessment soon."
"What?" Ivypaw cried. "Really?"
Gorsepelt purred with laughter. "Yes. Soon." The large tom sped up to join Spottedflower ahead as they approached the ShadowClan border. Ivypaw remained at the back, her heart racing. My assessment's soon! she thought, excitedly. So it's not long now until I'm finally a warrior!
The patrol was heading back past the abandoned Twoleg nest, as Stormlight had asked Spottedflower to check on the catmint plants that grew there, planted many moons ago by their ancestors. As Ivypaw padded past the tumbledown wall of the den, she wondered how long it had been here and how long it had been abandoned. Suddenly, Spottedflower froze. Blackear had tensed as well.
"Rogue scent," the deputy hissed. "And fresh."
Ivypaw's pelt fluffed out with fear. "Are they still here?"
Spottedflower tasted the air. "No. But I'd say they were here only just before dawn."
Gorsepelt bristled beside Ivypaw. "They're getting dangerously close to our camp," he spat.
"And this is very far inside our territory," Blackear commented. "You'd think we'd have scented them already."
The four cats sat in uneasy silence for a few moments.
"Well, the catmint is fine," Spottedflower mewed, briskly. "We should go back to camp. Brightstar needs to know about this."
The dawn patrol padded swiftly into camp through the thorn barrier. Ivypaw noticed now that most of the clan was awake or stirring. The patrol halted at the base of the rockfall that led up to the Highledge.
"Brightstar!" called Blackear.
Within a heartbeat, the clan leader was out of her den and down the tumbled rocks, on the camp floor. "What is it?" she asked, urgently, her voice strangely intense. Ivypaw noted that her eyes seemed haunted, as if she had not slept at all. Is she sick? Ivypaw thought with sudden panic. Or was it something else?
"We found rogue scent at the abandoned Twoleg den," Spottedflower mewed. "Fresh scent."
Brightstar's eyes widened. "What? But that's near the centre of our territory! How did they get there without us noticing?" Her tone was harsh, almost accusatory.
"StarClan knows," Blackear replied, deflecting the accusation. "We certainly didn't scent any other trace of rogues on the dawn patrol this morning. Whatever they're doing, they're being careful."
Brightstar snorted. "Careful? By the sound of it, they're achieving the impossible. They're far too close to our camp for comfort."
She sighed and paused for a moment, her eyes growing dark.
"Tell all patrols that go out today to be extra vigilant for rogue scent. Even hunting patrols." With that, Brightstar dismissed the patrol. As Ivypaw padded away, she could hear the clan leader speaking to Blackear in a hushed voice. Unable to stop herself, she listened.
"These rogues trouble me greatly," Brightstar hissed. "And what troubles me more is that StarClan doesn't seem to care."
"Maybe they think we can handle them on our own," Blackear guessed. He sounded uneasy.
"They're killing cats! Blackear, we can't afford to lose two cats in one battle. We can't keep this up. Sooner or later, the rogues are going to win one of the battles and when that day comes, our clan will be at their mercy."
"Ivypaw!"
Ashpaw's mew distracted her from her eavesdropping. "Brackentail is taking me out hunting! Coming?"
"Brackentail? She's not your mentor."
Ashpaw sighed. "Tallash is being relieved of duties while she grieves. She won't be mentoring me for a while."
At that moment, the senior warrior, accompanied by her two surviving kits, Emberpaw and Pinepaw and her mate, Iceclaw, returned to camp after their vigil for Sparrowpaw, their paws heavy with fatigue and grief. Cloverheart, Nightfur's brother, followed a little way behind. Ivypaw felt her sorrow for her lost clanmates renewed as she remembered what Brightstar had been saying. Her anxiety worried her, being both her leader and her mother, shaking the confidence in her clan that she had felt earlier that morning. She had always seen Brightstar as fearless and strong; to see her fretting about the rogues made Ivypaw terrified about what they were capable of. And what they could do to her clan.
CHAPTER III
"Ow! That stings!"
Irispaw flinched away as Stormlight redressed his wounds.
The medicine cat sighed, his tail lashing. "You want to get better, don't you?" he snapped. "You can fight rogues but you can't deal with poultice! Honestly!"
The small tabby tom's eyes flashed, but he said nothing more as Stormlight finished redressing the apprentice's wounds. He was aware of a cat standing at the entrance to the den, blocking out the dying sunlight of the greenleaf evening. As Irispaw returned to his nest, Stormlight turned to see Tallash gazing at him. It was hard not to flinch at the raw grief that was seared in her green eyes.
The old she-cat will mourn Sparrowpaw for moons, the medicine cat thought, sadly. Stormlight washed the remaining poultice off of his paws.
"What can I do for you?" he asked, as gently as he could. "Are you ill?"
Tallash gave a long sigh. "No it's...nothing like that." Her voice was very quiet. "I was just wondering if...if you think you'll see Sparrowpaw in StarClan tonight, at the Moonpool. Could you tell her that I...miss her. We all do." Her voice shook and she stared at her paws.
Stormlight looked at her, his blue eyes gentle.
"I'm sure she already knows that," he replied. "She's watching over you now."
Tallash looked up at the sky, as if searching for her daughter's face in the sunset-stained depths. "I know," she mewed, hoarsely. "But it would make me feel...better, all the same."
Stormlight sighed. "If I see her, I'll tell her," he promised, though he was not sure if it was one he could keep.
Tallash turned back to the tabby medicine cat, her eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you, Stormlight," she mewed, dipping her head low. "Oakleaf was wise in choosing you as an apprentice."
As Tallash left the den, Stormlight recalled his former mentor, who had died from greencough the previous leaf-bare. Feeling warmed by Tallash's words, he set about clearing up the scattered herbs he had used for the poultices.
"Are you sure you'll be able to manage, Rosethorn?" Stormlight asked.
Rosethorn smiled, her blue eyes glinting in the light of the half-moon that hung in the sky above them. "I'll be fine," she replied, running her tail over her son's shoulder. "I trained to be a medicine cat, remember?"
Stormlight knew full well that his mother had started off wanting to be a medicine cat, but then changed her mind a moon into her apprenticeship, thought he still felt a prickle of worry about the two injured cats that lay in the den.
"We'll be fine!" Mistypath croaked from her nest. "Stop fretting!"
Stormlight sighed. "Treat your own wounds next time," he muttered.
Rosethorn purred with amusement. "Now, now, don't go upsetting the senior warriors!" She gave her son a lick over his shoulder. "You travel safely, now. I'll see you tomorrow."
Stormlight rolled his eyes. "You know I can look after myself," he argued, though he licked his mother on the shoulder in farewell all the same, before heading away. Lightpaw was already pacing near the camp entrance as Stormlight headed across the camp towards him. The pale light of the moon turned everything in the clearing to silver and the warriors of StarClan shone defiantly against the sea of black about them.
"Okay, let's go," Stormlight hissed, leading the way out of camp.
"Finally," Lightpaw muttered.
As they entered the forest, the shadows of the canopy engulfed them in thick darkness. The two medicine cats made their way swiftly across ThunderClan territory without another word, hardly breaking the silence of night as they padded deftly through the trees. Stormlight thought of the rogues, his earlier worries sharpened by the menace of night. They could be hiding in the ferns all around us, for all I know, he thought, darkly.
They soon emerged from the trees at the stream that ran along the WindClan border. The sparse moorland gleamed in the moonlight, save for patches of heather and gorse, which looked like black, lumpen corpses strewn over the short, springy turf. Stormlight shuddered at the image, his thoughts shadowed still by the rogues and all the ThunderClan cats they had killed.
They both cleared the border stream with a single leap and approached the other medicine cats, who were gathered a little farther up the slope. Stormlight saw Poppytail of ShadowClan and Minnowshine of RiverClan, but saw that Heatherdawn of WindClan had not yet arrived.
Poppytail approached the two ThunderClan cats.
"Greetings, Stormlight," she mewed, touching her nose to his.
"Greetings," he replied, before sharing a nod with Minnowshine. The RiverClan tom had always been more curt that the rest of them.
"How much longer are we going to have to wait for Heatherdawn?" asked Lightpaw, suddenly. "I'm getting cold."
Stormlight shot him a glance. "We'll wait as long as we need to," he growled. The medicine cat apprentice had a habit of being rude in front of the other medicine cats. Stormlight had a feeling that it exhibited his thinly veiled hostility towards cats from other clans, something that, as a medicine cat, he should be free of.
"So, how are things in ThunderClan?" Poppytail asked, her pelt fluffed out against the breeze that whipped across from the open moorland.
"We had another fight with the rogues," Stormlight meowed.
"But we beat them," Lightpaw added quickly, glaring at the ShadowClan medicine cat.
Poppytail ignored him and gazed at Stormlight with sympathy. "Any serious injuries?"
"Mistypath and Irispaw are in my den, but they're strong. They'll heal." He sighed, his heart growing heavy with sorrow again. "But we lost two cats, Sparrowpaw and Nightfur."
Lightpaw shot him a glare, but Stormlight did not look at his apprentice.
Poppytail gasped. "That's awful! Losing two cats in one battle. And an apprentice, as well."
As Stormlight nodded in grim concurrence, Heatherdawn appeared over the crest of the nearest hillock and joined the other cats.
"Sorry I'm late," the WindClan medicine cat mewed. "We had some trouble with a dog, but it's gone now. Wrenpaw stayed behind to look after the wounded."
At that, the group started to make their way up the slope, their fur rippling in the wind. Stormlight could smell rain on the breeze; the first of the season.
They soon reached the ring of bushes that encircled the Moonpool and descended to the water's edge. The pool seemed to glow silver in the light of the moon, casting shadows around the rocky hollow in which the waters lay. The medicine cats prepared to lay down beside the pool, but before they could touch their noses to the water, Stormlight meowed suddenly: "I have something to do before we begin."
The others glanced over in short-lived surprise, as Stormlight turned to his apprentice. "Lightpaw, StarClan has told me that the time has come for you to become a full medicine cat."
The apprentice looked up at his mentor in astonishment and sudden delight.
"Yes...thank-you!" Lightpaw stammered, his eyes shining with pride.
Stormlight closed is eyes, hoping he could remember the words he needed to say.
"I, Stormlight, medicine cat of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice," he began, speaking confidently. "He has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help he will serve his Clan for many moons. Lightpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry, between Clan and Clan, and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"
Lightpaw bridled, his eyes shining with joy. "I do."
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give your true name as a medicine cat. Lightpaw, from this moment you shall be known as Lightstep. StarClan honours your skill and determination."
"Lightstep! Lightstep!"
As the other medicine cats chanted his name, Lightstep could not stop smiling. Stormlight found himself smiling as well. Even though he was young himself, Stormlight knew that Lightstep, even with his flaws, was skilled enough to replace him as medicine cat when the time came and he was very proud of his apprentice.
The medicine cats soon quietened and lay down by the waters' edge. Stormlight leant down between Lightstep and Poppytail and touched his nose to the water.
His eyes opened to beautiful, lush foliage and his mouth watered as prey scents filled his mouth. Knowing he was in StarClan's hunting grounds, he got to his paws and looked around. He saw no cats at first, but soon a familiar scent wreathed around him.
"Oakleaf."
The tom stood in the trees at the edge of the glade and padded out to meet his former apprentice. "Greetings, Stormlight," he meowed, quickly, his voice sharp with urgency. He started to pad off. "Come. We have important matters to speak of."
Intrigued by the old tom's brisk tone, he followed him. As he padded through the undergrowth, he caught a glimpse of a black pelt snaking through the trees. Nightfur! The young warrior was chasing a squirrel, which he quickly caught. Stormlight gazed at him for a few more moments. He shouldn't have died in that battle, he thought, bitterly.
"Every cat dies when they should," barked Oakleaf, knowing what he was thinking.
The pair emerged into a clearing. To Stormlight's surprise, it was filled with StarClan cats; after almost a moon of silence from StarClan, it was the last thing Stormlight had expected to see. Oakleaf veered off to the side, whilst a tom with a brilliant orange pelt and green eyes approached Stormlight.
"Greetings," he mewed, solemnly.
Stormlight dipped his head to the ancient ThunderClan leader. "Greetings, Firestar," he replied.
"Enough of the pleasantries!" cried a cat from the edge of the clearing, his blue eyes sparking with annoyance. "Get on with the message!"
Firestar glanced at the tom who had spoken, a hint of amusement in his gaze. "Of course, Jayfeather," he mewed. His tone became serious again as he turned back to Stormlight.
"We have an urgent message to send to you," he told him, his eyes growing dark. "Something dark is threatening ThunderClan."
Stormlight felt his blood turn to ice. "What is it?" he asked, in a small voice. "The rogues?"
"We do not know," Firestar replied, shaking his head. "But you must listen." His eyes suddenly grew distant. "If dark blood burns, the star will fall and the dark leaves will take the forest." His eyes changed back. "It is a prophecy that troubles us greatly."
Stormlight stared at him, bewildered. "But surely you know what it means?"
Jayfeather snorted. "We're just dead cats. We're no cleverer than you."
Stormlight glanced at him. "Surely you're wiser. You're much older than me. If you can't figure it out, how can I hope to?"
But the dream started to fade.
As the hunting grounds of StarClan started to disappear, he heard Firestar's voice.
"You have to, Stormlight. If you don't ThunderClan will fall."
Irispaw flinched away as Stormlight redressed his wounds.
The medicine cat sighed, his tail lashing. "You want to get better, don't you?" he snapped. "You can fight rogues but you can't deal with poultice! Honestly!"
The small tabby tom's eyes flashed, but he said nothing more as Stormlight finished redressing the apprentice's wounds. He was aware of a cat standing at the entrance to the den, blocking out the dying sunlight of the greenleaf evening. As Irispaw returned to his nest, Stormlight turned to see Tallash gazing at him. It was hard not to flinch at the raw grief that was seared in her green eyes.
The old she-cat will mourn Sparrowpaw for moons, the medicine cat thought, sadly. Stormlight washed the remaining poultice off of his paws.
"What can I do for you?" he asked, as gently as he could. "Are you ill?"
Tallash gave a long sigh. "No it's...nothing like that." Her voice was very quiet. "I was just wondering if...if you think you'll see Sparrowpaw in StarClan tonight, at the Moonpool. Could you tell her that I...miss her. We all do." Her voice shook and she stared at her paws.
Stormlight looked at her, his blue eyes gentle.
"I'm sure she already knows that," he replied. "She's watching over you now."
Tallash looked up at the sky, as if searching for her daughter's face in the sunset-stained depths. "I know," she mewed, hoarsely. "But it would make me feel...better, all the same."
Stormlight sighed. "If I see her, I'll tell her," he promised, though he was not sure if it was one he could keep.
Tallash turned back to the tabby medicine cat, her eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you, Stormlight," she mewed, dipping her head low. "Oakleaf was wise in choosing you as an apprentice."
As Tallash left the den, Stormlight recalled his former mentor, who had died from greencough the previous leaf-bare. Feeling warmed by Tallash's words, he set about clearing up the scattered herbs he had used for the poultices.
"Are you sure you'll be able to manage, Rosethorn?" Stormlight asked.
Rosethorn smiled, her blue eyes glinting in the light of the half-moon that hung in the sky above them. "I'll be fine," she replied, running her tail over her son's shoulder. "I trained to be a medicine cat, remember?"
Stormlight knew full well that his mother had started off wanting to be a medicine cat, but then changed her mind a moon into her apprenticeship, thought he still felt a prickle of worry about the two injured cats that lay in the den.
"We'll be fine!" Mistypath croaked from her nest. "Stop fretting!"
Stormlight sighed. "Treat your own wounds next time," he muttered.
Rosethorn purred with amusement. "Now, now, don't go upsetting the senior warriors!" She gave her son a lick over his shoulder. "You travel safely, now. I'll see you tomorrow."
Stormlight rolled his eyes. "You know I can look after myself," he argued, though he licked his mother on the shoulder in farewell all the same, before heading away. Lightpaw was already pacing near the camp entrance as Stormlight headed across the camp towards him. The pale light of the moon turned everything in the clearing to silver and the warriors of StarClan shone defiantly against the sea of black about them.
"Okay, let's go," Stormlight hissed, leading the way out of camp.
"Finally," Lightpaw muttered.
As they entered the forest, the shadows of the canopy engulfed them in thick darkness. The two medicine cats made their way swiftly across ThunderClan territory without another word, hardly breaking the silence of night as they padded deftly through the trees. Stormlight thought of the rogues, his earlier worries sharpened by the menace of night. They could be hiding in the ferns all around us, for all I know, he thought, darkly.
They soon emerged from the trees at the stream that ran along the WindClan border. The sparse moorland gleamed in the moonlight, save for patches of heather and gorse, which looked like black, lumpen corpses strewn over the short, springy turf. Stormlight shuddered at the image, his thoughts shadowed still by the rogues and all the ThunderClan cats they had killed.
They both cleared the border stream with a single leap and approached the other medicine cats, who were gathered a little farther up the slope. Stormlight saw Poppytail of ShadowClan and Minnowshine of RiverClan, but saw that Heatherdawn of WindClan had not yet arrived.
Poppytail approached the two ThunderClan cats.
"Greetings, Stormlight," she mewed, touching her nose to his.
"Greetings," he replied, before sharing a nod with Minnowshine. The RiverClan tom had always been more curt that the rest of them.
"How much longer are we going to have to wait for Heatherdawn?" asked Lightpaw, suddenly. "I'm getting cold."
Stormlight shot him a glance. "We'll wait as long as we need to," he growled. The medicine cat apprentice had a habit of being rude in front of the other medicine cats. Stormlight had a feeling that it exhibited his thinly veiled hostility towards cats from other clans, something that, as a medicine cat, he should be free of.
"So, how are things in ThunderClan?" Poppytail asked, her pelt fluffed out against the breeze that whipped across from the open moorland.
"We had another fight with the rogues," Stormlight meowed.
"But we beat them," Lightpaw added quickly, glaring at the ShadowClan medicine cat.
Poppytail ignored him and gazed at Stormlight with sympathy. "Any serious injuries?"
"Mistypath and Irispaw are in my den, but they're strong. They'll heal." He sighed, his heart growing heavy with sorrow again. "But we lost two cats, Sparrowpaw and Nightfur."
Lightpaw shot him a glare, but Stormlight did not look at his apprentice.
Poppytail gasped. "That's awful! Losing two cats in one battle. And an apprentice, as well."
As Stormlight nodded in grim concurrence, Heatherdawn appeared over the crest of the nearest hillock and joined the other cats.
"Sorry I'm late," the WindClan medicine cat mewed. "We had some trouble with a dog, but it's gone now. Wrenpaw stayed behind to look after the wounded."
At that, the group started to make their way up the slope, their fur rippling in the wind. Stormlight could smell rain on the breeze; the first of the season.
They soon reached the ring of bushes that encircled the Moonpool and descended to the water's edge. The pool seemed to glow silver in the light of the moon, casting shadows around the rocky hollow in which the waters lay. The medicine cats prepared to lay down beside the pool, but before they could touch their noses to the water, Stormlight meowed suddenly: "I have something to do before we begin."
The others glanced over in short-lived surprise, as Stormlight turned to his apprentice. "Lightpaw, StarClan has told me that the time has come for you to become a full medicine cat."
The apprentice looked up at his mentor in astonishment and sudden delight.
"Yes...thank-you!" Lightpaw stammered, his eyes shining with pride.
Stormlight closed is eyes, hoping he could remember the words he needed to say.
"I, Stormlight, medicine cat of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice," he began, speaking confidently. "He has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help he will serve his Clan for many moons. Lightpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry, between Clan and Clan, and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"
Lightpaw bridled, his eyes shining with joy. "I do."
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give your true name as a medicine cat. Lightpaw, from this moment you shall be known as Lightstep. StarClan honours your skill and determination."
"Lightstep! Lightstep!"
As the other medicine cats chanted his name, Lightstep could not stop smiling. Stormlight found himself smiling as well. Even though he was young himself, Stormlight knew that Lightstep, even with his flaws, was skilled enough to replace him as medicine cat when the time came and he was very proud of his apprentice.
The medicine cats soon quietened and lay down by the waters' edge. Stormlight leant down between Lightstep and Poppytail and touched his nose to the water.
His eyes opened to beautiful, lush foliage and his mouth watered as prey scents filled his mouth. Knowing he was in StarClan's hunting grounds, he got to his paws and looked around. He saw no cats at first, but soon a familiar scent wreathed around him.
"Oakleaf."
The tom stood in the trees at the edge of the glade and padded out to meet his former apprentice. "Greetings, Stormlight," he meowed, quickly, his voice sharp with urgency. He started to pad off. "Come. We have important matters to speak of."
Intrigued by the old tom's brisk tone, he followed him. As he padded through the undergrowth, he caught a glimpse of a black pelt snaking through the trees. Nightfur! The young warrior was chasing a squirrel, which he quickly caught. Stormlight gazed at him for a few more moments. He shouldn't have died in that battle, he thought, bitterly.
"Every cat dies when they should," barked Oakleaf, knowing what he was thinking.
The pair emerged into a clearing. To Stormlight's surprise, it was filled with StarClan cats; after almost a moon of silence from StarClan, it was the last thing Stormlight had expected to see. Oakleaf veered off to the side, whilst a tom with a brilliant orange pelt and green eyes approached Stormlight.
"Greetings," he mewed, solemnly.
Stormlight dipped his head to the ancient ThunderClan leader. "Greetings, Firestar," he replied.
"Enough of the pleasantries!" cried a cat from the edge of the clearing, his blue eyes sparking with annoyance. "Get on with the message!"
Firestar glanced at the tom who had spoken, a hint of amusement in his gaze. "Of course, Jayfeather," he mewed. His tone became serious again as he turned back to Stormlight.
"We have an urgent message to send to you," he told him, his eyes growing dark. "Something dark is threatening ThunderClan."
Stormlight felt his blood turn to ice. "What is it?" he asked, in a small voice. "The rogues?"
"We do not know," Firestar replied, shaking his head. "But you must listen." His eyes suddenly grew distant. "If dark blood burns, the star will fall and the dark leaves will take the forest." His eyes changed back. "It is a prophecy that troubles us greatly."
Stormlight stared at him, bewildered. "But surely you know what it means?"
Jayfeather snorted. "We're just dead cats. We're no cleverer than you."
Stormlight glanced at him. "Surely you're wiser. You're much older than me. If you can't figure it out, how can I hope to?"
But the dream started to fade.
As the hunting grounds of StarClan started to disappear, he heard Firestar's voice.
"You have to, Stormlight. If you don't ThunderClan will fall."
CHAPTER IV
"What's so exciting?" she asked.
Ashpaw turned to her, her eyes sparkling. "I'm having my warrior assessment today!" she squeaked, giving a little excited bounce.
"That's great!" Ivypaw replied, trying to ignore the envy that prickled her pelt. "I suppose your brother is too then."
I'll be the only apprentice left at this rate! she thought.
Ashpaw sighed and her excitement ebbed. "No. Stormlight wants to keep Irispaw in the medicine den to heal for a few more days."
"Oh," Ivypaw mewed, the mere thought of being cooped up in the medicine den for days making her limbs ache. "I bet he doesn't like that one bit."
"I don't like it," Ashpaw retorted. "We were meant to be made warriors together. Now that won't happen."
Raintail, overhearing, turned and rested his tail comfortingly on Ashpaw's shoulder. "Don't be like that," he meowed, with a smile. "Irispaw won't have long to wait."
Ashpaw sighed. "I guess not." She looked up at the two warriors, brightening a little. "So, who are we waiting for? Tallash?"
Raintail shook his head. "Tallash won't mentor you anymore, remember?"
Ashpaw frowned. "Well then, who?" she pressed.
"Well, we were waiting for Ivypaw," Gorsepelt meowed, glancing at her daughter. "She'll be your hunting partner, after you've hunted by yourself."
Ivypaw blinked. "Why me?"
Gorsepelt sighed. "Irispaw's in the medicine den, Emberpaw's on dawn patrol and Pinepaw's sleeping like a dead badger, no doubt."
He and the others started to head out of camp, with Ivypaw tagging along at the rear. "Logic, really."
Ivypaw treaded as lightly as she thought possible as she followed Ashpaw through the dense ferns of the forest. She thought how mortifying it would be to ruin Ashpaw's assessment by stepping on a twig. Ashpaw had already completed her solo hunting part of her assessment, much to the approval of her two assessors, and now she was practicing hunting in pairs. As Ashpaw followed the trail of a blackbird, Ivypaw's mind began to wander, inevitably turning to her building collection of worries. Remembering Brightstar's words that she was not supposed to hear the previous day made her feel very uneasy. Though she dared not admit it, her mother had sounded very afraid when she was talking about the rogues. As she thought about it, she considered the possibility that they were not rogues at all. They lived in a large group and, as Ivypaw had heard the warriors say, they had some sort of organisation and discipline. They sounded much more like a clan than a bunch of rogues. Maybe that's why we can't defeat them once and for all, she worried.
Suddenly, ahead of her, Ashpaw froze, raising her tail as a signal to stop. Ivypaw was so deep in thought that she almost crashed straight into the older apprentice. Peering over Ashpaw, Ivypaw could see a blackbird in a small clearing, pecking at a seed, blissfully unaware of the two she-cats nearby.
"You stay here," Ashpaw hissed. "I'll go over to the other side and you flush it towards me."
Ivypaw nodded and Ashpaw snaked away into the undergrowth. Soon enough, she caught the gleam of Ashpaw's eyes in amongst the ferns on the other side of the clearing. But just as Ivypaw was about to charge forward, an unpleasantly familiar feline scent made her recoil and a flash of pale grey pelt through the undergrowth caught her eye. Her blood turned to ice and her breath caught in her throat. She recognised that scent. The rogues! They're in our territory! she thought, her whole body seizing with panic and terror. To her confusion, she could no longer see the other apprentice.
"Ashpaw?" she called.
Suddenly, Ashpaw leapt out from the bushes and landed on the back of a cat. "Get out of here you stinking rogue!"
Ivypaw gasped. "Ashpaw! I'm coming!"
But before she reached her, an indignant yowl stopped her in her tracks, "Get your claws off me, you stupid furball!"
As Ivypaw watched, Ashpaw padded sullenly into the clearing, looking embarrassed, followed by Stormlight and his apprentice.
“I’m sorry,” Ashpaw mewed, in a small voice. “I thought you were one of the rogues.”
Stormlight scoffed. “One of the rogues? Honestly Ashpaw, don’t you recognize the scent of your own clan?”
“Yeah, carry on like that and you’ll be an apprentice forever!” Lightstep joined in, emphasising the final word, but his eyes were amused.
“Yes, Lightstep,” Stormlight concurred. He sighed and started to head back towads camp, before stopping. “How about you two come and help me out with my patients later?” he meowed, turning to them and fixing them with his blue stare. “You know, to pay for the claw marks in my back!”
Both of us? Ivypaw thought, in annoyance. But I didn’t do anything!
Ashpaw sighed and agreed reluctantly, and with that, Stormlight and Lightstep headed away. Lightstep? Ivypaw thought. It seemed to her that literally every other apprentice was finishing their training apart from her!
“Ashpaw!” Ivypaw hissed when the medicine cats had gone. “Thanks a lot for that!”
“I’m sorry. I could’ve sworn I scented a rogue, though,” Ashpaw replied, hitting a nearby stone with her forepaw in annoyance.
“Yeah, well now we have to do medicine cat chores with Stormlight,” Ivypaw retorted, pushing away the fact that she too had scented a rogue; they clearly were just mistaken. “I could think of better ways of spending an evening. Like, I don’t know, falling into the lake and being eaten by fish!”
“Okay, okay,” Ashpaw meowed, defeated. She sighed. “Remember, it’s my assessment that’s just been ruined!” she growled; the blackbird had gone, and now they had to start the hunt all over again.
Ivypaw sighed and smiled at her friend; suddenly, she wasn’t angry.
“It’s not ruined,” she mewed, gently. “Come on, you got this! Let’s hunt.” She nudged her friend gently, who, encouraged slightly, led them away into the forest.
The sun had climbed close to sunhigh, by the time Ivypaw and Ashpaw had returned to camp. Apart from that initial mishap, the rest of the hunt had gone very well, with the two apprentices amassing three mice, a pair of shrews and a large thrush between them. Raintail and Gorsepelt had been very impressed. Too bad it wasn’t my assessment, Ivypaw thought, sulkily, to herself, before scolding herself for being so selfish.
However, as soon as the four of them entered camp, they could tell something was wrong. Every cat, including Brightstar, was bustling around the medicine den, and the air was heavy with tension. Ivypaw and Ashpaw ran over, the two warriors close behind.
“What’s going on?” Ivypaw asked, trying to peer over the heads of the other cats.
“It’s Irispaw,” Sunheart wailed, from nearby, her voice fearful. “He’s not waking up!”
CHAPTER VI
~ Coming soon ~
As the sun rose over the hollow, Ivypaw opened her eyes. Despite the whirlwind of thoughts about the rogues that had been spinning around her head the night before, sleep had finally come. As she sat up in her nest, she was surprised to see that she was the only apprentice left in the den, save Pinepaw, even though it was just after dawn. After a quick grooming, she rose to her paws and left the den. Despite the early hour, the day was already almost verging on unpleasantly hot. This green leaf, Ivypaw noted, the weather had been very erratic, with storms one day and clear sunny skies the next.
She noticed Ashpaw pacing beside Raintail and Gorsepelt by the thorn barrier, restless with anticipation.
Intrigued, Ivypaw approached them."What's so exciting?" she asked.
Ashpaw turned to her, her eyes sparkling. "I'm having my warrior assessment today!" she squeaked, giving a little excited bounce.
"That's great!" Ivypaw replied, trying to ignore the envy that prickled her pelt. "I suppose your brother is too then."
I'll be the only apprentice left at this rate! she thought.
Ashpaw sighed and her excitement ebbed. "No. Stormlight wants to keep Irispaw in the medicine den to heal for a few more days."
"Oh," Ivypaw mewed, the mere thought of being cooped up in the medicine den for days making her limbs ache. "I bet he doesn't like that one bit."
"I don't like it," Ashpaw retorted. "We were meant to be made warriors together. Now that won't happen."
Raintail, overhearing, turned and rested his tail comfortingly on Ashpaw's shoulder. "Don't be like that," he meowed, with a smile. "Irispaw won't have long to wait."
Ashpaw sighed. "I guess not." She looked up at the two warriors, brightening a little. "So, who are we waiting for? Tallash?"
Raintail shook his head. "Tallash won't mentor you anymore, remember?"
Ashpaw frowned. "Well then, who?" she pressed.
"Well, we were waiting for Ivypaw," Gorsepelt meowed, glancing at her daughter. "She'll be your hunting partner, after you've hunted by yourself."
Ivypaw blinked. "Why me?"
Gorsepelt sighed. "Irispaw's in the medicine den, Emberpaw's on dawn patrol and Pinepaw's sleeping like a dead badger, no doubt."
He and the others started to head out of camp, with Ivypaw tagging along at the rear. "Logic, really."
Ivypaw treaded as lightly as she thought possible as she followed Ashpaw through the dense ferns of the forest. She thought how mortifying it would be to ruin Ashpaw's assessment by stepping on a twig. Ashpaw had already completed her solo hunting part of her assessment, much to the approval of her two assessors, and now she was practicing hunting in pairs. As Ashpaw followed the trail of a blackbird, Ivypaw's mind began to wander, inevitably turning to her building collection of worries. Remembering Brightstar's words that she was not supposed to hear the previous day made her feel very uneasy. Though she dared not admit it, her mother had sounded very afraid when she was talking about the rogues. As she thought about it, she considered the possibility that they were not rogues at all. They lived in a large group and, as Ivypaw had heard the warriors say, they had some sort of organisation and discipline. They sounded much more like a clan than a bunch of rogues. Maybe that's why we can't defeat them once and for all, she worried.
Suddenly, ahead of her, Ashpaw froze, raising her tail as a signal to stop. Ivypaw was so deep in thought that she almost crashed straight into the older apprentice. Peering over Ashpaw, Ivypaw could see a blackbird in a small clearing, pecking at a seed, blissfully unaware of the two she-cats nearby.
"You stay here," Ashpaw hissed. "I'll go over to the other side and you flush it towards me."
Ivypaw nodded and Ashpaw snaked away into the undergrowth. Soon enough, she caught the gleam of Ashpaw's eyes in amongst the ferns on the other side of the clearing. But just as Ivypaw was about to charge forward, an unpleasantly familiar feline scent made her recoil and a flash of pale grey pelt through the undergrowth caught her eye. Her blood turned to ice and her breath caught in her throat. She recognised that scent. The rogues! They're in our territory! she thought, her whole body seizing with panic and terror. To her confusion, she could no longer see the other apprentice.
"Ashpaw?" she called.
Suddenly, Ashpaw leapt out from the bushes and landed on the back of a cat. "Get out of here you stinking rogue!"
Ivypaw gasped. "Ashpaw! I'm coming!"
But before she reached her, an indignant yowl stopped her in her tracks, "Get your claws off me, you stupid furball!"
As Ivypaw watched, Ashpaw padded sullenly into the clearing, looking embarrassed, followed by Stormlight and his apprentice.
“I’m sorry,” Ashpaw mewed, in a small voice. “I thought you were one of the rogues.”
Stormlight scoffed. “One of the rogues? Honestly Ashpaw, don’t you recognize the scent of your own clan?”
“Yeah, carry on like that and you’ll be an apprentice forever!” Lightstep joined in, emphasising the final word, but his eyes were amused.
“Yes, Lightstep,” Stormlight concurred. He sighed and started to head back towads camp, before stopping. “How about you two come and help me out with my patients later?” he meowed, turning to them and fixing them with his blue stare. “You know, to pay for the claw marks in my back!”
Both of us? Ivypaw thought, in annoyance. But I didn’t do anything!
Ashpaw sighed and agreed reluctantly, and with that, Stormlight and Lightstep headed away. Lightstep? Ivypaw thought. It seemed to her that literally every other apprentice was finishing their training apart from her!
“Ashpaw!” Ivypaw hissed when the medicine cats had gone. “Thanks a lot for that!”
“I’m sorry. I could’ve sworn I scented a rogue, though,” Ashpaw replied, hitting a nearby stone with her forepaw in annoyance.
“Yeah, well now we have to do medicine cat chores with Stormlight,” Ivypaw retorted, pushing away the fact that she too had scented a rogue; they clearly were just mistaken. “I could think of better ways of spending an evening. Like, I don’t know, falling into the lake and being eaten by fish!”
“Okay, okay,” Ashpaw meowed, defeated. She sighed. “Remember, it’s my assessment that’s just been ruined!” she growled; the blackbird had gone, and now they had to start the hunt all over again.
Ivypaw sighed and smiled at her friend; suddenly, she wasn’t angry.
“It’s not ruined,” she mewed, gently. “Come on, you got this! Let’s hunt.” She nudged her friend gently, who, encouraged slightly, led them away into the forest.
The sun had climbed close to sunhigh, by the time Ivypaw and Ashpaw had returned to camp. Apart from that initial mishap, the rest of the hunt had gone very well, with the two apprentices amassing three mice, a pair of shrews and a large thrush between them. Raintail and Gorsepelt had been very impressed. Too bad it wasn’t my assessment, Ivypaw thought, sulkily, to herself, before scolding herself for being so selfish.
However, as soon as the four of them entered camp, they could tell something was wrong. Every cat, including Brightstar, was bustling around the medicine den, and the air was heavy with tension. Ivypaw and Ashpaw ran over, the two warriors close behind.
“What’s going on?” Ivypaw asked, trying to peer over the heads of the other cats.
“It’s Irispaw,” Sunheart wailed, from nearby, her voice fearful. “He’s not waking up!”
CHAPTER V
Stormlight couldn’t believe what his senses were telling him. He checked Irispaw over, the medicine cat’s movements quick with worry and shaky with disbelief.
“Is it really…greencough?” Lightstep meowed, his voice high-pitched with shock. “In greenleaf?”
Rosethorn sat beside the pale tom, watching anxiously. “It seemed so much like it, that I moved Mistypath into the warriors’ den,” she meowed, her voice thick with worry. “But it just seemed so…strange. I couldn’t wake him at all.”
“No, I can’t either.” Stormlight glanced at Lightstep and Rosethorn, his teeth on edge. “I’ve never, ever seen this before. But all the symptoms are there. He’s gone very hot and his breathing is laboured, and he’s completely unconscious.”
“But…but how can this have happened? It’s just not possible!” Lightstep continued, his voice edged with panic; clearly a thousand questions were piling up in his mind. Rosethorn sighed heavily, her eyes troubled.
“Look, I don’t know what this is,” Stormlight hissed, attempting to stem this flow of panic coming from his apprentice; he may have gained his full medicine cat name, but he was still his apprentice. He still has things to learn. Stormlight thought. Then again, clearly I do too. Greencough was something that the medicine cat had never expected to see this time of year and it just made things a whole lot worse. Before he could articulate his churning thoughts any further, a small she-cat suddenly burst into the medicine den.
“Irispaw!” Ashpaw shrieked, running over, but she was held back by Lightstep.
“Stay back,” he warned, his voice still shaky.
“Why? He’s my brother, for StarClan’s sake! Just tell me…”
“He’s not dead,” Stormlight meowed loudly, audibly annoyed, silencing the apprentice. All this noise was making him tenser than he would otherwise be. Seeing the terror in the young cat’s eyes, he lowered his voice and continued more gently, “No, he’s just sick.”
Ashpaw relaxed visibly; clearly, she had been expecting the worst.
“We think it may be greencough,” Lightstep added.
“What?” Ashpaw squeaked; suddenly, she looked tense again.
“Lightstep, please,” Stormlight hissed, before turning back to Ashpaw. “It probably isn’t that. I think it must just be an infection from his wound that resembles greencough in its symptoms,” he continued, more calmly. The last thing he wanted to do was send panic through the clan based on something he wasn’t even sure of, or didn’t even believe himself, and Lightstep was certainly not helping.
“An infection?” The voice of Brightstar, sharp with concern came from the other side of the thorn barrier of the medicine den as she pushed her way through. “But how? What are your poultices doing if not preventing infection?” she barked, her concern blazing into fury.
Stormlight blinked in shock, stung by the leader’s aggressive tone. “Infection can still occur, even with a poultice,” he replied, a little subdued. “But this is one I’ve never seen the likes of before.”
Brightstar stared at Irispaw for a moment, her eyes transfixed, seeming to be locked into some inner terror, before she snapped away and strode out of the den, without saying anything else.
Rosethorn stepped closer to Stormlight, and licked him comfortingly on the shoulder. “I’m sure it’s not your fault,” she meowed to her son. “Brightstar has just been very tense lately…”
“No, she has a point,” Stormlight replied, angrily, stepping back over to the unconscious apprentice. “How could I let this happen? Surely I would’ve been able to spot the symptoms yesterday?”
Ashpaw gave a whimper from where she was beside Lightstep. Stormlight glanced at her. “Look, if it is an infection, it won’t spread like greencough does, but until we’re sure, you’ll have to stay back.”
Ashpaw let out a shuddering sigh and hurried out of the den. Stormlight watched her leave, before turning to his apprentice and his mother, grimacing. “Imagine what it’s going to be like when their parents get back from hunting,” he muttered. That last thing he needed now was Spottedflower and the clan deputy Blackear squealing in his ears as well; everyone seemed to be yowling at him from every direction, and all he needed was some quiet to be able to think.
“So let me get this straight,” Lightstep mewed, seeing an opportunity to ask another of his many questions. “This isn’t greencough.”
Stormlight glanced at Irispaw. “I can’t be sure,” he mewed, quietly and grimly. “If it is, we might all be in danger just by being here. But if it isn’t, then it’s the nastiest infection I’ve ever seen.” He paused and steeled himself, feeling a hard resolve within him take shape. “We need to treat it now.”
He got to his paws and hurried to the back of the den, rummaging through the cleft to see how his supplies were at that moment. “Rosethorn,” he called back. “Fetch some feverfew. We’re out and it may help.”
The she-cat nodded and left the den swiftly.
“And Lightstep," Stormlight continued, padding back from the cleft. "Go and fetch catmint. If this is greencough, or even an infection similar, it may be the only thing that can save Irispaw.” He turned and looked into his apprentice’s eyes, hoping to convey the seriousness of the situation. Lightstep nodded eagerly and was about to leave, when Stormlight added, “Oh, and take Ashpaw. She’ll want to help and it will help her keep her mind off things.”
Lightstep faltered, before leaving.
Now in silence, Stormlight sighed and returned to Irispaw’s side. This sudden development had come as a most unwelcome surprise, and one that he would have thanked StarClan to have warned him about. But what if they already had? He suddenly thought about the dark prophecy Firestar had delivered to him the night before. What if this was the beginning of their downfall that their ancestors had warned him about? Did this mean that time was already running out to save the entire clan? He had seen the tension in Brightstar’s tortured expression and a more chilling thought coursed through him like cold, dark water. Maybe, he was already too late.
Stormlight couldn’t believe what his senses were telling him. He checked Irispaw over, the medicine cat’s movements quick with worry and shaky with disbelief.
“Is it really…greencough?” Lightstep meowed, his voice high-pitched with shock. “In greenleaf?”
Rosethorn sat beside the pale tom, watching anxiously. “It seemed so much like it, that I moved Mistypath into the warriors’ den,” she meowed, her voice thick with worry. “But it just seemed so…strange. I couldn’t wake him at all.”
“No, I can’t either.” Stormlight glanced at Lightstep and Rosethorn, his teeth on edge. “I’ve never, ever seen this before. But all the symptoms are there. He’s gone very hot and his breathing is laboured, and he’s completely unconscious.”
“But…but how can this have happened? It’s just not possible!” Lightstep continued, his voice edged with panic; clearly a thousand questions were piling up in his mind. Rosethorn sighed heavily, her eyes troubled.
“Look, I don’t know what this is,” Stormlight hissed, attempting to stem this flow of panic coming from his apprentice; he may have gained his full medicine cat name, but he was still his apprentice. He still has things to learn. Stormlight thought. Then again, clearly I do too. Greencough was something that the medicine cat had never expected to see this time of year and it just made things a whole lot worse. Before he could articulate his churning thoughts any further, a small she-cat suddenly burst into the medicine den.
“Irispaw!” Ashpaw shrieked, running over, but she was held back by Lightstep.
“Stay back,” he warned, his voice still shaky.
“Why? He’s my brother, for StarClan’s sake! Just tell me…”
“He’s not dead,” Stormlight meowed loudly, audibly annoyed, silencing the apprentice. All this noise was making him tenser than he would otherwise be. Seeing the terror in the young cat’s eyes, he lowered his voice and continued more gently, “No, he’s just sick.”
Ashpaw relaxed visibly; clearly, she had been expecting the worst.
“We think it may be greencough,” Lightstep added.
“What?” Ashpaw squeaked; suddenly, she looked tense again.
“Lightstep, please,” Stormlight hissed, before turning back to Ashpaw. “It probably isn’t that. I think it must just be an infection from his wound that resembles greencough in its symptoms,” he continued, more calmly. The last thing he wanted to do was send panic through the clan based on something he wasn’t even sure of, or didn’t even believe himself, and Lightstep was certainly not helping.
“An infection?” The voice of Brightstar, sharp with concern came from the other side of the thorn barrier of the medicine den as she pushed her way through. “But how? What are your poultices doing if not preventing infection?” she barked, her concern blazing into fury.
Stormlight blinked in shock, stung by the leader’s aggressive tone. “Infection can still occur, even with a poultice,” he replied, a little subdued. “But this is one I’ve never seen the likes of before.”
Brightstar stared at Irispaw for a moment, her eyes transfixed, seeming to be locked into some inner terror, before she snapped away and strode out of the den, without saying anything else.
Rosethorn stepped closer to Stormlight, and licked him comfortingly on the shoulder. “I’m sure it’s not your fault,” she meowed to her son. “Brightstar has just been very tense lately…”
“No, she has a point,” Stormlight replied, angrily, stepping back over to the unconscious apprentice. “How could I let this happen? Surely I would’ve been able to spot the symptoms yesterday?”
Ashpaw gave a whimper from where she was beside Lightstep. Stormlight glanced at her. “Look, if it is an infection, it won’t spread like greencough does, but until we’re sure, you’ll have to stay back.”
Ashpaw let out a shuddering sigh and hurried out of the den. Stormlight watched her leave, before turning to his apprentice and his mother, grimacing. “Imagine what it’s going to be like when their parents get back from hunting,” he muttered. That last thing he needed now was Spottedflower and the clan deputy Blackear squealing in his ears as well; everyone seemed to be yowling at him from every direction, and all he needed was some quiet to be able to think.
“So let me get this straight,” Lightstep mewed, seeing an opportunity to ask another of his many questions. “This isn’t greencough.”
Stormlight glanced at Irispaw. “I can’t be sure,” he mewed, quietly and grimly. “If it is, we might all be in danger just by being here. But if it isn’t, then it’s the nastiest infection I’ve ever seen.” He paused and steeled himself, feeling a hard resolve within him take shape. “We need to treat it now.”
He got to his paws and hurried to the back of the den, rummaging through the cleft to see how his supplies were at that moment. “Rosethorn,” he called back. “Fetch some feverfew. We’re out and it may help.”
The she-cat nodded and left the den swiftly.
“And Lightstep," Stormlight continued, padding back from the cleft. "Go and fetch catmint. If this is greencough, or even an infection similar, it may be the only thing that can save Irispaw.” He turned and looked into his apprentice’s eyes, hoping to convey the seriousness of the situation. Lightstep nodded eagerly and was about to leave, when Stormlight added, “Oh, and take Ashpaw. She’ll want to help and it will help her keep her mind off things.”
Lightstep faltered, before leaving.
Now in silence, Stormlight sighed and returned to Irispaw’s side. This sudden development had come as a most unwelcome surprise, and one that he would have thanked StarClan to have warned him about. But what if they already had? He suddenly thought about the dark prophecy Firestar had delivered to him the night before. What if this was the beginning of their downfall that their ancestors had warned him about? Did this mean that time was already running out to save the entire clan? He had seen the tension in Brightstar’s tortured expression and a more chilling thought coursed through him like cold, dark water. Maybe, he was already too late.
CHAPTER VI
~ Coming soon ~
I really appreciate that!! Chapter 1 will probably come tonight, seeing as it's already prepared 
Yeah, Lightpaw is cute. I'm thinking about posting Chapter 2 tomorrow 
