I have Sky!

Hot damn yall, chill I get the whole greencough issue is serious but why press RiverClan so harshly for having potentially inexperienced cats in charge, not as you'd know anyhow, Tigerstar also should backup his bus I get his son just died from greencough but I doubt it specifically came from RC

As Nightheart bitterly licks his leg wound, Thriftear and Flipclaw hadn't stopped teasing him about how he disobeyed Lionblaze's orders. Thriftear was more critical of him disobeying a senior warrior, while Flipclaw jokes that "You're supposed to eat the squirrels! They aren't meant to eat you!" and then adds if Nightheart isn't careful, he'll end up in StarClan "answering to Firestar!". This ticks off Nightheart, who insults Flipclaw. Flipclaw gets hurt and says he was trying to lighten the mood. Thriftear meows that the elders told them Firestar made jokes himself. Nightheart grumbles that Firestar was clearly never the butt of the joke, and if being Firestar's kin is so important, then why don't cats treat him with the same respect they do to some dead leader.

Now back in camp, he tells himself he's going to prove himself worthy and how wrong Flipclaw, Thriftear, and Lionblaze are about him. Sparkpelt and Finchlight are still cold to Nightheart and don't let him eat with them. Bramblestar is laying over the highledge, seemingly asleep. Thriftear and Shellfur had been gossiping that Bramblestar doesn't even sleep in his own den anymore and instead sleeps in the open under the moonlight, almost like he was too scared to be left in the dark. Squirrelflight is next to him, her eyes blank and unwavering. Nightheart scents ShadowClan and groans they're back again for catmint. As he turns around, he's greeted by Flaxfoot and Gullswoop. Nightheart growls they should have waited at the border. Flaxfoot huffs there wasn't time, and Nightheart realizes they're both out of breath, like they ran here.

Lionblaze sees this and gets to his paws, coming forward with authority and asks if something has happened. He's flanked by Cherryfall and Bumblestripe. Gullswoop says medicine cat business. Squirrelflight bounds down from the highledge and demands an explantion. Bramblestar has opened his eyes, but makes no other movement. Flaxfoot says Tigerstar wants to have a meeting about the lack of catmint, and Alderheart and Jayfeather need to come. Squirrelflight snorts that it's just like Tigerstar to act like he has authority over their Clan, but Flaxfoot assures her it's not an order, but a request. Jayfeather, hearing the commotion, grunts to Squirrelflight that if Tigerstar is requesting something, then you know it's serious, and says he and Alderheart will attend. Flaxfoot is relieved, and thanks Jayfeather for understanding. Squirrelflight orders Lionblaze and Bumblestripe to escort them off the border and goes back to Bramblestar, who's attention hasn't left Flaxfoot and Gullswoop. Just before she goes back, Squirrelflight asks for an update on Brightheart. Jayfeather sighs that she's still sick, but it's not greencough yet.

Jayfeather then jerks his head to Nightheart, asking why he's bleeding. Surprised, Nightheart stammers he was bitten. Jayfeather inspects the wound, and asks if there's a fox on the territory. Nightheart mutters it was a squirrel. Jayfeather exclaims the phrase for everyone to hear, as if he can't believe the answer. Jayfeather then ushers Nightheart into the den, where he spots Brightheart silently eating a mouse with Alderheart. Alderheart issues a curt greeting to Nightheart, and Nightheart is glad that at least some of his kin don't resent him. Jayfeather snarks that Nightheart was bitten by a squirrel. Brightheart is surprised, and Nightheart hisses that prey have teeth too. Brightheart is taken back by Nightheart's hostility, but goes back to her mouse.

As Jayfeather searches amongst his herbs, he begins telling Alderheart about the emergency medicine cat meeting. Alderheart snorts that of course Tigerstar was the one to call it, and asks if he expects them to conjure herbs from the air. Jayfeather lets out a stiff snort, but says at the very least they can find out how bad the shortage is. Brightheart looks up from her mouse, and asks if they're sure they weren't lied to. Alderheart frowns and says medicine cats don't lie. Brightheart says that perhaps they mislead or exaggerated. Nightheart says it might make sense if there's a bad shortage. Alderheart says it'd be foolish to lie in a time like this. Jayfeather snorts agreement with Alderheart as he applies a poultice onto Nightheart, and then says that warriors think with their claws, not their heads, and a medicine cat might be convinced to lie or mislead if under the orders of their leader. Jayfeather then shoos Nightheart out and says to come back tomorrow so he can check the wound.

Nightheart feels he should be insulted by what Jayfeather said about warriors, but can't help but feel he agrees with him. He thinks Jayfeather must understand how frustrating it is to be part of ThunderClan. Nightheart asks Jayfeather if he thinks all warriors are like that. Jayfeather grumbles Nightheart should know himself considering he shares the den with them. Brightheart mews that there's nothing wrong with being related to Firestar and many cats would be glad to have kin like him because it gives cats something to live up to, being honorable and just. Nightheart snarls it's better to focus on the present. Brightheart agrees, but Nightheart needs to focus on what makes him himself and not focusing on the past, like he just said. Nightheart grumbles that Brightheart isn't one to talk because she doesn't contribute anything anymore anyways, but then says that perhaps it'd be better if he became a loner. Jayfeather lets out a snort and says Nightheart wouldn't last a moon.

Nightheart snarls that all Jayfeather can do is mix herbs considering he can't see. Alderheart stares at Nightheart sympathetically, and Nightheart says he guesses Alderheart become a medicine cat to avoid become compared to Firestar as well since Alderheart is also related to Firestar. Alderheart flattens his ears in annoyance, and Nightheart realizes he should have kept quiet. Alderheart says that Nightheart has only been a warrior for a few days, and he's putting way too many expectations on himself and abandoning what he knows isn't going to solve his problems. He calms down and says to just give it time, adding that it took him some time to realize he wanted to become a medicine cat. Nightheart realizes that maybe Alderheart was right and begins to appreciate his support, but it quickly turns into resentment because obviously Alderheart hasn't dealt with Nightheart's problems before. But then the resentment begins to fade as Alderheart gazes at him with love and support. Nightheart thinks to himself that at least one cat supports him, and thankfully it's his mother's littermate.

Later on, Nightheart is awake in the warriors' den and eavesdropping on Jayfeather, Alderheart, and Squirrelflight's conversation from the emergency meeting. Jayfeather and Alderheart basically explain the shortages, how Rowankit is sick, and what to do next. Nightheart then exits the den and sees Bramblestar pacing around the camp, and wonders why he didn't greet the medicine cats. Jayfeather doesn't seem to care that Bramblestar isn't present, but tells Squirrelflight that Puddleshine suggested organizing a patrol to go find catmint at the old twolegplace. Alderheart adds that Fidgetflake and Shadowsight were perfectly fine to go, but then adds that Kestrelflight was worried about Whistlepaw's training and elected not to go, while Mothwing got incredibly evasive and defensive about it to the point where Jayfeather gave up on her. Alderheart then adds that he'll be happy to represent ThunderClan. Jayfeather sniffs that he'll hold the Clan together while Alderheart has his adventures. Squirrelflight diplomatically says (whatever this means) it's a good idea. She suggests Alderheart take Twigbranch as they're close and she once took part in the quest to find SkyClan.

Jayfeather snorts no, and instead Nightheart should go. Nightheart is surprised and wonders why Jayfeather wants him to go and it didn't make sense, much like how Lionblaze loves to berate him all the time. Squirrelflight says Nightheart is the least experienced warrior in the Clan. Jayfeather says he seems restless and needs a chance to prove himself considering he failed his assessment so many times. Squirrelflight pauses, but then agrees. She says that she believes in Nightheart and mentions that Bramblestar talks constantly about how proud he is of him and how he has the markings of a noble warrior. Nightheart is happy that Bramblestar, like Alderheart, seem to just like him for who he is, and perhaps some time away from the Clan will help him figure himself out.

Alderheart says he's glad it's settled, but he'd like to mention how Mothwing and Frostpaw were at the Moonpool before anyone else. Jayfeather says he suspects they were there for another reason, and Alderheart adds that they stayed after everyone left too. Jayfeather mews that Mothwing was incredibly evasive and irritated when he just tried to make conversation, and how Mothwing shut down Puddleshine's idea for an organized patrol of cats to go look for catmint almost immediately if not for the intervention of himself, Alderheart, and Frecklewish. Squirrelflight says Mothwing must have her reasons, and she's sure they'll learn about it with the next gathering. The three finish up and then go to their nests, but as Squirrelflight heads back, she catches Nightheart's eye. He realizes he's been caught, but instead of being angry, Squirrelflight issues him a nod, and then goes into Bramblestar's den. Nightheart begins to tremble not because he had been caught, but because he's being given an important task that might save the Clans.

Nightheart is just working through his feelings of being abandoned twice by his mother (once emotionally and once physically) at a young age. Which as someone who experienced emotional abandonment from my mother as a child as well is really hard to do, and can come out as anger and resentment and the thoughts that “no one likes me for me” do exist from this if the trauma of abandonment isn’t healed from. Got to remember everyone reacts to things differently and you never know how you will act until it happens to you. His actions at the moment are terrible and aren’t the right way to go about things there is no denying that and while trauma isn’t an excuse for his behaviors his character is very likely to get better as he ages. he is quite relatable to me in this sense alone.

Owlnose deserves the world