Fandom A medicine cat’s loyalty

[Chill Alley Cat]

The tom sighed, glad for the she-cat to have come to her senses as they stepped into the now half-taken-down medicine den. He thanked the tortoiseshell and her apprentice on the way, making a mental note of walking along with the two of them during the trip.

Muckflower made quick work of sorting herbs, creating a batch of tansy, feverfew, and such for every remaining warrior. He seemed in a hurry, wanting to catch up with his apprentice on her way to the two-leg gardens. At some point, he even came off as impatient with Moonpetal as he desired to not leave the young cat alone for so long, sending Cloverpaw off with the thought he'll be right behind her.

"Done." the tom finished flatly in his deep monotone voice, giving his left paw a quick lick before standing up. The fog seemed to only now start clearing, making way for storm clouds in the sky that produced the soft tumble of faraway thunder. The coming of lightning made time ambiguous as it covered the setting sun.

He gestures his head for Moonpetal to follow in his footsteps, stepping between corpses till he exited camp though it's bramble thorns. He pauses to look back at shadowclan, feeling a tug on his heart as he thought this was most likely the last time he would see his home in moons.

 

[JinLing]

Moonpetal helped distribute herbs, before following Muckflower. She informed him that she was going ahead to inform Rosestar that Shadowclan had begun it's transition.

Moonpetal walked into her camp. She went to the leaders den and told her leader what was happening.

"Moonpetal, get some rest." Rosestar said sternly. Moonpetal shook her head.

"Cats need help. I told Muckflower I would help. Can't just be useless forever." Moonpetal murmured.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

"Wait-" Muckflower grumbles as Moonpetal walks away yet in the middle of a task yet again. The dense tom cursed under his breath, never being able to understand how a cat could try to do so much and manage to help so little at the same time. The brown tom scratched his claws deep into the earth in petty frustration as he walked, picking up the pace we he finished blowing off steam.


Muckflower came to the rising fences of the two-leg place, the ground littered with bits of metal and rock as the destructive creatures build their homes in place of Shadowclan's. The tom smelt the rain in the air as he approached Cloverpaw, quick to stand by her side. The she-cat startled at first, almost dropping the flowers she's collected.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." the maned tom apologized quickly, his apprentice coughing on leaves as she stammered to respond. Muckflower uses the time to look over what the white cat has gathered, recounting sorrel and a bit of chamomile.

He gives basic directions of where to find more herbs, unconsciously drawing a talon into the dirt as he explained. The brown tom spoke clearly as he drew where to find the remaining supply necessary for the great trip, Cloverpaw struggling to cling to every word but edger learn.

"-You know this, but daisies can be found just about anywhere so we should have no problem-" his instructions were interrupted by the closing footsteps from the shadowy woods. Fearing it may be a rouge, he instinctively stood in front of the younger cat.


"Moonpetal?" asked Cloverpaw curiously stepping out from behind her mentor, seeing the disheveled she-cat.

 

[JinLing]

Moonpetal was exhausted, but she forced herself to pick up her paws and go back to Shadowclan territory. It's been a few days since she's slept.

"Hello, Cloverpaw and Muckflower. Are you ready to move all the sick to Thunderclan territory? Nests are ready, so are herbs." She watched as the two cats exchanged a glance. Moonpetal swished her tail and smelled heavily of garlic.

Three more cats had gotten sick in Thunderclan. Moonpetal wanted to care for all the cats, but didn't want two sicknesses in one place.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

"Since distributing batches of strengthening herbs, we set out to fetch sorrel, daisy, chamomile, and burnet to increase stamina before shadowclan sets out." The medicine cat explained, catching her up fairly easily. Muckflower left his defensive position to begin to walk close to the two-leg fencing, Cloverpaw quick to follow.

The splotched tom couldn't help but explain further about traveling herbs, going in-depth about the supply, going where to find sorrel among every piece of rumble, to the lasting effects of chamomile for those mentally suffering. His apprentice eventually tugged at his tail when they reached the desired yard, smelling the scent of lavender and catnip in the promise of a full stocking.

He snapped his mouth shut to point his attention to Cloverpaw, turning away from her to peak through the weak fencing in search of a sleeping dog or resting rouge. When he sensed nothing, the heavy tom was first to leap to the top of the wooden fencing, having to claw his way to the top due to his size.

"We need chamomile, a small white flower, and sorrel, not to be confused with dock. We'll find burnet in the clearing of thunderclan's borders and daisy on the way back." He informed the two on the ground, just before jumping down on the other side with a loud hump. The sound of rustling could be heard as he scanned the garden.


Cloverpaw was soon to bound into the garden in suit but saw Moonpetal's odd look on her face. The pale she-cat seemed overwhelmed, maybe from the tom's talkativeness, the sights of shadowclan camp, or the rush of everything. The white and brown apprentice paused to sit beside the thunderclan cat.

"Is everything alright?" she spoke empathetically, but her voice forward as if mimicking her mentors.

 

[JinLing]

Moonpetal nodded and said quietly, "Many in Thunderclan aren't keen on this plan. Things will be very tense between clans." She nosed around before she found some chamomile, lightly chewing a flower to be sure of it. Leaves confused her, but she was pretty confident on flowers.

"Muckflower, do you think that goldenrod will help? It's helpful to clear respiratory symptoms." Moonpetal couldn't help but ask for the toms advice, though they were from different clans.

Before the tom could answer, a snake striked at Cloverpaw. Instinctively, Moonpetal pounced and sunk her teeth behind the snakes head, killing it before it could bite the apprentice. Cloverpaw had jumped back and stared at the snake. Even the solemn Muckflower had paused in his activities to stare at Moonpetal.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

"Goldenrod is a pain killer when seeped into wounds, excellent for the faster closing of cuts and deep scratches when chewed." The tom corrected, continuing his search for more chamomile and occasionally taking some for himself to chew on. He had to stop himself from eating all of his own supply of the sweet-smelling flowers, pushing them aside in a pile once pulled from its roots to resist temptation.

Cloverpaw yelped a fox tail away, sounding alarms off in the tom's head as his attention changed to her direction away from his supply. The brown cat parted through the tall grasses and lavender stems to Moonpetal upon a garden snake before his apprentice. The viper wiggled and rived before finally resting pitifully under Moonpetal's weight.

Seeing Cloverpaw safe allowed him to release a breath he wasn't aware he was holding, stepping forward to see the white and brown she-cat to ease her panic with a hesitant pat on the back. He gazes upon the snake still under Moonpetal's footing, the stirring of rain above them causing its scales to glisten.


"It's going to rain soon, we should take what we have a head back to camp." He ordered, much gentler than before in a tone almost directed as thankful towards the thunderclan cat. The feeling was shattered however as he tossed a comment over his shoulder as he returned to his position to collect his findings.

"I call the first bite." He said bluntly in reference to the snake, the sight of prey making him aware of his hunger.

"That's not fair-!" began to fuss Cloverpaw, also hungry, beginning to gather her finding in herbs as well. The two started to bicker as to who was to have the fresh kill, ruining the warm moment.

 

[JinLing]

Moonpetal's whiskers twitched in amusement. "Now now, we can all have a few bites, then give the rest to other cats." Cloverpaw gave her a pouty look and Moonpetal flicked her tail over the younger cats ears. The amusement was real, but the playfulness was somewhat fake. She had been so sure on the goldenrods uses. She dragged the snake, trying not to trip over roots and twigs as the weight kept her off balance.

Rain sept through Moonpetal's fur and she carried part of the snake back to her own clan. Her and the Shadowclan medicine cats had parted ways, and the white cat was to meet them the next morning. Thunderclan cats would help build the dens, but Rosestar had forbidden them from going near any sick cats from either clan.

Moonpetal gave the piece of snake to nursing queens, who happily ate the meat. The sick cat's condition was unchanged, so Moonpetal curled up in her nest and immediately sank into sleep.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

Cloverpaw nipped at the snake’s tail while it was still In Moonpetal’s jaws, tugging at the skin easily. Muckflower walked the medicine cat to the border, taking half of the snake’s meat with him.

The tom and his apprentice easily tore the rubber like scaly skin into bites, their lives in shadowclan made the cats used to odd fresh kill. The rain making those dense pelts heavy, their walks slow on the way back.


The returned to the shadowclan camp, where the den’s have been decimated for its parts. Warriors rested out in the open around the camp under the stars, not wanting to sleep amongst the dead.

Muckflower placed his and Cloverpaw’s herbs
securely under stones. Shadowclan slept under the rising sun, planning to rise with the night.

At moon high they would enter thunderclan.

 

[JinLing]

Moonpetal woke with a start. The moon was not yet at the top of the sky, and annoyance quickly turned to confusion. She wasn't in her den. In fact, this didn't smell like the Thunderclan camp at all. Her fur stood on end, and that's when the she-cat realized that it wasn't her fur. There was no wound on her broad shoulders, and her fur was now dark brown and white. She sniffed the air. Shadowclan.

Racing out of the den, Moonpetal recognized the cats only vaguely. She was in Shadowclan's camp! Muckflower padded over to her, flicking his tail in greeting.

"Sparrowpaw, you woke up late. We can't harvest the tansy until tomorrow, since all the dew is all dried off and if we harvest it now the plant might be damaged." The brown tom scolded Moonpetal. She she-cat took a few steps back. Why was she in Shadowclan camp? Her fur and build was wrong, too. More importantly, why was Muckflower calling her Sparrowpaw?

Muckflower gave Moonpetal an odd look. "No need to look so frightened. We will collect the herbs tomorrow. In the meantime, go down to the forest edge and collect juniper berries", when Moonpetal didn't move, Muckflower started to look annoyed. "Hurry up, unless you want to clean out the elders den." That got Moonpetal moving, and she dashed out of the camp. Her paws somehow knew where to go, and she ran until juniper bushes appeared up ahead. Something rank stunk up the air and Moonpetal sneezed while still running, nearly falling over. When she realized what the smell was, it was too late. The fox had already pounced. Moonpetal yowled in pain as the fox sunk it's teeth into her flank. It tore at her short, brown fur. She tried fighting back, but the fox was much too quick as it lunged for her throat. The last thing she heard was a voice shouting, "Sparrowpaw!"

Moonpetal jolted up in her nest with a yelp. She looked around wildly, relieved when she realized it was Thunderclan camp. She checked the sick cats while pondering over her dream. Who's Sparrowpaw?

All the cats were sleeping peacefully, so Moonpetal left camp in search for any useful herbs. As she neared the Shadowclan boarder, she was surprised to see both Palestar and Muckflower beginning to cross it.

Both cats seemed surprised at her arrival. "Moonpetal? We were just on our way to see Rosestar and you." Palestar explained. Moonpetal nodded and turned to Muckflower.

"Who is Sparrowpaw?"

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

Muckflower yawned and stretched, one of the first to awaken to the moon's rise. The moon was a clean slice, its brightness lurching beyond the remaining storm clouds. The dark pelts of cats around him began to shift and stir as if sensing the moonlight, their coats tangled with the thorns and brambles of dens.

The brown tom was in the middle of setting up batches of traveling herbs for the trip before Palestar woke up the clan with a ghostly howl. Amberwound was taking the time to awaken each warrior personally, shaking their messy pelts with a stern paw.



The small clan walked with grief in their hearts, forced out of their homes to live in enemy territory. Most warriors hung their heads low to the ground and stuck to the shadows, pairing up closely with one another to keep in touch.

Amberwound and her apprentice, Swanpaw, kept Muckflower in good company, his apprentice busying herself with gathering daisies and, when closing in on thunderclan, burnet to energize shadowclan. The large brown tom would never truly understand his closeness to the deputy and her apprentice, their friendship being born from a grief he felt like he created.


Finally encroaching upon the border, Palestar was greeted by thunderclan's medicine cat. The two pale cats engage back and forth, Muckflower paying no mind to her continuing to speak to Amberwound and Swanpaw about trivial things like battle moves and herbs to lighten the mood. Muckflower mind was put at ease listening to the roughness of Amberwound's voice, and the witty cuts of her apprentice, almost making him forget about shadowclan's loss.

"Who is Sparrowpaw?" Moonpetal questioned, absolutely oblivious to the deep wound she's opened up to the group of cats. Muckflower felt Swanpaw seize up next to him, her breath stuttering at the mere mention of her little brother.

Muckflower was about to snap at thunderclan cat for praying on such sensitive material, but the little black and white apprentice was first to cut him to the case. The white and black apprentice glared at the she-cat as she hissed.

"Listen here you kittypet pampered fox heart, you must think of yourself as mouse bile if you-" Swanpaw cursed, but was promptly cut off by the leader's stern look. The apprentice lost her hot air, still glaring daggers into the unknowing medicine cat.


"It's best not to pry now Moonpetal. We must settle in Thunderclan first before we have the luxury of talking." The muscular leveled headed tom spoke, trying to move on from the freshly open scar that Moonpetal has picked at, focusing back on the task at hand.

Shadowclan murmured knowingly behind them for just a moment, but, not ones for gossip, simply shut their mouths now shunning thunderclan cat in a stiff silence as they slipped their way across the border like snakes.

No cat said anything, but Moonpetal was tripped as Amberwound's tail slashed from under her feet. The deputy however didn't even acknowledge the she-cat, only continuing to walk alongside Muckflower, her head on the tom's shoulder.

 

[JinLing]

Moonpetal felt bewildered. She had never even heard of the cat, and yet every cat in Shadowclan seems to hate her now for merely bringing up said cat's name. When a cat tripped her, it caused the already injured cat to twist her paw. She limped ahead of Shadowclan and led them to the makeshift den for sick cats, which was already prepared with moss, herbs, and a barrier that would withstand wind.

After telling the cats to not hunt or stray, she went back to Thunderclan camp to wake Rosestar.

"How are we going to feed so many cats?" Rosestar wondered out loud. Moonpetal thought for a moment.

"We can all live off plants, and give the meat to nursing queens and the sick. Nobody will like it, but I think it's what will allow us to not starve." The white she-cat said. Rosestar nodded thoughtfully.

After the conversation was finished, Moonpetal went to check on the remnants of Shadowclan. To her surprise, all the cats were asleep except for Palestar, Muckflower, Cloverpaw and Swanpaw.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

The sun began to rise, and the feeling of warmth hitting shadowclan's dark pelts signaled the warriors to rest. Some used the last remnants of the night to fortify their designated nest with the thorns they'd brought, and even one small group led by a skinny black tom with a white face and paws, their youngest warrior Frostface, started constructing new dens out of their materials.

When the sun finally did rise, lighting the clearing, shadowclan slept cozily. The few who were awake were very tired, perhaps the only thing that kept them from tearing Moonpetal's face off when she told the news of not being able to hunt. They would argue fiercely about it when evening came, but for now, shadowclan slept.


Palestar seemed to wait to speak to Rosestar, wanting to discuss their clan's new dynamics after her conversation with Moonpetal. Muckflower only stayed awake to organize the few herbs left with him in his own corner of the new camp, Cloverpaw and Swanpaw offering to help after. Amberwound wanted to offer a paw as well, but sleep consumed the deputy, who curled up close by in the den.

Swanpaw grew bored of staying still, escorting Cloverpaw out of the camp to explore the new woods. Despite being exhausted, the black and white apprentice felt motivated to hunt in spite of the thunderclan medicine cat, exiting quickly before any cat could stop the two apprentices.

After Moonpetal exited the leader's den, Palestar was soon to take her place. Muckflower noticed her presence from across the camp, but his most recent memory cause the cat to point a sour glare at the she-cat before ignoring she was even there.




Thunderclan would start to stir as the sun rose, the opposite of shadowclan's nocturnal nature. The more brightly colored cat immediately noticed the new presence, whispering to one another in juicy but bitter gossip as they began their day.

Muckflower could only hope that the clan's separate sleep schedules would mean less face-to-face interaction, something he was positive every warrior wished for.

 

[JinLing]

Moonpetal quickly followed after Swanpaw, not wanting the apprentice to get in trouble. She nudged the other cat lightly to stop her and pushed some benevolent plant root her way.

"I know it's not much, but we need to save the meat for cats who really need it." Moonpetal was relieved when Swanpaw nodded and ate the plantstuff. They went together back to the makeshift den. On the way back, Moonpetal collected more of the edible root on the way back, for healthy cats to eat.

Muckflower stared at the root loathingly, but ate it nonetheless. Moonpetal felt a small sense of pride, she thought of something nobody else did. It wouldn't sustain them forever, but it was food in their bellies that wouldn't make them sick.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

Swanpaw and Cloverpaw were stopped by the medicine cat shoving a plant in her face. The white and black she-cat saw no problem with just scratching the she-cat across the muzzle, wanting nothing more than to give in to her grudge and watch Moonpetal's face sour in shock and pain.

The she-cat was lucky Cloverpaw was there for the spiteful cat to save face. Swanpaw ate the root with the only thought of vomiting it back up in front of the thunderclan's medicine den, smiling at the thought of the pampered she-cat stepping into filth.


Muckfower ate the herb easily, along with his own herb chamomile. The brown tom knew that any experienced medicine cat would tell him off for eating so much of the white flowers, but he cared too little of the she cat's opinion he didn't bother hiding it.

"This will not last us." He spoke bluntly after finishing up.

"Each clan will think the other clan is out hunting when the other is asleep, causing even further turmoil and motivation to hunt. Cats need meat, and the twolegs aren't leaving anytime soon." He explained coldly, waiting for confirmation in Moonpetal's understanding before continuing to speak.

"Bone marrow. It's clean of disease and something Shadowclan is used to eating." He said pointedly, knowing the other clans to be pickier when it came to prey and Shadowclan to be adaptable to food shortages. Despite the tom being so tired, he looked so fed up with the she-cat and his order was so sharp that it sounded similar to how a mentor harshly scolds their apprentice after a mistake.

 

[JinLing]

Moonpetal shuffled her paws.

"I know it's not much. Deal with it. Both clans are doing the best they can." Her mew was unexpectedly sharp towards Muckflower. She stalked away back towards her own clan. Foxpaw bounded out of the clan entrance to intercept Moonpetal.

"Moonpetal! Dawnwhisker collapsed!" Moonpetal rushed into the camp. Dawnwhisker was curled up in the medicine den. Fever was rolling off her fur. Muckflower went into the den, he started to say something, but cut off when he saw Moonpetal. He immediately started trying to help. Moonpetal shoved him out of the den and started treating Dawnwhisker correctly for fever.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

"I think you're forgetting it's your pelt they'll come after. Both Shadowclan and Thunderclan." he tossed over his shoulder finishing up his herb count, tired of the she-cat's blatant disrespect. The tom was preparing to curl up with Amberwound after a long day before the exclamation of a cat in need.

He paces over to the medicine cat den, seeing this so-called Dawnwhisker, and felt heat roll off the cats in waves. He instinctively began to feel the cat's pelt, wanting to measure its swollenness as a way to test the seriousness of her case, and whether it was a bad fever or the starting of the plague taking hold.

"When needs feverfew and some coolly soaked moss first, no matter what she has to bring down her temperature foremost-" he began to instruct out loud, getting the attention of his apprentice who popped her head into the den. His directions were promptly stopped however as Moonpetal seemed sure that she could do everything on her own, shoving him aside.

Muckflower wanted to snap back at the audacity of the she-cat, before remembering his place. He scowls as the she-cat fumbles to do her work, he would have other wised offered help to ease the load on the she-cat but he felt that she made her stance on him clear. He gathers Cloverpaw to go back to their dens to rest.

"-But that cat needs our help! What if she has it-!" Cloverpaw stuttered, wanting to race back into the den to do her job. Muckflower stopped the apprentice with his tail before she could though, dragging her to a nest in Shadowclan's apprentice's den.

"Take this as a lesson Cloverpaw. Never let your pride get in the way of helping another cat." Muckflower advised, knowing that Dawnwhisker's blood wouldn't be on his hands but not feeling any less angry at Moonpetal.

He wondered if all thunderclan cats were this narcissistic as he curled up beside Amberwound to sleep the day away.

 

[JinLing]

Moonpetal had successfully treated Dawnwhisker, using an odd assortment of herbs. She had used soaked chamomile to keep the cats system calm. Then she mixed lavender, feverfew, and catnip flowers in with honey. It had only been a few hours, but Dawnwhisker's fever was starting to go down. Moonpetal bristled with hope. Maybe this was a way for cats to get better?

Days slowly passed, and cats were hungry, but the stomach sick cats were getting less symptoms since the medicine cats forced juniper berries down the sick cats throats. The stomachache plague was slowly ending. But cats were getting the same thing that Dawnwhisker had. Thankfully, Moonpetal's strange herbal mixture seemed to get cats out of critical condition.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

Shadowclan would awake at night, sometimes sneaking the leftovers of thunderclan's queens to bite on the bone marrow as Muckflower advised. When the moon was high, dark-pelted cats would slink out of camp for herb patrols and whether the warriors hunted or not was not something Muckflower pried in.

The large tom gratefully took what the patrol offered, organizing them in his now complete medicine den. As the warriors took the time to make the shady part of thunderclan theirs, laying thorns and burrs along their nests and lacing what was considered theirs in ivy.

Cloverpaw and Swanpaw seemed to become especially close, something that entertained Muckflower greatly as he teased the two she-cats. Swanpaw teamed with Muckflower, easily making the white and fawn she-cat flustered with her sly comments. It seemed that everything would be alright for just a moment.


Moonpetal began passing out a new herb mixture to sick cats, something that cause the brown medicine cat great curiosity. He wished he could hope like the thunderclan cat that she was curing the ill, but starclan has forever planted a seed of doubt into the tom's heart. No matter how well things were, the tom could feel the rising black waves of dread behind his back growing just out of sight til it tumbled to unleash the black ink on everyone's flesh.


"Is something wrong?" asked Amberwound beside him, the two apprentices too busy playing in the moonlight of the clearing.

"It's nothing." He hoped.

 

[JinLing]

Foxpaw cautiously approached Swanpaw.

"If you want, I can show you where I found two mice yesterday. Maybe you can help to catch some more? Queens from both clans need the nutrients to feed the kits.. and I know how much Shadowclan likes breaking open the bones, it'll benefit everyone." Foxpaw mewed all of that in just one breath, and was rather winded after. She looked at Swanpaw, awaiting the other apprentice's response.



Moonpetal helped Muckflower gather herbs, the two went to the opposite side of the territory.

"Please don't claw off my fur, but who was Sparrowpaw? You don't have to answer, but I had never heard of this cat and yet I had a dream about him." Muckflower looked at her in surprise, clearly not expecting Moonpetal to bring up the subject, though he didn't seem hostile towards Moonpetal.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

The two white apprentices paused their struggle at the thundercan cat's appearance. Cloverpaw looked curiously at the cat who stayed up so late, Swanpaw wrinkled her nose at the red cat's interruption.

"...why would we hunt with you-" Swanpaw's mouth was promptly shut by Cloverpaw's tail draping over the she-cat's mouth, stopping the cat's onslaught of insults to the poor apprentice. Swanpaw bit at the tail on her nose, causing a prompt swipe from the smaller she-cat across her black ear to shut her up.

"I could gather herbs as you two go, and maybe Mothspring wouldn't mind sharing!" the medicine cat apprentice winked playfully at the tom, turning back to Shadowclan nursery where their only queen resides. The fawn spotted a she-cat waving at the she-cat, the cream-colored and gray cat waving back tiredly before continuing to speak with her ginger-spotted friend, Cedarcall.


"...let's get this over with" huffed the Swanpaw moodily, taking the lead out of camp despite not knowing were she was going with the two apprentices following suit.





"He was my first apprentice." Muckflower said as if gargling thorns, his name poison on his tongue. He continued on in silence, not caring to elaborate, as he gathered various nectars and honey using broad oak leaves and moss.

He carefully poured all his attention into delicately soaking up the droplets of bell flowers with a thin patch of moss, the Heather Nectar allowing him to avoid the subject of Sparrowpaw.

 

[JinLing]

Foxpaw swished her tail in slight amusement, casually taking the lead and leading the two apprentices the right way. She gave Cloverpaw a grateful glance. Foxpaw suddenly stopped, putting her tail out to stop the other apprentices. She stalked forward and pounced on a mouse.



Moonpetal lightly butted her head to Muckflower's side, in a quick apology for asking.

"The gathering is getting close again. I wonder what other clans will say." It was an effective subject change, Moonpetal thought. It would hopefully take Muckflower's mind off the emotional pain.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

Swanpaw licked her lips at the sight of something barely visible among the rocks, seemingly startled by Foxpaw's pounce. It tried to elegantly get away as Cloverpaw praised the red cat, but Swanpaw was quick to give chase.

Much less graceful than Foxpaw's diligent pounce, the black-and-white apprentice snapped at the shadowy creature like a dog. Her nose pressed against the scattered stones, her shoulders bending to slip into the tip pace with such force it looked like it hurt. Cloverpaw used to the cat's chaotic tactic didn't bat an eye as Foxpaw was dumbfounded.

A loud crack sounded at the end of its struggle, Swanpaw constricting her jaw around its neck as she slipped out between the stone. Between her teeth, she dragged out an adder, its head barely held to its neck with only a strip of flesh keeping it dangling from her muzzle.

"It's a viper!" she grinned, her teeth pinning their scales to her tongue. With her uncanny pose and eyes glowing in the night like headlights, any cat might have mistaken her form as a deranged albino bat who grew legs.

"I can see that." laughed Cloverpaw, unbothered.





The large tom flinched as Moonpetal headbutted him, not enjoying the surprising touch. The brown tom had to force his fur flat as his pelt wrinkled as if trying to sneeze, the tom unused to contact but glad for the change in subject.

"Unless we're running off to house in yet another camp, I couldn't care less what the other clans think." Muckflower huffed, his eyes squinting as he soaked the last bit of dew from the flower. Once done, he was quick to pull the plant up by its root for reproduction next fall.

He looked up to the almost full moon, the stars covered by thin sheets of dark clouds swirling around the skylight. His heart spiked with dread, and suddenly edger to race back to thunderclan camp.


"We should head back." The maned tom ordered with herbs in his mouth, picking up the place as crows seemed to guide them home, stalking the two like vultures.

 

[JinLing]

Foxpaw dropped her mouse in surprise. She hadn't even had an idea that the snake was there!

"Good catch! Should we leave the prey hidden and continue to hunt?" Foxpaw asked. She was admiring Swanpaw, but would never admit it.


Moonpetal nodded, agreeing.

"It's not up to us, but Windclan has been pressing the boarders lately." Moonpetal's tone was hostile. She hated disputes between the clans, it made no sense.

"Muckflower, am I not fit to heal my clan?" Moonpetal sounded as if she feared the answer. Wind blew through the trees, causing the air to get much colder.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

Cloverpaw had gathered the abundant dock leaves scattered along thick oak roots. She needed feverfew, tempering their short supply.

Foxpaw excitedly asked Swanpaw’s opinion, both the future warrior edger to hunt more. The two venture deeper into the woods, Swanpaw slyly leading the red cat along, in the chase for freshkill.

Cloverpaw sighed, staying behind to burry those prey. She marked the site with yellow daisy, disguising the smell, before racing to catch up with the others.



Muckflower felt dread. Moonpetal’s comment of windclan barely audible to the tom. The crows an omen, their cawing loud in the silent night like screeching howls.

He pace quicken, his anxiety reaching his neck causing his lungs to stutter. He only truly realized how fast he was walking when Moonpetal spoke from behind him.

“Muckflower, am I not fit to heal my clan?”

He paused for the question to sit in his head, his wander rolling on his tongue for an honest response.

“I think you’re hopeful. You truly believe that you starclan has chosen you. Too prideful for your own good and unaware of how much you don’t know.” He spoke flatly. His voice straight forward, simply meaning to inform and not cut into the she-cat’s heart.

“You’re perfect for thunderclan.” He finished, before dunking down into thunderclan entrance to enter camp.