Yowls of outrage rang across the clearing, but Rushstar stood tall on his branch without flinching. Calmly, Jaggedstar stepped forward.
“Rushstar,” he meowed. “The rest of the clans are suffering, not just you. If we give up some land, would it mean famine for us?” Rushstar bristled.
“WindClan is starving!” he spat. “Is it fair to let us die away into the cold of leafbare?”
“Is it fair to let the rest of us die while WindClan thrives?” challenged Jaggedstar. A silence fell over the clearing. Rushstar glared at Jaggedstar, but the ShadowClan leader didn’t even blink. Briarleaf shivered. A cloud had passed over the moon and darkness fell over the island. Greystar stepped forward.
“StarClan is angry!” she meowed urgently. “They must want everything to stay the way it is!” Rushstar glared at her, and then jumped down from the branch.
“WindClan! We’re going home!” he snarled. The WindClan cats followed Rushstar. Shardfur shot Briarleaf a worried glance, but showed no hostility. Briarleaf felt relieved. At least there aren’t any borders between medicine cats, she thought. Briarleaf glanced up at her clan leader. Crescentstar had been silent throughout the entire argument. She looked shocked at Rushstar’s declaration. Greystar stepped forward nervously.
“We cannot have a gathering without WindClan,” she mewed. “I think it’s best if we all go home.” She jumped down from the branch and Jaggedstar followed, along with Crescentstar. Mutters rose up from the cats as they left the island in silence. Briarleaf walked back to camp with the patrol in silence.
As they reached the camp, some other cats came to meet them.
“Why are you back so early?” mewed Raincloud. “Did something happen?” Crescentstar explained what had happened with WindClan.
“How dare they!” growled Spottedpelt. The old elder was bristling. “Leafbare has been the same since the beginning of time! Why would WindClan be starving any more than the rest of us?”
“It’s all Rushstar’s fault,” Shadowtail complained. “WindClan has changed since he became leader.” Crescentstar shot him a warning look but mutters of agreement rose up from the clan.
“He’s too selfish,” growled Seapelt. “Always thinking about his belly instead of the rest of us.”
“Any cat could see he doesn’t deserve to be leader!” meowed Petalfur. Briarleaf shuddered as the rest of the clan yowled in outrage.
“Stop!” shouted Crescentstar. “Rushstar is young. He has only recently become leader. He is a noble cat, and he can learn.” A hush fell over the clan. Briarleaf headed back to her den. Crescentstar had everything under control.
“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join under Highledge for a clan meeting!”
Crescentstar’s yowl rang across the hollow. Briarleaf sat quietly under the Highledge, waiting for the meeting to start. She wondered what it would be about.
“Cats of ThunderClan,” Crescentstar meowed. “Shalepaw, Whirlpaw, and Breezepaw are ready to receive their warrior names.”
Briarleaf sat bolt upright. Shalepaw was getting his warrior name today?
“I, Crescentstar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn,” Crescentstar paused as she turned to the three apprentices. “Shalepaw, Whirlpaw, and Breezepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of you life?”
“I do,” mewed Shalepaw, his eyes shining.
“I do,” said Whirlpaw solemnly.
“I do,” whispered Breezepaw.
“Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Shalepaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Shalestorm. StarClan honours your courage and strength.
Whirlpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Whirlpool. StarClan honours your diligence and wisdom.
Breezepaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Breezecloud. StarClan honours your kindness and serenity. We welcome all of you as full warriors of ThunderClan.”
“Shalestorm! Whirlpool! Breezecloud!” Briarleaf cheered enthusiastically with the rest of her clan. As the other cats scattered, Briarleaf dashed up to congratulate them. Purring, she pressed her muzzle against her friend’s flank.
“Congratulations, Shalestorm!” she meowed happily. Shalestorm purred as the rest of the clan gathered around them.
That night, Briarleaf had a dream. Battle cries and blood swirled around her. Everywhere, cats were falling to the ground, dead. Briarleaf let out a yowl of pain and crumbled to the ground. The agony died away. Everything was quiet. Dead cats lay everywhere, their pelts matted with blood and wounds. Briarleaf gasped as she saw a shadowy figure standing at the top of a hill, head held high, pelt smooth and unhurt.
Who was this mysterious cat?
Whoever he was, Briarleaf guessed that he had provoked the tragic battle. Briarleaf got up and ran. She ran and ran into the forest, wishing she could’ve somehow prevented the bloody event. But I could’ve, she thought. This is just a dream. If it’s really going to happen, maybe I can prevent it. With a jolt, Briarleaf woke up. Padding out of her den, Briarleaf realized it had snowed overnight. She shivered, unsure if she was cold or scared. The terrifying dream was still fresh in her head. She spotted the kits tumbling and squealing as they played in a snow drift. Silverheart was organizing patrols and other cats were sharing tongues. It looked like a perfectly normal day. Too perfect for Briarleaf’s liking. She had a feeling something bad was going to happen.
Briarleaf was in her den sorting herbs when a cry rang out in the clearing. She stepped out of her den to see Whirlpool burst into the clearing.
“WindClan have crossed the border!” he cried. Yowls of alarm rang out. Raincloud quickly urged the kits into the nursery.
“Shadowtail, Moonblaze, Crystalfur, Whalefin, Maplefur,” Silverheart meowed. “Bring your apprentices if they’re battle fit.” The deputy looked around. “Whirlpool, show them where they are.” With a brisk nod, Whirlpool dashed to the entrance of the camp. The battle patrol followed him. Briarleaf prayed to StarClan that they would be okay.
StarClan can’t possibly approve of those prey stealers, she thought. She stepped back into her den to prepare some herbs in case some cats were gravely injured. She could practically hear the yowls flying across ThunderClan’s territory. It was horrible.
Please. StarClan, let them be okay, she thought. Briarleaf hates battles. They were bloody and horrible and completely pointless in her thought. Suddenly, Briarleaf heard a shriek and Silverheart raced in, carrying little Almondpaw in her jaws. Briarleaf gasped. The apprentice had a huge cut running down her flank, and she was covered in blood.
“Get her into my den!” she urged. Silverheart rushed Almondpaw into Briarleaf’s den and set her down in the moss. Briarleaf examined the cut.
“It’s infected,” she said. Briarleaf quickly collected some marigold from her herb store and chewed it up. She applied it too Almondpaw’s wound and then put on some cobwebs to stop the bleeding. Then, she grabbed a pawful or thyme leaves.
“Eat these,” she instructed Almondpaw, who was shaking with fear and pain. Almondpaw sniffed the leaves nervously and then gulped them down. Her breathing became slower and she soon stopped trembling.
“Give her time to recover,” she told Silverheart. “She should be a lot better by tomorrow.” Silverheart nodded, her eyes brimming with gratitude. She rushed out of the medicine den and back towards the ongoing battle.
Briarleaf looked down at the apprentice. She had fallen asleep. The poor thing, Briarleaf thought. She must be exhausted. Briarleaf examined the wound carefully. It wasn’t too deep, but it was definitely long. How could she have gotten such a big cut? Perplexed, she looked at it more closely. Border battles weren’t supposed to be very big. Even if WindClan were desperate and hostile, the damage could easily have been avoided. Then, Briarleaf remembered Almondpaw’s weaknesses in training. What exactly is wrong with her? Briarleaf had never seen any cat that was like her before. Briarleaf’s ears pricked as she heard more yowling in the distance. Quickly, Briarleaf rushed over to the nursery.
“Mistkit!” she called. “Can you watch Almondpaw? Make sure she doesn’t get up because her wound will open again. And give her poppy seeds if she starts to complain.” Mistkit, who had been lying in her mother’s nest, jumped to her feet and raced enthusiastically out of the nursery. Briarleaf had grown to trust the little kit and hoped she would get to mentor her when she was old enough.
Stepping out into the clearing, Briarleaf saw the battle patrol rushing back to camp, cheering. They were covered in blood and limping, but the glow in their eyes told Briarleaf that they had won.
“Briarleaf!” called a voice. Briarleaf turned around to see Petalfur padding up to her. The she-cat’s amber eyes were filled with fear.
“What is it?” said Briarleaf.
“I think you should take a look at Shadowtail,” she replied. Briarleaf followed her to the other side of the clearing. The black warrior looked terrible. His glossy black fur was caked with blood, his flank was covered in scratches, and he had a deep gash on his chest. Shadowtail looked like he could hardly breathe, and he stood there with shaking legs.
“Quick, into my den!” Briarleaf meowed urgently. Shadowtail limped into the medicine den and Briarleaf quickly made poultices for his wounds.
“Mistkit!” she called. “I need your help. Can you prepare some horsetail and apply it to the biggest cut?” Mistkit jumped at the opportunity to help and dashed into the herb store.
In no time at all, Shadowtail’s wounds were treated and he was resting quietly on the moss.
“Thanks, Briarleaf,” he meowed. “You too, Mistkit.”
“You need to be more careful,” Briarleaf mewed crossly. She heard paws shuffling outside and ducked out of the den. Briarleaf nearly crashed into Rosepaw, who was right outside the entrance.
“Er…hi, Rosepaw,” said Briarleaf. “Did you want something?” She looked down at the apprentice. Her eyes were filled with worry. “Are you here to see Almondpaw?”
“Er…no. I mean, what I meant to say was…” Rosepaw fumbled with her words. “Is Shadowtail all right?” she blurted out at last. Briarleaf looked at her, surprised.
“He’ll be fine once he learns to be more careful. That cat is always getting himself into some sort of trouble.” A choking sound came from Rosepaw. “Look, what’s wrong?”
Rosepaw gazed at Briarleaf with a terrified look on her face. The little apprentice looked worse than all the other warriors, and there was hardly a scratch on her. At last she cried out.
“It’s all my fault!”
