Chapter 7

Cats had begun to gather around. Everyone was shocked to hear Rosepaw.

“Rosepaw, what are you talking about?” asked Briarleaf. Rosepaw pawed the ground miserably.

“It’s all my fault Shadowtail’s hurt. If it wasn’t for me, he would have driven off that WindClan warrior for sure!” Briarleaf stared at the apprentice, bewildered.

“Rosepaw, what happened?” It was Crystalfur, Rosepaw’s mentor. Everyone’s ears pricked as Rosepaw explained.

“Shadowtail was fighting off some cats when this really big WindClan cat jumped on him. They started fighting, and Shadowtail was losing because the WindClan cat was so big,” she explained. Briarleaf nodded, understanding. No wonder Shadowtail was so injured.

“The WindClan cat just kept kicking and scratching Shadowtail, and he couldn’t get away,” Rosepaw continued. “I was just standing there, watching. I could have helped him, and we would have easily driven him away, but I was too scared!” Rosepaw looked ready to run away and hide. “I was too scared, and now Shadowtail is beaten and bruised and he might never get better!” Rosepaw’s frightened mew became loud and shrill. Stunned, Briarleaf couldn’t get any words out to the shaking apprentice.

“Rosepaw,” meowed Crescentstar. “You fought hard today, and it must have been scary to see the big WindClan cat fight Shadowtail.” The ThunderClan leader looked down warmly at Rosepaw. “No cat will blame you for Shadowtail’s injuries. Furthermore,” she continues brightly. “We showed WindClan what happens when they cross our border!” Murmurs of approval rose up. Despite all the cuts and bruises, ThunderClan had won. Briarleaf watched Rosepaw dip her head and slink of to the apprentice den. She slipped back into her den to check on Almondpaw.

Almondpaw lay there, eating a small vole. Her usually bright amber eyes were dull and sad and she tore angrily at her vole, obviously frustrated about her injury. As Briarleaf watched her, she noticed Almondpaw’s eyes were flashing every now and then. Every time they flashed, Almondpaw would shut them and shake her head. Something’s bothering her, Briarleaf thought. Almondpaw finished her vole and blankly stared up at the ceiling of the den. Suddenly, Briarleaf had a thought.

“Almondpaw,” she asked casually. “How did you get your cut?” Almondpaw looked at her, startled.

“Um…it was a big WindClan cat. A tom, I think. He had a really low growl and long claws that kept swiping at me over and over again.”

“What did his pelt look like?” Briarleaf asked.

“He was a tabby…” said Almondpaw. “Grey, I think. Or maybe it was pale brown. I couldn’t tell. It was gone before I could notice.” Briarleaf blinked, confused.

“What was gone? The cat?” Almondpaw looked at her strangely.

“No, the cat was still there. I just couldn’t see him anymore.” Briarleaf stared at her.

“Why couldn’t you see him?” she asked. Almondpaw’s whiskers twitched. She was obviously getting annoyed with all the questions.

“Why can’t I see you right now? Why can’t I see how big my cut is?” Almondpaw’s eyes flashed again. “Wait, now I can.” She blinked. “Now I can’t again…it’s so annoying, but I guess I should learn to live with it.” Briarleaf held her breath.

“Almondpaw, open your eyes as wide as you can.” She instructed. Almondpaw widened her amber eyes. Confusion clouded her gaze. Briarleaf leaned towards her, so that they’re muzzles her almost touching. She stared into the apprentice’s eyes, looking for any sign of something abnormal.

Then, Almondpaw’s eyes flashed again.

“Woah!” cried Almondpaw. She shut her eyes and ducked her head. Briarleaf backed away immediately. Almondpaw sighed. “That’s better.”

Briarleaf’s head was spinning. What exactly was wrong with Almondpaw? Briarleaf had never seen a cat with eyes like hers before. Going to sleep that night, Briarleaf hoped StarClan would send her aid. She couldn’t help the bright young apprentice if she didn’t know what was wrong with her! As she drifted into her dreams, Briarleaf saw her former mentor, Dewdrop, who had joined StarClan not long ago.

“Dewdrop!” Briarleaf cried, racing towards the white she-cat. Dewdrop purred as Briarleaf neared.

“Dewdrop,” Briarleaf meowed worriedly. “Do you know what’s wrong with Almondpaw?” Dewdrop sighed.

“Come with me, Briarleaf,” she replied. “I’ll show you what you need to know.” Briarleaf followed Dewdrop through StarClan until they reached a familiar forest.

“This is ThunderClan territory!” Briarleaf exclaimed. Dewdrop picked up her pace as she raced through the trees. Briarleaf struggled to keep up, but soon they reached a small clearing where Briarleaf saw a familiar figure walking through the trees.

“Almondpaw!” cried Briarleaf. “What’s she doing?” Almondpaw spotted a squirrel and broke into a run, chasing after it. Briarleaf raced after her, desperate to get more clues. Almondpaw approached the squirrel and it scurried up a tree. Almondpaw rushed towards the tree and crashed into it. Hissing with annoyance, the apprentice stalked off. Briarleaf stared after her. She didn’t notice as Dewdrop approached her.

“Almondpaw experiences things that most cats don’t,” she whispered. “She has strange, powerful eyes, but she must learn to control them.” Briarleaf nodded.

“But how can I help her?” Briarleaf asked. “I know even less about them than she does.” Dewdrop dipped her head.

“When it comes time for you to help, you will know,” she replied. “But for now, trust her, because deep inside, the solution is there.” With that, Dewdrop ran off into the glittering stars of Silverpelt.

Briarleaf woke with a start. Sitting up, she glanced over to Almondpaw, who was sleeping peacefully. Deep inside, Almondpaw knows the solution to her problem, she thought. I just have to get her to tell me.

“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!” Crescentstar’s mew rang across the clearing. Briarleaf padded out of her den, Almondpaw stumbling after her. Briarleaf had told her to rest, but the apprentice refused.

“I want to be part of my clan, no matter what,” she had said. “And I’m not going to let a stupid injury bring me down!” Briarleaf admired the young cat’s spirit. She would make a great warrior.

“Cats of ThunderClan,” mewed Crescentstar. “Raincloud’s kits have reached their sixth moon, and it is time for them to be apprenticed.” Squeals of excitement came from the four kits. Raincloud was purring proudly as she watched her ecstatic kits jump.

“Icekit, from this day on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Icepaw.” Icepaw stood as tall as she could as her eyes danced excitedly. “Goldclaw,” Crescentstar continued. “You will be mentor to Icekit. I excpet you to pass on everything you know to Icepaw.” Goldclaw touched noses with Icepaw, his eyes shining proudly.

“Brushkit, from this day on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Brushpaw. Your mentor will be Warrenheart.” Brushkit rushed up to touch noses with Warrenheart. The little kit and long recovered from her cough and was back to her energetic self.

“Shrubkit, from this day on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Shrubpaw,” meowed Crescentstar. “Your mentor will be Nightwing.” The black she-cat stepped up to touch noses with Shrubkit, who was trying hard to contain his excitement.

“And finally,” meowed Crescentstar with a purr. “Ivykit, from this day on, you will be known as Ivypaw. Your mentor will be…” Briarleaf could practically feel the Ivypaw holding her breathe. “…Redshard.” The apprentice widened her eyes. Briarleaf couldn’t read her expression. She padded up to her new mentor and they touched noses. Redshard looked happy and excited to mentor another apprentice, but Ivypaw didn’t look quite as enthusiastic as her littermates and their mentors.

“Four new apprentices!” exclaimed Shalestorm. “That’s one den that’ll be pretty crowded!” Briarleaf nodded in agreement. They had enough apprentices as it was. The four new additions meant four new nests in the apprentice den. But it also meant four less troublemaking kits. A picture of Sunkit popped into her head. Briarleaf pushed it out angrily. There was no way this little kit could cause danger to the clan as it was. In the future, perhaps, but Briarleaf had no need to worry right now.

“Shiningpelt’s kits are getting to be a handful,” she told Shalestorm. “They’re so big now!” Shalestorm nodded.

“I know,” he agreed. “They’re so energetic too! I saw them bowl over Warrenheart yesterday when he came back from hunting.” Briarleaf purred at the thought of the grey warrior on the ground buried by kits.

“Well, I should probably go,” meowed Shalestorm. “I promised Whirlpool we’d go hunting together today.”

“Good luck,” Briarleaf replied as Shalestorm rushed off to join his friend.

Briarleaf ducked into the nursery to see the three kits jumping around, obviously excited about all the room they had to themselves.

“Briarleaf!” cheered Mistkit, racing up to the medicine cat excitedly. Briarleaf purred as the kit jumped around.

“I can see you miss your old denmates already,” she meowed.

“We’re going to be apprentices soon too!” mewed Sunkit. “Then we can finally learn to fight!” With a playful hiss, Sunkit jumped onto Whisperkit’s back. His brother shoved him off angrily.

“Don’t do that!” he snapped. “I told you not to do that!” Sunkit ignored him and dashed towards the fresh kill pile. “I’m going to get something to eat!” he called over his shoulder. “I’m starving!”

“He sure is full of energy today,” purred Briarleaf.

“It’s all the extra space,” Shiningpelt replied cheerfully. “Their natural instinct is to run around.”

“I’m sure they can’t wait to be apprentices too,” Briarleaf agreed. Shiningpelt nodded and started grooming herself.

“So, how’s Almondpaw?” she asked.

“Her wounds are healing nicely,” said Briarleaf. “But I’m still not sure what’s wrong with her.” As she spoke, her mind whisked itself back to her dream. How much longer will Almondpaw be able to survive?