Waging War Book 3: Blood Red Moon {COMPLETE}

Chapter 1

Owlpaw focused on the massive spread of herbs lying before her paws. She looked over each of them with interest, waiting for Honeyfrost to start quizzing her. Off to the side of the medicine cat den watching with interest was Pebblestep. "Are you ready, Owlpaw?" Honeyfrost checked. "I want you to answer as quickly as you can. This is an assessment so I want you to be quick and accurate."

"I'm ready." Owlpaw held her head high, she was determined to get this right.

"Find the lungwort." Honeyfrost instructed. Owlpaw's blue eyes instantly began scanning the large selection of herbs. Lungwort... She scanned over each herb as she searched her brain trying to pick out which herb was lungwort. Eventually her eyes rested on dark green leaves with gray speckles.

"There." Owlpaw gently touched the herb with her paw.

"Good." Honeyfrost praised. "Now can you tell me what it does?"

Owlpaw suddenly realized that her mind was drawing a complete blank. "Lungwort uh..." She tried desperately to remember but her head was completely empty. "I'm sorry," She dropped her head in shame. "I forgot."
"There's no need to apologize, Owlpaw." Honeyfrost assured her. "Lungwort isn't that common of a herb. Lungwort is used to treat yellowcough. We've only ever had one case of yellowcough but I try to keep it available just in case it happens again. The only place to find lungwort is in MoonClan territory. Shadowstar has given us permission to get the herb, but sometimes we just ask Oneflight to bring it to us."

Owlpaw listened in tently. "I will do my best to remember that." Owlpaw recited in her mind over and over that lungwort was used for yellowcough.

"Let's keep going." Honeyfrost mewed and Owlpaw turned her attention back to the herb selection. "Find parsley."

Parsley? Owlpaw couldn't remember ever learning about parsley. She started to feel a sense of panic. Have we talked about parsley? Or did I just forget? She rapidly looked over each and every herb but they all seemed to blur together.

"It's okay if you don't know it, Owlpaw." Honeyfrost spoke up, slowing down Owlpaw's panic. "You don't need to know everything right away, that's why we're training you." Right. Owlpaw took a deep breath, trying to relax. "This is parsley." Honeyfrost gently nudged the herb with her paw. "I find it best to recognize by its sharp scent."

Owlpaw leaned forward and gave the herb a sniff, it did have a very sharp smell to it. "What is it used for?"

"Parsley stops a queen's milk from coming, this is usually used in the case of a mother losing her kits. We had to give it to Heatherflight when she lost her kits. We don't use it very often."

Owlpaw did her best to memorize the herb by both is appearance as well its scent. I can remember this. She told herself and turned her attention back to Honeyfrost. "Now try finding wild garlic."

Owlpaw knew wild garlic from its very distinct smell. She easily pointed it out. "Now what is it used for?"

"Helps prevent infection."

"Good, it's also very good for rat bites if you don't have burdock with you." Honeyfrost explained and Owlpaw took another mental note. "How about elder leaves?"

Owlpaw had a vague memory of elder leaves but she did her best to keep calm and look over all the herbs until she finally spotted them. She pointed them out with her paw. "Very good. The use?"

Owlpaw couldn't remember the exact use of the herb. "Um...it's used for treating wounds." She made her best guess but she felt that she was wrong.

"Not quite." Honeyfrost shook her head. "Elder leaves are chewed into a poultice and used to treat sprains." Now that Honeyfrost had something Owlpaw remembered, she silently scolded herself for not remembering.

"Perhaps I shouldn't be teaching you the more advanced herbs. You had a lot of training on your journey but it's clear that you still have a lot to learn aside from basic herbs. Why don't you study the herbs we talked about today. Your assessment is over."

Owlpaw felt her heart drop into her belly. I failed my assessment. She lowered her head, she had only got one answer right and even then she missed part of the uses. I learned so much on the journey so why does it feel like I'm just starting out.

She lifted her head and looked over at Honeyfrost and Pebblestep who were putting away the extra herbs and talking quietly to themselves. "Pebblestep is going to collect some herbs and I'm going to go check on Petalbreeze. Keep reviewing those herbs until I get back."

"Okay." Owlpaw dipped her head and turned her attention back to the herbs, reciting them in her head over and over. Lungwort for yellow cough. Parsley to stop a queen's milk. Garlic for infection and rat bites. Elder leaves for sprains. Lungwort for yellow cough. Parsley to stop a queen's milk. Garlic for infection and rat bites. Elder leaves for sprains. She recited the herbs over and over until it was dug into her brain.

After a while of studying Honeyfrost returned. "How goes it?"

"I think I'm getting it. "Lungwort for yellow cough. Parsley to stop a queen's milk. Garlic for infection and rat bites. Elder leaves for sprains."

"Good." Honeyfrost purred. "I knew you'd get it eventually. Why don't you take a break. I saw Blossompaw coming back from training, why don't you go see her?"

Part of Owlpaw wanted to keep studying, but she did want to see her sister. "Alright." Owlpaw put the herbs away neatly and stepped outside into the SunClan camp. It was nearing sundown and the Clan was starting to settle down for the night. Just as Honeyfrost had said, Blossompaw was talking with her mentor, Mudfall after returning from her training.

Owlpaw waited until Blossompaw was done talking with her mentor to approach. Mudfall finished up his conversation then turned to head to the nursery, presumably to see his kits. "Hey there." Owlpaw greeted her sister as she padded up to her.

"Hi." Blossompaw's eyes lit up upon seeing her sister. "What's up?"

"Just wondering if you wanted to share some prey."

"Of course." Blossompaw purred, her tail waving happily. "Are you done with your training?" She questioned as the two sisters walked over to the fresh-kill pile.

"For now." Owlpaw replied with a slight sigh. Blossompaw picked up a squirrel for the two of them to share.

"Is everything okay?" Blossompaw questioned, her eyes showing a twinge of concern.

"Yeah," Owlpaw looked down at the floor. "I'm just struggling a lot more than I thought I would, I guess. I thought I learned a lot on my journey and that being a medicine cat would come so much easier to me than being a warrior did, but I'm still struggling. I keep forgetting herbs and their uses."

"It's okay to struggle, Owlpaw." Blossompaw nudged her sister gently. "We all struggle, I was really struggling while you were gone. I held myself to a high standard and overworked myself. I didn't learn anything from it. Don't push yourself, Owlpaw. You are already an incredible medicine cat and you have all the time in the world. There's no need to rush, trust me." Blossompaw touched her muzzle to Owlpaw's cheek. "Plus you're not alone, we're all here to help you."

Owlpaw felt warmed by her sister's words and she let out a purr, giving her sister a gentle nuzzle. "Thank you, Blossompaw. I don't know what I would do without you."

"You're welcome." Blossompaw rested her tail across Owlpaw's shoulders and the two of them continued eating. Owlpaw knew that she shouldn't be so hard on herself, but after failing miserably as a warrior apprentice she didn't want to repeat that, she wanted to be the best medicine cat she could be. She had learned a lot on her journey and even had to mentor Mothflower, the MountainClan medicine cat for a short period of time.

I'm only nine moons old. Owlpaw reminded herself. I'm still very young and I need to remember this. Like Blossompaw said, I have all the time in the world.