Warriors: Into The Wild - Book One (Completed)

Chapter Twelve

The air became thicker in frost, and Spottedleaf was pacing frantically around her den. There was not much Catmint that they had. Mudfur gave her some, but he couldn't spare much this leaf-bare. This was going to be a hard leaf-bare. Goldenflower was ready to be released soon, thankfully, and Ravenpaw was getting better by the minute. Though Ravenpaw wouldn't be ready to go back to apprentice duties for a long while. His shock really made him weak and his wounds aren't healing fast enough for Tigerclaw. He came in on a regular basis peeking his head in and prodding Ravenpaw to get better. Spottedleaf had to constantly kick him out.

Waterpaw padded in the medicine den. Spottedleaf was sorting through some of her herbs as usual and was about to go out looking to see how the catmint growth was. "I need to ask you something." Mewed Waterpaw; her eyes were narrowed with concern, yet determined. 

Spottedleaf looked up at Waterpaw with round eyes, "Of course. What can I do for you?"

"I want to train to be a medicine cat."

Spottedleaf's expression changed from being concerned to surprised. Her tail twitched happily, "Are you sure?"

Waterpaw nodded, "Yes, but I must speak with Runningwind and Bluestar first."

Spottedleaf got to her paws and padded around her sorted herbs. "I'll go with you." She purred. 

Runningwind was stretching out in the sun. His body was long and shined bright in sunlight. He pricked his ears as he heard Waterpaw padding up to him. She twitched her tail nervously and shuffled her paws, "I must speak with you and Bluestar." She mewed.

Runningwind didn't respond, but he had guessed that it was important, so he got up and they all trekked to Bluestar, who was sharing tongues with Lionheart. Lionheart was the first who saw them come up. "Morning, Spottedleaf, Waterpaw, Runningwind." He dipped his to all three cats as he said their names. 

"Bluestar," Mewed Waterpaw, "May we speak with you?" 

"Of course." She dipped her head to Lionheart and he padded off elsewhere, leaving them alone to talk. Waterpaw shuffled her paws in anticipation. She felt sick to the stomach and almost wanted to revoke what she was thinking of doing. Bluestar sat silently, her tail wrapped around her front paws. Her eyes glinted with curiosity, but did not pry.

"I want to start training as a medicine cat." She looked at Runningwind and Bluestar. Runningwind's eyes widened in amazement. He felt like he was a terrible mentor. His ears laid flat on his head in sadness, and he didn't meet Waterpaw's eyes. Bluestar didn't seem shocked. She just tilted her head to the side and softly smiled as if she knew this was going to happen. 

Bluestar looked over at Spottedleaf, "Are you ready to take on an apprentice?" 

Spottedleaf slowly nodded her head and purred with delight.

Waterpaw nudged Runningwind lightly, "I'm sorry, Runningwind." She mewed, "You were a great mentor. I just feel like I was in the wrong destiny." 

Runningwind looked up at her with sad eyes, but they glittered with acceptance as he padded away. 

Waterpaw followed Spottedleaf back to the medicine den. She sat down near her as she began to finish her sorting. Spottedleaf pushed some herbs to Waterpaw with her pink nose. "What are these herbs used for?" She asked, crouching down and looking up at Waterpaw.

Waterpaw sniffed them thoroughly, "This is..." She sniffed again, "Tansy. It's used to help with coughs." She sniffed at the other pile Spottedleaf pushed toward her, "and this is yarrow." She wrinkled up her nose from the tangy smell, "It's used to make a cat vomit if poison is swallowed."

Spottedleaf was amazed. She had no training and seemed to be doing fairly well. She was a natural medicine cat. "Very good." She mewed, "Did Featherwhisker teach you this?"

Waterpaw shook her head, "Not for most of the herbs, but for some of them yes."

Spottedleaf spent half the day explaining the herbs and making sure that Waterpaw knew each one by smell and sight. When they finally finished, it was close to night time. It was Half-moon tonight and Spottedleaf knew that Waterpaw was ready to head to the Moonstone. She would have no trouble talking with StarClan. 

The half-moon was bright and Waterpaw was itching to go to the Moonstone. She had heard many stories of it from Featherwhisker. The Moonstone is located in Highstones, deep underground. It sure is a long way to get there. Spottedleaf was getting together some traveling herbs which contained the following: sorrel, daisy, chamomile and burnet. Sorrel helps with soreness since it's so far. Daisy is used for aching joints for the same reason. Chamomile is used to help calm cats and Burnet keeps up their strength. When Spottedleaf was finished, she put a pile on a leaf in front of Waterpaw and one in front of herself. They both lapped it up fairly quickly. "Ready?" Purred Spottedleaf.

Waterpaw wanted to prance around like an excited kit, but she held in her excitement, "I am."

They trekked outside the camp entrance and through the brambles. They headed toward a path that led to Mothermouth. They had to pass WindClan territory, but every cat knew it was half-moon; plus they were both medicine cats, so there shouldn't be any problems! 

They crossed into the WindClan territory, and Waterpaw wrinkled her nose at the sight of no trees or bushes. It was very open and seemed too intense to go hunting on a territory like this. She could not imagine not hiding behind trees or bushes. When they got into WindClan territory, there was a path curving around their camp and lead to a thunderpath. Waterpaw flattened her ears. She did not want to go through a thunderpath again. She had gotten dust in her eyes. It stung her to the point that it scared now to even think about it.

"Not terribly far now." Mewed Spottedleaf, looking at Waterpaw's worried eyes.

"We have to cross the thunderpath?" She asked with a gulp.

Spottedleaf turned again to gaze at her with worry. "Don't worry," she meowed softly, "This part will be past." She paused to look both ways, "monsters are only scary at night with their big, bright eyes." Spottedleaf flicked her tail at Waterpaw and she bolted across the thunderpath not looking back.

Waterpaw stood still and froze. She had no idea what to do. Thunderpaths didn't exist where she was. She heard Spottedleaf yowling across from her. She shook off her pelt and decided to just dart across the thunderpath. She sprinted across and made it, panting hard. She looked up at Spottedleaf, with wide eyes and much concern.

"Just think," Mewed Spottedleaf with a bit of laughter, "We only have to do this twice a moon."

Waterpaw did not want to think about that. She shook her head to clear it and they both padded alongside the thunderpath and into the clearing of the Mothermouth. Waterpaw glanced around. It was nothing like she imagined. The glitter from the moon shined down on the mountains as they neared them. Waterpaw followed Spottedleaf into the tunnel of Mothermouth. It glowed like starlight and she just couldn't stop looking at how pretty it was. Spottedleaf's pelt almost glowed from the tunnel walls. Waterpaw suddenly heard mutters in the distance. She had guessed that they were the last ones to arrive. She was right. An old gray she-cat with a broad flattened face looked at the two ThunderClan cats first. She greeted them with a nod of her head. Waterpaw recognized the next cat. It was Mudfur, and the other one, looked rather odd as he had a short tail.

"Hello Spottedleaf," meowed Mudfur. 

Spottedleaf rubbed the tom with her muzzle. "Good evening." She mewed softly.

Mudfur turned his gaze to the small calico she-cat. "You're Waterpaw." He mewed, "I thought you weren't training to be a medicine cat last time we spoke."

Waterpaw didn't know what to do or say. She looked over at Spottedleaf as she was her mother and she was a helpless kit. Spottedleaf put her tail on her flank and looked at Mudfur, "Waterpaw has realized this morning that her destiny has changed." 

Waterpaw felt a knot in her stomach. She still felt like she may have made the wrong decision, but there's only one way to find out if she truly is to be a medicine cat. The Moonstone will tell all.