Warriors: Into The Wild - Book One (Completed)

Chapter Eighteen

The camp started to look better as Waterpaw and Spottedleaf padded near the entrance with bundles of herbs in their jaws. The brambles to the nursery and elders den look just about done, and in good timing too. New kits were arriving very soon. "Grab the chervil and I'll meet you in the nursery." She then bounded off towards the medicine den. Waterpaw padded off to the nursery with chervil leaves in her teeth. She ducked inside and sat beside the kitting queen. Her sides heaved with pain. Waterpaw didn't know anything about birthing queens. This was her first time experiencing it. "It's alright, Brindleface." She mewed to the pretty tabby she-cat. "Can you try and eat these?" 

Brindleface nodded her head, tiredly, then lapped up the leaves and chewed them gently. Spottedleaf ducked into the den and nudged Brindleface. "I'm here." She mewed. "Just breath and it'll be done before you know it."

After a long time of trying to kit, finally, Brindleface was finished. She was exhausted and laid down on her side, almost out of breath. Her eyes closed tightly and she managed a pitiful purr as four tiny kits nestled by her stomach and suckling her warm milk. Waterpaw looked down at the healthy kits and purred out loud herself. The kits were perfect. Waterpaw purred again with delight. She then exited the nursery, ducking out and into the clearing with Spottedleaf behind her. Bluestar stood outside the nursery alongside Whitestorm. "You are welcome to come in now," Mewed Spottedleaf to Whitestorm. She stepped aside, letting him go in before padding to the medicine den. Bluestar waited outside the nursery for her turn next. Once Whitestorm came outside and sat down to guard the nursery. Waterpaw nodded her head towards him, then padded off after Spottedleaf into the medicine den. They cleaned up the den inside and organized the herbs in the store by effect. Waterpaw felt pleased with their work. With everything organized and stocked, it made her memory of herbs easier. The task took almost all of sunhigh. Spottedleaf purred with approval as well.

Suddenly a warrior pelted into the medicine den and attacked Spottedleaf. Spottedleaf tried to turn and see who her opponent was, but couldn't. She was pinned down from the back and the warrior had her by the scruff. Waterpaw quickly turned around as the strange warrior attacked Spottedleaf. She knew that he wasn't ThunderClan. She pelted toward him and attempted to get him off her back. Just as she leaped, he kicked his hind legs high and she went flying back and landed with a loud thud. She felt her whole world flash before her eyes and she blacked out, not able to move, or open her eyes. 

She then opened them, but in another world. She recognized the hunting grounds of StarClan. "Am I dead?" She softly mewed, looking around.

"No, you aren't dead." Mewed a voice from behind her.

Waterpaw whipped her head around, and stared at the glowing she-cat. She didn't recognize her at first. She tilted her head to the side as she saw the pretty dappled pelt. "Spottedleaf?" She whispered.

Spottedleaf nodded. "Yes, don't worry, young one." She mewed. "You have lots of moons left in you."

"W-why... why are you here... in StarClan?" Stuttered Waterpaw, tears almost in her eyes. She could already guess what Spottedleaf was going to say. 

"I think you already know the answer to that." She meowed softly, touching her tail on Waterpaw's flank. "Go back. You are not to be here yet."

Waterpaw blinked a few times before fully opening them. She looked around where she was. She tried to get to her paws, but still couldn't move anything. She felt completely broken head to toe. She then heard a yowl in the clearing near the nursery. She pricked her ears and tried to listen as the she-cat's voice rang out. "My kits! Someone has stole my kits!" She felt dizzy and closed her eyes for just a second and heard another cry. "Yellowfang has killed Spottedleaf and stole my kits!"

Waterpaw gasped and remembered Spottedleaf speaking to her. No! Oh, StarClan, why did Spottedleaf have to go? Her eyes clouded with grief. She tried to get up one more time, and was able to get half her body up. Then she heaved the rest of herself to her paws. She stumbled a little bit, then finally found her footing. Her back was definitely killing her with pain, but she had to let the Clan know it wasn't Yellowfang who attacked Spottedleaf. She limped out of the medicine den and looked out into the Clan as they all scrambled to find the lost kits. "Yellowfang didn't kill Spottedleaf." She shouted, hoping the Clan heard her. 

Luckily someone did, and the-cat who did hear glared at Waterpaw,"No, but she is gone and so are my kits! Hissed the white she-cat. "She stole them!"

Waterpaw stood up straight and puffed out her fur in frustration. Yellowfang would never steal kits. She's apart of ThunderClan! Waterpaw looked down at her paws in dismay. She wouldn't just leave ThunderClan, would she?

***

Waterpaw couldn't stand on her paws for too long to search for kits, so she padded back into the medicine den. She grabbed some poppy seeds and goldenrod. She chewed the goldenrod and made it into a poultice, then she lapped up the juice. "I'm sorry Spottedleaf." She mewed softly, standing over her limp body. "I can't help Yellowfang. I would fall before I even got to her." She laid down, and rested her head into the belly of Spottedleaf. Her eyes clouded with tears once more. Some warriors who stayed back from finding the kits gathered around her and sat vigil for the medicine she-cat. 

When it was just about moon high, Firepaw, Graypaw, Whitestorm, Darkstripe, Mousefur, Willowpelt and Runningwind raced into camp with the kits in their mouths. Yellowfang hung back at the camp entrance and looked on silently.

Bluestar strode up to the returning patrol. She glanced fondly at Frostfur and her kits and then turned her eyes to Whitestorm. "Are they all right?" She asked.

"They're fine." Meowed Whitestorm.

"Well done, Whitestorm. ThunderClan honors you."

Whitestorm bent his head to accept her praise, and added. "But it was thanks to this apprentice that we found them."

Firepaw lifted his head and tail proudly, about to speak, but Tigerclaw's accusing snarl sounded from across the clearing. "Why did you bring back the traitor?" The dark warrior stalked up to the patrol and stood beside his leader.

Firepaw was about to argue, but Bluestar cut in before he did. "I do not believe that she is a traitor." Meowed Bluestar, raising her tail for silence. She gazed over at Yellowfang by the entrance, then at Firepaw. "Now, what happened?"

"Without Yellowfang we never would have recovered the kits!" Firepaw spat, his exhaustion making him impatient. "She knew that a ShadowClan warrior had taken them. She was hunting for them when I found her. She risked her life returning to the ShadowClan camp. It was Yellowfang who thought up the battle plan that got us into the ShadowClan camp and gave us a chance to defeat Brokenstar!" 

The clan stood in astonishment, not wanting to believe what Firepaw was saying. Waterpaw could hear their murmurs and padded slowly out into the clearing near Firepaw, waiting to hear more details on what had happened. 

"Is Brokenstar dead?" Asked the white queen, licking her kits on the head.

"No." It was Whitestorm that answered. "He escaped, but he will never lead ShadowClan again."

Bluestar nodded approvingly, then padded up to Yellowfang. The old gray she-cat lowered her gaze to her paws as the leader stopped in front of her. "I would love for you to replace Spottedleaf as our medicine cat." She mewed, loud enough for the clan to hear her. 

Yellowfang looked around the camp as she was scanning for approval from the other clan cats. Her gaze met Frostfur's blue eyes. Frostfur did not like Yellowfang and accused her of stealing her kits. When Yellowfang wanted to see the newborn kits, Frostfur was the one that had pushed her out, not trusting her. Then to Yellowfang's amazement, she nodded slowly, finally accepting the she-cat. Yellowfang looked back at Bluestar, and dipped her head respectfully. "I'd be honored to take her place."

Waterpaw, still slightly limping, padded closer to the middle of the clearing. Yellowfang was already halfway there. Waterpaw looked up at Yellowfang with sadness still in her eyes. "Will you take me as your apprentice?"

Yellowfang tilted her head in confusion. "Of course." 

Waterpaw sighed with relief and managed to purr softly.

"You were under Spottedleaf's mentorship, so it's only right that I finish your training in honor of Spottedleaf."