Frozen Hope

Chapter 2

Cherrypaw had been feeling odd about her new duties. About five moons lead up to thinking she was going to be a warrior, then, all of a sudden something hits her like that.

Was this a sign from StarClan? Windstar's thoughts stuck and implanted into her head. She wished and hoped that her injuries were for good reason.

"Cherrypaw! Tell me what these herbs are and do." Raintuft interrupted her thoughts.

Cherrypaw panicked but closed her eyes to take a deep breath. "That one is borage.. it helps cu- no-" She paused. "Wait! It helps queens produce milk!" Cherrypaw mewed.

Raintuft nodded. "And these?"

Cherrypaw inspected the herb closely. "That's- burnet? Right?" She looked at Raintuft for approval.

"Yeah." mewed Raintuft. "What does it do?"

She was on edge as she had nearly forgotten. Burnet.. what does it do? She pratically shouted at herself. "You mix it up with other herbs and it helps you to travel, right?"

Raintuft nodded. "I'll accept that answer." She mewed. "This final one?"

"Easy!" Cherrypaw mewed. "Dock. It helps soothe pain, right?"

Raintuft smiled. "You got it. Well done!" She nodded, pleased herself.

Cherrypaw looked rather pleased with herself. I'm a natural! She thought. As she looked outside the medicine cat den, however, sometimes when she saw Flamepaw, Antpaw and Gravelpaw hanging around each-other, pouncing and fighting, she felt somewhat... saddened.

She realises it could of been the life she had, but all because of a mouse-brained fox, she was set up to this herb life. Even seeing Mothpaw and Blossompaw chatting, made her feel left out..

Cherrypaw could bet Blossompaw and Gravelpaw always chatted with one and another, but she'd never be apart of it. For some reason, she felt as if Gravelpaw disliked her. He always makes fun of me for becoming a medicine cat. I didn't even choose to become one.

It made her angry. She calmed herself while she'd talk with Raintuft however. "I'm going to go on my first herb collect." She said, a small smile plastered on her face.

"Great!" Raintuft meowed. "We need more chervil so if you could get some that'd be good."

"Okay." Cherrypaw nodded, setting out. White flowers. That's what chervil looked like, right? Cherrypaw was unsure, but she thought she was right anyways so she decided to collect some by the camp. They grew fairly close to the camp. She thought. Very close.

She picked them, carrying them in her jaw carefully. Don't want to pull them apart. As she headed back to camp, which wasn't all that far. She had seen her brother with Antpaw. They were nudging each-other as they walked out the entrance.

They saw Cherrypaw.

"Hey Cherrypaw!~" he said daringly in a sing song tone. "You having fun?"

"Just shut up, Gravelpaw." Cherrypaw growled. "I may be a medicine cat with half a tail and half her sight, but I can still perfectly claw off all of your face."

Gravelpaw looked taken aback at her sassiness. He narrowed his eyes slightly and teasingly."You're being a bit sassy today." He rolled her eyes. "When will you ever learn your manners!?"

He started to giggle and Cherrypaw let out a growl of annoyance. Not even Antpaw was so sure of what was going on. He just looked slightly scared.

"Says you, Gravelpaw." She said, boldly arching her back with fearlessness and pride. "I'd like to see you get your tail ripped off and eye clawed out and become something you're not. Then we'll see for sure whose laughing."

Antpaw nodded timidly. "Lay off her, Gravelpaw. She's spoken words of truth. It's not fair on her. Don't be a mouse-brained kit." He rolled his eyes.

Cherrypaw blinked at Antpaw in thanks. Some cat who actually has maturity and sense, unlike Gravelpaw.

Gravelpaw growled. "You two are no fun." He stalked off, and back into camp, Antpaw raced after him.

Cherrypaw sighed. Don't let Gravelpaw make you lose your interest. He just doesn't know. If he did, he wouldn't be laughing either. Nor would I.

Cherrypaw shook her head and set her mind on getting back to camp. She let out one huge sigh.

Cats may never understand me, or Raintuft, but I shouldn't worry. Raintuft said she had a bit of trouble with Sootwhisker when she was an apprentice because they took seperate roads. Now they are as close as ever. I hope that'll happen to me and Gravelpaw. I hope he'll.. he'll.. realize. Yeah.. someday.

Cherrypaw's assuring words helped her not to stumble. She was still unsure whether she wanted to fully commit herself to the clan by being a full time medicine cat.

She padded back, still carrying the chevril in her mouth. She looked around camp once more before she vanished into the den.

"Well done. That's plenty." said Raintuft, looking geniunely pleased.

She paused for a minute in the conversation sorting the herbs. She was mumbling to herself "It's almost leaf bare, again.."

"Huh?" replied Cherrypaw to her almost inaudible mumbling.

Raintuft sighed longingly. Her blue glare at Cherrypaw was enough to make her feel tense. "I said it's almost leaf-bare. It might be a harsh time for us."

"What, why?" Cherrypaw asked, her voice questioning. She had tilted her head.

"Disease is very..." She looked up, thinking hard. "Easily picked up." She seemed satisfied with her reply.

"What types?" asked Cherrypaw.

"Oh you know, greencough, colds, just a lot of sickness in general. Medicine cats are very busy in leaf-bare. That's why I'm trying to teach you quickly. We need to be prepared for these kinds of things happening."

"Oh." murmured Cherrypaw. "It is very cold, I guess."

Raintuft smiled. "Anyways we should probably start looking for catmint, it's very hard to find it when we're in the middle of leafbare. It freezes up and dies, so we need to find it, fast."

"Okay." Cherrypaw agreed, her voice determined. As they were about to set out, they heard some voices.

"Raintuft! Cherrypaw!" yelled Hailcloud. "Come, and quick! Flamepaw's fallen out of a tree and he can't move his leg to stand up, he said it's too painful!"

Raintuft nodded. "Cherrypaw, get the cobwebs, the last bit of bindweed, broom and poppyseeds."

Cherrypaw nodded, swiftly grabbing all the herbs she had listed. This was going to be her first time of properly helping a cat. It may not be by herself, but it's helping a cat at the least, so, she counted it.

I'm so nervous. What happens if I'm that bad of a medicine cat I kill Flamepaw with the pain, or do something severe to the point where he can't be an apprentice training to be a warrior?! Oh StarClan, guide me, and a lot, too.