Work Text:
Brightpaw slid out of her nest and padded to the entrance of the apprentices’ den. Leaf-bare was clinging to the forest after a spell of unusually sunny weather when it seemed as if newleaf had come early. The cats of ThunderClan had grown used to warm days and dawns that brightened quickly through the mist. Now the rain had come back and it was impossible to go anywhere in the forest without getting drenched fur and muddy paws.
On the other side of the clearing, Brightpaw’s sister Cinderpaw was standing outside the thicket of brambles that housed the nursery. In the still dawn air, queens and their kits could be heard coughing. Brightpaw watched Cinderpaw poke her head in to talk to one of the queens. Perhaps she was checking that their mother Frostfur wasn’t showing any signs of the whitecough that had plagued the nursery for the past moon.
Thornpaw brushed against Brightpaw’s flank as he squeezed out of their den. “Are you stuck on a bramble?” he puffed.
“I’m watching Cinderpaw,” Brightpaw replied. “It’s weird that she’s training to be medicine cat now!” Cinderpaw seemed happy, but Brightpaw couldn’t help remembering all the nights they had stayed awake whispering about what it would be like when they were warriors together.
Thornpaw followed Brightpaw’s gaze. “She and Yellowfang are really busy with this whitecough. I bet Yellowfang will ask us to fetch more herbs today instead of going on patrol. You know she’s convinced ShadowClan is sending cats into the territory to steal our tansy and catmint?”
Sure enough, when Brightpaw joined her mentor Whitestorm for the morning patrol, Yellowfang was standing with him. Brightpaw could hear the breath wheezing in her chest, and she hoped the old she-cat hadn’t caught the sickness from the nursery.
“Whitestorm, I need you to fetch more herbs for me,” Yellowfang rasped. “The best place to find them at this time of year is at Snakerocks, but I swear there are fewer herbs than there were last moon. Cats from another Clan must be stealing them!”
Bluestar, leader of ThunderClan, overheard. “That’s a grave accusation, Yellowfang,” she growled. “What evidence do you have?”
The tip of Yellowfang’s matted gray tail twitched. “I know where my herbs should grow,” she meowed. “ShadowClan warriors will steal herbs if they have to, and they’ve been in this territory enough times to know where to find them.”
“We have more enemies that just ShadowClan,” Whitestorm rumbled. “Snakerocks is near enough to Twolegplace that kittypets might have helped themselves.”
Bluestar’s eyes darkened. “Perhaps Yellowfang is right, and we need to start patrolling our herbs. Whitestorm, you and Longtail take your apprentices to Snakerocks and look for any signs of invasion. Bring back what herbs you can, too.”
Brightpaw exchanged an excited glance with Longtail’s apprentice Swiftpaw. This was more exciting than a boring old border patrol! Secretly she hoped they would catch the herb thieves in action – whoever they were.
Whitestorm turned to Thornpaw, “Are you joining us?” he puffed. Thornpaw nodded rapidly. Since Mousefur caught whitecough delivering fresh-kill to the queens, Thornpaw looked for any patrolling opportunity. Anything to leave camp.
Brightpaw heard Yellowfang grumbling to Cinderpaw, who limped from the Nursery carrying a leafy pulp, “You go too; foolish warriors can’t even tell catmint and lavender apart.” Cinderpaw saw the patrol and nodded, purring amused.
Brightpaw’s tail twitched, ‘Not long ago you wanted to be a foolish warrior…’, but she shook herself from the thought, ‘She’ll be a great medicine cat.’
As they left, Brightpaw glanced back. At the far edge of camp Fireheart sat tall, pelt blazing in the sunlight. He guarded the entrance to a shaded, gloomy den. Brightpaw knew Brokenstar, the exiled leader of ShadowClan, was lurking inside.
Brightpaw understood Thornpaw needing to leave camp so badly. She did too.
Patrolling to Snakerock was uneventful. Brightpaw felt like she was sleepwalking while Cinderpaw talked about herbs to her. But then Brightpaw’s fur spiked, nose picking up a strange scent.
She froze, spotting the large tom by the rock ahead. His white fur was damp, rugged, black paws caked with muck, catmint dangling in his jaws. ‘I know him!’ Shadowclan’s camp flashed before Brightpaw’s eyes. She suddenly felt small.
Spotting them, the tom bolted. Brightpaw leapt forward giving chase.
The dewy underbrush clung to Brightpaw’s fur as she ran, paws sinking in mud with each step. Swiftpaw raced past her, black tail streaming behind him. Brightpaw pushed herself to catch up. Running with Swiftpaw, Brightpaw felt invincible.
They reached the Thunderpath, silently still beneath their paws, Swiftpaw’s tail vanished into the shady bushes on the other side, Brightpaw leapt-
“Stop!” Thornpaw yanked her back by the scruff, tail lashing, “What are you doing!?”
While Brightpaw coughed, Swiftpaw returned from across the Thunderpath, dragging his paws. “I lost him.” He muttered, as Cinderpaw emerged too.
“You could’ve been killed charging across,” Thornpaw growled, “You’re both too reckless!”
“We’re not mouse-brained, we knew there were no monsters.” Swiftpaw scoffed. Cinderpaw looked away, quietly pulling her leg closer.
But Brightpaw felt braver by Swiftpaw’s words, “There’s nothing, look!” she added.
“Would you’ve let him run, scaredy-mouse?” Swiftpaw snickered. Thornpaw hissed, pelt prickling.
“Enough!” A voice ordered – Whitestorm emerged from the underbrush, alongside Longtail. Brightpaw’s tail tucked between her legs, ‘How long were they there?’
“We will discuss this later; we must report to Bluestar that Brokenstar’s rogues are stealing from us.” Whitestorm growled. He turned to Longtail, murmuring as they walked.
Cinderpaw padded closely to Thornpaw, silent, but holding her head high. Brightpaw’s heart ached, ‘We used to be close, why not now?’
Swiftpaw licked his own chest, tail twitching, before turning to Brightpaw, “Well, I think you were great! You have sharp eyes!” he trilled warmly.
The forest felt lighter on her shoulders at the praise, “You too, you run fast!” she purred.
They marched side by side back to camp, tails raised high.