Chapter Three: The Apprentice A few moons after deciding that she wanted to be a medicine cat apprentice, she was sorting herbs for Poppywhisker. “Hello?” Moonpaw went into the medicine den with some poppy seeds. She dropped them in a ditch. The medicine cat den was empty! She looked around and decided she would go look for help. “Nightpaw? Streampaw? Do you know where Poppywhisker is?” Moonpaw asked. “I haven’t seen her,” Streampaw said, looking genuinely puzzled. “Me neither,” Nightpaw answered, not looking at her. Moonpaw felt a pang of sadness. Why didn’t Nightpaw like her? Was it because of Hawkpaw? She whispered in his ear, “Meet me near the training grounds.” At the training grounds, Nightpaw said, “Well? What is it?” “Why do you hate me?” she blurted. “I don’t hate you! But Hawkpaw would kill me…” Nightpaw looked at the ground. “It’s about Hawkpaw, isn’t it? He’s been telling you what to do!” screeched Moonpaw. “Listen… I – I need to go,” Nightpaw mumbled, standing up. “Catch you later.” He bounded back to camp. He still hates me, Moonpaw said sadly. I need to get rid of Hawkpaw! On her way back to camp, she ran into someone. It was a WindClan apprentice. “Oh, hello, I’m Flamepaw!” she said cheerfully. “I’m Moonpaw,” Moonpaw said. “I should go.” “No, no, no,” Flamepaw said. “You like Nightpaw?” “Um… Yes?” said Moonpaw. “But he doesn’t like you. Well I can help!” Flamepaw said. “Sorry,” Moonpaw muttered, shuffling her paws on the soil. “I have to get back to camp.” “There’s a herb that can make him love you,” Flamepaw said. Moonpaw stopped. “Really? What is it?” “It has no name,” Flamepaw said, “but I can show you where it grows!” “Tomorrow,” Moonpaw said. “Meet me at the Gathering place.” Flamepaw dipped her head. “Good-bye!” Moonpaw came back to camp where Poppywhisker was waiting for her. Oops. Poppywhisker yowled, “You’re not supposed to leave the camp without an escort!” “I’m sorry!” Moonpaw cried. “Nightpaw told me everything! It’s rude that he hates you, but you’re such an idiot! You walked into WindClan?” “I – wait, I did what now?” Moonpaw stopped. So she left camp without an escort, but she had never been in WindClan. “She would NEVER have left camp if I were her mentor still!” shrieked Leafstrike. Oh, boy, she thought. Let’s watch Leafstrike flatten me. Leafstrike screeched, “YOU WILL NOT BE A MEDICINE CAT!” “Leafstrike! You’re not the boss of her!” snarled a voice from behind her. Leafstrike whipped around. Nightpaw. “Shut up and go away! If she wants to be a medicine cat, she can be a medicine cat!” Nightpaw shouted. Leafstrike growled curses under her breath as she stalked away. “Thanks,” Moonpaw mumbled. “I’m sorry,” Nightpaw sighed. “I hated you because Hawkpaw told me that you weren’t good enough for me.” “He said that?” exclaimed Moonpaw. “Yes, he did,” Nightpaw said. He glanced behind them. “Speaking of which…” Hawkpaw appeared. “Oh, Nightpaw. You never learn,” he sneered. “Haven’t I told you? She’s not good enough for you. You should go find some worthy cat who deserves you.” “Shut up, Hawkpaw,” Nightpaw snapped. Hawkpaw looked taken aback for a moment. Then he snorted. “Really? Are you that low?” He laughed cruelly as he left them. “I do like you,” Nightpaw told Moonpaw. “Hawkpaw was wrong. You’re a good cat and you’re not stupid.” “Thanks.” Moonpaw felt warm. “Yeah,” Streampaw added. “Hawkpaw’s the stupid one.” The three of them giggled. “Hey, I’m Hawkpaw, and I’m going to tell you what not to do!” mimicked Moonpaw. “Yeah! I’m going to go up there and be as stupid as I can!” added Nightpaw. All of them laughed again. “Oh no!” cried Streampaw, imitating Hawkpaw. “A kit bit me! OWWWWWWWWWW!” They all snickered at that one. “He’s weak,” said Moonpaw in her normal voice. “Let’s get him down!” All of them agreed, so Moonpaw began doling out roles. “Nightpaw, you spy on him and gather information. Then you can relay it to us. Streampaw, you can attack him. And I will plan our attacks…” The next day, Nightpaw had more info for them. “Um, he told me something.” “What is it?” asked Streampaw. “Well,” said Nightpaw, “he wants to kill you.” “Oh. That’s not news,” laughed Moonpaw. “Anything else?” “Well, I had a thought. Streampaw can’t attack him because of her leg,” said Nightpaw. “I hate my leg,” shouted Streampaw. “It’s not that bad,” joked Nightpaw. “Now you don’t have to battle train!” “It feels like I should be the medicine cat and Moonpaw should be a warrior,” moaned Streampaw. “It would be so much easier!” “Easier, but not what we want,” Moonpaw pointed out. “Yeah, I know,” sighed Streampaw. “Being a medicine cat must be easy. No need to fight or anything—" “It’s not that easy,” muttered Moonpaw. “I can’t have a mate or kits—” (cont in notes + credits)
“Wait, you want to have a mate?” exclaimed Streampaw. “We’ll have to talk about that later.” “Mouse-brain!” shouted Moonpaw. Streampaw backed into a corner of the apprentices’ den. “I’m not a mouse-brain!” she yowled in protest. “Yes, you are! Did you really think that just because I said the medicine cat code means I want a mate?” scoffed Moonpaw. “Calm down—” began Nightpaw. “YOU SHUT UP!” screeched Moonpaw and Streampaw. Nightpaw left the apprentices’ den. “See? You’re such a mouse-brain! Nightpaw’s gone!” Moonpaw screamed. “That’s YOUR fault, not mine!” Streampaw growled. “NO!!!!!!!!! YOU’RE SUCH AN IDIOT, STREAMPAW!!! GO AWAY!!!!” Moonpaw yelled. Streampaw scowled and left the den. “What’s going on in there?” Moonpaw heard Wavecrash’s voice. “Is everything alright?” “Evevrything’s fine.” Moonpaw said. “But that idiot which SPECIFICALLY means Streampaw ruined everything.” “My apprentice?” Wavecrash asked. “What’s wrong with her?” “She’s an idiot! She thinks that just because the code says that medicine cats can’t have mates or kits means that I have a crush on someone!” replied Moonpaw bitterly. “But… You do, right?” asked Wavecrash. “Wh-what do you mean?” asked Moonpaw. “You’re always looking at Nightpaw like this!” Wavecrash said, staring at a clump of grass as if he were in love with it. “I do NOT!” shouted Moonpaw, her fur on fire. “Oh, yes you do!” Wavecrash said. “You know that’s against the warrior code!” “So what? As long as I don’t have kits it doesn’t matter!” Moonpaw said defensively. “It matters, Moonpaw.” Thanks a lot, that was really helpful, Moonpaw thought. “Maybe you’ll understand soon…” muttered Wavecrash. “I hope so.” “IT DOESN’T FREAKING MATTER!” screamed Moonpaw. “SHUT UP! SO WHAT IF I LIKE NIGHTPAW?” “It’s for your own good!” Wavecrash snapped. “It’s for your OWN good” Wavecrash purred “NO, it’s not!” screamed Moonpaw. “It affects others and I can tell you how!” “How, then?” sneered Wavecrash. “It’s to make sure that I can focus on healing other cats rather than tending to my family. A medicine cat doesn’t have time for kits,” Moonpaw said. “There. I’m smarter than you!” “No, you’re just a stupid apprentice,” Wavecrash snapped. “Now leave me alone!” “This is my den! You leave me alone!” yowled Moonpaw. “You live in the warriors’ den. I live in the apprentices’ den, also known as the DEN YOU’RE IN! Or should I start calling you Wavepaw?” Wavecrash hissed and attacked Moonpaw, who didn’t lift a paw. “You can’t kill a medicine cat,” she said. Wavecrash sliced his claws down her flank. “Go ahead, it’s your business if you want to kill me and go to the Dark Forest,” Moonpaw said calmly. “WAVECRASH!” screeched Nightpaw, flinging himself at the evil attacker. “H—” gasped Wavecrash, aborting Moonpaw to defend himself against Nightpaw. “HOW DARE YOU TRY TO KILL A MEDICINE CAT?! ARE YOU WILLING TO RISTK THE WRATH OF STARCLAN?” Nightpaw screamed. “I—I just—uh…” Wavecrash stammered. He took off. “Thanks,” murmured Moonpaw. “Hmph. I hate Wavecrash,” said Nightpaw. “I don’t care,” said Streampaw. “Then you’re evil,” said Nightpaw. He said, “Follow me.” They went to the gorge. “Now I want you to close your eyes,” Nightpaw said. Streampaw obeyed. Then, Nightpaw pushed her off the cliff edge. Great job, Nightpaw. You totally won’t get in trouble. Streampaw’s wails echoed throughout the valley and her eyes flew open. Splash! She fell into the river at the bottom of the canyon. When Moonpaw found out, she was furious. “How dare you kill my sister!” she snarled, stepping on Nightpaw’s foot. “She was bothering you—” Nightpaw began. “NO EXCUSES!” Moonpaw roared. “I LOVED YOU! BUT YOU’RE A MURD3R3R!” “Moonpaw, I—” Nightpaw began. “NO!!! GET AWAY!!! I TRUSTED YOU!!!!!” Moonpaw shrieked. “But I did this for you!” wailed Nightpaw. “I did this because she was annoying you!” “I HATE YOU!” yelled Moonpaw. “GO AWAY!” So Nightpaw left sadly, his tail dragging on the ground. Moonpaw ran to the gorge to say good-bye to her sister. She spotted a series of ledges leading down to the bottom of the gorge. She hopped down where she found Streampaw’s unconscious body on the ground. “Stupid, stupid Nightpaw,” said Moonpaw, tears falling into Streampaw’s fur. Suddenly Moonpaw pressed her head against Streampaw’s chest. “She’s still breathing.” Hope caught in her throat. She might live. She dragged Streampaw back to camp where she was treated by Moonpaw and Poppywhisker. Finally Streampaw was awake. “What happened? Where’s Nightpaw?” asked Streampaw. “Nightpaw is gone. I can’t believe he tried to murd3r you like that!” cried Moonpaw. “I don’t hate him,” groaned Streampaw weakly. “Can you keep a secret?” Moonpaw nodded, so she went on, “I like Nightpaw. In that way.” Ohhhh no. Moonpaw also liked Nightpaw in that way. This was going to cause a war between them. She decided on something. She would have to find that herb. Then Nightpaw would love her instead! Her plan was fool-proof. (see inside)
