if Mapleshade's kits lived

Chapter 35

Patchstar headed back for camp, noticing how nice his sister had been, he had wanted to visit her and Duskwater more, he looked at Larch, the dark brown tom grinned, he had settled with Bramble and Rosepaw, because he had been so depressed and busy lately, Patchstar felt guilty so he headed for him. "Larch," the dark tom looked at him. "Good evening, Patchstar, how was the walk?" Patchstar nodded quickly. "It got me back in shape, and I met a couple of RiverClan she-cats, their names were Willownose and Duskwater, Willownose is our half-sister, remember? The one time we spotted Reedshine pregnant when we were younger."

Larch's amber eyes widened in surprise, "You saw our sister?" Patchstar nodded, his eyes gleaming. "How has she been?" Patchstar sighed. "I told her about Mapleshade, but she didn't seem too happy about it
The dark tom nodded. "I'd assume so, come on, your kits are waiting," he felt warmness spread through his fur as he thought of the sweet, innocent kits, he headed for the den, Redsquirrel and Fire waiting, one of the queens were fostering them, Sunrise, Redsquirrel, and Fire, her name had been Dust. "Good evening, Dust," he meowed, the calico she-cat nodded. "You too," Redsquirrel and Fire rushed over to him. "What did you see today?" Patchstar purred, thinking of the two she-cats, "Well, I saw a few RiverClan she-cats," the two she-cats looked at each other, "Does that mean mommies?" he shook his head. "There are more cats who have mom abilities and father abilities, I'm a father ability, called a tom, and the she-cats have mother abilities, are known as she-cats." Redsquirrel seemed amazed by this. "Woah, tell me more!" Patchstar chuckled, "When you're older, you'll know," "Awww!" Dust herded them back, "Come little ones, it's time for sleep," they groaned and headed beside Dust. "Goodnight, little ones," he murmured. 

"Bramble," he called, the white tom headed for him. "Yes?" Patchstar sighed, "Look, I'm sorry I couldn't mentor you in the last couple of days, I've just been stressed," Bramble dipped his head. "I know, it's alright, Larch gave up his healing duties and is back to a warrior, he told me to tell you to choose another healer to mentor Fire." Patchstar nodded. "Okay, I'll call a meeting in the morning," Bramble dipped his head. "Now, get some sleep, I'll need to train you first thing in the morning,"

the white tom jumped in excitement, "Okay!" he went along with Rosepaw, who had been training under Larch, but her training was cut short when he had agreed to become a medicine cat, they both seemed close friends, and Patchstar was happy for that. He went into his den, curling up and closing his eyes.

Patchstar opened his eyes, the sun was rising above the trees, he knew it was time to call the meeting for who would be the new medicine cat. A plump gray-and-white tom stood up, looking determined to be a medicine cat, maybe Yam would be a good choice for a medicine cat, but he needed to look through them, "I want all cats, old enough to climb, gather beneath the highrock for a clan meeting," cats came in, not many, but just Fred, Bob, Larch, Bramble, Rosepaw and Dust came. "As you can see, we will need a new medicine cat, Larch has stepped down, I shall announce who will be a medicine cat," he scanned the clearing, seeing Yam overexcited and hyped. "Yam, do you accept losing your role as a warrior and tending to a medicine cat?" the tom nodded in excitement, "Then, you shall be trained by StarClan to learn the ways of a medicine cat."

"Bramble, it's time to get to training," Bramble grinned in excitement. "Alright, what are we going to do?" Patchstar hesitated. "Uhm, what did Larch last teach you?" Bramble shifted from where he was and bounded across the clearing toward the river. "He told me to not go to this territory, only warriors could go with me to here." Patchstar nodded, this next lesson would seem easy to teach his apprentice, "Alright, then, come," he walked over to fourtrees, he remembered this vividly, Mapleshade had showed him this when he was just a kit, but that's when the tragety happened, Mapleshade had been driven out for breaking the code and she nearly drowned them.

"Here is fourtrees, cats come here for gatherings sometimes, but you can't go here, not without a warrior with you." Bramble looked around. "Woah, this place is so cool, why can't I go here without an adult?" Patchstar shifted his paws. "It isn't safe, anything can be out here," Bramble looked. "Okay I guess," the thick-furred tom seemed down in the dumps, "It's alright, you can always call me to bring you here." Bramble nodded.

"Now, here is carrionplace," Bramble sniffed, and gagged. "Ew! what is that smell?!" he covered his pink nose with a paw, "It's where cats...well...uhm, do their buisness on." Patchstar told him, "I can smell that," Bramble remarked. "You can't come here because the fumes could harm you." the white and brown tom gagged. "I don't even want to be here!" "Right,"

Patchstar gazed at the patch of lavenders. "Don't even step foot in here without permission, it can bring you to StarClan or the dark forest, so don't roll in it, or even touch it." Bramble nodded slowly, "Okay, I understand," Patchstar remembered the moment he and Larch rolled in the lavender and got transported to where Mapleshade was. "That should be it for the day, are you ready?" Bramble nodded, gaping his mouth in a yawn.