Bluestar looked thoughtfully down at Rusty. "Very well. I will ask Spottedleaf if she would like you to be her apprentice," she meowed. Rusty heard her mutter something along the line of "fire... Clan.. different way."
Rusty watched her leave, the den, murmur something to Spottedleaf, then turn and leapt on the highledge. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather!" She called. It seemed like cats were spilling out of every den. She scanned the crowd. Rusty tried to fit in with the group, his fur tingling. He perked his ears as Bluestar began to speak.
"We have found a new apprentice," She mewed, her eyes shining. "He is not a part of ThunderClan, although, and he will not be a normal apprentice. Spottedleaf, come here!"
The Medicine Cat leaped up beside Bluestar with a large pounce. "It is time for me to pick an apprentice. I will not live forever, so I am asking this young cat, who does not belong to Thunderclan originally, to be my helper, and the next Medicine Cat. Rusty, come forward," She called, looking down at the apprentice. The crowd murmured things like "That isn't a scent of any Clan I know!" and "Who is that?" Rusty, in the middle of stepping closer to Spottedleaf, a step closer to his destiny, a pale tom with black stripes leapt at him, claws unsheathed. "Kittypet!" He yowled, clawing at him. Rusty used his hind legs to try kick the small tom off of his tummy, but failed. He bit deep into the pale tom's shoulder, so he could get off. Rusty got up, ear bleeding, and paws trembling. "If I am a kittypet because of my collar," he said, his claws unsheathing. "Then I shall be a kittypet no longer!"
He raised a shaking paw up to his collar, and ripped it. Right where the rip was. The collar fell from his neck, landing with a soft thump on the ground. He sheathed his claws again, taking the rest of his step forward. Spottedleaf looked surprised. "You will be known as Firepaw, for your pelt shines like fire in the sun."
Firepaw shook his fur, shaking the blood out as the clan- his clan- called his name. "Firepaw! Firepaw! Firepaw!" The clan called. Spottedleaf leapt off of the highledge, taking the pale tom to the medicine cat den. Bluestar looked down at him. "You fought well against Longtail. He is a new Warrior, but is skilled. You did well. You'll be a good Medicine Cat apprentice."
YOU ARE READING
Herbs and Claws
FanfictionIn another parallel universe, Tigerclaw is Bluestar's Deputy, and he is less ambitious, and way less evil. As an apprentice, instead of Thistleclaw, he got Bluestar as his mentor. Meanwhile, a young kittypet, who you know as Rusty, enters the forest...
