Do or Die (A Warrior Cats Fan Novel)

chapter 19

-Third Person POV, Cactuskit, ScarletClan-

Most of ScarletClan had departed to take part in the raid on PearlClan, including his father and mother, leaving the camp almost completely empty.

Cactuskit was sitting in the nursery quietly, right next to Briarrose. He was honestly upset. Upset that he had to be a medicine cat just because he had a stutter. 

Briarrose looked sympathetic, her brown eyes warm as always. "What's got you down, love?"

"I have t-to be a m-m-m-medicine c-c-c-cat. I d-d-don't WANT to b-b-be a m-medicine c-c-c-cat."

The kit looked absolutely devastated. Briarrose felt her heart breaking. "I wanted to be a medicine cat when I was little," she said, prepared to tell her entire life story.

"Really?" Cactuskit met her eyes, his own eyes wide. He loved stories. "C-c-can you t-t-tell me about it?"

Briarrose smiled mischievously, "I've never liked the idea of fighting, especially other cats. In fact, I had a fear of blood when I was younger. Odd, for a warrior, eh?"

Cactuskit giggled and nodded.

"So I took on medicine cat training. Fallingfeather never really liked me, a whole family feud I never really was told about. She would constantly nitpick every single mistake I made, like mixing up marigold and dandelion. Eventually I had to give up. She was really mean," Briarrose chuckled, and Cactuskit looked slightly fearful.

"She wants you to be her apprentice, though. It's not just your stutter. She sees something special in you, that's how medicine cats choose their apprentices."

"R-r-really? I'm s-s-s-special?"

"Yes you are. Besides, would you rather save the warriors and keep everybody alive or fight and be unable to help?"

"H-help. H-h-helping seems n-nicer."

Briarrose purred. This cat was so innocent. "Would you like to know what I'm going to name my kits?"

The young tom nodded rapidly.

"According to Fallingfeather, I'm going to have five. Isn't that wonderful? I'm going to name them Bumblekit, Stingerkit, Honeykit, Tulipkit, and Periwinklekit."

Briarrose's mate was Waspsting, after she and another warrior, Herringsplash, broke up. Hence all of the bee references.

"Fallingfeather f-f-figured out h-how many k-k-k-k-kits you're g-going to h-h-have!? T-that's awesome!"

Briarrose purred. "You'll enjoy being a medicine cat."

-Third Person POV, Amethystpaw, PearlClan-  

The most important thing, getting rid of the kits and elders and shooing them off to WisteriaClan, was done, and praying for their safe passage was all Amethystpaw could do. She and her mother were preparing to go into hiding, and the rest of the clan was focusing on remembering all hidden exits and every battle move that was useful for cave fighting. 

"Will the apprentices be okay?" she said to her mother, voice trembling with fear.

"Yes. They will hide if they are at an unfair disadvantage, but don't forget. Only we can light the crystals, and we have the advantage is the cave. ScarletClan can see in the dark, but they don't know how to fight underground. We'll be safe as long as our warriors don't forget how to fight."