Magicstar's Story

Chapter 15

"You'll make a great leader." Leaffeather's words rang in her ears, was Firestar going to die? The thought stung her, Firestar was one of her best friends, the Fireclan leader let her live in the clan even though she was born a rogue. She had fought beside her for countless moons, why does her beloved leader have to die? Magicclaw shook herself to get rid of the thoughts that clung to her mind like cobwebs. She headed for Spottedheart's den, wanting to share her worries about her clan leader with her medicine cat friend. Magicclaw padded into the medicine cat's den, and saw that Redpaw was there, working on a yarrow poultice for one of the elders who was complaining about cracked pads.

"Redpaw, where's Spottedheart?" Magicclaw asked the pale-white she-cat, Redpaw looked up from her work.

"Gathering herbs." Redpaw replied, then added fretfully. "Do you know what else is in the poultice for cracked pads? I know it's yarrow and coltsfoot, but I can't remember what's the third herb for it!" Magicclaw's whiskers twitched with amusement.

"Dock leaf." She answered, she padded over to Redpaw and helped her mix the poultice.

"Magicclaw.." Redpaw mewed softly after a while, her paws shifting uncomfortably. "I..I want to become a Medicine cat apprentice." She blurted out. Her requested didn't surprise Magicclaw, but she was so close on becoming a warrior, would it be wise for her to become a medicine cat so far into her apprenticeship?

"Are you sure?" Magicclaw asked. "You're very close on becoming a warrior." She wanted Redpaw to think about her decision carefully, she would have to get used not hunting and patrolling regularly, instead she would be mainly here in the medicine den or out gathering herbs, then at half-moon she would have to travel to the Moonwater where the medicine cats met to share tongues with their warrior ancestors. Redpaw glanced down at her paws, then looked up again.

"I'm sure." She mewed. "I remember the battle at Sunningstones, even though I was only a kit then, I wanted to be like just like the warriors that fought, but now..." Her voice trailed off, just as Frostpaw walked into the den with Spottedheart carrying a bundle of herbs. Setting them down he looked at Redpaw.

"You want to become a medicine cat?" Frostpaw asked, Redpaw nodded, looking uncomfortable.

"We'll have to talk to Firestar." Spottedheart mewed. Magicclaw shivered, she needed to talk to Spottedheart about their leader, without the apprentices around.

"Why don't you two go to the elders den and see if they have any ticks or need their bedding changed?" Spottedheart meowed, sensing that Magicclaw had something on her mind. Redpaw picked up the poultice and, with Frostpaw following, she headed out of the den crossing the clearing to where the elders' den stood. Once they left, Spottedheart turned to Magicclaw.

"There is something troubling you, yes?" She mewed. Magicclaw nodded and took a deep breath. "How many lives does Firestar have?" Magicclaw asked quietly, Spottedheart paused for a moment, the meowed. "One, she has one life left. Why, Magicclaw?" Magicclaw wanted to wail out loud,

No! She can't have one life left! She started trembling, Spottedpaw pressed against her.

"Shh..it's alright, Magicclaw, she has lived eight good lives. Silverclan knows when it's her time to join their ranks." She gave Magicclaw's ear a comforting lick, like Deadshadow would've done if he was with her at that very moment.

"You mustn't tell anyone, not even Deadshadow." Spottedheart meowed sternly. Magicclaw nodded weakly, rising to her paws she meowed a goodbye to Spottedheart and went to go sort out the evening patrols.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Magicclaw let out a purr of satisfaction as she made her kill, the mouse nearly escaped, but she was able to catch it and the clan will be happy to see the sight of fresh-kill. Leaf-bare was hitting Fireclan hard, most of the time nowadays, the clan went hungry. Only giving the prey to the elders and the queens. With a pang, Magicclaw realized that Firestar was growing weaker and weaker with each passing day. How long would it be until the Fireclan leader couldn't go on? She shook herself, getting rid of that awful thought, picking up her prey she headed back to camp finding the thrush she killed earlier.

Once Magicclaw was back to camp, she took the mouse to the elders and the thrush to the queens. In the nursery, the only queen there was Meadowbreeze, she had a she-kit, Snowkit, and a tom-kit, Sunkit, they mewled pitfully as the search for milk.

"Thank Silverclan, you found some prey." Meadowbreeze mewed as Magicclaw padded into the den. "I don't think I have enough milk for them." She added, with a worry expression on her face.

"Don't worry, leaf-bare won't last forever." Magicclaw mewed, trying to comfort the queen. But she knew the blonde she-cat's anxiety, she already lost two if her kits to the cold. Meadowbreeze nodded, and bent down to take a bite out of the thrush, backing away, Magicclaw headed for Firestar's den. She needed to know how her leader was before she took Frostpaw out for training. Pushing past the lichen, Magicclaw found Firestar talking to her sons, Leaffeather and Squirrelclaw, knowing her leader was well, she turned around and went to the apprentice's den to get Frostpaw, after she got her apprentice, they headed to the training hollow.

"I'm going to teach a very hard, but useful, battle move." Magicclaw told him.