The Forgotten Tribe {Warriors Fanfiction}

Chapter 3

Moonpaw woke to the smell of squirrel.

Littlenose nudged him. "You can't begin the day without fresh kill in your belly."

Moonpaw groggily sat up and stared at the squirrel. He did have to admit, it smelled amazing. He bent down and took a bite out of it, instantly feeling better. "Thank you, Littlenose."

Littlenose smiled and sat down beside him. "Today we begin learning about greencough. Tonight is the half-moon, and it was my goal to get you to learn about it before your first medicine cat meeting."

"Tonight?" Moonpaw took a bite out of the squirrel. 

"Indeed. I'm excited for you to meet Amberpool and her apprentice, Ashpaw." Littlenose smiled and stood up, glancing at her stash of catmint, which was extremely low. The attack that had happened last moon was terrifying, and it left the medicine cats with very little herbs.

"We can restock today while I learn?" Moonpaw offered, staring at the stash with a frown.

Littlenose nodded. "Sure, that sounds perfect. With our plan, we're bound to thrive even without a leader or deputy."

Moonpaw shrugged. "It's against the warrior code." He said quietly. "A new deputy should be chosen before the first moonhigh. It's been an entire moon!"

Littlenose turned away with a sigh. "Things are complicated within the clan. All our warriors who have the experience have retired, and our older warriors don't have enough experience. Who would even appoint a deputy and leader? Things are a mess."

Moonpaw looked down at his paws. "I guess. May StarClan help us."

Littlenose was silent for a few moments. Finally, she stood up and began heading out. "Well, when you're ready, meet me outside, I'll be helping the others."

Moonpaw nodded and finished up his squirrel. He walked out and instantly spotted Littlenose talking to Narrowblaze. He could hear their conversation from where he stood.

"If StarClan knows what is happening, they'll send a sign." Littlenose said.

"They should send it soon, we can't hold out for long without a leader." Narrowblaze shook his head and looked down at his paws. "You're the medicine cat, shouldn't you know what StarClan wants?"

"Sometimes StarClan doesn't tell anyone what they want." Littlenose snapped, before spotting Moonpaw. "Ah, my apprentice, just in time. Allow me to guide you today in the knowledge of leafbare sicknesses."

Moonpaw trotted forward to stand by Littlenose's side, giving Narrowblaze a concerned stare. When Littlenose began leaving the camp, he followed, flicking his tail towards Narrowblaze. If anything, the medicine cats had the highest authority at this point. No lowly warrior should've been insulting Littlenose like that.

"Now, the one you really need to look out for is greencough. You know plenty about that, I presume." Littlenose informed while they were walking through the forest.

"I do." Moonpaw muttered. He looked up at the trees, a saddened look painted across his face. "Greencough kills cats every leafbare. One of the only cures is catmint." He turned to face the direction he and Littlenose always traveled to gather the precious herb.

"Well done." Littlenose nodded, her head was held high. "Now, can you tell me some symptoms of greencough?"

"Vomiting, coughing, wheezing, breathlessness, fever," Moonpaw began, thinking hard of his past studies. He padded on, listening to the soft sound of their paws drumming the forest floor.

"Very good." Littlenose was beaming with pride.

"Littlenose? Have you ever mentored another apprentice?" Moonpaw asked suddenly.