Pineshade's Loss

Chapter 18

It is now leaf-bare. All of the leaves fell off the deciduous trees and it is now much colder. Also, what's leaf-bare without a case of greencough?

This leaf-bare, greencough has been much worse than he had hoped. It has already killed Gorsefall, Bluepelt, Mousetail, and Silentstream. It really hurt Pinepaw when Acornpaw told him about Bluepelt and Gorsefall.

"They refused to live on while the other was dead. So, they went off to StarClan together," Acornpaw had told him, which hurt his heart. Pinepaw can see him and Milkpaw being like that in the future. When one of them dies, the other would probably refuse to live on without the other. That's how close their bond is. Pinepaw and Milkpaw's close friendship and promises they've made have been restored ever since she lost her memory, which makes him very grateful.

Pinepaw hasn't seen Acornpaw much lately though. The pale tabby has been stuck in the medicine cat den trying to heal sick cats, especially ever since Silvertuft herself caught greencough. Pinepaw can only imagine how stressed Acornpaw must be.

Recently, Frogpaw has been following Pinepaw around, even making excuses to stay with him. Pinepaw feels great about the fact that a younger cat admires and looks up to him that much. They've been slowly becoming good friends.

As Pinepaw is resting in camp while Frogpaw and Milkpaw are out on hunting patrol, Acornpaw bursts out of the medicine cat den, his eyes wide with worry.

"What's the matter, Acornpaw?" Leafshadow then asks the small tom.

"Silvertuft! She's gone!" Acornpaw meows. "I tried everything I could, but I lost her! I'm not qualified to be a full medicine cat yet! I only know half of the herbs I should know!" He meows panicky.

"Calm down," Lizardtail meows. "We will find a solution to this," he assures the small apprentice. "Vigil will be held for Silvertuft tonight, but we need a cat to teach you more before you become a full medicine cat," he meows.

"Boulderstar lost a life too," Acornpaw brings up. "It's all my fault, I could've saved both of them if I only knew more."

"It's not your fault," Rosedawn assures her son.

"Doesn't ThunderClan have two full medicine cats?" Leafshadow reminds her mate, trying to the idea she had just came up with in his head.

"Oh, right!" Lizardtail meows. "I can send a small patrol to see if either of them can finish up Acornpaw's training," he meows.

***

A patrol was sent off and then they returned along with one of the ThunderClan medicine cats, Yarrowfur. The brown she-cat went straight to the medicine cat den to help Acornpaw finish up his medicine cat training while helping with the sick cats. Pinepaw wishes the younger apprentice the best of luck before Yarrowfur and Acornpaw went to help finish up his training.

***

About a moon later, Acornpaw returned from the Moonpool meeting between the medicine cats with his full medicine cat name, Acornfall. Thankfully, no more cats were lost due to greencough in ShadowClan and all sick cats are now healthy. Pinepaw went up to the younger apprentice the next morning to congratulate him.

"Congratulations," Pinepaw meows once he approaches him.

"Thank you, it's all thanks to Yarrowfur. I hope everything is okay in ThunderClan, she said it was bad for them too," Acornfall meows. "I'm a full medicine cat now, even though I'm still very young and don't have as much experience as I should," he mentions.

"No, you'll do fine. Yarrowfur made you a full medicine cat last night for a reason. She thought you were ready," Pinepaw meows.

"The training was rushed. She went too fast. I learned what I should've learned in multiple moons in just one," Acornfall meows.

"You'll be a great medicine cat, I promise," Pinepaw responds. Then, that's when Milkpaw approaches the two cats.

"Acornpaw, congratulations!" Milkpaw meows. "What's your name now?" She asks Acornfall.

"Acornfall," He responds. "Yarrowfur probably saw when I tripped over a rock while searching for catmint." Pinepaw and Milkpaw both let out a purr of amusement, but Acornfall doesn't seem to be amused.

"I'm being serious," Acornfall responds. "I swear she named me after that, she thought it was hilarious when I landed muzzle-first in the snow."

"I wish I was there to see that," Pinepaw purrs with amusement.

"I think I have to go now," Acornfall tells them. "I'll talk to you two later," the pale brown tabby meows before padding over towards the medicine cat den. Milkpaw turns her head to look over at Pinepaw.

"Want to go play?" Milkpaw asks him excitedly. "We need to hurry, before Frogpaw finds us!"

"Is that a question?!" Pinepaw responds cheerfully. Then, the two apprentices dash out of the camp entrance together, acting like kits although they're now fully grown cats.