The Last Clan- book 1

Chapter Four

   Daisyear worked Ravenpaw hard, but Ravenpaw didn't mind. She loved her job as a medicine cat. Ravenpaw stumbled out of the medicine cat den with borage leaves in her jaws. She was bringing them to Rabbitfoot for her milk to come more. She had said her kits were wailing because they needed more food.

   Ravenpaw placed the herbs on the floor of the nursery floor. Kits tumbled around her. They were two moons old now. Birdkit, Cloudkit, and Wolfkit trotted up to her.

   "Why are you here?" Wolfkit asked. Her brothers padded up to her side.

   "Don't be rude kits!" Rabbitfoot scolded. "Ravenpaw's here because she can be. Go play while she gives me some medicine." The kits glowered and stalked off. Ravenpaw walked over to the queen and purred.

    "I came here with your borage." Ravenpaw took the herb her jaws and handed it to Rabbitfoot. "Chew these up and swallow them. It'll help your milk come." The queen obeyed and swallowed the last leaf.

   "You're such a good medicine cat now!" Rabbitfoot told her. "Your mother would've been proud of you."

   Ravenpaw looked up at her hopefully. "Really?"

   "Of course, dear." Rabbitfoot licked her head. "Now run along. I'm fine now. Thank you!" Ravenpaw dipped her head and raced out of the nursery. The camp was suddenly busy now. Cats were crowded in the clearing and Fernstar was on the big rock. Ravenpaw sat down at the edge of the group, but Daisyear walked up to her and nudged her to her feet. Ravenpaw looked up at her quizzically.

   "This is a warrior's meeting. We have no business to be here." she meowed quietly. She led her apprentice inside the medicine cat's den. Fawnfur sat in his nest, his broken leg jutting out to the side. He sat up when he saw them come in.

   "I heard Fernstar call a meeting. Can I go watch?" he asked.

   "If you stay outside the medicine cat den and if you be careful." Daisyear warned. "You'r leg's still broken, you know." Fawnfur delicatly got up. For a moment, he wobbled on his three legs, and Ravenpaw was tempted to go over and help the tom. But he regains his balance and limped out of the den. Daisyear turned to the black she-cat.

   "It's about borders and all that warrior stuff." she told her. "We don't worry about that. Would you sort this juniper berries and poppy seeds into piles and then stack them up for me? Just in the front of the storage. So then we can get them quickly if we need them."

   Ravenpaw reached for the messed up pile of juniper berries. Their blue color glinted in the dim light. She stacked them onto a large leaf and tied it together. She moved it gently to the front of the large storage of herbs and leaves. The poppy pile was bigger and required two sepreate leaves to hold them all. Ravenpaw stuggled to tie it. The stem was too short to wrap around properly. She reached for another leaf to hold the second stack in. Daisyear turned to see her reach for the back of the pile, and dropped her herbs. She yowled and raced forward. Frightened, Ravenpaw drew back. Daisyear stood over the leaves Ravenpaw was reaching for. Daisyear's eyes were wide.

   "Do never touch those!" Daisyear spat. Ravenpaw backed up, afraid of her wild eyes and raised hackles. Daisyear looked at her and calmed down enough to talk. "Those are yew leaves! They are so poisonous they'll kill you before they reach your stomach."

   "I- I didn't know." Ravenpaw stammered.

   The she-cat realaxed. "Sorry for scaring you, Ravenpaw. But... nothing. I just didn't want you to get hurt. I don't even know why I have them in camp. I should've told you about that the day you were made my apprentice." There was a sad, distant look in her eyes, as though she experianced something Ravenpaw could never understand.