Erin Hunter - Leafpool’s Wish

Squirrelflight took a step back. “That’s impossible!”

“Without me, ThunderClan won’t have a medicine cat,” Leafpool insisted. “There’s not enough time to train an apprentice, and there are still wounds to be treated from the badger fight!”

Squirrelflight’s eyes were troubled. “Other cats can take over your duties. Brightheart knows about herbs, doesn’t she? You don’t have to be a medicine cat, Leafpool. Everyone will get used to the idea eventually. It’s not like our Clanmates don’t know about you and Crowfeather.”

“ThunderClan needs me to be their medicine cat. I cannot have these kits!”

Squirrelflight looked at Leafpool’s swollen belly. “I don’t think you have a choice right now.” She moved closer and Leafpool felt the warmth of her sister’s breath against her cheek. “I’ll help you as much as I can, I promise,” Squirrelflight murmured. “Everything will be okay.”

Leafpool looked at the tiny points of light being tossed on the lake, fragile and churned by the waves. Oh, Squirrelflight, you don’t understand. Nothing will ever be okay again.

Leafpool looked up as Berrykit limped into the nursery. “What is it this time?” she mewed.

Hazelkit’s head popped up behind her brother. “He stood on a giant thistle!” she squeaked. “His paw is full of prickles!”

Berrykit miserably held up his forepaw. He screwed up his eyes and twisted his head away. “Will I ever be able to hunt?” he whimpered.

Leafpool studied the tiny pink foot. She could just see the tip of a thorn, no bigger than a mouse’s whisker, in one of the pads. “I think you’ll be okay,” she meowed.

“Can I come in?” called a voice from the entrance. It was Brightheart, rolling a bundle of cobwebs in front of her. “Here you are,” she puffed, tucking them into a little cleft in the stone wall. “I found loads under a piece of old bark by the shore.”

“Thanks,” mewed Leafpool. “While you’re here, would you like to extract a gigantic thorn from this brave little warrior?”

Brightheart blinked. “Sure, if you want me to.” She squinted down at Berrykit’s paw. “Wow, that’s huge! Okay, hold still.”

Berrykit leaned against Hazelkit as Brightheart bent over his foot and nipped out the prickle. She spat it onto a leaf and straightened up. “All done,” she declared.

“Did it hurt?” Hazelkit asked.

Berrykit nodded. “A bit. But I’m nearly a warrior, so I don’t mind. Thanks, Brightheart!” With a flick of his stumpy tail, he trotted out of the den with his sister.

Brightheart watched them leave, then turned to Leafpool. “Is there something you want to tell me?” she meowed, her single eye wide with concern. In the half-light of the den, the ginger patches of fur glowed against her white pelt.

Leafpool flinched. “What do you mean?”

“So far today I’ve treated an infected tick wound on Mousefur, sorted out the last of our yarrow stocks, collected cobwebs, and now dealt with the smallest thorn I’ve ever seen. You know I never mind helping you, Leafpool, but any cat would think you wanted me to be your apprentice!”

“How would you feel about that?” Leafpool mewed quietly.

Brightheart purred. “I’m flattered to be asked, but what about Cloudtail and Whitepaw? I am a mother and a mate, and I don’t want to give that up. No, Leafpool, you made a brave decision to follow your destiny, especially after the… the Crowfeather incident. But I am very happy as I am. I love helping you and I hope that never changes, but you’ll have to look to these new litters of kits for an apprentice. With so many of them, it won’t be hard!”

She ducked under the brambles at the entrance and vanished into the cold sunshine. Leafpool stood in the middle of her den. She had never felt more alone in her life. Then her kits stirred inside her, and she reminded herself that the problem was that she wasn’t alone. She felt a flash of anger toward her unborn kits. Why did you have to come? Your father doesn’t even know you exist. You’re going to ruin everything!

Three sunrises passed. Sleepless and feverish with fear, Leafpool watched each one appear over the tops of the trees. She felt exhausted, weighed down by her belly, and frightened to spend much time out of her den in case her Clanmates realized what was going on. In particular she hid from Mousefur, sending Brightheart to the elders’ den to check the old she-cat’s infection. They hadn’t discussed the issue of a new apprentice again.

Leafpool was counting out her stock of poppy seeds when there was a commotion in the clearing. She stuck her head out and saw Cloudtail carrying Whitepaw’s still, pale body on his shoulders. The rest of the dawn patrol clustered around them.

Thornclaw broke away and yowled, “Leafpool, come quick! Whitepaw is hurt!”

Brightheart flew out of the warriors’ den. “What’s going on?” She helped Cloudtail lower their daughter to the ground. “Whitepaw! Wake up!”

Leafpool ran over. “Stand back, Brightheart,” she mewed gently. “Let me see her.”

Brightheart stepped away and pressed herself against Cloudtail. “Our baby!” she whimpered.

The little white cat lay very still, her breathing shallow and her heartbeat weak. Leafpool looked up at Brackenfur, who was staring at his apprentice in distress. “Tell me exactly what happened,” she ordered.

The golden brown warrior narrowed his eyes. “She was practicing for her final assessment. A hare crossed the WindClan border and Whitepaw went for it. She caught it, but it struggled and got away. By the time I reached her, she was like this.” His voice shook.

Sorreltail padded up behind him, having heard the commotion from the nursery, and rested her tail on his shoulder to comfort him. “It wasn’t your fault,” she murmured.

Leafpool traced the outline of Whitepaw’s body with her paws, feeling for broken bones. There was a swelling on Whitepaw’s jaw which felt hot to the touch. “Did the hare strike her face?”

Thornclaw nodded. “Yes, I think so.”

“That’s what has knocked her out,” Leafpool mewed. “I’m guessing it was a large animal?”

“Massive,” Brackenfur confirmed. “I can’t believe Whitepaw thought she could take it.”

Brightheart let out a gasp. “My poor brave kit!”

Leafpool continued her examination. She hoped Whitepaw would wake up on her own, but she needed to check if there were any other injuries. Her legs seemed fine but there was something wrong with the angle of her tail…

“I think she’s dislocated her tail,” Leafpool announced.

Cloudtail blinked. “Is that possible?”

“It’s rare, but I’ve heard of it happening.” Leafpool prodded the base of Whitepaw’s spine, feeling the joint crunch. Whitepaw stirred.

“She’s waking up!” cried Brightheart. “Does that mean she’s in pain?”

Leafpool nodded. “Putting her tail back will hurt a lot.”

“Then you have to give her something to sleep through it!” Brightheart insisted. “Shall I fetch poppy seeds?”

Leafpool thought for a moment. Poppy seeds would make Whitepaw sleep more deeply, and if she had already been knocked out, would that be dangerous? She wanted the apprentice to wake up as soon as possible and indicate if she was in pain anywhere else. “No,” she meowed at last. “The pain won’t last long, and if it helps to rouse Whitepaw, that might be a good thing.” Brightheart let out a yelp of dismay but Leafpool ignored her. “Thornclaw, fetch a stick and put it between Whitepaw’s jaws in case she bites down. Brackenfur, hold her hindquarters steady like this.” She demonstrated by placing her paws firmly on Whitepaw’s haunches. The little cat let out a murmur.