Warmpaw smiled.
"I think it might be a good change."

The walk to the twolegs place was uneventful and, since Warmpaw was uncomfortable with silent walks, he decided to make some conversation.
"Do you ever wonder how we figured out how to use herbs? Was it just luck or did StarClan show us?" He trotted along happily, it was strange. If he had gone out like this two moons ago, he would have been deathly afraid of everything. Being with Mallownose, he felt safe.

When they got close, Warmpaw could smell the catmint. It was such a great smell and he rather enjoyed sniffing the stalks when they have them in the den. Somehow, they always made him feel relaxed.

"Warmpaw, do you see that?"
Warmpaw had been so focused on the catmint, he hadn't noticed the underlying scent of fresh kill. He padded up beside Mallownose and instantly reeled back and hid behind his mentor. The cat chittered away, clearly very anxious about their presence.

He peeked out at the cat. He wasn't sure what to do. He had mentioned StarClan, though. Was he a clan cat? No.. no clan cat would be this far into their territory.
"Mallownose, what do we do? He looks really hungry." A thought then crossed his mind, and he wondered if the same thing had hit his mentor. He had caught the scent of thyme.

Warmpaw nosed around and found a small cluster of the plant nearby. Surely the twolegs growing it wouldnt miss a few stems. He came back and edged toward the stranger. He knew if the cat attacked, Mallownose would have his back, but the tom always told him it was the duty of a medicine cat to look passed the differences in cats and help them all. So it was a risk he was obligated to take. Once he got too close for comfort, he set one down and backed up.
"This is thyme, it will help you calm down. We aren't here to hurt you. I am Warmpaw, a Thunderclan medicine cat apprentice and this is my mentor, Mallownose." he flicked his tail toward Mallownose, "Are you okay?"

@xXBalloonsXx"starclan above"he muttered to himself,worried about this strange cat."you need help, come on, follow me and I'll take you to where you can get rid of that wound."timber paw walked out of the den and motioned for lake paw to follow him to the medicine den."come on, lakepaw."he said as he again though to himself(her father tortured her and had the half mind to leave her paw in peices, no cat should have to go through a fate such as that.)

@Blizz

The silvery shecat was silent, slowly following as the pain still rumbled on her paw. She followed the strange Timberpaw, worried about what would happen. Her deep blue eyes glowed as if she didn't trust, but she needed help. Her paw was wounded badly, and being tortured, maybe she could make friends. Timberpaw seemed nice of course, and wanted to help her. What if he plans to hurt me? Should I trust Timberpaw? She asked herself silently, before asking,

"W-where are we going?" She asked, shivering with fear of what might happened. She gave her white chest of a lick of comfort, before looking back up. She only followed the tom, looking around. She shrank down leaving her shoulders broad and high, her ears still pulled back. Her paw was bleeding badly, but she held in the pain. Soon she hoped, it would be all better. Or worse.

@xXBalloonsXxtimberpaw gave the she-cat a reassuring look.he said"we're going to the medicine cats den,there we can find something to help your paw and stop the bleeding".timberpaw was worried about this stranger.However regardless he felt rather similar to her.

@Blizz

The shecat nodded slowly. She hung her head, still thinking. Maybe he was right, maybe she was getting help. She continued to walk, avoiding the looks of cats. She went past Brokenbranch and Angelfeather, who stopped wrestling.

"Who are they?" The shecat asked, stepping closer for safety. She felt safer around the person she just met, at least he seemed nice. Her fur bristled, fear rising in her eyes, she took 4 tail lengths away from the cats, looking at them in fear. She began breathing rapid again, panting in fear as she saw so many more cats. She gave a yelp, almost a cry, and not of pain, of fear. She pelted into a shadowy part, she hoped where nobody could see her.

The apprentice almost scoffed at her ignorance; Duskclaw had much more important things to do on a daily basis than collect moss for dens. Honeypaw was supposed to know where to find it, as it was an apprentice duty. As the older warrior hesitated, the young she-cat stalled her own steps and stayed by his side. He seemed to be in thought but he came back to reality only a few moments later. Honeypaw nodded and followed after him. She wondered if she should ask what he was thinking about, but she just brushed it off to him thinking about where moss would be growing. She didn't know the Warrior very well, and surely he had better cats to talk to than a random apprentice.

When the pair left the camp, Honeypaw visibly perked up. Her eyes widened and she drew a long breath over her sensitive scent glands. She shivered in delight; so freshly into apprentice-hood, leaving cam was still slightly thrilling to her. She kept alert for any sights or sounds, and enjoyed the warm sun on her dark fur. "It's a great day, today," She mewed, trying to make conversation, but as she turned to face him she watched hi trip over a tree root. Honeypaw gasped and darted forward, but the tom got up on his own. "A-Are you alright?!" She questioned hurriedly, coming in front of him.

Gingerflame stopped struggling, knowing her attempts to untangle her legs were useless. She couldn’t get out and thus was trapped once more. It was unfair, to say the least and all it did was frustrate the she-cat further. She hated depending on others, she hated needing their help. It made her feel weak, and still, after two litters, she couldn’t get used to the feeling.

Raising her head, she stared at the tom in thought. She’d never really spoken to Frostbite before, never really... interacted with him. They were both ThunderClan members but judging on how much she knew about him, he may as well have been from ShadowClan. Which was concerning, yes, but Gingerflame didn’t put much thought into it. Obviously he kept to himself, and so did she. She wasn’t one to socialise with random cats too much, preferring to sit and observe. Unless someone challenged her, of course. Then she definitely wasn’t a ‘side lines’ sort of cat.

She felt a strange sense of protectiveness and anxiety when he approached her, and was close to out-right clubbing him with her paw. But she didn’t. She knew he was a loyal ThunderClan cat and since there was no way she was getting out of those brambles alone, she remained silent as the tom started to paw at the thorns. A cold trickle of blood trailed down her leg, making her yelp ever so slightly. It took a while, but the tom was slow and steady with his efforts, trying not to let the thorns snag at her too much.

Once she was freed, she stepped forwards and moved away from the bramble bush. A sharp pain was still digging into her side, and she knew that there must have been a thorn embedded into her skin somewhere. Without a word, she started searching for it. She nipped and pulled at her skin to try and pull the bugger out, but it remained, stubbornly.

She could barely see Frostbite sitting in front of her as she continued to dig out the last thorns. He was strangely quiet, watching her from a far. She’d half expected him to scold her like a disobedient apprentice, repeating the camp rules as if she didn’t know them already. To tell her how ‘Queens shouldn’t be away from camp’, ‘it was dangerous’, and dub her in to Hawkstar as soon as they got back. But no. What the tom did instead surprised her, no, it shocked her. And for the love of StarClan, it was not the right thing to say to this pregnant she-cat.

"Typical..."

She heard it. It was faint, quiet, but she definitely heard it. Her head jolted up, her eyes narrowing into tight slits as she glared at the tom. What did he say? Suddenly, a blast of rage filled her once more, her muscles tensing furiously. How dare he? With her teeth gritted firmly, she stormed after him, pushing past and standing in his way. She crouched, her shoulder bones sticking out from under her fur as she flared her nostrils. That tom had some nerve. Some nerve! Her claws were extended, hell, she was ready to fight him right then and there. A growl escaped her mouth, a sound that was akin to a hostile dog.

“Say that again and I’ll make mousemeat out of you!” She hissed, daring him to challenge her.

@xXBalloonsXxtimberpaw looked at lakepaw"they all live here, and believe me when i tell you:they are good people, if not for them I'd stay alone for the rest of my life".timberpaw saw fear in her eyes, he felt worried for her."why would your father do such a thing to you?" He asked. In his head he thought(She was right to run away from him.)

@Blizz

H-he Blamed me for my m-mothers death..!" She said, looking around franticly. Lakepaw had never seen so many cats. She took a deep breath, and slowly padded out to beside Timberpaw, still scared as her fur shook. She hoped nothing would go bad. She was starting to trust Timberpaw a little, and seeing the clan, they did look nice. She smiled slightly, looking to Timberpaw. "Sorry for being so jumpy.. Im probably just a useless cat with the fears of everything.." She muttered softly, looking down at the ground. The silvery tabby shecat with black stripes and ears felt like a pathetic waste of dust. She couldn't do anything right. She hoped Timberpaw would help her.

@xXBalloonsXxtimber paw looked to the scared cat"it's okay,I've been in a situation where I was frightened beyond belief as well."he said trying to hide to shock from his father blaming her for his mothers death."you and I are very much alike,you say that you're useless and so have I, you don't have to be scared lakepaw."

@Blizz

Lakepaw blinked. "R-Really?" She asked, seeing that he said the same. She smiled a little. "C-can I meet the clan? They look nice.." She said, looking around.

Angelfeather giggled, pelting around, while Brokenbranch was chasing her. Angelfeather laughed, stopping beside the warriors den, letting Brokenbranch pelt past her, meanwhile he didn't realize that he past her. Angelfeather was busy giggling her fur off, before meowing, "I can't believe that you fell for that!!" She said, falling over.

Brokenbranch was busy panting before looking back at her. He grunted, pelting after her and leaping at her. He smirked. "I Win!" He mewed, getting off.

It turned out that Sketch, Mallownose and Warmpaw were cooperating, for the better if a fight went down with two clan cats...Yikes. Then he was offered a place in the clan along with Sketch,"I could be a clan cat, learn the ways of a warrior". Coochie shook his head laughing "I'll help you with the herbs and come back to you on the joining thing, we will think about that later now herbs!". Coochie couldn't leave Carl he was a lovely old man who deserved the best, though he couldn't tell them that just in case he did change his mind. "So What herb did you say it was again?"

Today could be the biggest day of his life....

Runningpaw

She stayed behing her mentor looking what he was doing. When Mossfur asked her to show what she can do, Runningapaw walked next to him. Smelling and listening the forest, she smelled something very close, it was a mouse. Listening she find out where the mouse was hiding, but she wasen't interested to catch this one. She wanted something bigger and faster, ingnoring it she padded forward scaring the mouse off. listening and smelling this time little bit more focus, she noticed a Squirrel not too far. Licking his lips she get down, before she jump out to catch it, but was too slow and squirrel run away. Without thinking twice Runningpaw run after it, trying to catch it tail always when she was close enought. The scared squirrel run toward the tree and begin to climb on it "Oih! You're not getting away from me" Runningpaw yelled before climbing to the same tree still focused to catch this squirrel.

Leopardflower

Licking her fur spotted Queen looked at the Mosscoat which gived her to thoise herbs "Hmm! Well than you..." she meowed taking a half of them, pushing the other half away "Thoise will be for Gingerflame when she is ready to eat them" she meowed looking at the Mosscoat who only nodded as response. Licking her lips she knowed that the ginger queens pregnacy was more further that hers and Mosscoat was already kitted, So Gingerflame needed to more care than any of them.

@xXBalloonsXxtimberpaw looked to lake paw and smiled, He had found someone he could relate to."sure but first we have to get the medicine cats attention focused on that wound."Timberpaw wondered what the clan leader would think, they were nice enough to take him in.Surely they would allow lake paw to stay"maybe you should stay here lake paw,it seems your father is out to kill you so I think it would be best if you remained here."

Hawkstar returned Duskclaw’s nod as he watched the two cats make their way towards the entrance of the camp. He knew full-well that collecting moss was primarily an Apprentice’s job, but since most of the Apprentices were already out of camp, and with Mallownose gone, he wanted to make sure they were ready for any early kitting. Gingerflame could, really, start kitting at any moment now and thus they needed to be ready for when that moment comes. And plus... it was quite nice to get different cats socialising together, building upon the relationships of each cat strengthens the bond and vigour of the clan. This was especially important after coming out of the hard-ships of leaf-bare, when morales tended to plummet.

Hawkstar was soon pulled out of his thoughts when the scent of blood drifted towards him, hitting his nose. He scanned his surroundings, noting every cat he saw, trying to figure out where the scent had come from. If a cat from his clan had been injured or hurt, he wanted to know about it. As he searched, he spotted Timberpaw, an Apprentice, heading towards the Medicine Den. Following him, though, was a small silverish she-cat. Hawkstar knew every single member of his clan well, something he was taught to do by his father at a young age, and this she-cat was not familiar to him. She was not a ThunderClan cat. Had the Apprentice brought a random loner back to camp? And if he had, where was he taking her? Surely, he knew the dangers of bringing outside cats into camp and the importance of reporting it directly to the clan Leader. Him. Yet, he hadn’t been informed.

Getting up, Hawkstar swiftly, but not so graciously, moved across the camp and towards the Apprentice. “Timberpaw!” He meowed firmly, slowing down as he neared. He peered at the small she-cat, his large frame towering over hers. “Who is this?” Calmly, but bluntly, he asked, switching his stare from the she-cat over to the Apprentice. He wouldn’t tolerant an Apprentice ignoring the warrior’s code and endangering the clan so carelessly like this. The cat seemed small, if he had to guess, she probably wasn’t any older then Timberpaw himself. But it was his duty to ensure the clan’s safety and opening the clan to any random outsider was reckless.

“Hawkstar! Hawkstar!”

The large tom jerked his head towards the voice as a bundle of brown fur darted across to him. Berrypaw. He could hear the ugency in her voice and instantly stood at the ready. The she-cat was panting, it was obvious that she had been running for some time. He was about to open his mouth to ask what had happened when she finally spoke.

There... There’s... ShadowClan... Border...” The Apprentice paused, trying to regain her breath. Immediately, his initial thoughts riled with ideas of some kind of trouble at the borders. He recalled Silverstorm saying that she was going to take a group to patrol ShadowClan and WindClan’s earlier. Were they in trouble? Had they been attacked? Hawkstar nudged his head towards the Apprentice, urging her to continue. “They, they... Want to, speak, with, you.” She finally confirmed as she caught back her breath.

Hawkstar deliberated, taking in all the information the young cat had delivered him. It wasn't much, but he needed to make a decision with what little information he had. And fast. Did he take as many warriors with him as he could to help fend off an attack that may be happening at the borders? But then doing so would leave the camp defenceless, in case it was a trap... No... He couldn’t do that. The camp needed protecting, there was too many Queens and Elders at risk. He would have to go alone.

He looked across at the new she-cat, he’d have to deal with her later. “Angelfeather, Brokenbranch, guard this one. We have trouble with ShadowClan at the border, let everyone know. Protect the camp.” With that, he turned towards Berrypaw who seemed to have recovered completely. “Are you alright to show me the way?”

“Yes, Hawkstar.” The young cat answered confidently, turning tail and running as fast as her little legs come go with the tom following behind. Only three of his legs really worked properly, with his forth dragging behind. It slowed him down, but he could still run at a moderate pace, even with his wonky gait.

As they moved closer to the border, the two cats slowed down, coming to a walk once they reached the clearing. The scent of ShadowClan reached his nostrils, a scent which he’d come to, admittedly, dislike greatly. Thankfully, he knew Redstar well, and was a lot keener on the tom’s more... diplomatic approach then the late ShadowClan Leader, Archstar. Redstar’s father, Archstar was a large, and fearless brute who was always challenging the other clans. It was Archstar who had crippled him when he was a Deputy during a fight, a day which he’ll never forget.

As he approached, he could see Silverstorm speaking to Redstar with a group of ShadowClan warriors sitting behind. It didn’t seem like an attack, which he was thankful for, but it lead him to wonder why exactly they were there and what they needed to speak to him about.

“Hawkstar.” Redstar called, nodding his respects to the ThunderClan Leader. Hawkstar did the same, shifting his gaze from Redstar to Silverstorm and then back again. As soon as he did so, a fit of coughing erupted from Redstar, his weak body shaking as he continued to lean on Crookedowl. The Leader didn’t look well, at all. But without hesitation, the ShadowClan Leader got straight to the point. “I’ve come to warn you, Hawkstar... A disease.” He paused, gulping slightly to clear his throat. “Many members of my clan have caught it. We have never come across anything like this before.” He paused once more before continuing. "It started a week ago, after a patrol came across a body floating in a stream by our borders. The first one's to become ill were on that patrol."

Hawkstar listened carefully, every word sinking deep into his mind. After a moment of silence, he finally nodded his thanks to the Leader, bowing also to the Medicine Cat. “Thank you for warning me, Redstar. Crookedowl, you know you can use any herbs found in ThunderClan territory freely.”

“I know, thank you.” Meowed Crookedowl, the old cat peering at his Leader with worry. “I must speak with Mallownose soon, is he available?”.

“Unfortunately not. Mallownose has gone to collect some herbs and won’t be back till later today. I’ll have him speak with you when he returns.” The Medicine Cat looked down towards the ground, nodding slowly. The tom looked tired, exhausted even. He would have to rely on Mallownose to find out the details of this disease when he came back to help him better safe-guard his own clan. It wasn't abnormal for new illness to pop up, especially after leaf-bare, but the full extent of this new disease, he wasn't aware of.

Redstar stepped forward slightly, wobbling on his own legs as he moved closer to Hawkstar. He hushed his voice, wishing for only Hawkstar to hear him. “There’s something else.” The large tom raised his head, acknowledging the change in the Leader’s tone. He didn’t say a word, letting Redstar continue. “The disease has taken the life of one of our Queens, Willowfire. She had two kits... Whom none of the Queens will take...” Redstar trailed off slightly, coughing violently. Raising his head, he put it bluntly. “I want you to take them.”

Hawkstar shook his head, staring at the tom firm in the eyes. “You know I can’t do that, Redstar. The danger to my clan would be too great.” Redstar raised his paw as if to stop him, his eyes darting from one cat to another, and then finally back at Hawkstar.

“The kits... they’re half ThunderClan.” Hawkstar stared at him, obviously shocked by what he had been told.

“What do you mean, Redstar?” The dark brown cat asked, something in him mind was telling him that he had miss-heard. But he hadn’t. He knew that he hadn’t.

Redstar blinked slowly, gritting his teeth as if he was disgusted at the thought himself. “Before Willowfire died, she told Crookedowl who the father was, how the kits were... half-clan...” He paused, his shame and disgust evident. “The clan won’t have them, so they must go.”

It was hard to imagine, but at this moment, Hawkstar didn’t know what to do. It was dangerous bringing in cats who were likely to be infected into the clan, but yet, if he did not, then he would be condemning them to die. If Redstar’s claims were true, then how could he let kits with ThunderClan blood suffer without even a chance at life? His mind was split, knowing that either way he went, it was a bad decision.

Hawkstar stared long and hard at Redstar, thinking deeply about what he had just said. A question was playing on his mind, yet he didn’t want to ask it, ignorance seeming like a less painful option. He had a feeling he wasn’t going to like the answer to what he was about to ask, but it was clear that he needed to regardless.

Pausing for a moment, he cleared his throat, breathing deeply. “Who is the father?”

Another long break came as they both stared at each other with the same serious and heart-wrenching look. Redstar opened his mouth, his next words almost echoing through Hawkstar’s ears.

“Ravencoat.”

Duskclaw blinked slowly. "Don't worry, I'm quite fine." He smiled at Honeypaw, thankful for her kindness and nodded. "We should uh, keep moving." He meowed as he broke his gaze off the apprentice. He spent a moment to brush off a leaf that was buried in his fur, and then continued walking.

This time as he padded through the bright forest, he took a little bit more caution to walk along the forest floor. He lifted up his pink nose to the forest, trying to detect where the distinctive smelling sycamore tree was. The scents of the forest were pleasant, and he partially wished he could spend a good few moments sat there. However, he knew where the tree was, and they needed to get moving soon, for the queens.

Feeling somewhat more happier now, he looked back to the apprentice. "Sorry about earlier. Let's get the moss and bring it back to camp, okay?" At the sight of the Great Sycamore, he felt a little bit of hope, and he started to walk faster to the tree.