#beetlefur

Crowfrost’s eyes narrowed as he focused all of his concentration on the sorting of his herbs. Using his paws, he folded the leaves and then stored them with the others. He let out a sigh of relief seeing as he had finished his labor. He sat down and curled his long thin tail around his paws taking a moment to rest, however this didn’t last long.

“Hey, um… Crowfrost?” the warrior, Spiderfang’s voice interrupted his rest “Mind if I get some more herbs? The pain's coming back.” Crowfrost wanted to snap at the warrior seeing as he wanted just a moment to relax, however the medicine cat composed himself and padded over to the warrior.

“Alright, what’s going on?” he questioned. Spiderfang turned his head to his back leg where multiple gashes spread down across from it. Spiderfang had been staying in the medicine den for a couple days and with each day Crowfrost’s patience dwindled.

“I’m not sure, all I know is that it hurts” Spiderfang responded, flicking his tail as a small burst of pain shot up his spine.

“Well, of course it’s going to hurt mousebrain,” he replied with an underlying snarl “you tried to fight a badger on your own.” The black furred warrior narrowed his eyes angrily at the medicine cat. “But I’ll see what I can do.”

Crowfrost padded back to his herb storage where he retrieved a dock leaf. The medicine cat returned and began to chew up the leaf, proceeding to apply it to Spiderfang’s wounds.

“It stings!” Spiderfang hissed, his fur spiking up in reaction.

“Now you know what happens if you don’t use your common sense once in a while” he replied as he rolled his amber eyes. He finished applying the herb and padded away.

“Didn’t really do much if it hurts more than it did before you put the herb on” Spiderfang growled.

“For once in your life Spiderfang, shut your mouth” he responded walking over to his nest and laying down.

Though Crowfrost wanted to fall asleep, he knew it would be irresponsible for him to, so he kept himself awake. After all it wasn’t hard, seeing as Spiderfang had soon fallen asleep and his snores were almost deafening.

Night soon fell upon the forest and as it did so Crowfrost knew what he had to do. The medicine cat sat up from his nest and padded to the entrance of his den where he stretched.

“Crowfrost!” the voice of Sprucethorn broke through the quiet clearing. The brown tabby tom sprinted through the camp towards the medicine den “What if Robinflower has her kits when you’re gone?”

“I assure you, Robinflower will be fine, even if she starts her kitting whilst i’m absent, her fellow queens can assist her until I return” he comforted the tom.

“Okay thank you, Crowfrost, I'm sorry for bothering you about this,” Sprucethorn gave a lighthearted chuckle "I'm just so nervous about my kits being born."

"Don't worry about it," the medicine cat nodded "you're not the first tom to be worried about his kits."

The medicine cat began to pad away. He walked to the entrance of camp where two warriors Eaglescar and Vixenleap stood guard. As he passed them he gave them a respecting nod.

The medicine cat made his way through the forest. The oak trees that surrounded him were lush with leaves and as he breathed he could make out the warm smell of a mouse which he then noticed was scurrying into a hole within the roots of a tree. ThunderClan territory was full of life this green-leaf.

Soon enough he spotted the flowing stream which separated WindClan from ThunderClan. He slowed down, getting a good view of the opposing clan’s territory. The moors seemed to sweep across the horizon and as he began to approach the fresh smell of rabbit began to fill his lungs.

On the other side of the stream he noticed two figures. One he instantly recognized however the other was unfamiliar. Crowfrost picked up his speed and bounded over to the stream. There he pounced across it, using the stepping stones as a makeshift bridge and caught up to the other cats.

“Oh, Crowfrost!” the WindClan medicine cat greeted him with a purr.

Her tail flicked in a pleased manner as Crowfrost arrived at her side.

“It’s good to see you again, Rosedapple” Crowfrost meowed in response, giving a small purr. The small breeze ruffled her thick tortoiseshell fur.

“Oh, and this is my new apprentice, Frostpaw!” she added, looking towards the small white she-cat who walked alongside her. Upon hearing her name, Frostpaw’s ears pricked up and she-cat looked to the ThunderClan medicine cat.

“It’s nice to meet you!” Frostpaw gave an innocent purr, her amber eyes round with excitement. Crowfrost noticed how small she was but realized that she looked older than six moons. He assumed that she had been training for a while as a warrior before switching mentors and becoming a medicine cat instead. With how eager she looked, the tom-cat was certain that this was the path that she was meant for.

Crowfrost nodded “It’s good to meet you as well, I sense that you have a great future as a medicine cat.” The apprentice’s expression became happier as he spoke.

“She was apprenticed to me only four days ago and she’s already doing so well” Rosedapple added.

“That wouldn’t surprise me, I can see she has a clear drive and ambition to do good,” Crowfrost replied. Upon saying this, Rosedapple swiped her tail over Frostpaw’s ears.

“I see that smile on your face, don’t let Crowfrost’s words get to your head now” she meowed in a joking manner.

“Sorry!” Frostpaw chuckled.

As the medicine cats padded up towards the moonpool, Crowfrost began to recall his time as an apprentice. Though it had been many moons since then, the memories were vivid. His mentor, Pebbleleaf was the most patient cat he ever met, and Crowfrost sometimes thought that he had done a disservice to the clan by replacing her. The ThunderClan medicine cat shook his thoughts away as he continued to walk.

Soon enough they arrived at the moonpool, and the other medicine cats were already waiting.

“About time you got here” the familiar scoff of the ShadowClan medicine cat Smokefang caused Crowfrost’s ear to twitch. Smokefang’s voice always made it seem like she was one word away from clawing you, but she never would. Beside Smokefang sat Emberpaw, Smokefang’s apprentice and across from them was Beetlefur, the RiverClan medicine cat.

“Hold your tongue, Smokefang” Beetlefur said in response.

“How about you hold yours?” Smokefang hissed, her green eyes narrowed.

“Smokefang, relax” Emberpaw sighed. Crowfrost couldn’t imagine if a cat like Smokefang was his mentor. Her talent in healing was incredible, she was arguably the most talented medicine cat he had seen. After all, moons before when an awful bout of greencough had swept through the clans, it was only ShadowClan who remained healthy thank's to Smokefang's skills, however her temper and patience were practically nonexistent.

“Let’s just get on with the meeting everyone” Crowfrost sighed, flicking his tail.

“Oh, here comes the mighty ThunderClan cat here to save the day” Smokefang chuckled. As Crowfrost looked in her direction, he noticed Emberpaw roll his eyes. The ThunderClan medicine cat didn’t bother responding to Smokefang.

“I’d like everyone to meet my new apprentice, Frostpaw!” Rosedapple purred in an attempt to move on from the previous conversation.

“Congratulations on the apprentice, Rosedapple!” Beetlefur purred “And Frostpaw I wish you luck in your future, not that I think you’ll need it, I sense great things from you.” Frostpaw purred shyly.

“Can we get a move on here, we don’t have all night” Smokefang hissed, lashing her tail.

“Smokefang, would you please relax for your sake and everyone else's” Emberpaw placed his tail on her back. The medicine cats gathered around the water's edge as Rosedapple began to speak.

“StarClan,” she called out to Silverpelt “I bring you Frostpaw, my apprentice, and pray that you accept her as you once accepted me.” The moonpool glistened as the stars above twinkled, almost in response to Rosedapple. The medicine cats lay down on the cool stones and proceeded to touch their noses to the water.

As Crowfrost did so, he quickly opened his eyes and saw where he was, StarClan. He looked around. The forest was bright and lively. Crowfrost wanted to sprint through, catching prey and sharing tongues with his ancestors, however he quickly took note of the cat who stood before him in waiting.

“Tinystar?” Crowfrost called out. The tom approached him smiling as he did so.

“It’s been too long brother” Tinystar purred. Crowfrost dashed forward and nuzzled his face into Tinystar’s star speckled fur.

"I've missed you," Crowfrost mewed “How is Badgerclaw?”

“He is well,” the former ThunderClan leader replied “I sense anxiety in you, brother, what’s wrong?”

“Well, I would assume that you have something to tell me,” Crowfrost meowed “If you have to warn me of something, I fear that the four clan’s time of peace has come to an end.”

Tinystar went quiet. “I’m afriad you are correct, Crowfrost” he meowed solemnly. Though his eyes glinted with anxiety, the former ThunderClan leader's noble expression and stance didn't waver.

The medicine cat sighed "What is in store for ThunderClan?"

"No, Crowfrost," Tinystar shook his head "This is a matter that does not only involve ThunderClan, this involves the clans, rogues, loners, kittypets, and even BloodClan.

At the mention of BloodClan, Crowfrost's fur pricked up in fear "BloodClan?! You mean to tell me that BloodClan will find us?"

"They will in due time, however for now you will be tasked with one thing" Tinystar replied. The forest began to fall away leaving only darkness behind. The medicine cat gasped and stumbled back, out of fear. His paws shook as the grass below them faded away into shadow. "When the war begins you must look to find the flames that left their world behind, though many will come only one is tasked with providing the clans with peace at last" Tinystar began to back away into the darkness, his sleek black fur allowing him to disapear into the shadows.

'Wait! Tinystar don't leave! I don't understand" Crowfrost shouted beginning to sprint after his brother. "Tinystar don't leave me again! Please!" his brother was long gone and as Crowfrost noticed this he skidded to a halt. Panicking, he began to whip his head around in the darkness. He saw nothing, but all around him he could hear whispers from thousands of cats. He could recognize some voices but only some. He heard his mother Ravenflight, his sister Nightsong, faintly he heard his leader, Morningstar's voice. The words were deafening. Crowfrost shut his eyes and did his best to block out the voices, however no matter what he did his efforts were meaningless. Suddenly he felt a spark of warmth in front of him. Crowfrost's amber eyes opened and widened at the sight in front of him.

A fire began to blaze. The flames circled him like he was a piece of prey. He feared at any moment a warrior would come to snuff out his life like a small mouse being hunted. To Crowfrost's surprise, there was a warrior. A warrior made of fire. Before him, the flames formed into the shape of a cat. It's fur lay relaxed as it stared at him. Crowfrost wasn't sure what to do, he stood in disbelief at what was happening before him. The fiery cat before him nodded and right after that he was back at the moonpool.

Crowfrost leaped up and spun around to locate the other medicine cats. Based on their expressions they had received a similar vision.

"You all saw that too?" Crowfrost asked frantically.

"What does it look like, mousebrain?" Smokefang hissed, her tail was placed on her apprentice's back out to comfort him. Emberpaw looked terrified of what he had seen as well as Frostpaw who had buried her self in Rosedapple's fur as she trembled.

"What did that mean?" Beetlefur questioned.

Crowfrost began to think, remembering the words his brother had spoken to him and under his breath he muttered "When the war begins you must look to find the flames that left their world behind, though many will come only one is tasked with providing the clans with peace at last"

"Huh, you mind speaking up, Crowfrost?" Smokefang spoke out. Crowfrost remained silent as he allowed his thoughts to swirl through his mind. "There's going to be many cats coming to the clans whether they be a kittypet, loner, rogue, or even from BloodClan itself," he looked around to see the other medicine cats looking to him, he continued "One of the cats that will come will save us and bring peace to the clans."

"You mean to tell me that we're going to half to wait for all these cats to show up and join our clans and then we have to figure out which one is going to 'save the day'?" Smokefang questioned and then let out a chuckle "I'm calling it now, the cat's gonna come from ThunderClan because according to StarClan ThunderClan is so important."

"That's not true at all, Smokefang" Beetlefur spoke up "The clans are all equal, we don't know where the cat will come from."

"Exactly, we should all tell our leaders and be make sure the warriors all know to keep an eye out for any cats on the territory" Crowfrost nodded.

"You're not thinking though, what if a BloodClan warrior wanders into our territory and gets accepted into one of the clans and begins to spy on us? What then?" Smokefang glared at Crowfrost.

"We'll just have to be careful of who we take in is all, we're not going to make every newcomer a warrior on sight," the ThunderClan medicine cat replied "Smokefang, I understand your concern but even if we let in a cat with negative intentions, it's one cat against four clans." Smokefang didn't respond but simply sighed.

"I think it's best if we all head back to our camps and relay the message to our leaders" Rosedapple mewed, now having curled her fluffy brown tortoiseshell tail around her apprentice.

"I agree" Beetlefur nodded.