#berryshade

Title: Red Pearls

Summary: Brightfur just wanted to be a medicine cat. Her mentor, Ravenwind, has very different ideas on what that means- for her and for ShadowClan. With Ravenwind controlling her every move and more than willing to kill to keep it that way, Brightfur will need more than just luck to live to tell the tale.

Chapters: 21/22

Chapter Title: IT'S TOO LATE TO 'POLOGIZE

Excerpt:

"I don't see why not," Brightfur meowed, running her paw down Antkit's spine to check for any developmental concerns. The kitten was one of the few well-fed and healthy cats in the Clan right now. "The age difference between this litter and my brother's is certainly small enough to justify it."

"So we can do it?" Willowkit burst in eagerly, bouncing on her paws. "We can be apprentices too?"

Brightfur looked at Slatestep. The deputy hesitated, then gave a minute nod. "That's up to Badgerthroat."

Antkit slipped out from her, squirming into the black and white molly's arms. "Can we, mama? Can we?"

Badgerthroat looked stricken as she studied her kits. "Why not wait that little bit? Won't it feel more special to have your own special ceremony?"

"But Lionkit and Tigerkit get to be apprentices now," Willowkit whined. "We'll never hear the end of it if we don't too!"

This is a very serious chapter with serious stuff going on but I'll be damned if I'll miss a chance to meme while I'm at it akddcod,cscs.

Title: Red Pearls

Summary: Brightfur just wanted to be a medicine cat. Her mentor, Ravenwind, has very different ideas on what that means- for her and for ShadowClan. With Ravenwind controlling her every move and more than willing to kill to keep it that way, Brightfur will need more than just luck to live to tell the tale.

Chapters: 20/?

Chapter Title: A Sick Mercy

Excerpt:

"Oh." Brightfur scuffled her paw against the frozen floor. "I forget, sometimes. That you lived with kittypets."

"It wasn't for long."

"Did you have a kittypet name?"

"Unfortunately, yes. It was Rikki."

She tilted her head to the side. "What's a Rikki?"

Ravenwind sighed and shook her head. "A silly Twoleg story about a mongoose. We were all named after it- my sister and brother and I."

"You've... never talked about this with me before," Brightfur ventured.

"I never saw the point. But you're a sensible grownup now, and I suppose it's only fair." Ravenwind rolled some of the old deathberries into the moss, taking great care to avoid leaving any noticeable seeds or goop. "I wish I could show you with fresh-kill, but there's not enough to spare."

"You're telling me about your past life as a kittypet while simultaneously showing me how you kill warriors." Brightfur swallowed. "Holy frog-guts, I just realized this is my life."

Shiz be going down! Brightfur is a bit more snappish than usual, but when you're starving in the middle of winter and your Clanmates are getting harassed a lot you tend to be that way lol.