Thoughts raced through Sparkfur's head. She must have crossed the river, it hadn't rained for two days. She moved forward toward the cat. It was breathing. Berryfoot had just now caught up, bounding into the small glade.

"Sparkfur! Get back!" Berryfoot hissed sharply. "It's a FogClan warrior!" He snarled.

"Medicine Cat." Sparkfur corrected, licking the shoulder fur of the cat where the wound was. The medicine cat let out a small groan. "We need to get her to camp."

"No. No! Absolutely not!" Berryfoot circled. His pelt on end.

"What, so you want her to die? Someone else will stumble upon her. It could be a rogue, it could be one of our own warriors. Who knows what they'll do! Let's get her back to camp." Sparkfur reasoned.

Berryfoot paused, considering. "How d'you know she's a medicine cat and not a warrior?"

The golden she-cat sighed. "Her frame. She doesn't have much of a build. FogClan are swimmers, and she doesn't spend much time in the water as a warrior would, otherwise she would have a lot more muscle on her. Also, you can pick up the scent of watermint, only found by watery--"

"Watermint? How can you even distinguish one herb scent from another?" Sparkfur opened her mouth to reply, but Berryfoot flicked his striped tail. "Forget it. Let's just get her back to camp and see what Mintstar wants done with her." Berryfoot grasped the she-cat by the scruff. She only looked a moon younger than the two newly made DrizzleClan warriors that dragged her back to camp.

As soon as they were inside the perimeter of the camp, Sparkfur helping Berryfoot drag her in, they were surrounded by eyes of questioning cats. It was just past dawn, and cats were beginning to wake to a stranger being dragged in through the bush tunnel.

By the time the FogClan medicine cat was in the middle of the clearing, Mintstar was leaping gracefully down the side of the oak tree. He had slick pale gray fur and a feathery tail. He was younger, only thirty five moons, with dark green eyes. He stalked forward, at his side came Waspclaw and Sedgeheart: the deputies.

Waspclaw rolled his copper eyes.

"Sparkfur, for StarClan sake what did you do?" He groaned. "Berryfoot? I hope you aren't caught up in your sisters antics-- I don't see why you don't just disown her. I mean--" Mintstar cut him off. Sparkfur glanced over to Berryfoot, who looked on-edge with his fur ruffled. Sparkfur wasn't unnerved by the comment, she focused her attention on Mintstar.

"Please can we help her?" Sparkfur said with a clear voice. Mintstar glanced down at her, his expression unreadable. She held his gaze steadily. He opened his mouth.

"Where is she from?"

"FogClan. Something could be wrong-- we won't know unless we help her." Berryfoot spoke up. Waspclaw blinked, annoyed, but he didn't say anything.

"I think we should at least hear what the cat has to say." Sedgeheart spoke up. Sedgeheart had short, wiry, black fur and brilliant amber eyes. Mintstar nodded in agreement.

"Move her to the medical bay. As soon as she wakes up she will speak on what's happened." Mintstar turned and padded to the bramble den with Sedgeheart flanking him. Waspclaw hung behind.

"Berryfoot, come talk with me." He said curtly, leading the bright ginger tabby tom away. Sparkfur leaned over the thin body of the FogClan medicine cat, pulling her into the medicine den.

The medicine den was actually underground: a pit under a boulder. Three large platform-like stones made up a sort of stairway to what they called the med bay. It was cool, with a stream of water running through. Several moss nests for sick and healing cats were off the the side by the platforms, the herb storage on the other side of the water. There were two smaller den rooms branched off from the main open space, as well. Of the five medicine cats and three apprentices, only one cat came forward to Sparkfur as she struggled down the steps with the weight of the cat on her shoulders.

"Sparkfur..!" The cat, a she-cat named Amberleaf, meowed. "...Who's this?" She blinked. She had a dark smoaky colored pelt.

"Mintstar requested her wound be treated. I'd do it myself, but your knowledge of herbs far outweighs my own." Sparkfur slumped down, letting the limp body slide off her back. Her fur was drying, but had managed to get the golden warrior's fur damp.

"Right...." Amberleaf looked Sparkfur up and down before turning to the herb storage. A blue-gray tom noticed Sparkfur.

"Sparkfur! Did you get hurt again?! I told you to stop mes--" he stopped as he noticed the passed out form of the cat.

"Hi, Asterfoot!" She said with a sassy 'don't hate before you know everything' look on her face.

Amberleaf shoved past the older medicine cat, carrying the necessary herbs for treating wounds.

"What's happened?" Asterfoot asked as he neared. "What did you do?" He added softer, his eyes focusing on her.

"Nothing, I found her." Sparkfur sighed. After... the incident.. Asterfoot was the one to act like a father to her and Berryfoot. Always pointing out her mistakes, helping her, teaching her.

"Mm," he nodded approvingly, "and you wanted to help her." Sparkfur registered his words, staring blankly out in the general direction of Amberleaf treating the mysterious stranger.

"I'm sure Amberleaf's got it from here... I'll be back later to see if she's awake."

"It shouldn't be long." The blue tom confirmed. Sparkfur nodded and turned tail, bounding up the platforms and out of the den.

She came upon Berryfoot as soon as she stepped paw out of the den. He had a dark, unreadable expression. The brilliant she-cat tried to remember the last time she saw him with that face. She couldn't.

"Sparkfur...," he spoke slowly, not able to meet her in the eye.

"What's wrong?" She demanded, she could see Waspclaw standing off in the distance, watching them like a hawk.

"I need to get serious about being a warrior." He started, gaining some confidence as he spoke.

"It's literally your first day as a warrior." She grasped for a better hold in he conversation.

"Yes, but I can't be a better warrior--"

"You're already in the bramble den. That's only for elite warriors!"

"Yes, I know, but I can't be deputy one day if...," he was finally able to look up into her eyes. "If you're always hanging around me. There are so many cats in this clan, and--"

"I get it." She said sharply, making his fur prickle. "You're going to become another fox-hearted, power-hungry deputy." It stung, her words. She whipped around and began to stalk off back toward the medicine den.

"Don't you walk away from me!" He snapped, hoping his words could make her change her mind about him. Too late.

"Why? You don't want anything to do with me!"

"It's for the best!" He said firmly.

"No!" She paused in her walk, turning her head so that she could look him in the eye. "I never knew you were so selfish. Guess it's all in the genes, huh? First Spruceclaw, then you. It was only a matter of time--"

"Sparkfur!" Asterfoot appeared out of breath as he dashed out of the medicine den in a skid. "She's awake!"

AN

      Edited 4/4/16