The moment she opened her eyes, Bonepaw darted out of the den and headed straight into the forest. As per usual, the night patrol hadn't yet returned. Although kindhearted, Burnpelt was a strict mentor and always demanded of Bonepaw great discipline.
Bonepaw, an orange little thing with one paw as white as snow, began her routine. She walked through the forest, naming every plant she saw, making sure she had remembered each and every one of them and their uses, if they had any. She stopped and dug up some comfrey root, gathered some cobwebs and headed to Burnpelt's den.
``You are late.'' The Riverclan medicine cat spoke without lifting up her gaze from the outside warrior laying on one side. ``What have you brought me?''
Bonepaw place the roots and cobwebs near Burnpelt.
``Comfrey roots and cobwebs. For the broken leg.''
``Good work. But it won't be necessary.'' The cat picked up the supplies and placed them in their appropriate pile. ``His leg wasn't broken. Just sprained. Never the less, you resupplied my stock.''
Bonepaw took that as a gratitude. She had long ago learned that the medicine cat didn't have much of a way with words.
``He's going to be alright then?'' Bonepaw asked, sitting next to her mentor.
``Yes. He'll live. Can you tell me, what did I give him to fall asleep?''
Bonepaw thought for a moment.
``Pop seeds'' she guessed.
The medicine cat chuckled.
``Almost. Poppy seeds.''
``Right...''
``You should gather some later today. We are running low.''
``But I'm always gathering poppy seeds!'' Bonepaw protested.
``Because they get used up rather quickly.'' Burnpelt said with a calm voice.
``But why? Injuries aren't so common! And yet we never have poppy seeds.''
Burnpelt sighed.
``There is an actual reason for that. And considering Mouseclaw's situation...it might be an adequate time to learn about our expanded duties.''
Bonepaw examined the warrior, who she now knew as Mouseclaw. A black tom from Thunderclan, if Bonepaw remembered correctly from the clan gatherings. He looked rather young and was most likely very agile.
``How did he fall into the river?'' Bonepaw asked.
``He didn't.'' The brown cat answered. ``After we brought down his fever last night and I sent you back to camp, he told me all about it. He climbed up a tree and jumped from the highest branch, straight into the river.''
``Why would he do that?''
``Apparently, he didn't want to live anymore.''
Bonepaw tried comprehend those words. How was it possible that a cat wouldn't want to live?
``He fell in love with a cat from Shadowclan. For one reason or another she was exiled to Twolegplace and-``
``Really?'' Bonepaw was shocked.
``Really.''
She had never heard of an exile like that before. The idea of not being part of your clan anymore was a chilling concept.
``So-`` Burnpelt continued. ``-this warrior decided that living a life without her was not a life worth living.''
``That is strange.''
``As a medicine cat...you have to learn to treat broken bodies and broken hearts. We talked the entire night. Supposedly he's seen the error of his ways. He should be awake by nightfall and he'll go back to his clan then.'' The medicine cat watched the warrior's deep breaths, his body rising and falling. ``I trust you haven't told anyone that he is here.''
Bonepaw shook her head.
``No. As you instructed.''
``Good girl.''
``But why? Outsiders should always be reported, right?''
Burnpelt sighed.
``You are right. In most circumstances, you would be right. However, this is an exception.''
Bonepaw tilted her head.
``He was injured. It's our duty as medicine cats to help any cat in need.''
``I understand'' Bonepaw said solemnly.
``He was also...unwell., which would have made things even more difficult.''
``The sprained leg?''
``Not quite.'' Burnpelt answered and walked outside her den, which Bonepaw took as a sign to follow her. ``You see, Bonepaw, there are many diseases and injuries that can befall a cat. Broken bones, open wounds, fevers and so on...we can heal with herbs. Not always successfully, but we know what to do and how to do it. But there is a different type of injury, a different type of wound. A heart wound.''
The cat stared out into the woods. The sun was already rising. Soon the night patrol would pass by, leaving some fresh prey for the medicine cat and her apprentice. Bonepaw had the nagging feeling that Burnpelt would make her give her food to Mousepaw for when he woke up. It had happened a few times before and she had gotten used to it by now.
``What is a heart wound?'' Bonepaw asked, trying to ignore that nagging feeling and knowing full well that Burnpelt wanted her to ask.
``It's what Mouseclaw had. I hope it's healed. By they rarely heal so fast or so easily. Sometimes they never heal and all you can do is treat them.''
Burnpelt took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
``You know about Flashpaw right?''
Bonepaw furrowed her brow in thought.
``I think so...he's a warrior. Lives in a separate den, right?''
``Flashpaw prefers to be called `they''' Burnpelt interjected.
``They? What do you mean? He's just one.''
``They are, yes. But that's what he wants.''
``I don't understand. Why should we do that? Call him `they'. It doesn't make any sense.''
Burnpelt turned towards her apprentice, her eyes bearing a tinge of sadness.
``Flashpaw has had a troubled life with much suffering. The least we can do to ease their pain is to comply with their wish. As a future medicine cat, you should ease suffering as much as you can.''
``I know...'' Bonepaw said, still confused. ``It's just...I don't understand it.''
``You don't need to.''
``I-``
Bonepaw went quiet.
``Think about it later'' Burnpelt said.
Bonepaw nodded and waited for Burnpelt to continue her story.
``Flashpaw was always...and odd cat. During a patrol on the outskirts of the forest, Cloudpelt found them all alone, a newborn kit. Defenseless. Abandoned. You probably don't remember Cloudpelt, he died during last leaf-fall. He was an honorable warrior and held up the warrior code. So, according to the warrior code, he took the kit in. I was about three moons when they were brought into the clan - a small, excited black and white ball of fur, ready to become part of something bigger than themselves. We never did find out who their parents were. Probably kittypets. That's what most of the clan believes now at least.''
Burnpelt turned towards Bonepaw to see if she was still paying attention.
``They were very enthusiastic, always running around, playing. The name Flashkit was an easy pick. I remember they were always the first to wake up and the last to fall asleep. Playing games with them was quite the experience, new rules being thought up on the spot and old ones quickly abandoned, you never knew what you were going to get when Flashkit was playing. They were also very curious, constantly asking questions, about the clans, about the other cats, how the warrior code worked, what different plants did. We were positively certain that Flashkit was going to be a medicine cat when they grew up. But Leafsnout, the medicine cat back then, my mentor, didn't have a particular liking to Flashkit. She was always a bit of an odd cat, but her distaste for Flashkit seemed far too much. She constantly ignored all their questions, constantly scolded them, ordering them to behave, making sure to always mention that if they were to be a warrior, they'd need to learn the virtue of patience.''
``Patience?'' Bonepaw asked. ``That's not in the warrior code.''
``No, but she was trying to find a way to make them sit still. Sometimes it worked for a moment or two, but soon after Flashpaw was back at it again, running around and pestering her with questions. Flashpaw was one of a kind and everybody in the clan loved them. Besides Leafsnout. But maybe Leafsnout felt something, knew something, none of us did. But they were growing quite fast and most of the warrior believed they'd be a fine addition to their ranks when the time came.''
Burnpelt stopped her story as two apprentices came from the woods.
``Fresh catch'' one apprentice said after they both laid down a fish in front of the medicine cat.
``They're quite big, aren't they?'' Burnpelt commented, examining the prey.
``Sure are!'' the other apprentice excitedly said. ``The river has been overflowing with fish the past week! Hunting hasn't been easier!''
``We'll see you later tonight, Bonepaw! We need to share tongues soon! It's been a while and I have so much to tell you!'' the first apprentice said as they both left.
The medicine cat and her apprentice watched them leave in silence.
``They didn't smell Mouseclaw.'' Bonepaw commented.
``No. The herbs block out most scents. They wouldn't be able to smell him if he was sitting right next to them.''
Burnpelt pushed one of the fishes towards Bonepaw.
``Bring this inside. Leave it by Mouseclaw for when he wakes up. You can eat the other one when you are feeling hungry.''
Bonepaw did as she was told, surprised that she would be getting food today. Maybe her mentor had something planned for her later on.
When she returned, she sat down next to Burnpelt and patiently waited for her to continue her story.
``Flashpaw...'' she began while staring at the fish. ``...was quite the voracious eater. Even at an early age, they managed to scarf down an entire. But no one seemed to pay it any thought. Flashpaw grew faster than anyone of the other kits, so they needed more fish. It made sense. If you didn't know better, you'd think that they were a warrior already. But as we got older, Flashpaw didn't seem to change, preferring to play more and more games, rather than begin helping around the clan. When the time came for them to become and apprentice, Cloudpelt chose to mentor them, believing that all they needed was a bit of discipline to grow out of their kitten habits. That is when the real troubles began. I was already chosen to be a medicine cat apprentice. If you think I am strict, you don't know what I had to go through with Leafsnout. She kept me up all night, memorizing herbs, reciting their effects and use and when the sun rose, we'd go out and gather plants. There was no eating until I could name every clan's founding members, their deputies and their kits. Each time I got something wrong, she'd smack the back of my head. She was one cantankerous flea-brained she-cat. But she was one of the wisest medicine cats in generations.''
Burnpelt looked at Bonepaw, once more to see if she was paying attention. She followed her eyes to the fish and Burnpelt gently pushed it towards her. Bonepaw quickly started nibbling the fresh-kill, her attention turned back towards her mentor.
``One day,'' Burnpelt continued ``Leafsnout told me that I had a special task. She sent me back to camp, to sleep and rest until I was ready. Her instructions were simple - follow Flashpaw and learn as much as you can from him. At the time, I didn't really know what she meant. What was there to learn about Flashpaw? They were an excited kit and an even more excited apprentice. I didn't think much of it and took the opportunity to finally rest a bit. Cloudpelt had no problem with me following both of them around, believing that having an extra pair of eyes on them, Flashpaw might fix up his act. Sadly, it might have made it worse. From what I observed back then, Flashpaw could not stand still for longer than a heartbeat, constantly questioning his mentor on the inanest things. Each time Cloudpelt tried to show them the proper stance to pounce on prey, Flashpaw was gazing up at the sky, or down at the grass. And each time he was questioned about it, Flashpaw didn't really know what to say. They'd constantly interrupt Cloudpelt, talking over him, asking me questions about what I was doing there and things about plants and wildlife. Most of the times I only answered with a few words, but soon enough I learned to ignore them. I used to think it was because Cloudplet would give bad looks whenever I talked to them, but, truth be told, I was getting fed up with them.''
``It couldn't have been that bad'' Bonepaw said, munching on a piece of fish.
Burnpelt didn't answer right away.
``It wasn't easy. It was like they'd just ask questions, not caring about the answers. It was like they weren't even listening, only wanting to talk. The other clan cats were of the same mind. Flashpaw would ask them how their training was and right as the apprentice was about to answer, they'd cut them off with another question, or something that happened earlier that day, or something entirely different. Even then, it wasn't uncommon for them to just stare off into the distance, uninterested in any actual answer. Soon enough, all the cats had basically stopped talking to them, even refusing to share tongues with them.''
``All of them?''
``Some of them still talked with Flashpaw, when passing by or when there was no one else around, but it wasn't out of genuine interest.'' Burnpelt sighed. ``I am guilty of that as well. They were becoming so hard to deal with. Maybe it got worse because nobody talked with them, I don't know. But at least all the new kits looked up to him. They couldn't wait for their uncle Flashpaw to return from patrol and play with them. The kits were the only ones who could keep up with them, really. But as the kits aged, they too stopped started ignoring them. Flashpaw knew that there was something wrong with them. Everyone knew, but nobody knew what. It wasn't natural for a cat to be so overactive. Even when they were fully grown, their appetite didn't cease. In fact, it got even stronger. They were able to eat three fishes per meal. And they had three meals a day. Sometimes even more. There were numerous occasions where they just overate and threw up. It was getting harder for the patrol to keep up the prey supply. I can't really be certain, but I had some suspicions, which I shared with Leafsnout and she said that I might be on to something. I believed that Flashpaw's eating problem might be connected with what was going on with their daily life.''
``But...why? And how?''
``I can't really say. I continued to observe them, hoping I would find something. I went on a few hunting trips with them and Cloudpelt. Flashpaw's speed, at least at that time, was amazing. They had little to no trouble hunting down mice and rodents. That would have been enough usually, if they could sit still long enough to perform an ambush. But Cloudpelt was content with letting them run around and catch a mouse or two. They'd eat any prey on the spot, but Cloudpelt let them have it, without much fuss. I could see it in the old cat's eyes - he was very concerned about Flashpaw. He was the one that brought them to the camp and he probably had some sense of responsibility. Still, there was nothing he could have done.''
A rustling came from within the den. The medicine cat looked inside. Mouseclaw was partially awake, tossing and turning uneasily.
``Nightmares.'' Burnpelt said. ``A fever probably.''
The medicine cat motioned her apprentice to step inside the den.
``What will we do about the fever?'' Burnpelt asked.
``We can use lavender?'' Bonepaw suggested.
``We don't have it in supply.''
``Feverfew?''
``Good choice. But it doesn't grow at this time.''
Bonepaw thought for a moment.
``Quickly now, we don't want to prolong his suffering.''
``There was another herb...bor...bar...berig root. That's it! Berig root!''
``Think carefully. What's the proper name.'' Burnpelt said with a sturdy voice.
``Bee...bii...''
``Faster, now.''
``I-I don't know.'' Bonepaw surrendered.
``Borage leaves.''
``Borage leaves...'' Bonepaw quietly repeated.
``Can you find them?''
Bonepaw looked around.
``There!'' she pointed with her muzzle.
``At least you know how they look.'' Burnpelt said with an exhausted tone.
She looked down at her apprentice, how stared back up at her waiting.
``Well? They won't fly into his mouth like that! Give him some.''
Bonepaw jumped. She grabbed some of the leaves and placed them in the warrior's mouth. He chewed them up and swallowed.
``There. He'll be fine in a heartbeat. Let's go.''
Bonepaw's head hung low as the cats exited the den.
``You needed three tries until you found a good enough remedy. And even then, you didn't know it's proper name.'' Burnpelt stared into the forest. ``But at least you could locate it quick enough. I shouldn't have had to tell you to give it to him though.''
Bonepaw didn't answer. There was a sense of shame and guilt brewing inside her. Burnpelt put a paw on her head.
``We'll review the herbs again tonight and we'll go out to gather more. There's no need to feel bad about it, as long you better yourself in the end. Alright?''
``Alright...'' Bonepaw muttered, still feeling uneasy, but much less so.
``You know, when I was an apprentice, I had trouble remembering most herbs. Leafsnout would make me recite them all, everyday, with all their properties, and each time I got something wrong, I'd get hit on the head. She would have preferred you as an apprentice over me.''
``Really?'' Bonepaw perked up.
``Oh, yes. You are doing a much better job that I did. Leafsnout predicted that I would be the end of Riverclan. I'd cause the stars to fall and the se the world on fire. She never liked anyone really. You weren't a full-blown warrior, if Leafsnout hadn't berated you for not giving her fresher prey and getting hit on the head over and over. But she was the only one who actually tried talking to Flashpaw on a regular basis. She wanted to understand them. She never got too far though. They constantly changed subjects and would just leave in the middle of a conversation. But she never held it against them. Maybe because she got to know them much better than all the rest. Being such an excited critter, from a young Flashpaw tended to get injured. Bruises, thorn bushes, ripped fur. If you can think of an injury, they had it at one point or another. But the worst one was when Cloudpelt tried to teach them to fish. He explained that you had to observe the fish in the river and to sneak up on them and to be mindful of the current. But Flashpaw hadn't been listening much and simply jumped in. They were quickly swept away by the current. Me and Cloudpelt jumped right after him. We managed to catch them, but unfortunately, by that time they got pretty beaten up. We rushed them to Leafsnout and she started mending them - two broken legs and a fever. Flashpaw spent the next moon incapacitated, stuffed with poppy seeds. It was the first time anyone had seen them so docile, not only for the lack of movement but they were much less talkative. Their eating habits hadn't changed though. And without an outlet for all that energy, Flashpaw quickly started gaining weight. By the time they healed up, they had become quite large, no longer the muscular apprentice, now closer to a kittypet. Cloudpelt hoped that this experience might mellow the cat a bit.''
Burnpelt perked her ears.
``Hear that?'' she asked.
Bonepaw listened, but she couldn't hear anything.
``Mouseclaw went back to sleep.'' Burnpelt said happily. ``Anyway. Flashpaw continued training. They were still as active as ever, but much slower, because of the fat. And they refused to hunt in water. Now that was something shameful. A Riverclan cat refusing to go into the river. Cloudpelt had his paws full. But at least Leafnose had learnt something new about Flashpaw - if they ever get too wild, poppy seeds could calm them. I had my doubts how good of an idea that was. And for the first time in my training, Leafsnout had agreed with me. But it was only for dire situations. And for the good of the clan.''
``Is that why you gave Mouseclaw poppy? To keep him calm and out of trouble?'' Bonepaw interjected.
``No. They were just to dull out the pain. Flashpaw on the hand...'' Burnpelt searched for words. ``Flashpaw continued to take poppy seeds for the pain for two more quarter moons, which actually helped them when hunting. They could finally sneak up on prey. Their successful catches had dropped, but there was some progress. Cloudpelt was finally seeing some results. And the other clan cats were much more willing to spend time with Flashpaw as well. For the first time in moons, Flashpaw had other cats around them.''
``So, they were happier?'' Bonepaw asked.
Burnpelt didn't answer right away.
``I can't really say. I'm not sure they felt much of anything at that time, but at least they weren't as lonely, I can tell you that. And even when they stopped taking the seeds and started to return to their usual selves, the other clan cats were still more tolerant of their antics and they were still the kit's favorite older cat. The real hurdles began after the warrior ceremony.''
``What happened then?''
``The initial ceremony went on without much trouble. The leader then, Stonestar, was an oddball himself, so he actually found Flashpaw quite endearing, deciding to include them in the warrior ceremony, even though there was much to be desired of Flashpaw's skills. Flashpaw was given the name Flashtail and was sent on vigil with two other warriors. And they did the unthinkable.''
Burnpelt took a deep breath.
``They spoke during vigil.''
``What?'' Bonepaw was shocked.
``The two other warriors confirmed it and Flashpaw didn't deny it. According to Flashpaw, they tried to keep quiet, but just couldn't. They started asking the others what they were thinking about and is Starclan talking to them. They talked about being hungry and went off to catch something to eat, abandoning their vigil. As they explained what had happened, I could see the regret in his eyes and hear the shame in his voice. The older warriors let an outcry, that Flashpaw should be banished from the clan. If they couldn't trust them during a vigil, how could they trust them in times of turmoil? Stonestar didn't want exile them. Times were hard already as we lacked warriors to hunt. So, they decided to revoke their warrior name. They were once more Flashpaw and they were now the shame of Riverclan. They were permitted to hunt, but no warrior wanted to accompany them. And they rarely brought any prey back, most of the time eating whatever they caught, which was understandable, really. There was an unspoken rule that they should always be the last to eat from the kill pile. It was around that time that Flashpaw wanted to be referred to as `they'. At first nobody complied, but with time most of the clan gave in. It wasn't that much of an issue, since nobody really wanted to spend any time with them. They preferred to spend most of their time with Leafsnout. Which meant I had to spend most of my time with them as well. Ever since they began their apprenticeship, there was a growing sadness in them. And now that sadness was at it's peak. They would sleep through most of the day, eat whatever was left when they woke up, go hunt and eat whatever they caught, go to Leafsnout, who would usually share her food with them. None of the cats really paid them any mind. They hadn't done anything all that wrong and they were still part of the clan. But they were part of the clan in name only. The moons passed and it seemed like Flashpaw was trying to drown their sadness with prey. They ate every chance they got, at one point being unable to actually go out and hunt. But Leafsnout never held it against them. She took care of them, like they were her own kit and the only times they seemed happy was when they were talking to her. Once, it so happened that Leafsnout had managed to convince Flashpaw to come to the clan gathering. They hadn't been to a gathering since the early days of their apprenticeship, Cloudpelt preferring to leave them at camp as to not make any trouble. I remember they walked close to Leafsnout, both of them going at a slower pace than the rest, one because of their age, the other because of their weight. At the gathering, they were a laughingstock, the other clans accusing us of bringing kittypets instead of real warriors. Naturally, Leafsnout threw some of her insults and curses at them, but Flashpaw didn't say anything. For the first time, they had nothing to say. That night, there was a traitor in our midst. There were previously disputes between Riverclan and Windclan. The Windclan leader, Morningstar, was a furious cat, easy to anger. A plague had spread through his clan, wiping out the elderly and most of the kits, along with much of the prey in the territory. He demanded that they received larger hunting grounds to keep his clan alive, until they stabilized. Words were exchanged. Words turned to curses. And curses turned to threats. Finally, Morningstar had had enough. With little provocation, he jumped at Stonestar, claws extended. He was ready to kill. And the first one to react was Flashpaw. They had managed to jump in time, pushing Morningstar away. Chaos ensued. Flashpaw was quickly dragged out of there by the new apprentices. They spent the entire night at the medicine cat den. There hadn't been much of a fight, but during the scuffle, Morningstar had ripped into Flashpaw's leg, ripping up their muscle and tendrils. That was the night that I managed to prove myself to Leafsnout. We applied ointments, herbs, we wrapped them up in cobwebs and gave them poppy seeds, enough to keep them asleep for a quatermoon. We cared for them night and day, bringing them water and feeding them for the brief moments they were awake. By the time they woke up, they were considered a hero. They were respected by the clan and every cat was ready, willing and able to help whatever way they could. Flashpaw was carried back to camp, with a den made for them, where they could rest and heal. Food was brought to them. Of course, when they would never fully heal. They could barely walk, let alone hunt, being in constant pain when they walked. But the warriors didn't mind. Nothing was ever asked of them, for saving Stonestar. But one day, Leafsnout asked me to join her in visiting Flashpaw. They had gotten larger than before. They asked of us to give them more poppy seeds. It wasn't' for the pain, not anymore. For most of their life in the clan, they were unhappy, but running and playing brought them all the happiness they needed. But now...now they couldn't even do that. They were finally liked, but at what cost? They wanted more poppy seeds. Everyday. At least that way, they could block out the unhappiness. And maybe the other cats would start liking them again. Not for what they did, but for who they were. Leafsnout complied. She instructed me to give Flashpaw all the poppy that they wanted. And to keep a close eye on them. That night, Leafsnout went into the forest and disappeared. I think that the pain from hearing those words from Flashpaw was too great for her. I kept my promise to her. I became a medicine cat and gave most of my poppy seeds to Flashpaw, only keeping the bare minimum that I might need. The clan cats continued to bring food and to revere them. With how little Flashpaw moved, they only grew larger. Now, even they wished, they can't leave their den, their legs unable to carry them.''
Burnpelt fell quiet. Bonepaw had so many questions to ask, but she was too afraid to break the silence. It weighted heavily in the air. The wind whistled through the leaves as the sun began to set.
``Mouseclaw will be waking up soon.'' Burnpelt finally said. ``I hope he will be alright.''
``Do you think Flashpaw will be alright?'' Bonepaw asked, ignoring her mentor's statement.
``No. They were never, what we might call, alright. They were touched by Starclan, but we didn't realize it. And because we didn't realize it, they are the way they are now. They would have made an excellent warrior with their speed, or a terrific medicine cat with their curiosity. But because we couldn't accept them for what they were, they lived a life of loneliness. And now, they barely lead a life. Leafsnout knew it. She knew that Flashpaw was destined for greatness and we were the ones who tarnished their destiny, so much so, that they have to spend their waking time in a dreamlike haze for herbs and food. Stoneclaw died his final death of a fever and ordered that no leader after him should do any wrong to Flashpaw. Cloudpelt lived the rest of his days staying by Flashpaw's side. For the first time, he was ready to listen to his apprentice, and his apprentice couldn't really speak. This is why Leafsnout wanted me to keep a close eye on Flashpaw. To learn from them, so as no other cat would end up the way they were.''
Bonepaw remained silent. She had now understood what her mentor was trying to teach her that day. She was to inherit her duties of protecting any cats that might deviate from the norm, like Flashpaw did.
``Go inside and tend to Mouseclaw. He's about to wake up.''
Bonepaw did as she was told. Burnpelt remained outside, gazing at the golden and violet sky, her heart heavy and her throat tight.
Soon after, under the cover of darkness, Mouseclaw left the den, thanking both cats for their help, promising to not take such actions ever again. As he left, Burnpelt expressed her doubts to her apprentice.
``He was quite eager to say that.'' Burnpelt spoke as she gathered supplies.
``You think he lied?''
``No. Not lied. He truly meant it. But such an act isn't so easily overcome. Let's go.''
The pair walked through the woods, the night life slowly starting to awaken, with owls hooing in the trees above and mice squeaking in the distance.
``Are those poppy seeds?'' Bonepaw asked, motioning to the intertwined leaves in Burnpelt's mouth.
She nodded.
``Are they for Flashpaw?'' Bonepaw continued.
Again, the medicine cat responded with a nod. They stopped in front of the camp and greeted the night patrol - two young cats, who were warriors for a few days.
``Have you seen ever seen Flashpaw?'' Burnpelt asked.
``No. Just heard about them. I haven't been inside their den before.''
``They don't allow kits in their den. Although a hero, they don't resemble a cat you have ever seen. I can guarantee that.''
Bonepaw nodded. Before they entered the camp, she spoke.
``Can I...may I...bring the seeds to them?''
Burnpelt didn't answer. She put the leaves in front of Bonepaw, who took them and stepped forward.
``Did the story inspire you?'' Burnpelt asked as Bonepaw was about to enter the den.
``Flashpaw is a hero. All heroes should be honored. In Starclan and in Riverclan.''
Hot, thick air filled the confides of the den. It took a moment for Bonepaw's eyes to adjust to the darkness inside, as no outside light could enter this place.
``Who's there?'' Flashpaw spoke.
It was a startling sight for Bonepaw. Flashpaw was truly larger than any cat she had ever seen, easily three times larger than her. They were laying, sprayed on the ground, one leg visibly shorter than the rest, with a large nasty scar running along the calf.
``I-I am Bonepaw.'' The young apprentice shuddered. ``I am an apprentice of our medicine cat.''
``Medicine cat?'' Flashpaw spoke through a haze. ``It Leafsnout there? You can tell her to come inside.''
``Um, no, sorry. Leafsnout isn't the medicine cat anymore...'' Bonepaw answered, confused. ``Burnpelt. Burnpelt is our medicine cat.''
``Ah...Burnpelt. I remember her...she used to follow me and Cloudpelt around all the time. I think she just didn't want to deal with Leafsnout...'' Flashpaw let out a sincere, throaty laugh. ``What did you say your name was, young kit?''
``Bone-bonepaw, sir'' she answered, opting to not correct them.
``Bonepaw...'' they thought for a moment. ``Oh, I remember you now. I used to play with you, back in the days. Do you remember your old uncle Flashpaw? We played hide and seek and catch the butterfly.''
Bonepaw decided it would be best not to answer. She came closer to the large cat, leaving the seeds in front of them.
``These are poppy seeds, Flashpaw.'' She said. ``Burnpelt sends them. She said she wants you to get well.''
``Poppy seeds? Ah, thank you so much, my child.''
The cat undid the leaves and in one gulp devoured all the seeds, leaving Bonepaw shocked.
``This is just what I needed.'' Flashpaw said lazily. ``Please, help yourself to some of my fish. It's freshly caught.''
They motioned towards a pile of fresh-kill, but Bonepaw shook her head.
``I have to be going, Flashpaw. My mentor is waiting outside.''
``Oh, Cloudpelt is always there. He mentored me once, you now. I don't think I did him proud. But you know, he's one of my best friends. He rescued me when I was just a little kit, all on my lonesome.''
Flashpaw's speech was becoming more slurred. The seeds had taken effect.
``I'll be going now. I hope you get better, Flashpaw.''
``Leafsnout would love to meet you...if you pass by her den, tell her that Flashpaw sends his regards'' they said as they closed their eyes and drifted off.
Bonepaw exited the den and found Burnpelt waiting for them.
``How was it?'' the medicine cat asked.
``It...it was hard.''
``It doesn't get easier. Let's go. We have a long night ahead of us.''
``He thought that Leafsnout and Cloudpelt are still alive.'' Bonepaw finally said, when they exited the camp. ``Do they not know?''
``They've been told numerous times. But too much poppy seeds makes the brain all mushy. These days there isn't much they can say, really.''
Bonepaw didn't answer. They stalked the forest for the rest of the night, gathering herbs in silence.
![[Commission] Subterfuge, usurpation and vigilante justice](https://va.ib.metapix.net/images80/overlays/writing.png "[Commission] Subterfuge, usurpation and vigilante justice"){kind=small}
