WARRIORS - Fading Hope

Chapter 4

Softpetal's POV (Fluttershy)

Peachkit had been helping me in the medicine den for a while now and I was very grateful for her assistance and company. While I still wasn't completely over my grief for Shadespark, I did very much enjoy her presence, and the young she-cat was always eager to join me in there. My ears twitched as I heard movement behind me, and I turned to see her fast asleep on the den floor with a small bunch of juniper berries in her paws. I smiled and gently pulled the berries free, putting them back with the others before placing Peachkit in my nest and curling up beside her.

Nightfeather padded in a few moments later and I tilted my head toward the sleeping kit. Neither of us said a word, but I knew the message got through. The black she-cat nodded and left, heading back to the nursery.

"Softpetal," Flashstar called from just outside the den, "can I talk to you for a moment?" I nodded and rose to my paws, taking care not to disturb Peachkit. He led me to his den and sat down, waiting as I did the same.

"What is it?" I asked.

The black and white tom waited a moment before speaking. "Well first off, I'm glad you seem to be in a good mood," he began, "I know that you’re still grieving for Shadespark, and that's fine. You've done a great job of continuing to move forward despite that, which is why I waited this long before asking this." He paused. "Have...  you thought about choosing an apprentice of your own?"

To be honest, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I knew my friends and I couldn't go back to Equestria as long as Spicepaw was still missing and I was WindClan's only medicine cat. Suddenly it seemed more important than I'd thought before. The only three kits in the Clan would be six moons any day now, and who knows how long it would be before more were ready?

Could that be why Peachkit has been helping me so much recently? At first I'd thought it was because Shadespark was her kin, but now...

"Softpetal?" Peachkit's mew broke me away from my thoughts. "I had a scary dream, and when I woke up you weren't there. It was weird, there was Shadespark as well as another cat, I didn't recognize her. But aren't you supposed to only be able to dream about cats you've seen before?"

Her question sparked a thought. It was true with dreams, but what if that wasn't a dream at all? If it was a vision instead, then it made sense, and perhaps it meant that Peachkit was supposed to be a medicine cat!

"Am I right to believe you've made a decision?" Flashstar asked me. I kept my gaze on Peachkit and smiled.

"I think you are," I answered. The young she-cat looked back and forth between me and the leader, her green eyes lighting up as she realized what I meant.

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I let out a purr of amusement as Peachkit, now Peachpaw, raced ahead, practically bursting with excitement. She almost mirrored my own excitement from three moons prior.

"Are we almost there?" She asked. I nodded, giving her a bright smile, before turning my attention to a nearby juniper bush. The bush suddenly seemed significant, and I signaled Peachpaw to wait as I padded toward it. I gently picked a tiny cluster of the berries, before turning back and continuing on.

Finally the silhouettes of the other five medicine cats came into view, and I bounded forward to greet them, Peachpaw following close behind. She flashed them an eager smile, her eyes widening in wonder as they landed on the Moonpool. I closed my eyes and simply listened, taking a deep breath and stepping forward.