Spottedpaw knew from the moment that when she was a kit, she wanted to become ThunderClan's Medicine cat. However, there was a problem; Featherwhisker was Goosefeather's apprentice and she couldn't become a medicine apprentice as there already was one. The tortoiseshell let out a sigh. I don't want to be a warrior apprentice, she complained in her thoughts. I think I should tell Thrushpelt this so that he will be aware. She padded over to Swiftbreeze who was trotting over to Leopardfoot.

"Swiftbreeze?" Spottedpaw said her mother's name and she turned, no longer walking.

"Yes, Spottedpaw?" Spottedpaw opened her jaws to say something but was cut off because of Sunstar's loud yowl which spreaded across the clearing in a heartbeat. Fox-dung! Spottedpaw thought angrily and Swiftbreeze padded over to the Highrock alongside a few other cats. Spottedpaw sighed and slowly padded over to Redpaw who was sitting next to Tigerpaw. Her brother's ginger tail was wrapped neatly around his tortoiseshell paws and his gaze looked up at Sunstar.

"Goosefeather will be moving into the elder's den," Sunstar announced and happiness prickled at Spottedpaw. Now that Featherwhisker was now the medicine cat, she could become his apprentice! "He has served us a long, long time through hard times and good times. He has seen many newborn kits and will now rest for long until he joins StarClan." Sunstar performed the elder-making ceremony and it was over. He called the ceremony to an end and cats padded away. Spottedpaw noticed her mentor, Thrushpelt, walking with Bluefur and was murmuring something. Spottedpaw then trotted over to the two cats.

"Uh, Thrushpelt, can I talk to you?" she asked and Thrushpelt gave a nod, Bluefur walking away.

"What is it, Spottedpaw?" the sandy-grey warrior prompted.

"Uh, I, er, don't really want to be a warrior apprentice, you see. . . and uh, I want to be a medicine apprentice instead," the dark tortoiseshell stifled. Thrushpelt's ears twitched at what he heard. He hesitated.

"Okay, then. If that is what you really want then we'll go and talk to Sunstar about it," he then said. Spottedpaw gave a nod and Thrushpelt began to walk over to Sunstar, who had just leapt from the Highrock. Spottedpaw trotted after her mentor and Thrushpelt called out to Sunstar. The bright ginger tom's ears twitched and he looked up.

"Yes, Thrushpelt?"

"Spottedpaw has something she wants to tell you," the sandy warrior said, waiting for Spottedpaw. The tortoiseshell she-cat stood next to his mentor and hesitated as the ThunderClan leader's yellow gaze looked down at her. Spottedpaw then told Sunstar about wanting to become a medicine apprentice instead of a warrior apprentice. Sunstar nodded.

"Very well. I'll go and get Featherwhisker," he mewed and padded away. The new ThunderClan medicine cat was trotting behind Sunstar and Spottedpaw swung her head at their approach.

"What do you wish to ask me, Spottedpaw?" Featherwhisker asked the tortoiseshell apprentice. Spottedpaw looked up.

"I want to become your apprentice," she told the tom.

"Okay," Featherwhisker mewed. "I accept your request." Spottedpaw felt more happier than ever. She was going to be a medicine cat apprentice at last! Now she was a paw step closer to becoming a medicine cat.

___

The medicine apprentice ceremony had been performed and Spottedpaw looked at her mentor who had leaped from the Highrock. He flicked his tail as a signal to follow, and so Spottedpaw did. The medicine cat was heading towards the medicine den. Spottedpaw was trailing behind and in the next heartbeat Featherwhisker's tail had disappeared into the den. The tortoiseshell apprentice pushed past the entrance. At the end of the fern tunnel, she noticed Featherwhisker picking out a clump of fresh moss and lay it on the ground.

"That's your nest," he mewed as Spottedpaw stared at it. She noticed the herb pile behind her mentor. "Okay, so let's see if you can remember some of the herbs I showed you when Goosefeather was the medicine cat and you were a kit." He turned to the pile of herbs and Spottedpaw sat, wrapping her tortoiseshell tail around her paws. Featherwhisker turned, placing a dandelion like plant on the ground. Spottedpaw examined it carefully.

"That's coltsfoot," she then replied confidently. Featherwhisker didn't correct her so she thought she was right. The medicine cat turned for another herb. He then placed a plant with spiky dark green leaves and purple berries. Spottedpaw looked. "Juniper berries."

"Well done," Featherwhisker praised. "You got them both right."

"Well, it kind of was easy to remember," Spottedpaw mewed.

"I can tell you're going to be a good medicine cat," Featherwhisker said. "Oh, we'll have to go to the Moonstone later with the other medicine cats. You'll like them when you meet them as they are kind."

____

A paw prodded Spottedpaw awake. At first she thought it was Redpaw, her brother, but it was just Featherwhisker.

"It's time to go to the Moonstone," Featherwhisker mewed softly and Spottedpaw got onto her paws. She was excited to get to know the other medicine cats of the Clans. "Just follow me and don't stray off, okay?" Spottedpaw just gave a nod to indicate he understood her mentor. Featherwhisker padded out of the medicine den and Spottedpaw followed close behind. The two cats padded through the thorn tunnel. Spottedpaw's nose wrinkled at the scent of the other Clans. The other medicine cats must be waiting in our territory, she thought.

"There's Featherwhisker!" a tom alerted cats as they jerked their heads up. The tom was a mottled dark brown tom and he carried the scent of WindClan. Spottedpaw trailed behind her mentor slightly, nervous.

"Who's that following you?" a dark grey she-cat asked. Featherwhisker looked at the she-cat.

"That's Spottedpaw, my apprentice," he replied. The she-cat was about to open her jaws but Featherwhisker quickly said, "Goosefeather retired."

"That was quick on getting an apprentice," a white she-cat with black spots commented. Featherwhisker nodded. The WindClan tom moved to the side, a dark brown tom now showing. He had been hiding behind his mentor and looked like an apprentice.

"What's your apprentice's name, Featherwhisker?" the grey she-cat asked. She carried ShadowClan scent.

"Oh, her name is Spottedpaw, Yellowfang," the ThunderClan medicine cat replied. Yellowfang turned her amber gaze to Spottedpaw, who backed a little.

"Hello, Spottedpaw," the ShadowClan mewed. "I'm Yellowfang, the medicine cat of ShadowClan." Spottedpaw shyly returned the she-cat's greeting.

"I'm Hawkheart," the mottled brown WindClan medicine cat introduced himself. He then looked down at the dark brown tom who now stood next to him. "That's Barkpaw, my apprentice."

"And I'm Brambleberry of RiverClan," the white she-cat mewed. "Mudfur, my apprentice, is not with me this time. You'll get to see him next time." Spottedpaw just nodded.

"Let's go," Yellowfang mewed and began to walk away. The other medicine cats followed the ShadowClan medicine cat. Barkpaw slid next to Spottedpaw.

"How long have you been a medicine apprentice?" he asked.

"Just today," Spottedpaw mewed.

"Really? You're lucky, then. I mean, lucky to meet the others on your first day," Barkpaw mewed.

"I guess. What do you do at the Moonstone?" Barkpaw hesitated.

"StarClan walk in your dreams and they might send you something, but it's always hard to understand what they mean."

"Have they sent you anything?" Spottedpaw questioned. Barkpaw shook his head.

"No, not really. Hawkheart only told me about what they do."

"I see," Spottedpaw mewed.