(Spoilers for Omen of the Stars)

The thing that bothers me is how people think Briarlight should become Jayfeather's apprentice. Well, as we already know, Briarlight's lower half of her body was crushed, crippling her. This makes it hard for her to walk as she has to use her forepaws and a crippled cat cannot possibly become a medicine cat.

Firstly, Briarlight needs to be able to walk so that she can get out of the camp to fetch some herbs. It's hard for her to do so with her condition. She also needs to go to Gatherings, which she has never done, and go to the Moonpool when she needs to.

If she gets into a fight, she's defenceless and cannot fight back due to her condition, making her vulnerable. She also would get killed without having to defend herself because she has no possible way to fight back.

The only thing she can do is sort out Jayfeather's herbs and that is the least. Briarlight can never become a medicine apprentice because her condition would stop her. As for Cinderpelt, she is an exception since she could still walk and had no struggle to get to places. She could also be able to defend herself.

Jayfeather, being blind, uses his senses and hearing to get around places, which would also be another exception. He could fight if he tried but he'd still be pretty vulnerable unless he had a cat to tell him where his enemies are. He'd be okay for a medicine cat like Cinderpelt but would need an apprentice that doesn't suffer from Briarlight's condition.

If Jayfeather died and Briarlight was his apprentice, a lot of cats would be dead before she could do anything because her condition would slow/make things harder for her. A Clan needs a medicine cat who could perform their tasks without anything to stop them, and if a crippled cat was left to be a medicine cat, the Clan would have to suffer for it.

Besides, Briarlight will die sooner or later. Her condition is fatal and she would have to die a slow, painful death before she fully died. Her condition can never be treated-that means StarClan is powerless to even do anything to help her. If they could, Briarlight would be running around the camp right now.

The sooner Briarlight actually dies, the more pain she'll be saved from. Even if Briarlight went into StarClan, her injury would still be impossible to heal. StarClan can only heal minor wounds but not major ones like Briarlight's.

It would also be impossible for Briarlight to have kits or a mate because of the way her condition has been inflicted on her. No matter how much Briarlight would want to be a use to ThunderClan, she can't be. A medicine apprentice and medicine cat must be able to perform their duty.

Don't get me wrong, I do like Briarlight and think she's brave for risking her life to save Longtail, but she wouldn't be suited to be a medicine cat/apprentice.