"Worthless scrap!" Pebblepaw hissed as he trotted past Crimsonkit in the direction of the camp exit. "Get out of my way!" The newly made apprentice flicked his tail arrogantly as he followed his mentor out of the main clearing and into the moorland beyond.

Crimsonkit hissed. Pebblepaw had barely been an apprentice for more than a few minutes and he was already strutting around camp like he owned the place. Bouncekit let out an irritable sigh from beside Crimsonkit and stalked away in the direction of the nursery. She watched her brother go with a faint frown on her lips. They were a moon away from receiving their wings and tensions were high between them. Flarekit had even chosen to sleep alone in her own nest, saying that she was too old to sleep with their mother. Strangely, Solarflare hadn't protested.

Falconkit was sitting in the corner of the fresh-kill pile. He had changed the most. The grey and blue tom always kept to himself, rarely ever speaking to his littermates. Thought he did occasionally save Crimsonkit from Pebblepaw, Thunderkit and Pigeonkit when the jeers got out of control.

Crimsonkit had never felt so alone; even her own littermates didn't want to be around her. But she didn't blame them, they were growing up. They didn't need their siblings company as much. She just wished she could do the same but everytime she tried to make new friends or play her own games she would be mocked by the others.

"Crimsonkit?" It was Wishberry, the medicine cat. The calico she cat had a bundle of herbs in her jaws as she headed into the medicine den. "Are you alright?"

"Uh.." Crimsonkit stuttered. "Yeah.. I'm fine." She forced a wide smile on her lips to reassure the medicine cat. Wishberry was one of the few cats of Flameclan who she liked- she was always so nice and cared about her well being. In fact, Wishberry cared about every single individual cat in the clan. It filled Crimsonkit with admiration everytime she thought about it. Medicine cats were amazing.

Wishberry didn't believe Crimsonkit's obvious lie and curled her tail around her little red furred body. "Come with me, I need your help with something."

Crimsonkit pricked her ears in interest, smiling at the idea of helping the medicine cat. "Really? You want my help?"

"There's something special about you, Crimsonkit. I don't know what it is yet, but I'm sure we'll find out soon." The medicine cat murmured softly, leading her gently into the medicine den with her. "Now," she put down the herb bundle, "do you think you could sort through these herbs for me?"

"Sure!" Crimsonkit happily unwrapped the sharp-smelling bundle and stared at the different herbs at her paws. "How do I know which are which?"

"You don't need to know, all you need to do is sort the different ones apart. Like this." Wishberry picked up a pawful of little black seeds. "These poppy seeds go here in a pile, and these.." She picked up a different looking herb. "Go over here." She placed the herb down in its own pile. "Got it?"

"Yep." Crimsonkit smiled and began carefully sorting through the herbs.

After she had successfully put all the herbs in their separate piles, Wishberry purred. "Brilliantly done." She picked up each pile and placed them in the little holes in the den wall where she kept her herbs.

Crimsonkit beamed proudly and stood up to leave the den but Wishberry called out. "Wait a moment."

Crimsonkit paused, turning to face the medicine cat.

Wishberry meowed in a soft tone. "I've been looking for an apprentice for a while now.. and I think you might be the one."

Crimsonkit blinked in surprise. She had no plans of becoming a medicine cat, she wanted to be a warrior. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get the words out. She didn't want to risk losing her only friend. "Uhm.." She swallowed nervously, her eyes glittering apologetically.

Wishberry seemed to get the silent message and she let out a forced chuckled. "It's alright, it was only a suggestion.." The calico she cat twitched her whiskers with a sigh. "Go on now, I'm fine on my own."

Crimsonkit nodded stiffly and turned around again, bounding out of the medicine den. Once she was back in the fresh, crisp air of midday leaf-fall she let out a soft sigh. Guilt nagged at her, tugging her back to the medicine den to accept Wishberry's offer but she fought against her feelings and padded back to the nursery.

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Crimsonkit awoke during the night to the sound of hushed voices outside the nursery. Lifting her head sluggishly, she noticed Solarflare was not in the nest. She stood up, creeping slowly from the nest and towards the den wall, where the voices were coming from.

"She rejected my offer." It was Wishberry who spoke.

Her mother whispered next. "Mouse-dung. She mustn't become a warrior. How else can we stop it?"

Crimsonkit stumbled backwards, eyes wide. Mother told Wishberry to ask me about becoming her apprentice? All previous guilt vanished in an instant, replaced by anger. Why doesn't she want me to be a warrior? She dug her claws into the ground and forced down a growl of fury. Wishberry isn't really my friend after all! She's just scheming with Solarflare to stop me from being a warrior! My own mother hates me so much that she doesn't want me to be happy!

By the time Solarflare had padded back into the nursery, Crimsonkit was back in the nest with her eyes shut as if nothing had happen.

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