Emberpaw didn't laugh or whisper when kits kicked dirt into Tansyleaf's face. Same for when Eaglestrike tripped over his own prey. Or even when Lizardtooth claimed he was going to be in a prophecy and become deputy.

So why'd they have to laugh when she had sticks in her fur, or whisper about her dream that they overheard. Cats thought she was a little weird. But they had a bit of weirdness to them too. Why did she end up being the outcast?

Wouldn't it be someone quiet? Or rude and annoying all the time? Emberpaw had tried her best to fit in. But cats looked at her disgusted when she added something different.

It wasn't that FreeClan cats didn't like change. They sure were fine with it. As long as it didn't come out of Emberpaw's mouth.

She could think of clear scenarios to back it up. When Dovefeather said the same thing and cats actually agreed with it though ignoring her. Or when she attacked a trespasser and got yelled at just to have Rainfall send them off with his own claws.

Now what we're the cats whispering about? Oh yeah, Pureheart.

I bet no one would care that much if I went missing...

She glanced around at the cats, questioning eachother. It was true, Emberpaw hadn't seen Pureheart after she went out with a bunch of herbs or whatnot in her mouth. She had expected it was just normal medicine cat stuff. But now thinking about it; it might have led up to her long disappearance.

Cats weren't questioning her... yet. Instead they were surrounding Currenttail. Overwhelmed as cats got close as they asked questions. Not giving him any space.

Deserves it.

Emberpaw shook her head as she pushed her way through the crowd of cats. Hoping she could get the scent of Pureheart's return. Yet there was nothing, it was only from earlier that day.

"We should send a patrol to search for her." Discussed a group of cats behind Emberpaw.

"There's some cats with wounds, who's going to take care of them while Pureheart's out?" Debated the other groups.

Emberpaw listened before hearing prideful footsteps. She turned her body around again to see Sparrowtuft clearing his way through cats. Fernstar was getting in front of him.

She didn't even use the tree. The leader took a ginormous leap as she landed on the only smooth part of the rock. Sparrowtuft jumped onto the sturdy branch. His claws were curled around smaller branches as he wrapped his tail.

"Attention!" Yowled Fernstar, not bothering with the ceremonial words. This was a fairly urgent matter. They had to rush. Who knew what was happening to Pureheart now?

Emberpaw pushed her way through bigger cats to get a clear view of the two cats. Listening intently, she hoped to help.

"As you all are starting to figure, or have figured. Our medicine cat Pureheart has been missing all day. We can't afford to wait til tomorrow with the scratches on some of our cats. And small coughs of kits." Fernstar started, "We will send a search party to look for her. If she is not in our territory look for her most recent scent. Return back before sunrise. And report it when the clan wakes up."

Cats were peeking their ears in question of who she would choose. They also probably were hoping they could rescue the medicine cat in the end...

"Lizardtooth, Eaglestrike," Fernstar took a moment to take a breath, "Rainfall and—"

Emberpaw was the last one that had saw her. She was the one that didn't bother to ask further questions. Perhaps if she changed something about earlier the medicine cat wouldn't disappear. It felt correct to blame it on herself, she could make up for it for finding her, "Me! May I go?" Her last sentence was weak.

"Dovefeather." Fernstar finished, stabbing the apprentice in the back by ignoring her. The four cats gathered together. Picking a leader of the patrol before waiting for the meeting to end. Waiting to leave...

Without Emberpaw, who thought she needed to go.

"Who has the best knowledge of herbs?" Fernstar questioned, looking for someone to treat the cats.

For embarrassing things, Emberpaw had gone to the medicine den many times. She didn't have any herb memorized by name, but she remembered the shape and color of the one Pureheart used for her small cuts. When she coughed Pureheart had given her honey at times, though it could change for kits. Since she was unable to get into the patrol before, she offered herself again, "I-"

"I have a bit of my sister's knowledge. She taught me a bit, not much. Though I think I can heal some cuts." Tansyleaf interrupted.

Tansyleaf might know more but... she wanted to make her useful for something.

Fernstar was her mentor, yet all she had been doing was ignoring. Or at times telling her to wait. She didn't feel like her apprentice.

"Alright, Tansyleaf can stay in the medicine den." Fernstar told her, "Unless you need to see Tansyleaf in the medicine den. All of you get rest. Hopefully not but we might have to send more patrols. Meeting dismissed."

With trust Fernstar and Sparrowtuft hopped off their designated areas. Fernstar headed into her den, while Sparrowtuft and other warriors headed to theirs. Emberpaw pushed past the group heading to the medicine den and into the apprentice den.

As much of her dislike for Sunmist. When she curled up into her nest she felt a bit of emptiness. She remembered early in her apprenticeship for a bit Currenttail stayed there. She had wished to have a group of cats as big as that, if not bigger to stay with her. Yet here she was for four or so moons staying alone in her ginormous nest.

She let out a small whimper before closing her eyes. She wrapped her tail around her. Reaching the top of her head. She stuffed her face into her tail and bedding as she drifted off to sleep.

***

Emberpaw had woken up, the sun was rising as she exited her den. The warm rays greeted her fur as she wished to join a patrol.

"Hey Emberpaw!" Greeted a voice. She turned her head to see who it was. She flinched seeing the missing medicine cat. Did they find her?

"Hi Pureheart." She greeted, "What happened yesterday? Where were you? How'd we fine you?"

The she-cat tilted her head to one side. She had seemed confused. Was this some sort of prank? "I've been in camp ever since two days ago."

Emberpaw gasped. Had "yesterday" just had been an awful dream? It would make sense for Fernstar ignoring her. She didn't do it often.

"Oh, I see..." she muttered. Now having the rush of embarrassment, "I think I got yesterday mixed up with a dream."

Pureheart just giggled, "Oh, that's funny! Your always weird sometimes, that seemed possible. Coming from you at least!"

Well that hurt. Emberpaw shook her head.

"Well, I'm going to see if I'll be invited on a patrol." She told Pureheart as she walked past her, "I need something to do anyways!"

It all gave her a headache. Was Pureheart right? Was she actually super weird and different? Was she even able to tell dreams from reality?

Emberpaw sighed as she headed to Sparrowtuft. Who was assigning a hunting patrol. Maybe she could actually catch something, and bring it to the freshkill pile. And get something in return...

"Let's see... is there anyone else?" Sparrowtuft muttered as he looked through cats, "Oh, Emberpaw. Join Currenttail, Dovefeather, and Lizardtooth on a hunting patrol."

Emberpaw nodded. Normally she was the last pick for patrols. Unless Sparrowtuft felt pitiful. Yet this time he chose her without a second to hesitate.

She couldn't remember yesterday. But maybe she did something really great that got cats talking to her. Maybe she could ask about it. Though that might make her weirder...

"Let's head out." Dovefeather told the three. Emberpaw walked beside her while the other two warriors followed behind, not saying anything to each other.

It seemed Currenttail wasn't affected by what happened yesterday. Maybe he was still mad at her for when she got mad at him. That sounded stupid. Considering she figured she did something amazing yesterday.

"I hope for a good hunt." Lizardtooth had said. Emberpaw nodded with him, agreeing.

When outside of camp Emberpaw had smelt something. It took her less than a moment to figure it was a vole. She gave a nod to her patrol before heading towards the scent. Quieting down her pawsteps as she got closer.

Her normal silence when she was alone came back. Emberpaw lowered her body to the ground. Doing her normally good crouch that no cat had seen.

She searched through the grass to find the tiny creature. Eventually she spotted it, nibbling on a seed of some sort. It didn't matter what. She pounded on the vole. Her teeth went straight to its neck for a lil just heartbeats later.

Now she needed to figure out where they were burying the caught prey. She sniffed for the patrol again. Hoping to communicate with them. She got the scent of all three still together. A squirrel mixed in with their scent. Making Emberpaw assume they had caught something as well.

She bounced through the grass with quiet pawsteps. She made her lands light and controlled, while still going fast towards the cats.

Maybe she should've went a bit slower though. Since she didn't have enough time to stop. She had also closed her eyes to have a good pinpoint on her clanmates.

"Dovefeather! I caught a vole!" Emberpaw called to the clan leader as she darted through the forest, dodging trees and roots. Hopping over fallen logs and twigs.

She really should have looked where she was going though... she crashed into a brown pelt, knocking him over.

"Ow- why are you never careful?" Grumbled Currenttail. She stared at him as he got up and picked up the squirrel he caught, and that she made him drop... She gave him a nervous smile for a moment, then turning her head to Dovefeather.

She dug a hole in the ground as she placed her vole in it, "we can keep prey here til the end." She told Dovefeather.

But when she looked up from the hole; she let out a huge gasp. Her body shaking a bit.

Dovefeather was gone.

———————————————————————

And Dovefeather is gone. What has happened? Is StarClan giving Emberpaw some sort of omen? Why is everyone kind of nice to her?

Well find out in the next chapter- hehe I sound so corny

Word count: 1790