"A whole moon!?" Fernpaw yowled in outrage. "But there's nothing wrong with me!"

Bluewillow glanced up at her from the lines she had traced in the dirt, to mark Fernpaw's test results. "Fernpaw, you are clearly obsessed with you imaginary frie-"

"She is not imaginary!" The apprentice screeched, fury making her pelt bush out. "Snowheart is a real, living, breathing cat!"

"That disappears when you look away and magically reappears?" The medicine cat sounded nonchalant. "I doubt it."

She's got a point... whispered a tiny voice in the back of her mind. Fernpaw shook her head. No, Snowheart is real. I know she is. She saved me from the battle with the RiverClan cats, remember?

But I can't tell Bluewillow about that. I really don't have any proof.

"Fernpaw?" Her brother's scent hit his nose, mixed with the strong stench of herbs. After a heartbeat, Briarpaw's small pale brown head popped out from behind a wall of hanging lichen. "What are you doing in here? I heard some cat had to take a concussion tes- great StarClan, Fernpaw, was that you!?" He stared wide-eyed at the lines in the dirt, looking from her to the ground.

Fernpaw was about to give a heated reply, but Bluewillow beat her to it. "Yes, your sister is having vivid hallucinations, and will need to stay in camp under my supervision for one moon."

The white tabby's lower lip trembled. Why won't they believe me? She's real! She is real... right?

Marigoldshine hasn't seen her, and neither has Bluewillow. Can only I see her? But that's impossible... they must be pulling a prank on me... right?

Her eyes widened with a sudden jolt. "What about the Gathering!?" She cursed the tremble her voice.

"I'm afraid you won't be gong," was all the blue tabby replied.

"All apprentices go to their first Gathering! Well, almost all..." She remembered her mentor's words. Could she have known I wouldn't go? Surely not. It must have just been... a coincidence. Yeah, it was just a strange, unlikely coincidence.

"You may go now, Fernpaw," she was pulled from her thoughts by Bluewillow's stern words. It wasn't a suggestion, it was a command.

Fernpaw gulped, knowing their was no use in arguing. She caught a sympathetic glance from her brother. "Th-thank you, Bluewillow," she dipped her head shakily, and padded out of the den. She could hardly believe that that had just happened as she trailed off to her nest.

✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎

   Fernpaw yawned, stretching in her nest. I wonder what we'll train today. Maybe we'll hunt again, and I'll actually catch something! Or we could battle train... I wouldn't mind pairing up with Locustpaw.

   Then she glanced up at the sigh. "Sunhigh already!?" She gasped, dashing out into the camp. A trail of crushed blades of grass followed her as she bounded over to the prey pile.

   Where's Marigoldsh- oh, right. I'm "sick". I can't leave camp for a moon. She growled, sinking her claws into the dirt. Stinky elders and ticks for me. Yay.

  
   It was just before sunset, and Fernpaw was exhausted. First, she had shared a mouse with Briarpaw, and then she helped the medicine cats sort through their herbs and throw out the old ones. By the time they finished, Fernpaw's paws had become stained with herbs juices. Then, she had to bring prey to the queens and Foxstar.

Petaldust will have her kits any day now, she reflected as she made her way over to the elders' den. A twig with a ball of moss soaked in mouse bile on the end of it dangled in her mouth. And Jaypelt seems to be enjoying her time in the nursery. The older she-cat was carrying her third litter of kits, and her last, after her mate died of greencough.

"Hey look, it's baby Fernkit!" Fernpaw looked up, ears perked, to see the sneering faces of Twigpaw and Breezepaw.

"We heard you've got yourself in trouble over your imaginary friend," the two snickered are Breezepaw's snide remark.

Fernpaw's ears grew hot. "Justcutitoutguys," she mumbled, staring at her paws.

"What was that, Fernkit?" Twigpaw mockingly pointed an ear towards her. "You're gonna need to speak up!"

Fernpaw winced. "J-just cut it out g-guys."

"Cut it out? Oh, we'll cut it out," The tortoiseshell tom flicked his ear to his sister, who was smirking at Fernpaw. The white tabby was trembling. "Twigpaw, let's bring her to the spot."

The calico apprentice's eyes flashed. "Yes. I'll grab the nettles and the vines."

"N-nettles and vines!?" Fernpaw stuttered as Twigpaw dashed past her into the medicine den. She stepped back as Breezepaw took a threatening step towards her.

"Into the Dirtplace tunnel. Now," he hissed, lashing out at her muzzle. She let out a small yelp as he backed her into the small gorse bush.

"S-stop!" She cried as Twigpaw stepped up next to her brother. She carried a large leaf with nettles on it, and many vines wove around her midsection.

The two stepped closer, ignoring her cries. "Three..." Fernpaw wailed loudly, shrinking down into the dirt. "Two..."

She closed her eyes tightly. "Three!"

A sharp pain stung her fore paws, and she yelped, jumping back.

"Hold still," Breezepaw growled, wrapping a vine tightly around her hind legs. He pulled the end, and her legs buckled beneath her, tightly secured with the rope-like plant.

"Please! Please!" She begged, shaking in fear. "Pl-"

Twigpaw slashed her nose with a claw, then tied a vine around her muzzle. Her front legs were bound as well, and her eyes were covered in a wet, slimy plant.

"I think that covers it," she heard Breezepaw mutter, spitting at her. "Let's bring her to them."

To who!? Fernpaw wanted to scream, to wail, to let someond find her. Where are they taking me?

The two apprentices carried her down to the lake, where three cats lurked in the shadows.

"Have you brought her?" An all-to familiar voice growled.

The vines were removed from her mouth, and the weed was taken from her eye. "B-Briarpaw?" She gasped, seeing her brother's startling face. He loomed over her, glaring at her.

"You ruined my life," he spat on her face. "You lied about me. I wanted to be a great warrior, but you took that away from me!" He slashed her eye, causing blood to spatter on the ground.

"Yowwwww!" She howled in pain, writhing in the dirt. She knew he had blinded her, and she was still in shock.

The next cat stepped forward. "It's your fault that I was killed." It was Leafkit. "You should have warned them of the foxes! You should have saved me!" Even though she was just a small kit, she tore off Fernpaw's ear with the ferocity of a badger.

Fernpaw screwed her eyes shut. Just make it stop! She begged. Please... please... please...

The third and final cat revealed himself. It was none other than Cloudpaw, the RiverClan tom. "You deceived me in battle, and almost let that... that thing kill me. You also watched me struggle at the claws of a dog. You will pay, Fernpaw!"

She saw him lunge downward, and closed her eyes, waiting for the blow. She felt sharp fangs in her throat, before hot blood poured out and everything went black.

Fernpaw gasped, jolting up. She was in a nest, surrounded by tall grasses and sleeping cats. But... how... how did I get back here?

She searched the nests around her, and Breezepaw and Twigpaw were sound asleep. Was it... was it a dream? She drew a paw over her ear, her heart racing. It felt so real... do all those cats really hate me? Do they resent me for my mistakes?

Shakily, she padded out in the clearing to think. They all had valid reasons to be mad, but to kill me!? I don't understand... do they really feel that way?

A tear escaped her, running down her cheek. Maybe they do. Maybe I'm better off... maybe I'm better off dead.

Drops of water splattered her fur and the ground beneath her as she sobbed. Maybe... everything would be better if I died. Maybe mother and father would get back together. Maybe Briarpaw would be happy... maybe Cloudpaw would forget about me.

Yes, the Clan would be better off without me.

As much as it hurt her heart, she felt it was the right choice. She raised a claw to her throat, right there in the center of camp. Her chest was still racked with sobs, and her paw was shaky.

I'm sorry Mother. I love you.

I'm sorry Father. I love you.

I'm sorry Hawthornpaw and Briarpaw. I love you.

I'm sorry Locustpaw... I-I love you.

And with that, she raised her claw to strike, but a cat suddenly barreled her over. She tumbled in the grass, tears still pouring down her face.

She looked up, and her eyes flashed with astonishment. "Snowheart!" She cried hv joyfully, purring loudly. "You came! I knew you were real. I knew you cared about me." She raced your to nuzzle her friend, purring. "Thank you for saving me."

The silver tabby smiled and nodded, licking Fernpaw comfortingly. The apprentice's eyes grew heavy. "Th-thank you, Snowheart," she yawned. "I love you..."