Erin Hunter - Leafpool’s Wish

THUNDERCLAN LEADER FIRESTARginger tom with a flame-colored pelt DEPUTY GRAYSTRIPElong-haired gray tom MEDICINE CAT LEAFPOOLlight brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits) DUSTPELTdark brown tabby tom SANDSTORMpale ginger she-cat CLOUDTAILlong-haired white tom BRACKENFURgolden brown tabby tom APPRENTICE, WHITEPAW THORNCLAWgolden brown tabby tom BRIGHTHEARTwhite she-cat with ginger patches BRAMBLECLAWdark brown tabby tom with amber eyes ASHFURpale gray (with darker flecks) tom, dark blue eyes APPRENTICE, BIRCHPAW RAINWHISKERdark gray tom with blue eyes SQUIRRELFLIGHTdark ginger she-cat with green eyes SPIDERLEGlong-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits) FERNCLOUDpale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat, green eyes, mother of Dustpelts kits SORRELTAILtortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes DAISYcream-colored, long-furred cat from the horseplace ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired) GOLDENFLOWERpale ginger coat, the oldest nursery queen LONGTAILpale tabby tom with dark black stripes, retired early due to failing sight MOUSEFURsmall dusky brown she-cat

SHADOWCLAN LEADER BLACKSTARlarge white tom with huge jet-black paws DEPUTY RUSSETFURdark ginger she-cat MEDICINE CAT LITTLECLOUDvery small tabby tom WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits) OAKFURsmall brown tom APPRENTICE, SMOKEPAW CEDARHEARTdark gray tom ROWANCLAWginger tom TAWNYPELTtortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits) TALLPOPPYlong-legged light brown tabby she-cat ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired) BOULDERskinny gray tom

WINDCLAN LEADER ONESTARbrown tabby tom DEPUTY ASHFOOTgray she-cat MEDICINE CAT BARKFACEshort-tailed brown tom WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits) TORNEARtabby tom WEBFOOTdark gray tabby tom CROWFEATHERdark gray tom OWLWHISKERlight brown tabby tom NIGHTCLOUDblack she-cat WEASELFURginger tom with white paws QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits) WHITETAILsmall white she-cat ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired) MORNINGFLOWERtortoiseshell queen RUSHTAILlight brown tom

RIVERCLAN LEADER LEOPARDSTARunusually spotted golden tabby she-cat DEPUTY MISTYFOOTgray she-cat with blue eyes MEDICINE CAT MOTHWINGdappled golden she-cat APPRENTICE, WILLOWPAW WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits) BLACKCLAWsmoky black tom APPRENTICE, BEECHPAW VOLETOOTHsmall brown tabby tom SWALLOWTAILdark tabby she-cat STONESTREAMgray tom REEDWHISKERblack tom APPRENTICE, RIPPLEPAW QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits) MOSSPELTtortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes DAWNFLOWERpale gray she-cat

THE TRIBE OF RUSHING WATER BROOK WHERE SMALL FISH SWIM (BROOK)brown tabby she-cat STORMFURdark gray tom with amber eyes

OTHER ANIMALS SMOKYmuscular gray-and-white tom who lives in a barn at the horseplace FLOSSsmall gray-and-white she-cat who lives at the horseplace PIPblack-and-white terrier who lives with Twolegs near the horseplace MIDNIGHTa stargazing badger who lives by the sea

Keep still, Birchpaw! If you dont stop wriggling, Ill have Dustpelt sit on you! Leafpool retrieved the fallen moss with a hiss and held it over the apprentices eye once more.

It stings! Birchpaw protested.

What, worse than a badgers claws? Leafpool meowed skeptically. She squeezed the moss between her pads and a bead of green juice dropped into the center of Birchpaws half-closed eye. Birchpaw winced but Leafpool quickly placed her paw on top of his eyelid, keeping it closed while the juice treated the infection.

Inevitably, memories of the badger attack flooded back to her: the sight of her Clanmates battling for their lives when she and Crowfeather had stood, horrorstruck, at the entrance to the hollow; the sound of small furred bodies thudding into the ground, tossed by gigantic black-and-white paws; the snarls of the badgers rumbling beneath the shrieks of warriors. Birchpaw had been lucky to escape with nothing more serious than a clawed eye. Sootfur had been killed, and so had Cinderpelt the medicine cat, desperately protecting Sorreltail as she gave birth to her kits. Leafpool felt a fresh wave of grief, sharp as ever, when she thought of her mentor dying without her. Cinderpelt must have been terrified for the future of ThunderClan without a medicine cat, yet she still refused to leave Sorreltails side.

I came back, Cinderpelt, and I stayed, Leafpool whispered fiercely, hoping that her mentor could hear her in StarClan.

Talking to yourself, eh? Brackenfur mewed, appearing in the entrance to the den.

Leafpool shook the memories clear from her mind. Just remembering something important, she replied. Is everything okay, Brackenfur?

Er, can I go now? Birchpaw chirped, looking up at her with his injured eye closed and weeping with juice.

Leafpool nodded. Of course, but youre still not allowed out of the hollow! I dont want any brambles poking you in that eye before its fully healed.

Birchpaw trotted out, muttering under his breath. Brackenfur flicked the apprentice with his tail-tip as he passed. Some cats need to remember how lucky they were to survive that battle, he grunted.

Leafpool bowed her head. And those who fell will not be forgotten.

Brackenfur ducked to enter the den. Like most of Leafpools Clanmates, he glanced nervously up at the roof as if he was wondering how the weight of the cliffs above them was supported. Sorreltail sent me, he meowed. Cinderkits picked up a couple of fleas and she wondered if you had anything that might soothe the bites.

Leafpool pictured the tiny gray she-cat scratching at her fluffy pelt. Im sure I can help, she purred. Tell Sorreltail Ill bring something over before sunhigh.

Brackenfur narrowed his eyes. Theres no rush. You look tired, Leafpool. Is there anything I can do?

Leafpool shook her head. Im fine. Its always busy after a battle, and a nursery full of kits doesnt help! She paused. Not that I dont rejoice at every kit born to ThunderClan, she added.

Brackenfurs gaze softened. They are all precious, he agreed. He padded out of the den and Leafpool followed him as far as the entrance, where she stood in a shaft of watery sunlight. On the opposite side of the clearing, her sister Squirrelflight was sharing a mouse with Brambleclaw, her dark ginger body curled into his. Leafpool felt a twist of concern in her belly. It looked like Squirrelflight had finally made her choice between their Clanmate Ashfur and the broad-shouldered dark tabby. Leafpool wouldnt miss the tension between the warriors while Squirrelflight had been making up her mind, but she wished with all her heart that her sister had chosen differently. How could Leafpool tell her that she had dreamed of the Dark Forest and seen Tigerstar mentoring Brambleclaw in secret, training his son in the most terrible ways to kill and maim an enemy? However often Leafpool told herself that Brambleclaw was a loyal ThunderClan warrior, no cat could deny that his father was one of the most dangerous cats ever to live in the Clans.