ONE | MESSAGE OF STARCLAN

"Puddlestar? Wake up!" 

"Ahhh... eghh... aghhh..."

"Wake up!"

"Thistletail? Eghhhh..."

The black and white tom felt a sharp prod to his side and he winced, blinking and staring blearily up at the gray figure looming over him. "Wake up," a voice hissed close to his ear and he jumped. The tom opposite him gave a small chuckle. "Finally."

"What's with you, prodding me like that so harshly? You're supposed to treat me, not injure me," his leader muttered, staggering to his paws. Thistletail gave another sharp prod to his side. "Shut up, I'm the best you'll ever get." 

"True true. Let's get going, I'll tell you about what happened on the way." The medicine cat bounced in a lively rhythm beside Puddlestar, who was still trying to gain his balance. "So, what happened?" Thistletail urged, eager as he gazed into the sky.

Puddlestar hesitated. "I'm not sure, but..." he paused, rethinking back to what the StarClan cat had told him. "Do not doubt us," she had said silkily. It was impossible not to, with eyes and fur so entrancing. 

He had embraced her scent, inhaling and exhaling almost greedily. He then had realised with a pang that this was his mate. This was why he had relished her aroma.

It took Puddlestar a long time to put together the pieces. Why she had told him to move on? But once he woke up to Thistletail's whining, he had pushed his lame feelings away and focused on the main points that his mate had told him.

"She told me that..." He hesitated once more. Thistletail shoved him lightly, frowning. "What? I'm sure it's not that bad," he could tell something by the look on Puddlestar's face. "Right?"

"Doekit is to be medicine cat." He said quickly, staring into his medicine cat's eyes in worry. They both stuttered to a halt. This was giving him anxiety. "Doekit?" Thistletail spluttered after a long pause. "Her?"

"Yeah, her. I didn't hear it wrong." Thistletail leaned in, eyeing him cautiously. "Are you sure?" He murmured, and Puddlestar nodded slowly. "Let's get back to camp," he sniffed, glancing up at the sky. "It's almost sunrise." 

"Ah, yes. I should go check if Briarpelt's holding up alright."He nodded, then paused and glanced at Puddlestar. The black and white tom glanced back, and dipped his head, raking his gaze away in a slow motion and beginning to pad forward.

"Let's hope we don't get caught by WindClan on the way," Thistletail chuckled as he walked up so they were padding side-by-side.

Sunlight was peeking over the treetops, and as they approached lesser and lesser trees, the smell of WindClan and hares flooded their nostrils. There was a distinct rumble that decided to worm it's way out of Thistletail's stomach and Puddlestar giggled at first, but by the look of Thistletail's face he erupted into laughter.

The medicine cat scowled. "I'm hungry- alright?" He snapped, dissolving into laughter as his leader laughed more. "Hurry up and walk, you worm," Thistletail added, prodding the tom's side and walking faster. He didn't feel secure, though he was a medicine cat and his leader was here.

Puddlestar was good at excuses. He always had some lame alibi, and great at peace-talking. No wonder RiverClan didn't go into fights that often, but either way, Thistletail still felt unsafe in enemy borderline.

"Sorry for trespassing," he murmured as he exited the territory, the now gray stone in front of him and Puddlestar reeking of smoke and dirt. And twolegs.

"Disgusting," Puddlestar scrunched up his nose as they walked along, glancing up at the sky every once in a while to check the time. 

By the time they had made it back to camp, the sun was hanging high in the sky and Puddlestar yawned with happiness as they passed the guards.

"Good morning, Acornsplash," Thistletail mewed good-naturedly to the ginger-and-white tom. Acornsplash grinned back, exchanging a respectful glance and dip with his leader and flicking his tail as his medicine cat passed.

"I could sleep for moons," yawned Puddlestar for what seemed like the millionth time. "Go, then," Thistletail hissed to him, prodding him quickly before padding off to his own den. "I'll get the apprentices to change your bedding later if they haven't already."

"Alright, thanks!" His leader called as he nosed through the drapes of vines.

Thistletail settled down into his own den, but first, nosing his sleeping patient. "Wake up," he murmured, causing an instant reaction from the sleeping mousy brown figure. "'Morning?" The she-cat groaned.

"Yeah, morning," Thistletail chuckled back, settling down beside her. "How does your throat feel? And your stomach?"

"Fantastic, thanks. How was your trip?"

"Lame." The medicine cat began to nose around his patient, Briarpelt groaning in the process. "You look like you're all ready to go, to be honest," he meowed when he had finished. Briarpelt's eyes lit up. "Really? You mean, Warrior duties now?" She kneaded her paws in excitement.

The medicine cat nodded and in a flash the warrior was up.

"Yeah, go on." Thistletail grinned, "but be careful with that front left paw, alright?"

"Got it!" The she-cat called from across the camp.

The gray tom's ears flicked as he heard a loud cry. "Doekit! This is a bad idea!" StarClan, help me... he thought anxiously. "Doekit?" He hissed. The sound was coming from his own den and he frowned.

"Doekit?" He repeated angrily, and a chirp came from in between his den and the Apprentices'. 

This is going to be my new apprentice? He thought impatiently, padding out and pulling a ragged bundle of light brown and dark brown out. "Doekit, Ryekit, what do you think you're doing?" He grumbled. There was a mischievous look Doekit's eyes.

"I'm going to see your mother," he hissed.