Hello Feline Friends

(*ponders other things we can do*)

(True. That won’t work.)

(Well, it’s not that she was thinking of it, but more that it’s her destiny and she’s been having StarClan-induced dreams. Why would Graypaw want to be a medicine cat, though? And it wouldn’t work, anyway. Dewglimmer is the medicine cat, remember? Hazelpaw would be her apprentice.)

(Hazelpaw was thinking of becoming a medicine cat, right? Graypaw might tell her he wants to be her apprentice and learn to be a medicine cat along with her!)

(Huh? *confused head tilt* I don’t quite get what you mean.)

(He May or may not end up going through with it once Nightstar is deposed, but I was thinking he could tell Hazelpaw that he wants to be her apprentice in the medicine den!)

(What sort of idea? *looks interested*)

(I had an idea for graypaw!)

(I vote for more time with Nightstar as leader lol. Just a moon doesn't seem like enough. It would also take Hazelpaw a while to gather up her courage.

..on a related note, I don't know what to do now.)

Thornstep snorted, frustrated with the lack of response from either apprentice. “Think about it,” The tom Mewed one last time, before turning and stalking out of the den to make sure he wasn’t missed.

Hazelpaw shrank back, her ears pinned back, flat against her head.

“Then come on!” Thornstep insisted, taking a step closer to the pair and earning a warming growl from Graypaw. “Nightstar loves to put you two down as nothing but kittypets. If you want to prove him wrong... do the right thing for the clan. Help me.”

Hazelpaw hiccuped quietly, not saying anything. In fact, she hadn’t said anything since Yellowfoot died.

“I said already, Nightstar only lets Foxfury and Hazelpaw get close to him. If I tried anything he would get suspicious immediately.” Thornstep re-explained himself. “Surely you don’t want to spend too many more nights stuck at his side, do you?” The tom directed his question at Hazelpaw, less than impressed with her cowering.

Hazelpaw whimpered quietly, squeezing her eyes shut.

“Give him deathberries, or poppy seeds and finish him in his sleep.” Thornstep suggested.

“Why don’t you just do this yourself?” Graypaw mewled defensively, able to tell from Hazelpaw’s reactions that she did not want to get close enough to Nightstar to do any of these things.

Hazelpaw hid her face in Graypaw’s fur yet again, trembling. She didn’t want to be near Nightstar!

“He’s not going to let you go anytime soon, so you might as well do some good while you’re stuck with him.” Thornstep pointed out. “I think we could poison him, if we were careful about it.”

Hazelpaw flinched at the thought of being close to Nightstar again, shrinking into herself. It was clear that she did not like that idea, at all.

“Nightstar doesn’t let many cats get close to him. The exceptions are Foxfury, who would skin me if I tried to get close to him, his kits, who are too young, and you, Hazelpaw.” Thornstep explained, clearly not thrilled that this was his best plan either.

Hazelpaw made a expression and sound of incredulous disbelief. Two nine-moon-old apprentices, one of which was traumatized and the other was a coward, were his first choice and best chance? Really?

Thornstep shook his head, gritting his teeth. “Look, I know the difference between a clan cat and a kittypet and a savage, and I despise two of the three of them. I can’t have Nightstar lead my clan. And you two are the best chance I have of ending him.”

Hazelpaw froze in surprise, peeking over Graypaw’s body to stare at the young warrior.

Thornstep swallowed as he looked at the pair of apprentices. “You two... you two represent almost everything I dislike about this clan.” The tom looked off to the side, as if fighting with himself to make the words come out. “But now, I need your help to save it.”

Hazelpaw hid her face in her brother’s fur at the reminder of Yellowfoot’s death, trembling.