mintpaw

~~~

CLEARFROST PULLED AWAY from Ivorystar as soon as they slipped into the medicine den. Whereas before, her tail was wrapped around her sister's shoulder in a show of support, she disentangled herself once they were inside the cave, taking several steps away from ShadowClan's leader before speaking.

"You're crazy."

Ivorystar's eyes sharpened, the previous state of shock and grief melting away quickly. She angled her ears at Mintpaw, giving the gray tabby a pointed look.

"Mintpaw, go grab some thyme and mint," Clearfrost ordered, "and while you're there, could you re-organize the juniper berries and poppy seeds and swap the two's storage areas?"

Mintpaw nodded, padding away. Clearfrost and Ivorystar had been meeting a lot recently; the ragdoll had probably told her to re-organize so many things she'd practically switched around the entire herb storage.

"Are you sure she can't still hear us?" Ivorystar hissed.

"The walls are thick," Clearfrost assured, though she knew it wasn't true. She didn't seem to care, though, if Mintpaw heard. "Let's move on to another topic. You killed Waspstrike."

Mintpaw's breath hitched at those words, feeling her veins slowly turn into ice.

"I did no such thing," Ivorystar snapped. "As I told everyone else, a monster ran him over."

"Like I'm supposed to believe that," Clearfrost meowed coldly. "He got ran over by a monster on a Thunderpath which hardly any monsters go by? What was he doing on the Thunderpath in the first place? And you're telling me that both you and him couldn't hear the monster coming in the dead of night? That's a load of foxdung."

"I'm sorry if you don't believe it, but that's what happened," Ivorystar replied firmly.

"I'm certain." Clearfrost's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "What warranted his death? Him asking about the prophecy?"

When Ivorystar didn't answer, the ragdoll got her answer.

"So I'm correct. That's unfortunate, Ivorystar, he's a good cat. He's a good deputy and would've made a good advisor."

"I don't need him," Ivorystar mewed flatly.

Clearfrost's voice was icy when she spoke again. "I'm guessing you don't need the thyme then, either. No point in wasting herbs."

Uncomfortable silence followed her words. Then a rustle as Ivorystar stood up and left the den.

Clearfrost sighed. "Mintpaw, you can come back now."

The gray tabby stumbled forward, mint clutched in her jaws. She knew Clearfrost is aware of her eavesdropping. There's no point in hiding. "She- she-"

"Killed Waspstrike, yes." The ragdoll seemed as unfazed as ever. "You can put the mint down here."

"Isn't that... against the Warrior Code?" Mintpaw squeaked. "Shouldn't StarClan do something?"

Clearfrost ruffled her fur. "What would StarClan do?" she asked softly. This was perhaps the first time the gray tabby saw her mentor so vulnerable. "In the end, they're just spirits. And they're not all-knowing. Plus, the majority of them are hardly paying attention to what's happening in our lives. I mean, why should they? They've got everything they want, endless euphoria."

"So..." Mintpaw's mouth felt dry. "What do we do?"

Clearfrost gazed at her. "What can we do? If we try anything, Ivorystar would have us killed before we can utter a single word."

~~~

THE HALF-MOON Gathering was that night, but for the first time ever, Clearfrost wasn't on top of prepping the travel herbs. She'd always taken her role as a medicine cat and dedication to StarClan very seriously, so it was quite surprising for Mintpaw to see her mentor eating a mouse minutes before they were about to set off.

"Are we out of traveling herbs?" Mintpaw asked, as she found that to be the only logical reasoning for Clearfrost's behavior.

"No, no, they're in the back." The ragdoll waved her tail. "I moved them so we could stock up on more marigold." She didn't say any more, and her eyes were unfocused, as though deep in thought.

Mintpaw's tail-tip twitched. Her mentor was acting strange. "I'll go prepare those, then. We wouldn't want to be late." She was more than willing to be late, as half-moon meetings meant Berryfern, but she knew how much sharing tongues with StarClan meant to Clearfrost.

"Right." The medicine cat stood up, but instead of heading for the medicine den, she crossed the camp to the leaders den and ducked inside.

Mintpaw felt uneasy, but pushed the feeling away, moving to grab the travel herbs. She'd already swallowed her portion when Clearfrost slipped into the cave, her blue eyes tired. She half-heartedly gulped down the leaves, and for the first time, made a face from the bitterness.

The gray tabby couldn't help but stare at her mentor in astonishment. She was acting so off. "Are you feeling okay, Clearfrost? Do you want to stay in camp and rest tonight?" And skip the half-moon meeting? Those words were left unsaid, but Mintpaw hoped more than anything that they would come true.

Clearfrost suddenly jumped to her paws. "No! No, tonight's meeting is more important than anything." And then they set off.

Whiteberry had stopped coming to the half-moon meetings since RiverClan and WindClan's alliance, so Rosepool and Cloverpaw were the only ones there to greet the ShadowClan cats when they arrived.

"Shall we get started?" Rosepool asked, heading for the Moonstone.

"Wait," Clearfrost meowed, catching everyone's attention. "Before we begin, I'd like to promote Mintpaw into a full medicine cat."

The gray tabby's ears instantly pressed to her head as she took a step back from shock. "What?" she finally managed to choke out.

"You have a brilliant mind," Clearfrost mewed, "and you've learned everything you need to do well as a medicine cat. I see no reason to hold off this ceremony."

Mintpaw couldn't help but ruffle her fur a little in pride. Her brothers had only become warriors yesterday, and she was right behind them. She'd become a full fledged medicine cat much quicker than usual, and it was clear that Rosepool and Cloverpaw noticed this based off the tortoiseshell's expression. Though the ThunderClan apprentice started her training before Mintpaw, Mintpaw was becoming a medicine cat first.

Clearfrost cleared her throat. "I, Clearfrost, medicine cat of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help, she still serve her Clan for many moons. Mintpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

Mintpaw nodded. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Mintpaw, from this moment you will be known as Mintberry." Clearfrost's voice wavered ever so slightly. 

Mintberry stiffened. She had a guess where her name came from, and the ragdoll confirmed her suspicions.

"You are named in honor of my mentor, Berryfern, the bravest and kindest cat I've ever known. StarClan honors your mind and compassion, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of ShadowClan."

"Mintberry! Mintberry!"

Rosepool and Cloverpaw's cheers were scattered, but Mintberry hardly noticed. Berryfern? She was named after Berryfern?

Clearfrost nodded. "It's time to share tongues with StarClan."

Numbly, Mintberry dragged herself to the Moonstone. Maybe, to celebrate her new rank, Berryfern will give her new threats, though the gray tabby didn't feel very afraid anymore. Not since learning that Berryfern doesn't have any close kin left in ShadowClan.

To her surprise, when whisked away into the dream realm, there was no sign of Berryfern at all. In fact, there was no sign of anyone. All that happened was a gust of wind blowing past her, so strong Mintberry felt as though she might topple over. Then, as soon as the breezes calmed, Berryfern's voice, loud and clear:

"I warned you, yet Clearfrost is now aware that you know about the prophecy. The wind is coming, Mintberry. The wind is coming."