Truth and Betrayal

"These are borage leaves, and these are coltsfoot. Can you tell me what the difference is?" Willowbranch asked Redpaw, quizzing her on the different types of herbs. She pointed to each plant as she spoke, which she had arranged in a neat little row.

Redpaw narrowed her eyes, taking in their scents and inspecting each one carefully. The borage leaves were straight and furry, and the coltsfoot resembled the shape of a paw. Thinking back to her lessons, she tried to remember everything Willowbranch had taught her.

It had been one moon since Dewpaw received help for her injury, and Redpaw was finally beginning to fulfill her role as a medicine cat. Although she still felt reluctant to learn, the concern she had for her clanmates and the responsibility she felt towards her ailing father made her finally give in, and she was now ready to listen.

"Borage is used to treat fevers and bellyaches, and coltsfoot is used to stop kitten cough and breathing issues, right?" she asked, looking up at her mentor.

Willowbranch gave a warm smile and nodded her head. "That's right! And which of these are the most important for leaf-bare?"

She thought for a moment. "Coltsfoot?"

"That's right!" Willowbranch mewed, her voice warm with praise. She affectionately licked Redpaw between her ears. "Well done." She turned and padded over to the other side of the den, grabbing some more herbs from her storage. "I'll look for something harder this time."

"Okay." Redpaw mewed. She dropped her head to the ground and took in their sweet scent, trying to memorize their appearance and smell in her mind. "Coltsfoot for breathing, borage for fever and bellyaches..." she repeated under her breath.

"You know," Willowbranch mewed over her shoulder, "I'm surprised you've been able to learn so quickly. Those StarClan medicine cats must've been teaching you."

Redpaw's eye twitched, and she suddenly felt a conflicting wave of emotions claw at her insides. She wanted so much to tell her, "No, Willowbranch, now that I'm a medicine cat they want nothing to do with me." but decided against it. What was the point? It's not like they actually cared about her. They just wanted her to become a medicine cat for their own selfish reasons.

A moment later Willowbranch returned with a new bundle of herbs in her jaws and set them down in front of her apprentice. "I was also thinking of bringing you with me to the next gathering," she continued, her green gaze fixed proudly on the young she-cat. "You've been showing a lot of initiative lately."

Redpaw's ears perked up, and she immediately leaped to her paws, her yellow eyes shining. "Really?"

Willowbranch gave a curt nod. "That's right. As a medicine cat apprentice, you'll be able to go to all meetings from now on."

"Who's going to be there? What is it like? What do they do? What do we do?" Redpaw asked, jumping up and down like a kit. She had heard stories about the gathering from her clanmates in the past, and each time she listened to them with extreme fascination. To imagine that there were three other clans living in a forest together, each with its own problems and unique territories, made her imagination go wild.

"The full moon is still some ways away; I'll tell you when the time comes, but for now, you need to focus on these herbs," Willowbranch said. She had barely begun to lift her paw when a familiar cough made both cats turn their heads towards the den entrance.

Redpaw's fur bristled, and her heart began to thump wildly.

Standing at the entrance was Echobreeze, and leaning against her was a ginger tabby, barely able to stand. Every effort to move and every gasp of breath appeared to give him pain.

"Emberstar!" Willowbranch said, shocked. "I told you to stay in the elder's den!"

"He wouldn't listen." Echobreeze mewed. "He wants to see Redpaw."

Redpaw winced and turned away, a shadow falling over her eyes. She didn't want to see her father now, especially when her fate might have finally been sealed.

Willowbranch took a step between them. Her gaze was firm, but Redpaw could easily smell her fear scent.

"Leave her alone. She-she's my apprentice now."

Emberstar narrowed his eyes. "Move."

Willowbranch's fur bristled, and she tucked her tail tightly between her legs. Despite her attempt at defiance, her voice trembled as she spoke. "It's over Emberstar, j-just leave us in peace!"

Emberstar placed one paw on Willowbranch's head and slowly forced it down so that it almost touched the ground. He then faced her, the two so close, they could feel each other's hot breaths on their fur. "Don't think that I don't know what you're trying to do here, Willowpaw," Emberstar growled, his voice dripping with malice. "I intend to take my daughter back from you, and Starclan."

Redpaw battled with growing panic, as she witnessed her mentor overcome by crippling fear. Every muscle in the medicine cat's body trembled uncontrollably, and she appeared on the verge of collapsing under the weight of her terror. Filled with concern, she took a hesitant step forward, wanting to say something, but the words caught in her throat. At that moment, she realized the amount of fear she had towards her own father.

Willowbranch's voice quivered with desperation. "Red-Redpaw, go to the Highrock and get Flamestar."

Redpaw shook her head. "But-"

"GO NOW!"

Without another word, Redpaw turned and bolted past Echobreeze, her heart pounding in her chest.

When she was out of sight, Emberstar let out a slight grin. "Don't think you can hide this!"

He unsheathed his claws and, with one quick swipe, struck Willowbranch across her face. The force of the blow was so powerful that it threw her against the ground, causing her to shriek in horror.

"I'm sorry, Emberstar, please forgive me!" Willowbranch pleaded as she crawled towards the back of the entrance, followed by a streak of blood. She had one eye closed where he had struck her, and the blood was dripping down and pooling on the dirt floor of the medicine cat den. The tom let out a gasp of air, coughing and sputtering and wincing in pain, clearly overwhelmed by the exertion. Echobreeze ran a soothing tail over his shoulder.

"I was afraid!" She mewed, "I had to do what StarClan said! If Redpaw ever became a warrior- "

"Shut your trap!" Emberstar hissed. He slammed a paw into Willowbranch's chest, pinning her to the ground. "This is all your fault! Using my daughter, you're just as corrupt as StarClan!" He snarled. "I'm going to make you suffer for this!"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! I was only following orders!" Willowbranch wailed. Tears and blood were pouring from her eyes as she struggled against Emberstar's claws. "I'm just an apprentice! I was so scared... I didn't even know what I was doing, and Flowerpetal never finished my training..." Willowbranch was a sobbing mess now, and Emberstar released his grip. She pulled herself to a half-sitting position while he leaned against Echobreeze and tried to catch his breath.

"Tell me...what you did..." he gasped.

"I made up the prophecy. I shaped the berries to look like a kit. Emberstar, you have to believe me. Mothwing and Yellowfang came to me in a dream and told me to protect the clans. Our ancestors were worried that Redpaw could have the same ambitions as you, so in order to protect all of us she had to become a medicine cat!"

Emberstar exhaled sharply through clenched teeth. "Cats like you are the reason why the clans have lost faith in StarClan...."

"You-you don't believe me?" Her eyes widened in disbelief.

"StarClan should mind their own business." He took a step forward.

Willowbranch shrank back, her eyes glazed with terror. "W-what are you going to do?"

"Oh, I'm going to make you tell them everything about StarClan. All of that little dirt you medicine cats keep secret. I'm going to force you to tell all the clans how you manipulated my daughter and our clanmates with your fake prophecies and used them to undermine my legacy!"

Echobreeze's ears stood needle straight as she heard Shadowspring's furious yowl pierce the air, cutting off their conversation. The sudden outburst of hissing and screeching of cats soon followed, making the ferns shiver in response. "It looks like the plan worked," she mewed. "We should leave now before the battle gets worse."

"Fine." Emberstar rose to his feet. He turned to leave when, suddenly, he felt a pair of sharp teeth dig into the back of his foot.

"What now, you mouse-brained apprentice?" He hissed.

Willowbranch's heart raced as she desperately dug her claws into the ground, determined to prevent the tom from leaving. If she could hold on to him for just a while longer, Flamestar would arrive in time to stop him. It was the only chance she had. There was no way she could allow him to expose their secrets and place all the clans in danger!

"You've always been stubborn, Willowpaw."

With relentless force he drew his foot back and kicked her in the face, catching her off guard and sending her head flying backward in shock. She immediately released her grip, mewling in agony as a stab of pain surged through her neck and down her spine. Unable to maintain her balance, she crumbled forward and landed in a heap on the ground, her mind spinning with a mix of pain and nausea.

Emberstar showed no remorse. "Let's go." With a dismissive flick of his tail, he turned his back on the injured medicine cat, leaving her behind without a second thought.

Echobreeze stood for a moment longer, her green gaze blinking as the she-cat's limp body brought back memories from the past. She then turned on her heels, guiding him towards the exit.

Willowbranch watched through clenched teeth, as the former leader of Thunderclan and his mate disappeared into the ferns, their forms gradually becoming indistinct as they made their way outside. As they broke through the fern tunnel, their silhouettes were smothered in a blinding white light that seemed to consume everything in its path, until finally, all she could see was darkness.