Warrior Cat Clans 2 (WCC2 aka Classic) is a roleplay site inspired by the Warrior series by Erin Hunter. Whether you are a fan of the books or new to the Warrior cats world, WCC2 offers a diverse environment with over a decade’s worth of lore for you - and your characters - to explore. Join us today and become a part of our ongoing story!
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"So Dad, I've been doing some thinking and, well..."
The pale brown she-cat was a full-blown apprentice now with a mentor and all, but she still looked very much a kit when compared to other cats her age. Her fur was plush and velvet-soft, her pale blue eyes much too large for her face and shimmering in the low light. Despite her overall cuteness there was serious look in her eyes that Firetooth would have never seen in the young she-cat... although it would have reminded him of someone just as close to his heart.
"...Would you take me on as your apprentice?"
Fawnpaw wasn't a healthy cat, never had been. It was a miracle that she survived to this age, and, after less than a moon of training with Rustyheart, she knew it would take another one for her to become a useful Warrior. She just couldn't count on it, but she refused to be a liability, not when she knew that she had what it takes to serve with her step father as a medicine cat.
Firetooth was sitting in the Medicine Den when Fawnpaw approached, preoccupied with wrapping Marrowpaw's front paw in a light layer of cobwebs. The strange little she-cat had managed to get a decently-sized thorn stuck in her pad, and it had taken a good minute to dig it out. At first, the ginger tom was only half-listening to his step-daughter while he worked, expecting her to either start whining about something a clanmate did or complaining about chest pains related to her heart issue. He was just about to gesture absentmindedly towards the small pile of chamomile and hops when...
"...Would you take me on as your apprentice?"
The Medicine Cat stopped, immediately sitting up and turning to stare at the young apprentice in surprise, for the first time noticing the seriousness and determination burning in her eyes. He never really thought Fawnpaw resembled her mother all that much before, but in that moment the resemblance was palpable. "Uh..." he floundered, unsure of how to respond. "You're good to go, Marrowpaw...just keep off of it for today, okay?" The hairless feline simply nodded, limping out of the den. Marrowpaw paused for a moment as she passed Fawnpaw, resting the tip her tail on the other she-cat's shoulder and giving an encouraging nod before leaving the father and daughter alone.
"So..." Firetooth began, eyeing Fawnpaw incredulously. "What exactly brought this on? You've never seemed particularly interested in my work before." He paused, another thought springing to his mind, and he padded up to her in concern. "There isn't someone bullying you about your condition, is there? I know that old clan traditions stuck any cat that wasn't the pinnacle of health in the Medicine Den; the last thing I want is for you to think you have no other choice." No, never again. Firetooth himself had been made a Medicine Cat because he had no other choice. Ancestors help him if he ever allowed his own children to feel that way.
"I'm not going to lie to you and say what you want to hear: I've always wanted to be a Warrior. The moment mama fell asleep, I'd always sneak away and practice my moves with the other kits. When that failed, I'd bat a moss ball against the wall for hours and hours to build up my strength. Despite it all, I still can't keep up," Fawnpaw paused, turning her head slightly toward the den's entrance, then lowered her voice, "Training has been slow. Rustyheart and I are always given the easiest tasks and are consistently the last to complete them. No one picks on us for it, but they have that... look in their eye, pity. I adore Rustyheart, but she's not a real Warrior. Her status is in name only, just like mine would be... and I can't stand the thought of living my life like that."
Fawnpaw had to pause again to catch her breath. She could tell that she was starting to get fired up and the tips of her toes had started to go numb. StarClan help me, she prayed silently before continuing.
"Now I've realized being a Warrior wasn't really my dream at all... What I really care about is serving my Clan. I'm intelligent, I'm decisive and I have trained my whole life to keep calm in even the most stressful of situations. Being a medicine cat is something I know I can do and do it well... Maybe even better than you!" Fawnpaw flashed Firetooth an honest grin to try and lighten the mood. She was feeling a lot better now that she'd gotten all of that off her chest as, truthfully, she'd never opened up to any cat like this before, not even Jetfire, "So... what do you say?"
"Oh Fawnpaw..." Dear Starclan if Firetooth didn't feel like absolute garbage before. How long had his step-daughter felt this way? Felt like she wasn't enough, like she was being left behind by her own siblings, who had overcome their own disadvantages in spite of the odds; racing ahead with the ambition of warriors while she was still floundering at the starting line. It was a feeling that he was far too familiar with for comfort. He sympathized with her for sure, but there was still a part of his mind that doubted if she truly knew what she was getting herself into. The fiery tom crouched down slightly so that he was eye-to-eye with her, wrapping his tail around her back comfortingly. "Believe me, I understand what you're going through. The path that I walk now, it hadn't originally been my choice. I only kept with it because I realized how much it meant to my clan. But I need you to understand; just because being a Medicine Cat is less physically taxing does not mean it's an easier path by any means. In some ways it's a lot harder and slower, and it will require nothing short of complete mastery over your own condition. If you faint while on a hunt, there's minimal risk so long as you're with a patrol and not alone. If you panic and pass out while trying to save a clanmate's life..." His voice trailed off for a moment, the unspoken implication obvious.
"And I'm not trying to discourage you by any means. If you're half as strong as your mother I believe that you can do this. But there can be no slacking whatsoever; you will have to work harder than you ever have in your entire life, and I won't be any easier on you just because you are my daughter. You will need to listen to everything I say and obey without question. With all that in mind, Fawnpaw, are you absolutely positive that this is what you want?"
Fawnpaw's ears flicked back, annoyed by Firetooth's persistance that she needed to think twice about this career path. She had thought that he was going to be super happy that she wanted to be his apprentice but all it seemed he wanted to do was try to talk her out of it. That being said, she was listening to what he was saying and did understand his concerns. Being a medicine cat was not the most physically taxing job but it required an even temperament and level head which historically she didn't exactly have. But. Wasn't that was training was for?
She sighed loudly in the stereotypical teenager way.
"Yes, this is what I want. I'm sorry I'm not---" Fawnpaw cut herself off, knowing that she was about to be unfair, then started once more with a little bit less of an edge to her voice, "I'm looking forward to all of the many lessons you are going to teach me, especially the ones about how to be super nice and friendly when you really want to shred someone's ears and yeet them into the sun."
Even the usually stone-faced Medicine Cat couldn't help but crack a smile at that last comment, letting out a soft chuckle as he leaned forward to give Fawnpaw a loving lick on the head. "Can't help you there, dearie. I've been doing this for seasons and haven't figured it out yet." Firetooth wasn't going to lie and say that he didn't still have some reservations about this, but his step-daughter's resolve was obvious; she wasn't going to change her mind on this. Sitting back up straight, he nodded evenly to Fawnpaw. "Alright then. Once Cradlegrave gets back from patrol we'll head over to his den and let him and Rustyheart know about your decision. Ideally I'd still like for you to at least try and learn the basics of hunting and self-defense from your mentor, in case something happens while we're travelling, but that's up to you."
Bending down to pick up the thorn left-behind by Marrowpaw, he turned and trotted to the back of the den, setting it down on a flat stone as he looked over his herb stores. "We can have your mother and siblings help you move your nest in here later, too. For now, I want to know how much you've picked up on herbs just from watching me."
"Evidently you have judging by the fact that half the Clan still have their ears," Fawnpaw responded, but her voice was light now, almost playful, the conversation was no longer tense and she'd gotten her way so she had no reason to be sassy anymore. She purred as Firetooth licked her forehead and continued purring as he explained the rest of his plans, "Okay, okay, sounds good. So what's my first test?"
Fawnpaw, having been born into a very sickly litter and literally raised in a healer's den, could already identity most herbs by sight and smell, but their uses were a different matter. She and her siblings had all had very specific ailments that required advanced treatments. This meant that she may be able to help treat a hernia, but she'd not really know what to do for the common cold or a twisted ankle. She was confident she'd figure it out, though.
