This is for PineClan, my first challenge, so I hope that once you've finished reading it, you could consider joining! These cats are all Original Characters, even if some are named after the real warriors, they aren't them. You should join PineClan though, the link is in my profile! Come and say hello :)

Challenge: Write about an apprentice/kit who eats a deathberry/something poisonous A medicine cat apprentice must use her skills to save the kit/apprentice. The kit/apprentice can die or be saved, it's up to you, but please don't rush it. Take your time.

"Whitepaw, I need help, I think I'm dying," I heard the usual voice of my sister, Applepaw. I didn't panic in the slightest because I knew what she was like. She pretty much told me that every bit of pain she felt made her feel like she was dying.

"What happened this time?" I asked, not looking up from where I was sorting the old marigold into one pile and the newest bunch into another so I knew to use the old bunch when we had an accident. I didn't want to waste the herbs we had.

"Cinderpaw accidentally unsheathed her claws in training," I turned around and spotted Applepaw with a nicked left ear, blood oozing out. "But between you and me, I'm glad she did," Applepaw beamed. "I got my first scar,"

"Oh, you mousebrain," I sighed, walking up to her and cuffing her gently. "You can't go a day without getting into trouble can you?"

Applepaw smirked slightly. "That's me for you. I wonder what would've happened if you trained with me," Applepaw's voice wobbled slightly and I looked at her. I knew it was a touchy topic for the both of us.

Applepaw wasn't impressed when I chose the life of a medicine cat over the life of training as a warrior with her. She had it all planned out, that I'd be her deputy and she'd be leader but I never dreamt of being deputy. To be honest, I planned on becoming a medicine cat a few days after ShadowClan invaded our camp.

It was a peaceful day and I was a three moon old kit, wondering where I belonged in this world. I remember the day as clearly as if it were yesterday.

It had been snowing, and I was trying to poke my way through the snow without getting buried and my sister, Applepaw, well Applekit then, was with me.

I let my mind blank as I remembered every crisp detail.

"I can't believe there's only three moons till we get to become apprentices," Applekit sighed dreamily, leaping as high as a kitten could, and landing with a thud in the snow, leaving a huge mark. I chuckled.

"I know, it's going to be so awesome," I replied. I opened my mouth to say something else but a yowl cut me off. I looked over my shoulder, instantly afraid at the unrecognizable yowl and the horrid scent. "Oh my-" I started.

"Applekit! Whitekit!" I heard a frantic screech and I watched as unfamiliar cats leapt into my camp. I was frozen in place and I just stared. The bloodlust in their eyes and their claws out, ready to fight.

Would I look like this one day?

I sure hope not.

"Mama," I cried, suddenly afraid as the thudding of pawsteps and shrieks of pain surrounded me. Applekit stood up, hissing angrily at the invading cats while I whimpered and cowered on the ground, the snow.

That was when I'd decided I didn't want to be like that. I didn't want to be a killer. Instead, I watched the medicine cat, the cat who in three moons time would be my mentor. Hollystorm was a gentle she-cat with a big heart and she worked as fast as she could to save the lives of those cats that were injured.

I decided in that very moment that I wanted to be like her. I wanted to save lives, not take them.

"Hello," a voice broke my thoughts. "Earth to Whitepaw, are you still there?"

I shook my head, dismissing the thoughts that whirled in my head. "Of course," I murmured, forcing a cheerful look. I found a cobweb bunch in the corner of the den, and I placed it to Applepaw's ear and she winced.

"Oh suck it up," I joked, nudging her playfully. She hissed, going along with my joke as she began to purr. "I think the bleeding's stopped, but that scar's permanent, I'm afraid there's no growing back your ear,"

Applepaw let out a friendly meow. "That's great! I got my first battle scar, yes," she purred. "I'm ahead of all the other apprentices,"

In the apprentices den at the moment, it was her, ten moons, Cinderpaw and Fernpaw, at twelve moons, and Foxpaw, at six moons.

"Well done, I'm sure Cherrytail will be proud," I nudged her, genuinely happy for her. Cherrytail was Applepaw's mentor, and one of the Clan's best hunters.

Rumour has it, that one cold Leafbare day; she went hunting and came back with enough prey to feed the whole Clan when no one else could catch anything. She really was one of the best hunters in the Clan.

"I hope so," Applepaw responded. "Now I've got a battle training session to get to at sunhigh and…" she looked outside. "Holy StarClan, look at the time, I gotta run, see you later Whitepaw!"

"Bye," I called, waving my tail.

"Any injuries today?" Hollystorm settled down beside me as I bit into a mouse.

"A few," I confessed. "Applepaw tore her ear," I started, whiskers twitching in amusement as I thought of my sister. "And Frostkit and Snowkit both fell in a nettle patch,"

"Ouch," Hollystorm cringed. "Nettles are a pain, didn't we get them removed from camp?"

"Apparently not," I shrugged.

"Help!" I looked up to hear the sound of a frantic yowl. I looked at Hollystorm worryingly. She had the same worry reflected in her dark green eyes.

"Who's that?" I asked in a small voice as a shadow passed the camp entrance. A cat, I instantly recognized Cherrytail, was dragging a small body.

It couldn't be.

"Applepaw!" I shrieked, racing forward without thinking. I heard Hollystorm duck into her den, because her bushy tail hit the few plants at the top. A noise I'd always remember. "What happened?" I demanded, looking from Cherrytail, to Cinderpaw and Thornheart.

"She ate deathberries," Cherrytail cried. "Please help her! She's such a strong cat,"

I looked to Hollystorm who had paused at the entrance of the den, waiting for me to explain to her what was going on. "Deathberries," was all I had to say and she ducked into the den, returning with yarrow in her jaws.

Hollystorm was at my side in a heartbeat. "Quick, feed her this," she passed me the yarrow and I couldn't feel my paws. They were numb. I fumbled with the herbs, trying to get to work but a part of me wouldn't respond.

This was my sister. And she wasn't overreacting this time. She was dying.

"I can't do it," I told Hollystorm, frantic now. "It won't work!"

"Breathe, Whitepaw," Hollystorm told me softly and I began to calm down. I parted Applepaw's jaws and pushed the yarrow inside, praying she'd be able to respond.

"Eat it Applepaw, come on, please," I pleaded. Applepaw's eyes grew weary but the herbs slipped down her throat.

I waited and prayed to StarClan that she would be alright. Please don't take my sister away from me, please. Not my sister…

She coughed and stuttered something that sounded like my name. I leaned in closer, eyes widening in fright. This could be my sister's last words. She could die right now and I could do nothing.

"Applepaw, please…" my voice trailed on. I couldn't live without her. StarClan only knows how much I want to pummel her head in sometimes but I loved her.

"Whitepaw," she rasped and suddenly vomit lurched up from her throat and onto the ground and I recognized the purple remains of the deathberries.

If you kill my sister…

I didn't know how to finish my threat to the remains of the berries. The berries that could kill her.

"Let's take her back to our den, let her sleep it off," I looked hopefully at Hollystorm, my mentor, as she spoke, asking a silent question. She shook her head, worry in her eyes. "Time will tell,"

Applepaw was sleeping at the moment and I was lying beside her, wondering if these few moments would be the last time I'd ever brush my fur against hers and hear her breathing.

"Applepaw isn't even a warrior yet," I started, talking to no one in particular. Hollystorm had gone to fill in our leader, Poppystar, on our current situation. "You can't kill a cat who's not even a warrior," I rambled on. "I mean, she's so young…"

Her breathing was rapid and fast as if she was trying to fight the poisonous juices she swallowed. Applepaw is, and always will be, a fighter.

Suddenly her breathing halted and I gasped. This couldn't happen. No, no, no!

It became slower, and Applepaw squirmed in her nest, kicking her paws out weakly. My eyes widened and I immediately dropped to my sister's side, praying she'd fight it. Like she fought everything.

"Breathe, Applepaw, come on, please," I pleaded, my eyes wide. "Don't wimp out of this, you need to fight," I declared, not realizing I was digging my claws deep into the moss beside my sister. "Do you want to be a warrior or not?" I realized I was yowling now.

I spotted a nervous pair of eyes outside the den and I dug my claws further into the earth. "Who is it and what do you want?" I tried to sound casual, but my voice came out as a growl.

I heard the beginning of a stutter, causing me to wonder who in StarClan's name could be that scared of me. It was Leafkit, the oldest kit in the nursery at the moment. She was four moons old and an only kit.

"Um, it's me," Leafkit started, coughing awkwardly. "Well, Leafkit if you didn't know who me was but…" I almost rolled my eyes but the compassionate side of me told me that was wrong.

"And what's wrong? Are Snowkit and Frostkit complaining, if so, tell them we have more important things to do," I meowed harshly and I heard a whimper from Leafkit.

"N-no," Leafkit stammered. "I brought you a mouse, Owlflight told me it'd be polite and that you need it," she confessed.

Owlflight. That was my mother.

"Tell her I said thanks, but not now," I replied quickly, watching as Applepaw's breathing got shallower, and then it became like a panting, before slowing down once more.

"Um, she said you'd say that," Leafkit mumbled. "So she said I have to leave the mouse here,"

"Oh fine then, leave the mouse, tell Owlflight I don't appreciate her motherly concern now," I growled, watching Leafkit scurry out of the den with her tail between her legs.

Owlflight had been a good mother to Applepaw and me, up until our seventh moon, when our father, Ashclaw, passed away in a battle with some rouges. She'd never really gotten over it and she literally forgot about everyone else in the world except herself, which was a selfish move, especially when she had two seven moon old daughters who needed the comfort of their mother after losing their father.

She hadn't really spoken to them in over three moons. And now she decides to be all motherly and caring since her soft daughter is becoming a mad cat and her other daughter is on her death bed?

Well thanks, Owlflight, thanks.

"Whitepaw," I heard a raspy voice and I immediately dropped to my sister's side, praying to StarClan for a good sign. "It hurts, I'm in pain,"

That wasn't a good sign.

"Here, I'll go- I'll go get some more yarrow, I'll go-" I started, trying to spot where I'd dropped my yarrow leaves. "I'll make the pain go away,"

"No, Whitepaw," she rasped, her stomach making a noise. "There's nothing you can do,"

"Oh look, I've found the yarrow leaves, here, come on, eat them," I ignored her earlier comment, prying her to eat the leaves. "They'll make you feel on top of the world,"

"Whitepaw," she sighed, exasperated. "Stop,"

I stopped abruptly, looking down at her, the herbs at my paws. "You're not dying Applepaw, I can save you," I persisted. Letting my sister die was not an option.

"You can't save everyone," Applepaw murmured, her eyes beginning to droop. "The berries have already gotten to my stomach, I just…" I could see her eyes becoming watery and I bristled instinctively. "I just wanted to be a warrior so bad,"

"And you will be," I tried again.

"Stop! I'm a dead cat, I give myself till night to live," Applepaw retorted. "I've heard stories about cats getting warrior names given to them when they're dying… could-" she coughed rapidly, her eyes widening with panic. "-could you do that for me?"

I froze. Should I agree to let my sister have her wish? To become a warrior and join her father in StarClan, or should I fight to save her, with the risk of losing her with an unfulfilled dream and an apprentice name?

"Whitepaw, I love you," Applepaw murmured, meeting my gaze. "But the pain is getting worse, I don't have long,"

"I know," I closed my eyes.

"Please," she pleaded.

It took me a few moments, and I felt a sob coming up my throat as I gave a small nod. But she saw it.

"Applepaw was a strong young cat, with the potential to become so much more than just a warrior," Poppystar went on, talking about what a loss it was to lose such a young cat, so soon into Greenleaf. In fact, it almost sounded like she was rambling.

"Her name's not Applepaw," I stated, the sadness now completely overwhelming me. The eyes of every cat in my camp locked on me. I forced my mouth to move and I looked to Applepaw's frail body, lying in the dust.

Poppystar was giving me a curious look whilst Owlflight nodded, her tail wrapped around her paws as she whimpered. I took a deep breath, ignoring the glances as I locked my eyes with Poppystar's green ones.

"Her name's Applefur. And she died a warrior,"

The hollow was filled with complete silence until Owlflight raised her tail. "Applefur," she started a cheer, looking around for more enthusiasm to cheer the new warrior, despite her not being here to bathe in the applause.

"Applefur! Applefur!" Cinderpaw and Fernpaw suddenly leapt to their paws, a bright flame in their eyes. I knew they were friends with Applepaw- well hopefully Applefur now - and they'd miss her dearly.

"Applefur!" Cherrytail let out a loud yowl for the cat who was her apprentice. Her blue eyes shone with the pride any mentor would get at their apprentice being named a warrior.

Gradually, the whole Clan joined in, yowling Applefur's name to the stars that flickered brightly in the sky.

I whispered her name, staring up and wondering if she was watching right now, thrilled that she had died a warrior. She'd died a warrior's death.

"Thank you," I felt a cool breeze pass me by and I heard my sister's familiar voice. I just simply nodded, my eyes beginning to cloud with grief.

"You're welcome," I sighed. "You're welcome,"

Sometimes, you have to put someone else's wishes before your own to make them happy. I'm a full medicine cat now, Whiteberry is my name. And I do not regret my decision to not save Applefur, but instead, give her a warrior name and let her join the stars.

But then again, I couldn't have saved her if I tried my hardest because her name was already being called by our ancestors.

I miss her so much, and I wonder if she'd be the leader right now, ordering everyone around and being bossy like she always is. But crying like a kitten lost from its mother when she got a single thorn in her paw.

I laugh just thinking about it.

I'll never forget Applefur, thinking that I will… is… well it's kinda unbelievable.

Although I love my life dearly and wish to be ThunderClan's medicine cat for seasons and seasons to come, a part of me can't wait till I leave my Clan to go to StarClan so I can see my sister again.

Rest in peace Applefur.

Sorry, that was actually the crappiest ending… I couldn't find the right place to end it and urgh. I know deathberries usually kill immediately, but this is a story so I tried to make it more sad and depressing. Anyway, please leave me a review! I'd really appreciate it x And go check out PineClan! Link is in my profile :)

-Hollyleaf1243