Reoc’s Daughter tells the tale of why Medicine Cats must never mate, and should instead consider the clan their children.
Out of Character it was written 15 March 2020 by Kitsufox.
Reoc’s Daughter
Reoc’s daughter was named Satie. Satie became a Medicine Cat at a very young age, but was gifted with a natural head for herbs and a talent for understanding the Omens set before her. At first it seemed as though she would have only her calling as a Medicine Cat to her name. That was until she began to grow closer to one of her clanmates. Edan was considered a handsome tiger, tawny orange with darker orange stripes, while Satie was a rich, dark orange with vivid black stripes. The two bonded when Edan was injured in a hunt, gored by one of the giant deer TigerClan took such pride in hunting.
Satie cared for Edan as she did every member of TigerClan that needed help. While Edan healed, however, Satie faltered in her call. It was not known then, how dangerous it was for a Medicine Cat to mate and bear kits. Edan sired a kit for Satie, who was over the moon when the day finally came that her little one was born. She named her son Kehar, and raised him while trying to keep up with the duties of Medicine Cat. She was hard pressed, but managed until Kehar was finally of an age to be apprenticed.
Satie worried herself to distraction the first day that Kehar was out training with his Mentor, Talise. This was the first sign of the problems of a Medicine Cat having the special bond of parent to child causing a problem and disrupting the call to be a Medicine Cat. She failed to give proper attention to that day’s patients, and while the matter became better over time, as Talise trained Kehar, a day of disaster came to pass.
Talise and Kehar, to defend TigerClan territory, were forced paw to paw with a dangerous Monster from the Thunderpath. It was only for the noise that anyone knew the attack had happened. Satie and some of the TigerClan Warriors ran to the source of the sounds. When they arrived both Talise and Kehar lay injured on the ground. Instead of learning to see who had the most pressing injuries, Satie ignored Talise completely and rushed to Kehar’s side. Her son was not so badly injured that he would not live, but still Satie insisted that he receive treatment first. By the time she turned to look at Talise it was far too late and the tom had died.
Satie closed her eyes only a moment before turning back to her son.
But then, appearing between them was the shadowy, ethereal form of Talise, whose corpse still lay on the ground behind her when she looked. Slowly, Medicine Cats of the past began to appear, joining with the spirit of Talise, each saying that this death was not necessary. When a massive crowd of spirit cats had gathered, Talise’s spirit finally spoke. “A Medicine Cat cannot have distractions, cannot put one member of the clan before another. You have failed and it has cost the clan a Warrior and a Medicine Cat.”
The crowd of gathered Medicine Cat Spirits took up the cry: “You have failed and it has cost TigerClan a Warrior and a Medicine Cat!”
“But I’m still a Medicine Cat!” Satie cried out, a yowl is protest in her voice.
“No.” Talise’s voice boomed. “When you put your son before your duty you failed your calling. You are no Medicine Cat!”
The crowd of gathered Medicine Cat Spirits took up the cry: “You are no Medicine Cat!”
Talise spoke again, “No Medicine Cat will take this risk again, so that no other dies as I did. Medicine Cats will be bound to their calling from now on. Clans suffer when Medicine Cats fail, it is a risk that cannot be taken again, though cats before have managed.”
The crowd of gathered Medicine Cat Spirits took up the cry: “It is a risk that cannot be taken again!”
And that is how it came to pass that StarClan does not permit a Medicine Cat to mate.