At first glance, it seems quite simple to describe the role of a medicine cat: they pass on the messages of StarClan to their Clan, and they heal the sick and injured. But really it’s much more complicated than that. I have to say that I wouldn’t like to be a medicine cat. They deserve every scrap of respect that they get from their Clanmates and the other Clans.

A medicine cat first of all has to learn the appearance and scent of all the known herbs, when they flower and when they produce their seeds, where they can be found and what they are used for. This is a massive amount of work for every medicine cat apprentice. Then they have to keep their herb store stocked and throw out anything too old or withered to be useful. Jayfeather and the other ThunderClan medicine cats even keep a herb garden beside the disused Twoleg den, so they have a resource for when wild herbs are scarce.

But knowledge of herbs isn’t all a medicine cat has to learn. They know that a wound has to be kept clean, they can stop bleeding with cobwebs, and they can reset a dislocated leg. When Briarlight’s hind legs were paralysed by the falling tree, Jayfeather researched ways of keeping her alive by exercise, and he found tasks for her in the medicine cats’ den so she didn’t feel so useless.

Some cats receive this connection naturally, like Alderheart and Echosong of SkyClan, who dreamt of cats with stars in their fur before she had ever heard of Clans or medicine cats. Others find it harder, like Cinderpelt, who only became a medicine cat because her injury meant she could never be a warrior. When Hawkfrost destroyed his sister Mothwing’s faith in StarClan, her connection with StarClan was destroyed too. Even though she loved her Clan and worked tirelessly for them, she needed her apprentice Willowshine to convey StarClan’s messages to RiverClan.

Because of these abilities, a medicine cat shares authority with the Clan leader and the deputy. They advise the Clan leader, sometimes disagree with the leader’s decisions, and sometimes take action even though they know their leader would disapprove, as when Cinderpelt cares for the ShadowClan cats, Littlecloud and Whitethroat, on ThunderClan territory. And medicine cats are sometimes closer to each other than they are to their respective Clans. They’re also to some extent free of Clan rules; for example, they can cross or visit other Clans’ territories without being attacked or chased off.

The medicine cats are some of my favourite Warriors characters. I’ve said before that I love the mystical aspects of Warriors, the connection with StarClan, and the medicine cats give me scope to write about that. Stressful situations are also a massive gift for a writer, and there’s more than enough stress in the life of a medicine cat. I particularly like Jayfeather, who was so disappointed and angry when he couldn’t become a warrior, and yet now is one of the most dedicated medicine cats in the service of his Clan. I also like Mothwing, who is so determined to do her best for her Clan, even though she can’t believe in StarClan. But my absolute favourite is Leafpool. She suffers so much in giving up Crowfeather, in seeing her kits grow up unaware that she is their mother, and in bearing their contempt, and the contempt of her Clan, when the truth is revealed. For a while she even loses her calling as a medicine cat. But she never lets it break her. She remains the same loving and loyal cat she has always been.

So we have to admire the dedication of our medicine cats. Their role is vitally important, and the path their paws must take is a hard one. An incompetent medicine cat could cause severe problems for their Clan – and what about an evil medicine cat? Imagine what they could do! So far we’ve never explored this idea; some of our medicine cats have been misguided, but never evil. I admit I would like to write one. Are any of our editors reading this? Maybe one day…