Okay, so I've recently realised that none of my authors notes have been going up. I don't know why, or how, so I've passed it off as glitch. So yeah!
First comes first, the explanatory stuff. This will be a four book series, each with a different character. The plot is yet to be unwravelled, but hopefully you'll like it. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!
Watermint - Thank you! I'm sorry this got out late.
Sivilian - Wow, that's nice. Thank you, I really do try. Also, thank you for following!
CHAPTER TWO
Hailpaw blinked at the fresh-kill placed in front of her. "I'm not hungry," she informed Streampaw. It was true. She felt far too sore and tired to eat. Speaking was perhaps an exception, but other than that she just wanted to curl up and never meet the light of day again.
"Come on, just a little bit. It's freshly caught, me and Redpaw hunted together," Streampaw persuaded. The streaked silver apprentice curled her lip at the mention of Redpaw. She'd heard more about him that she despised in her stay at the medicine den. He was ambitious, a charmer. Got almost everything he wanted because his mother was the deputy. Streampaw seemed nice enough, if much too caring about her safety. But he, he was arrogant. And Marshthorn loved him.
"I'm sorry about Redpaw," the light apprentice decided to take a different path, sitting down with her tail wrapped daintily over her front paws. "He's such a furball, and he can be so mean sometimes. But once you get to know him, he's nice, I swear."
Hailpaw nodded, not even bothering to pretend she agreed. After all, everyone else seemed to fawn over him as the strongest, the handsomest. She guessed that she would have to be the one to show him sense.
It was silent for a heartbeat, but then Streampaw rose again. "I'll leave the prey for you, okay?" She asked anxiously. "I've got to go though. Fishclaw will have my tail if he waits any longer. Though he can't complain, mooning over Lilyfern all the time."
Just then a grey figure slipped in, nodding to Streampaw. "Dappleleaf says she'll be just fine if she doesn't over exert herself. And Mosspaw was looking for you."
"Oh, really? Thanks Mistpaw!" The she-cat bounded away cheerfully, tail high in the air as she marched off to look for Mosspaw.
Mistpaw nudged Hailpaw carefully, making her bite back a hiss as her leg stung. "How're you feeling?"
"Tired," Hailpaw admitted openly. "And sore." Blinking at her sister, she questioned, "What was that thing, Mistpaw?"
Worried flickered in Mistpaw's eyes. It seemed to Hailpaw that her sister had already matured in the short time they had been apprenticed. "I don't know. Dappleleaf's never seen it before. I think you'll be okay though."
Hailpaw shifted uncomfortably. The soft bracken and moss that made up her nest seemed to prickle and provoke her stinging.
"Is the nest hurting you?"
Hailpaw glanced up to her sister in surprise. "How did you know?"
"That happened to Lilyfern as well."
"Mistpaw," Dappleleaf padded in, beckoning to her apprentice with a wave of her tail. "Hailpaw will be a tad uncomfortable for a while now. Get Pebblestream to show you where the herbs grow out in the territory, I want you to get some poppy seeds. They're small black seeds that drop from poppies."
"They're for... sleeping, right?"
"Yes, they put a cat to sleep," Dappleleaf nodded in approval, and Hailpaw noticed that Mistpaw perked up at the praise. "Well done. Collect some of the seeds, and then some ferns for bedding. Also, when you're done bring in some snow. Don't go anywhere near the water."
"Of course, Dappleleaf," Mistpaw nodded quickly, rushing out of the den to do as told.
Dappleleaf turned away, flicking through her herbs quickly. Hailpaw widened her eyes at the speed of which Dappleleaf sorted.
"I was a medicine cat long before you were born, Hailpaw," Dappleleaf mewed, almost as if reading her mind. Recoiling slightly, Hailpaw curled up to relieve some of the stinging.
"That's a long time," she murmured quietly.
Dappleleaf chuckled lightly, dropping a golden flower onto the floor. "I saw your parents become mates."
Hailpaw blinked, suddenly intrigued by the medicine cat. "Really? What was my fa-" she stopped herself quickly. "What were they like?"
"They were average. Your father was rather stoic, he cared a lot about his duty as a warrior. I believe he wanted to become the deputy at one point. It was Mintcloud who fawned over him, everyone in the Clan could tell that she was lovesick. Back then she was Mintpaw, of course, and he was Marshpaw."
Hailpaw had to smile at the thought of her mother trailing Marshthorn around, doing his every will and bidding.
"I'm not quite sure what happened, but a couple of moons after becoming warriors, your mother and father were acting strange. They never interacted the same anymore. And then your mother began to get a swollen belly, and she admitted Marshthorn was the father."
"Was he pleased to know he had kittens?" Hailpaw had to know, she wanted to see whether her father really did just detest her.
Dappleleaf paused in her sorting, tipping her head slightly. "He was shocked, yes. They were both rather unprepared. He's not really one for emotions, as you well know. Even as a kitten he was less playful than the others."
"Oh yes," Hailpaw remembered with a jolt. "You're kin, aren't you?"
"His mother's sister," Dappleleaf dipped her head, a tinge of sadness in her voice. "His mother was a lovely one. If only Larkstream were still alive.."
Hailpaw sensed that the golden brown she-cat had drifted off into a world of of her own, and she rested her head on her paws, worn out from the brief conversation.
Hailpaw shivered slightly, the winds chilling her to the very depths of her core. Glancing up at the dark grey skies, it appeared a storm was brewing, perhaps even a snow storm.
It had been a few days since she and Lilyfern had been struck by the stinging water, and while her limbs still tingled slightly, she was relieved to return to training with Lilyfern, something which she was grateful for.
Still, she was huddled outside along with the rest of Clan, looking up patiently at the RiverClan leader.
"I'll make this brief," Reedstar decided, looking like a frail twig about to snap. His expression was grave, his tone sombre. "But it is important to announce before the storm. Me and Minnowflower have decided that it is far too dangerous to go near the water. All cats must learn to hunt on land, as we cannot have fish any longer. Water will be drunk from snow, and rain. Anyone who is caught within a metre of the lake will not be permitted to leave camp for three sunrises."
The first splatters of rain began to fall, and the sound of thunder rumbled, sounding frighteningly close to the camp. Hailpaw flattened her ears, having never been a fan of storms.
"Everyone retreat into your respective dens!" Minnowflower yowled over the torrents of rain that were beginning to drop. "There will be no patrols this day, as it has been deemed far too dangerous! Please stay inside your dens unless it is absolutely necessary! Apprentices especially are not permitted out! Stormstrike, will you help me cover the fresh-kill pile? Dovetail, Goldenwhisker and Hawkflame, please stay out to help reinforce the nursery."
Hailpaw scurried off before Minnowflower could yell out any more orders, wanting to get out of the horrendous rain.
She was one of the last ones in, shaking her pelt free of water, much to the other apprentices annoyance.
"Sorry," she meowed quickly, curling up in her corner near the entrance. The den was cosy and warm, although her fur was damp and spits of rain were coming through the entrance to land on her.
"Hailpaw," Streampaw beckoned, seeing her obvious discomfort. "You have to be freezing by the entrance there! Come sit with us!"
Redpaw grumbled beside her, he obviously didn't want Hailpaw to intrude. Hesitantly, Hailpaw wandered over, settling beside Streampaw in a slightly uncomfortable manner. It was at this time she wished Mistpaw was with her. The medicine apprentice was painfully quiet, but she had a nature that everyone seemed to love.
"It's so boring," Mosspaw complained, smoothing down his dirt-coloured fur. "Just waiting here, doing nothing."
"You do that most of the time, lazy-bones," Featherpaw purred good-naturedly, looking pretty as ever with her plumy tail and green eyes. "I've seen Rainflight having to drag you up for patrol in the morning."
"Stop whining, Mosspaw. You'll end up in the elders den before we become warriors." That was Mosspaw's other littermate, Dewpaw, with the same stunning looks as her sister. Her fur was always sleek and smooth, and for a point in kit-hood Hailpaw had wanted to be just like Dewpaw. She was over that phase now, but she couldn't help but envy the pretty cat with her cool posture.
Mosspaw flicked an ear affectionately. "You two are so kind to me, do you know that?"
Dewpaw seemed to roll her eyes, but Streampaw purred loudly, becoming suddenly very perky. More so than usual. "Why don't we play a game?" She suggested brightly. "It's one where we have to tell each other about ourselves."
"Oh, StarClan," Redpaw rolled his eyes mockingly and snorted. "Streampaw made me play this game a thousand times in the nursery. Let's play something different, Streampaw."
Mosspaw shook his head at a dejected Streampaw. "No, no, I want to play. It'll be fun." His eyes twinkled at Streampaw, and as if like magic she was happy again, explaining the rules quickly.
"Oldest goes first then!"
Hailpaw watched silently with bright green eyes as her fellow apprentices chatted and played. Mosspaw and Featherpaw began to bicker playfully over who was oldest. They acted all cheerful and happy, although a storm was thundering heavily outside the den and the water stung fiercely. How were they going to last when the snow melted away, and the rain was less frequent. Prey would be scarce, as RiverClan simply couldn't hunt on land. Feeling slightly selfish, she wallowed in the thought that she'd never be able to learn how to swim, if the water thing was permanent.
She'd heard the story of the Great Journey, maybe it was time to move again? But no, there had been no signs received from StarClan, nothing telling them to go. And she knew the other Clans wouldn't leave without the support of their starry ancestors.
"Hailpaw? Stop looking so worried, we won't ask you a bad question." Mosspaw had interrupted her heavy train of thought, and she shook her head out of the reverie.
"Does it sting again?" Featherpaw asked kindly, shaking her head at the earthy-brown tom. "From the lake, I mean."
"I..." Hailpaw blinked, averting her gaze carefully. She'd always been terrible at keeping secrets, everyone seemed to see straight through her little white lies.
"She's going to lie, obviously she was thinking of something else," Redpaw pointed out blandly, making Hailpaw cringe at his snarky tone and brutal honesty. She had to admit, it hurt.
"Give her a break, Redpaw. She was a kitten a couple of days ago, she doesn't need you pointing out all her mistakes," Featherpaw meowed smoothly, chiding Redpaw in a fashion that reminded Hailpaw very much of her mother. "In fact, I can point out several mistakes from you just today. Yellowpelt was complaining about the thorn in the nest you gave her."
Redpaw bristled slightly, his rusty russet fur going up in little spikes. "Not every cat is perfect like you, Featherpaw."
"Won't you two just be quiet," Dewpaw snapped irritably. "Stop your squabbling. We've got to be in a den together until this fox-dung of a storm ends."
Redpaw grumbled reluctantly, but quietened down, leaving Featherpaw looking rather relieved. Hailpaw padded back over to her nest, curling up tightly to shelter from the draft that sometimes wafted through the den entrance.
"You guys can play," she faked a yawn. "I'm going to take a nap."
After the other apprentices acknowledgement, Hailpaw tried to settle into a proper sleep. Her ears picked up the sound of the thundering rain outside, and her mind rounded back to the burning water. Perhaps it was just a one-time thing, and Hailpaw would be proved wrong, she closed her eyelids and gently drifted off.
The rain was still pouring hard when Hailpaw awoke once again. It seemed she hadn't slept for long, as it still looked to be daylight, although it was dark and gloomy outside.
Stifling a yawn as she stretched out her limbs carefully, Hailpaw peered around the den. Dewpaw was fast asleep, murmuring quietly in her dreams. Featherpaw was grooming her fur, and Redpaw was showing off to her, puffing his chest out and flicking his tail around stupidly. Mosspaw and Streampaw seemed to be having a fun conversation at the back of the den, with the lighter she-cat seeming far more happy than she should.
Hailpaw bit back a small purr as she saw this. Although she was young, she could see that Streampaw and Mosspaw were close. It reminded her faintly of Lilyfern and Fishclaw. If Mistpaw were here with me we would be giggling our tails off, she thought with a pang. It was lonely being separated from her sister. Only Streampaw was an available option, and she seemed to be occupied with Mosspaw most of the time.
A rustling came from the den entrance, and Hailpaw blinked as the other apprentices leapt to defence immediately, with the exception of Dewpaw, who was still sleeping soundly.
It seemed to be rather pointless, as it only turned out to be a warrior, drenched with water and seemingly freezing, although his eyes gleamed with happiness and soggy pieces of fresh-kill were clamped in his mouth.
"Stormstrike," Featherpaw meowed curiously, dropping her fierce stance to help with the fresh-kill. "Is something wrong?"
The large grey tom shook his head, dropping the prey down onto the floor, and shaking his pelt out. Hailpaw cringed slightly as the cold water sprayed onto her, and she shivered.
"Nothing's wrong, Featherpaw. Roselight's just had her kits, that's all."
Featherpaw and Streampaw both gasped simultaneously, and Redpaw and Mosspaw looked interested, something strange in Hailpaw's opinion. She pricked her ears to listen more intently. She remembered the soft ginger queen from when she was in the nursery.
"That's great, Stormstrike!" The apprentices murmured praises and congratulations the new father, and he seemed to radiate with happiness. "It's funny that you're Stormstrike, and your kittens were born in a storm. Have you named them yet?"
"Galekit and Slatekit," Stormstrike announced proudly. "They're both toms, beautiful and healthy, although Slatekit was a struggle."
Hailpaw spotted Streampaw purr and exchange a pleased glance with Featherpaw out of the corner of her eye, and she did the same, thinking of the new life that had been brought to RiverClan this stormy day. Making a small note to ask Mistpaw about how it had gone, she tuned back into the conversation.
"Kittens aside, I've brought you some prey to eat. It's going to be soggy, but that's just the matter of fact."
"Thanks Stormstrike," Featherpaw meowed warmly.
Redpaw cut in, nodding as well. Hailpaw found herself irritated at his rudeness, taking over from Featherpaw. "Thanks Stormstrike, but when can we go outside again?"
Stormstrike flicked an ear, obviously eager to return to his mate. "Not for a while at least. The storm is still high, and Minnowflower would like everyone to remain in the dens still. Your mother only wants for your safety," the large warrior reasoned, before giving another great shake of his pelt. "I must go now. Be careful."
With heartbeats Stormstrike was gone, leaving the den quickly.
"Three pieces of prey," Mosspaw examined the soaking food on the floor. "One per two cats." The apprentice took a small fish from the bunch and went to settle next to Streampaw.
Featherpaw selected a scrawny mouse and padded over to the silvery apprentice, blinking kindly. "Do you want to share with me? Dewpaw's still asleep, and I'm sure Redpaw can suffer her wrath well enough."
Hailpaw nodded slightly shyly. Featherpaw seemed so much more experienced, and prettier, and better in everything. It was enough to make her feel slightly quieter.
"What do you think about Galekit and Slatekit?" Featherpaw strung up a conversation easily, and Hailpaw felt quite welcomed.
"They might be lonely," Hailpaw meowed, still rather soft. The amount of times Mistkit and Hailkit pined for things to do or friends to play with was certainly uncountable.
Her fellow apprentice seemed to disagree, though not harshly. "But Berrypetal will be having her kits soon, I'm sure. They'll have plenty of fun together."
The two shared the meal, and before long they were chatting amiably, Hailpaw finding that Featherpaw was not actually smug or conceited. She seemed very kind, and seemed to have a likeable personality.
The sky darkened considerably outside, and the chilly air became even more cold, to the extent where Hailpaw felt like her tail was about to drop off, although the rain had quietened for the moment. The apprentices had decided to go to sleep early in order to stay warm.
Hailpaw curled up tightly, but she wasn't in the least tired. She assumed that it was because of the nap she had taken earlier. Letting out a little sigh, she closed her eyes in an attempt to sleep.
A small draft of wind blew past her, and she snapped her eyes open just in time to see a red-pelted figure slip out of the den and into the dark night sky outside.
Redpaw, she narrowed her green eyes in suspicion, rising to her paws and being careful not to disturb the others who appeared to be fast asleep. Stepping out of the den and she was immediately hit by a blast of deathly cold air. Shaking her fur out slightly, she crept after Redpaw quietly. Hailpaw held her breath in a gulp, trying to be stealthy. Drizzle coated her pelt, and she tried to shrug it off uncomfortably.
Redpaw whirled around, baring teeth defensively. "I know you're following me. Did you really think a cat barely out of the nursery could stalk someone?" He narrowed his green eyes. "What do you want, Hailpaw?"
Hailpaw swallowed lightly, feeling shamed in being caught out. Suddenly feeling very heated even in the cloudy night, she answered quietly. "I wanted to know where you're going."
"I'm going to the dirtplace," Redpaw announced, glaring with such strength that it seemed to bore a whole through her fur.
Hailpaw nodded uncertainly, although she didn't quite believe him. Studying the way he was stood, he was headed to the opposite way of the dirtplace. Too scared to confront this though, she merely kept quiet. The rain began to fall slightly harder, and a burst of thunder rumbled far away. Hailpaw flattened her ears in surprise, crouching slightly lower to the ground.
"You're scared," Redpaw pointed out harshly. "It's just a stupid noise."
Blinking at him in hate, she kept silent, although she was scared, how ever much she would try to deny it.
"Don't have a mouth," Redpaw taunted, snorting. "Go back to the apprentice den, stay cosy and warm, won't you? Don't worry, dear Featherpaw and Streampaw will protect you."
"Shut up," she managed to fit out, before, hurt prickling at her exterior, she turned tail and fled from the venom in his voice. Never had she imagined that when she became an apprentice that cats would be so mean. But she had matured since she was a kitten, even though that was only a few days ago. Creeping back into the den silently, she settled down in her nest.
Perhaps Mistpaw hadn't been so mouse-brained in being a medicine apprentice after all.
