And so we have chapter 3. Just more back story and clan life. R&R. Constructive Criticism loved. Etc.
-Jay


The two cats were able to locate a poppy head that was preserved by the undergrowth surrounding it. They raced back to come to find Hawkheart and Jetstream quarrelling outside the nursery. Snowpaw padded closer to try and listen in.

"I refuse!" Hawkheart yowled.

"But they need names, Hawkheart. Their eyes will be open soon." Jetstream replied, keeping her voice even. "What would they be known as now? No Names one, two and three?"

"I refuse to name those kits without my mate!" Hawkheart hissed.

Snowpaw sighed, padding into Bluestripe's den to find Dovepelt had been moved in there.

Snowpaw dropped the herbs at her mentor's paws and mewed. "How is she?"

Bluestripe turned to face Snowpaw from whatever she was doing and meowed. "She's better, but not fully conscious. She's been able to wake up in small bursts but nothing full yet."

"Oh…" Snowpaw sat over at the side of the den, watching Bluestripe sort herbs.

"Oh, and that's for you." The she-cat meowed, flicking her tail toward a mouse lying near the mouth of the den. "A fiery pelted apprentice left it for you. Flamepaw."

Snowpaw suddenly shifted her gaze to the mouse. "That was nice of him."

Bluestripe grunted a reply before taking a short pause and adding. "I'm a bit too busy right now, why don't you and your den-mates go off for a hunt. Keep an eye out for any herbs I could use."

Snowpaw, reluctantly, left the den.

"Hey! Snowpaw!"

The white she-cat nearly jumped out of her fur at the sharp call.

"Would you please tell Ashpaw that TigerClan got their stripes because they were banished from walking in the sunlight for so long?" Thrushpaw padded up with Ashpaw close behind.

"No way! TigerClan got their stripes because when one of the warriors stole LionClan's daughter the LionClan leader clawed them all up and it produced huge scars that turned black." Ashpaw argued.

"That is so not what happened! The TigerClan leader made her deputy give LionClan the daughter back!" Thrushpaw hissed.

"Did not!" Ashpaw bristled.

"Did too! Snowpaw, you know! Tell Ashpaw he's wrong."

Snowpaw sighed. "Yeah… Sorry Ashpaw, Thrushpaw's right. Hey, do you guys wanna go on a hunt?"

Ashpaw hissed furiously. "Go on a hunt? With you? Do you have bees in your brain? I'm going to go train with Bramblefur." Ashpaw stalked off.

"Guess it's just you and me, let's go." Thrushpaw meowed happily and the two padded off and out of camp.

The hunt was as successful as it could go for two apprentices. Snowpaw brought back a sparrow while Thrushpaw brought back two mice and a magpie. The white she-cat padded into her mentor's den, seeing her mother lying there.

"Oh, Snowpaw. I'm glad you're here. I want to walk you through some of the herbs we have here and how to apply them. At the half-moon I'll take you with me to become a proper medicine cat." Bluestripe mewed, not looking up from the herbs she was organizing.

Snowpaw nodded, completely in shock, awe, and excitement at her mentor's words. "I caught you a sparrow." Snowpaw said, setting her catch down on the floor of the den but Bluestripe didn't look up.

"Thank you, but you should give that to Dovepelt."

Snowpaw nodded, padding over to her mother. "She's… not awake." The young apprentice mewed and it was only then that Blustripe turned around.

"She isn't, is she?"

"No, I am. I was just resting my eyes." The white she-cat lifted her head to face Snowpaw and the apprentice nearly leaped out of her fur.

"Dovepelt!" Snowpaw nuzzled against her mother's fur. "You're awake!"

"I am, Snowpaw. Thank you for the sparrow. I have something important to tell you, so I need you to listen. Sit down." Dovepelt mews and Snowpaw sits immediately, as the older she-cat gets up into a sitting position.

She starts to groom herself and speaks as she does so. "How is Hawkheart? And my kits?"

"The kits are so cute and adorable! Two she-kits and a tom, and two of them look like you and Hawkheart. He's been stubborn recently; he won't name them without you. Jetstream has agreed to nurse them for you, since she only has two kits… I guess it fills the void having her mate and two of her kits die on her. I heard she and Rockstar have gotten very close. Rockstar had his family and mate taken from him too."

"It makes sense," Dovepelt meows. "They'd connect with each other. I'm glad the kits are taken care of, but Hawkheart's stubborn behavior is worrying. The kits need names." The she-cat sighs. "I'll think of names for them, it'll hit me soon enough. Tell Hawkheart to stop being so stubborn the next time you see him."

"Alright." Snowpaw nods and Bluestripe prods her.

"Okay, now run along. Let your mother rest."

"But I thought we were going to go over herbs?" Snowpaw tilts her head but Bluestripe only shoulders her out of the den.

"Later, later. I'll call you. Go off and give Hawkheart Dovepelt's message."

Snowpaw pads out into the open ThunderClan camp. It's around sun-high and the unoccupied warriors are sitting around grooming each other. She spots Flamepaw with a silver and gray striped tom.

"Hey Flamepaw! Hey Stripefur!" Snowpaw pads over. "How's the prey running?"

Stripefur speaks first. "Not to bad. I caught a squirrel today, which is rare. They're all hibernating this time of year."

"But it had WindClan scent on it. Maybe a new apprentice flushed it out and couldn't catch it?" Flamepaw suggests and Stripefur shrugs his shoulders.

"I don't know. Possibly."

"Have you two seen Hawkheart? I have a message for him from Dovepelt." Snowpaw mews.

"No way! Dovepelt's awake?" Stripefur practically yowls and Flamepaw looks shocked. "That's wonderful! Can we go see her?"

"Bluestripe just shouldered me out so no. She doesn't want anyone around Dovepelt until she's fully awake and ready to go see her kits. Now, what about Hawkheart?"

"Oh. I saw him go off with Branchleap and Wolfscar for a hunt. Why don't you and Flamepaw to catch up with them?" Stripefur suggests.

"But you're my mentor, Stripefur! Isn't sending me off with other warriors against some sort of ancient warrior code law or something?" Flamepaw tilts his head and Stripefur mrrows with laughter.

"It's not against the warrior code, and you haven't hunted today so go."

Flamepaw, looking defeated, pads away from his mentor to join Snowpaw. They pad away together and Flamepaw can feel the uneasiness prick his pads with every step. If Snowpaw is going to be a medicine cat, then she can't take a mate. Maybe he should tell her how he feels.


So yeah, nothing really happens. They're leaving to go find Hawkheart, Branchleap, and Wolfscar. I wonder where those cats did go…