Chapter 5: Chestnutpaw
"Cliffpaw, I'm going to get you!"
"You couldn't catch me even if you tried!"
Ivypaw streaked after the tabby tom, throwing dirt up around the clearing. Frondpaw sneezed. She wasn't pleased with Cliffpaw's latest prank, and clearly neither was Ivypaw.
"Let him be, Ivypaw. He'll get it when Longtail finds burrs in his den." Briarpaw's reasoning halted Ivypaw in her chase. Both she-cat's purred with amusement. Cliffpaw's face was contorted in fear.
"Mouse-dung," he hissed before taking off towards the elder's den. Normally, Frondpaw would repress a purr of amusement. Everyone hated Cliffpaw's harmless pranks, like putting burrs in your nest from the bush that hung over the edge of the cliff above the elder's den. But his usual foolishness always managed to weasel him out of any real trouble.
Today, though, Frondpaw found it hard to concentrate. The prophecy was on her mind, stuck there just as the burrs had clung to Ivypaw's pelt this morning when she awoke. Frondpaw knew that she should talk to Jayfeather; that was what her guardian said to do. But after overhearing Blossompaw and Jayfeather's conversation, she had frozen with shock and fear.
And then she had turned tail and run to the apprentice's den to try and fall asleep. Unfortunately Mousewhisker, who was shaky but eager to begin training again, had stopped her.
The rest of the day she had done battle training, but she had been distracted. Mousewhisker, put off by her lack of enthusiasm, had insisted on bringing her to the medicine cat's den.
"She's fine, Mousewhisker," Jayfeather had hissed after glancing at Frondpaw once or twice.
"But, I mean, I don't want her to get de-migrated again."
"Dehydrated, Mousewhisker. Now don't worry so much." Under his breath, Jayfeather mumbled, "Honestly, sometimes you worry about her more that a queen does about her kits."
Then Daisy had rushed in, wailing that Toadspots and Rosepetal were catching a cold in the warrior's den.
"Scratch that," Jayfeather growled. "No cat could out-worry Daisy."
That night, Frondpaw had eagerly snuggled into bed, hoping that she would see her guardian again. Maybe then, she could regain her confidence to talk to Jayfeather again.
But Frondpaw had awoken from a dreamless night to Ivypaw's hisses and Cliffpaw's teasing purrs and jibes.
"Frondpaw…Frondpaw!"
The apprentice drearily turned her head towards Chestnutpaw, his ginger fur shiny and clean. He purred as Frondpaw turned towards him, eyes squinting as he looked her over.
"Are you alright?" he questioned, tilting his head slightly. Frondpaw looked down, and across the clearing.
"Yea, sure."
"I don't know," Chestnutpaw said, unconvinced. "You seem, out of it. I mean, I'm surprised you're not planning a plot against Cliffpaw by now."
"I said I'm fine, alright?" Frondpaw hissed, instantly regretting her tone. Chestnutpaw looked hurt.
"Okay then, no need to turn into Frostypaw."
"I'm sorry, alright? I'm just, distracted."
Frondpaw felt Chestnutpaw place his tail on her shoulder. Normally, this would have annoyed her, but after hissing at him, Frondpaw couldn't flinch away. She didn't want to hurt him any more than she already did.
"Maybe a hunt will help?"
"I don't know…" Frondpaw was hesitant to retreat outside. She knew that Mousewhisker would want to train again. And the gray tom's nervousness might just make her even more anxious then she was now.
"Come on, it's just a hunt. I'm sure that our mentors won't mind," Chestnutpaw urged, standing up and stretching.
"And if they don't want us out hunting…"
"Then," Chestnutpaw whispered, "we just sneak out the back way."
Chestnutpaw knew that Frondpaw liked being a bit defiant, and she realized that now she couldn't refuse. Excitement starting to bubble up inside of her, and she followed after the ginger tom as he headed towards the part of wall where cat's could easily slip out or in of camp unseen.
The gray-faced she-cat followed after her fellow apprentice as they slid sneakily up the rock wall. Only when they had clambered over into the forest did they yowl with happiness.
"It may seem silly, but that always gives me such a rush," Frondpaw squealed, plodded besides Chestnutpaw into the foliage. The ginger tom purred, amused by her excitement, and Frondpaw felt her skin burn under her fur. Just as she was about to reword what she had said, Chestnutpaw spoke up.
"It's the same for me."
The two plodded on in silence, scenting the air for any prey. Frondpaw was happy to find that she didn't mind hunting today. It took her mind off of other things she didn't want to be bothered with.
Chestnutpaw suddenly stopped, causing the she-cat to pause with him. They we silent for a few moments and Frondpaw tried to scent or hear anything.
It was dead silent.
"What's the matter?" she whispered quietly, keeping her voice as low as she could. Chestnutpaw glanced at her.
"I thought I got a whiff of something…strange."
Frondpaw opened her mouth again to scent the air, tasting the forest. She didn't smell anything out of the ordinary. Just as she was about to reassure Chestnutpaw that everything was normal, the sound of something blundering clumsily through the forest reached their ears.
Immediately, they both unsheathed their claws. Both dared not speak, as Frondpaw scented the air. Maybe it's just a patrol…
The apprentice nearly choked as the scent of rot and death reached down into her throat. From the grimace on Chestnutpaw's face, Frondpaw could tell he smelt it too.
The sound grew closer and closer, and Frondpaw's anxiety grew. She had never fought of anything bigger than a trespassing apprentice, and whatever was coming towards them was defiantly bigger than an apprentice.
"I'll startle it with a surprise jump," Chestnutpaw hissed so softly that Frondpaw had to strain her ears to hear him. "And you'll…"
"I'll leap over you to land on it's back," Frondpaw mewed just as quietly, finishing Chestnutpaw's sentence. He nodded briskly, and the two went silent.
The scent of decay reached them stronger then ever and Frondpaw closed her mouth, trying not to suffocate on the putrid aroma.
Finally, the creature emerged from a wall of ferns and Frondpaw braced herself to leap. But before the two apprentices' could carry out their plan, the being turned around.
Frondpaw felt her blood freeze. The creature was a cat that Frondpaw knew well. It was Cloudtail.
