And back to Goldenkit!
I hope the story is speeding up, and it is getting interesting!
Pleeeeeease review and follow!
Disclaimer- I DON'T own Warriors. Notice how none of the Warriors characters are in this story? Yeah, cuz this is not Warriors!
Chapter 8: Goldenpaw
"From now on, until you have gotten your warrior name, you shall be known as Goldenpaw. Your mentor will be Sunstreak," declared Miststar, beckoning for a golden tabby tom to come forth, "Sunstreak. You are courageous and wise. Share your knowledge with Goldenpaw and make her a warrior that StormClan will be proud of."
Goldenpaw excitedly licked Sunstreak's shoulder as the Clan chanted their names.
"Goldenpaw! Falconpaw! Blizzardpaw! Fawnpaw! Honeypaw!" Narrowing her eyes, she searched the crowd for one face. Brackenkit. Her brother had to stay in the nursery, because Silversmoke, the medicine cat noticed that he was deaf. Luckily for him, Brackenkit had been taught to lip-read and he was chanting their names to the best of his ability, As soon as the chanting stopped, the calico apprentice hopped down from the Mountain Rock (a large rock that was often used as climbing practice for the apprentices) and went and met Brackenkit. Her sister Honeypaw also padded up.
Brackenkit, you'll be with us soon enough, Goldenpaw mouthed encouragingly. Honeypaw pressed her flank against his comfortingly. Brackenkit nodded and slunk back to the nursery, his tail drooping. Honeypaw sighed.
"I wish StarClan would do something about his deafness!" exclaimed Honeypaw angrily. Goldenpaw brushed her tail along Honeypaw's smooth golden brown pelt.
"Come on! Let's go learn some hunting moves!" enthused Goldenpaw. Honeypaw looked unsure, but she followed all the same. They passed Blizzardpaw and Falconpaw helping out at the elder's den. Goldenpaw mewed in greeting and Blizzardpaw made a face at her.
"Cleaning out the elder's den stinks! Literally!" Goldenpaw brushed her tail sympathetically across Blizzardpaw's shoulder as the white apprentice grumpily went back to work. They met Sunstreak and Ripplebrook at the fresh kill pile, and they were waiting patiently for the two of them. Goldenpaw gave her chest a couple of embarrassed licks. Ripplebrook beckoned them forward. Goldenpaw hung back, not sure whether to obey the tortoiseshell and white warrior. Sunstreak raised an eyebrow revealing piercing amber eyes.
"Well, Goldenpaw? What are you waiting for? Come on!" prompted Sunstreak. They led the two apprentices out to the forest where they were to practice tracking.
"Now Goldenpaw, and Honeypaw. I want you to practice scenting prey and tracing its trail. If you fail to do this, then it is mere luck, not skill if you catch anything," instructed Ripplebrook. Sunstreak nodded, approving what she said. Goldenpaw tasted the air. There was a jumble of scents, and Goldenpaw found it hard to separate them. She shook her head frustratedly. Her mentor seemed to sense it and he padded over.
"Overwhelmed?" inquired the golden tabby. Goldenpaw nodded. Sunstreak then tasted the air himself.
"You smell the scent that seems to twine around the tree? That's thrush. The one on the ground that's kind of sharp is mouse. Mouse is very common around here so you should be able to track it down in no time. The other scents are just those of the forest. With enough experience, you will be able to set aside those. Now, try stalking the mouse," he encouraged. As Sunstreak stepped back, Goldenpaw saw the little thing nibbling at some grass. She bounded forward, but the mouse sensed her immediately. She pricked her ears up and followed in the chase for prey.
At one point, to Goldenpaw's horror, she didn't know where she was. The stupid mouse had led her to unknown territory, but she knew it was StormClan. There was forest around her, but she had never ventured there and all the scents of cats were stale. Tasting the sweet forest air to follow her scent trail back, she came across a weird scent. It wasn't cat for sure, and it definitely wasn't mouse or thrush. Just as Goldenpaw was beginning to think that it was normal forest scent, a low growl sounded. Blood rushed to the calico cat's ears as she sprang away.
She knew that scent too well.
Her father had died from it when she was only three moons old.
DOG!
Goldenpaw dashed back to camp, and ran straight into Honeypaw. Without pausing to apologize, she sprinted to Sunstreak. He glanced up from his squirrel.
"Did you get the mouse? Or have you returned for advice on how to catch mice properly?" he teased. Goldenpaw shook her head vigorously.
"No! NO! There's a dog scent!" she shrieked. Sunstreak's smile faded and his eyes grew wide.
"What?! Go alert Miststar right away!" he ordered.
"Alert me about what?" asked a calm voice from behind them. Goldenpaw scented her real mother immediately.
"There'sadogscentnearthecamp!" squealed Goldenpaw without taking a breath. Miststar's eyes grew wide.
"No!Not Finchfeather!" she muttered almost to herself. Goldenpaw felt tears coming to her eyes at the mention of her father's name. Miststar was stuck in the past, and she needed to get her back.
"Finchfeather is DEAD. You need to move on. Unless you want more warriors with StarClan, you need to do something now," Goldenpaw meowed firmly. Miststar's teeth were bared in anger, but she soon relaxed.
"Lighningflash! Get a fighting patrol ready this instant! There's a dog loose in the forest!" she ordered. Lightningflash appeared instantly, with Hailthorn and Flaredust. He nodded to Sunstreak and Goldenpaw, beckoning them to join. Goldenpaw glanced hesitantly at the bright orange tabby. Lightningflash nodded.
"You'll lead us there. You're one brave apprentice, Goldenpaw. We trust you to lead us to the dog. But, by no means should you fight it," he instructed. The fighting patrol left immediately, while Goldenpaw retraced her path on the mouse chase. Sunstreak was at her side, protecting her from any harm just like a true warrior. To Goldenpaw's amazement, the deputy could easily sense the dog, fox-lengths away from the actual spot that she had sensed. Then, a low growl sounded. It was the exact same as the other one she had heard. Goldenpaw's blood turned to ice, and she froze. Right in front of them was a massive dog, teeth bared, with blood and drool dripping down, spoiling the soft, squishy forest floor.
"Leave," hissed Lightningflash to her, "We'll take care of it. You mustn't die. Tell Miststar we found the dog and-" Whatever he was about to say was cut off by a roar and the dog leapt onto Hailthorn. The fighting took off from that and Goldenpaw fled, not looking behind even once.
"Goldenpaw! What happened?" asked Miststar, worry clouding her face.
"We found the dog, and the patrol is dealing with it. Nobody has died yet," she reported, voice trembling. Miststar beckoned her to go to the medicine cat's den.
"No! I'm fine! We should save the medicine for the wounded cats that come back!" protested Goldenpaw. Miststar shook her head, and lead her to the sweet-smelling den, thick with the scent of herbs.
"I've lost a mate, had a kit that cannot hear, and now I will not take any risks with you!" Miststar meowed fiercely. A silver tabby with clear blue eyes padded up. She smiled sweetly.
"Come on Goldenpaw. All hurt cats should be helped," she coaxed. Goldenpaw immediately fell for her coaxing and lay down on a piece of feather-soft moss. Silversmoke's scent was soft and calming.
"Thyme for shock," she whispered, holding a leaf in front of Goldenpaw. The calico apprentice licked it up, along with a couple poppy seeds. Goldenpaw felt Silversmoke lick her ear, and she tried to fall asleep, only to be woken up by the vibration of paws. Barely knowing it, a body was placed beside her. She heard the growl of Lightningflash and snapped to attention when he meowed:
"Hailthorn is dead."
