Shadeflower was asleep in her nest. Her back leg was shaking a little, and she could hear Dustclaw's obnoxious snoring. A paw prodded at her. Shadeflower yawned and woke up. It had been two and a half moons since her arguement with Oakbriar.
"Hmm?" Shadeflower meowed. Featherpaw was there, smiling.
"Hey Shadeflower! I was wondering if we could go hunting with Jaypaw and Robinpaw!"
"Isn't it a little early? And shouldn't you go with your mentors?" Shadeflower got up in a sitting position.
"We want to go hunting early to prove that we can be warriors soon!" Robinpaw spoke up. "Can you go with us?" Shadeflower was curious as to why they asked her and not their mentors.
"Wouldn't it be better if you asked your mentors?" Shadeflower suggested. The two apprentices looked up at the warrior.
"But you're the best hunter!" Featherpaw meowed with shining, admiring eyes. It was clear as day that Featherpaw idolized Shadeflower . She sighed. The three apprentices were very persistent. But Shadeflower didn't want to take the apprentices out hunting without their mentors. She shifted her paws. It didn't feel right to take out the apprentices in the middle of the night.
"I don't know..."
"Pleaaaaseeee" Featherpaw meowed, a kind of squeaky meow. Both Jaypaw and Robinpaw were also looking at her with pleading eyes. Shadeflower didn't know what to say.
"Alright." She finally meowed. "But you have to promise to be careful. " she looked at them with a serious look in her eyes. All three of the young cats nodded vigorously.
"We promise." All three said in unison. Shadeflower stretched her legs, and she lead the three apprentices out into the forest, still having a slight feeling of unease. They followed her like a kit follows their mother. She brought them to the safest part of the forest that she could find.
"How's the best way to hunt?"
"How do we get as good as you?"
"What are your tricks??"
"Well first, you gotta be quiet." Shadeflower meowed, stifling a mrrow of laughter at the young apprentices. Instantly, all three of them fell silent. It was easy to see how much the three of them looked up to Shadeflower, especially Featherpaw. She had so much admiration for Shadeflower . It was something Shadeflower sometimes found hard to comprehend. She quickly pushed the thoughts away. They want her help. She was going to help him. I can do this.
"Patience is key. If you jump right in without thinking, there's more of a chance that you'll miss the prey." Shadeflower meowed, curling her tail around her paws. Featherpaw, Jaypaw, and Robinpaw nodded, their eyes wide, and eager to learn the things Shadeflower was saying. She cleared her throat.
"Also, remember to be quiet so the prey doesn't hear you. The element of surprise is very useful, just as when in battle." Shadeflower meowed. "And focus. Don't let yourself be distracted."
"Thank you Shadeflower!" All three of them said in unison. She smiled at the younger cats. I bet I'd make a great mentor! Maybe Stonestar will give me my own apprentice soon. "We should get back now. Remember the things I've told you." She said to them. They nodded and Shadeflower rose to her paws and so did the apprentices. They followed Shadeflower back to camp. Sparrowflight was awake.
"There you are! You found them!" Sparrowflight sighed in relief. Shadeflower hadn't realized how long she'd been out with the apprentices. "I was worried sick!"
"Shadeflower was giving us training tips!" Featherpaw meowed excitedly.
"You stupid furball, you weren't supposed to say that!" Jaypaw hissed at her sister under his breath.
"What?! Shouldn't your mentors do that??" Sparrowflight slightly raised her voice.
"I'm sorry Sparrowflight. They were very insistent." Shadeflower meowed. Sparrowflight sighed, lashing her tail.
"You shouldn't be bugging Shadeflower all the time, you three." Sparrowflight shook her head. Featherpaw, Jaypaw, and Robinpaw all looked at their paws. "I didn't mean to get them in trouble."
"I'll have to speak to your mentors." Sparrowflight said with a sigh.
"We just wanted help so we could do really well on our hunting assessments!" Robinpaw spoke up. Featherpaw and Jaypaw nodded. Shadeflower sighed. I remember my hunting assessment. She recalled how nervous she had been, and she understood why the three of them would want extra help.
"Oh, my dear kits, I understand that youre nervous and all, but you shouldn't be bugging other warriors in the early hours of the morning." She sighed. "I hope you do well. " Shadeflower padded away as the mother licked each of her kits ears. She noticed Shimmerkit was helping Aspenberry again. She smiled, maybe Shimmerkit would become the medicine cat apprentice when she was old enough. shadeflower padded through camp.
"Hey Shadeflower, come here!" Badgerclaw meowed. "I have a question for you." She turned her head at the sound of her fathers voice. She smiled and went rover to him happily.
"Yeah?" She asked him, purring. She rubbed against him.
"Stonestar and I noticed how well you help out the apprentices, and we we're wondering how you might feel about mentoring one of Echofoot's kits? They will be apprentices very soon." Shadeflower blinked in suprise. Did Badgerclaw already know about what happened that morning? She gulped and nodded.
"Yeah...I would..." she said. Badgerclaw purred.
"I'm so proud of you, my daughter." He said. "You have grown up so much. You deserve so much." He meowed.
"Badgerclaw, thank you so much for everything." Shadeflower meowed. Badgerclaw touched her flank with his tail.
"Of course. You're my daughter." He purred. "I'll tell Stonestar that you're interested in an apprentice." He nodded to her and she nodded. She had to tell Aspenberry right away! She padded past the warriors who were coming in from a patrol. She nodded to them and she slipped into the medicine cat den.
"What is yarrow for?" Shimmerkit was next to Aspenberry. The kit was fascinated with herbs and Aspenberry. The medicine cat purred.
"We use yarrow if someone swallows something yucky and they need to get rid of it." She meowed and Shimmerkit nodded, wide eyed.
"Hey Aspenberry!" Shadeflower walked over and touched noses with her best friend.
"Hello Shadeflower." Aspenberry purred.
"I'm going to have an apprentice! Badgerclaw just asked if I would like one!" She meowed happily. Aspenberry smiled widely with a loud purr.
"That is wonderful news! When Shimmerkit is 6 moons, she wants to be my apprentice." Shimmerkit nodded.
"I love the herbs and I want to help other cats!" She said happily. "I can't wait to help Aspenberry!" Shadeflower was glowing with happiness for Aspenberry and Shimmerkit. They were bonding, and she thought it was cute. Shimmerkit would make a wonderful medicine cat.
"I'm proud of you Shadeflower ." Aspenberry rested her head on hers. Shadeflower purred. It was true. She had come so far from the night of her mother's death. She was a successful warrior now. Shadeflower couldn't be more happier with her life.
"I should tell Oakbriar." Shadeflower touched noses with her one last time before she left. Shadeflower spotted Oakbriar chatting with Mistyflame and Stormheart. Maybe I should let them be for now. Shadeflower thought she could go hunting. She left the camp, making her paws lighter as she walked. She listened, looking up through the tall dark pine trees, scenting what was around her. Keeping quiet she smelled everything around her. Old cat scents. Pine needles. Dead leaves. And a squirrel. She dropped low and spotted the squirrel. She watched him carefully, slowly creeping up on the unsuspecting animal, making sure she made no noise. Then at the right moment, she pushed up with her powerful back legs and she flexed her claws as she lept. She landed on the squirrel, quickly killing it. She felt proudly. This would feed the clan very well.
She returned to the camp with two squirrels and two mice for the fresh kill pile. She proudly put them down. Stonestar was talking with Echofoot, Ravenfeather, and Mistyflame. He saw Shadeflowerand he beckoned her over to him. Shadeflower nodded and she bounded over to him.
"Today, Echofoots kits are becoming apprentices and I believe you three will make good mentors. " Stonestar meowed. He looked specifically at Shadeflower, who shifted on her paws nervously.
"Thank you Stonestar." Ravenfeather meowed. Mistyflame nodded. The older, gray she cat was beginning to show her age with white hairs around her muzzle. She had been a warrior for a very long time, and Shadeflower believed this would be her last apprentice. She glanced at the elders den. It was strange with Gorsefire gone. He hadn't survived leaf bare, catching greencough. She didn't want to see Mistyflame go to the elders den, but she had been a senior warrior when she was a kit.
"I'll make you proud." Shadeflower spoke up.
"I'm sure all of you will." Stonestar meowed.