CHAPTER 10
"What is this?" Dawnpool held up another herb that was green and smelled minty fresh.
"Catmint," Mothpaw replied confidently. "It cures Whitecough and Greencough and sometimes Blackcough. Those are all bad illnesses that should be treated immediately and can only happen in Leaf-bare or Leaf-fall."
"Very good," my mentor nodded, giving her approval.
I lifted my head proudly and glanced at the nearest nest were Scratchtail sat, rolling his eyes.
"Why am I here again?" he asked with a flick of his gray tail.
"To teach Mothpaw a few battle moves. Even though she's a medicine cat she stills needs to know a few battles moves just in case," Dawnpool replied, exiting the den.
Scratchtail glared at me. "I have better things to do than teach an apprentice. Consider yourself lucky." He followed Dawnpool out of den.
Mothpaw flinched but followed him out of camp to the side of camp where Dawnpool waited.
"Ready?" He faced me.
I nodded but silently I wished this was over with and as he lunged at me I managed to slip out of the way and raked my paw down his side.
"Stop!" Dawnpool shouted as he growled at me. "Scratchtail, you just got beat up by a newly made medicine cat apprentice." She bursted out laughing.
My eyes flickered to Scratchtail who whipped around and raced away.
"I hope he knows I was just messing around with him.." she mumbled and shook her head.
"Can I go find him?" I asked as I backed away, turning around and running the way he was running towards.
I found him by the border the separated us and the rouges and loners. "Are you okay?"
"When I was a kittypet, everything was so much easier," he whispered, glancing at me with big green eyes.
"You aren't going to go back are you?" I asked, concerned.
"Of course not. I have to admit, I've thought about it.. But I can't leave the Clan-or you." He looked behind me at the camp.
Mothpaw blinked and looked at the ground. "Well, I won't blame you if you leave.." I mumbled. "It's going to get harder you know."
"I'm not leaving," he replied calmly. "I'm better off here where I have a Clan to watch my back during battles." He glanced at the sun. "Come on; lets get back to camp."
Scratchtail and I entered camp; the snow under us was crunching as we stepped on it.
Cloudpool raced up to us. "Reedstar announced that we aren't going to take over Sunningrocks! But he wants you and Dawnpool to goto ShadowClan camp for a nice surprise…"
I glanced at Scratchtail who looked at me. "Why do I have to go?"
"Because we want to make sure that there warriors are okay from the current battle they just had!" Cloudpool explained as Dawnpool walked up. "Now go!"
Mothpaw stumbled out of camp and began rapidly walking towards ShadowClan's camp, Dawnpool was struggling to catch up.
She raced across the empty Thunderpath and to their camp where she slowed down to a walk as she neared the camp.
"Thank StarClan!" Dawnpool hissed as Brackenfoot and a few other cats I didn't recognized approached us.
"Dawnpool, welcome to ShadowClan camp. How may I help you?" Brackenfoot asked, dipping his head.
"My apprentice and I have come to make sure everyone is okay from that current stunt Pikestar pulled," Dawnpool replied.
"Follow me," he replied and walked to the camp.
I couldn't help but look around at the cats that only gave me a nod as they passed by.
"Hello!" Pikestar walked up to us with a smile.
"How are your warriors?" I asked as I looked up at him seriously. I'd heard a lot about this crazy RiverClan-born cat.
"They're wonderful. With RiverClan in that fight with us we practically destroyed them! But Hailstar said that there was no alliance between us so, we have you guys!" The ShadowClan leader dipped his head.
"We'll always have your back-and your Clans," Dawnpool mewed after a few moments of silence. "As long as you have ours."
He dipped his head respectfully. "Please feel free to stay as long as you like."
"No," I mewed sharply. "We'll be leaving now." I shot Dawnpool a look and she nodded as I led the way out of the ShadowClan camp.
"Whats wrong?" she asked as she caught up with me.
"Pikestar was being too nice," I growled, dodging a tree that I smelled ShadowClan on.
"Your point being?"
"He's up to something. And I'm not taking any chances, especially sense he has cats following us!" I huffed.
Dawnpool looked around. "I don't see anyone following us!"
"The trees," I replied calmly, now walking faster as we passed the quiet Thunderpath.
She looked puzzled. "Are you saying he's just messing with us for some reason? Because he wants something?"
I nodded. "There's something he's aiming for and I want to know what!"
Russettail and Dawnpool whispered quietly near the medicine den and Reedstar, Flowerwhisker and Scratchtail practiced battle moves in the center of camp. Everyone else was on patrol.
My tail rested on my paws and I watched the sky silently as I searched for any signs. My paws itched for Dawnpool to stop talking with Russettail so I could tell her something.
Reedstar sent a glance in my direction that read: Why're you just standing there? Of course I knew he wanted everyone in camp to be doing something.
I quickly padded to the elders den where Whiteberry laid silently.
"Can I help you Mothpaw?" she asked, raising her head.
"You can actually.." I mumbled sitting down beside her. "Can you tell me about the cat named Mothflight?"
Whiteberry glanced at me but nodded. "Mothflight was a clever cat. The first medicine cat as well. She died in a forest not far from here, a brutal death indeed. She was sitting quiet, minding her own business when ThunderClan attacked her, ripping out her throat and cutting open her stomach…"
I flinched but was eager for the old she-cat to continue.
"The cats brought her to our camp and told us she had been attack by a mob of dogs. Of course Windstar wasn't stupid and had known what happened… Mothflight was a brave and noble cat," Whiteberry mewed. "Did that answer your question?"
"It did to where I know who she was now. Thanks Whiteberry!" I turned around and exited the den.
"How do you know Mothflight's name?" Dawnpool stood outside the den with a tilted head.
"She came to me in a dream last night!" Mothpaw squealed. "She said she had a prophecy and said this: 'There are Three, powerful enough to destroy the upcoming darkness.'"
"Russettail!" Dawnpool shouted suddenly and Russettail walked over slowly. "She's the Third cat!" my mentor growled. "Mothpaw is the Third cat!"
He looked down at me. "How can you be so sure?"
"She just said the prophecy!" Dawnpool squealed with delight. "We found her!"
"What're you guys talking about?" I asked.
"Mothflight came to us too. She told us that prophecy and said that we must find the other two cats. Russettail and I are one and two and you're the third!" Dawnpool explained.
"I do recall Mothflight saying I had to find two other cats that have received the prophecy too.. So, now what?" I asked my mentor and her brother.
"We have to follow our destiny and find out what the darkness is. And we all need to stay alive until then," Russettail replied.
Mothpaw nodded. "So, what is the darkness?"
"That what we're trying to figure out," Dawnpool mewed as light snow began to fall.
The wind blew lightly, making the snow fall at an angle. I felt the snow land lightly on my pelt, making me shiver. "Could it be a cat? Or a Clan?"
"It could be ShadowClan," Russettail thought out loud. "They have been acting very strange lately.."
"Or it could be something else.." Dawnpool glanced at the sky. "Maybe the Dark Forest as StarClan calls it."
I could see Russettail freeze cold, his eyes narrowed and he suddenly looked very nervous. "I've n-never heard of that…"
"It's a place where all the cats that never believed in StarClan go or the ones that broke the warrior code," Dawnpool explained quickly. "It would make sense."
Russettail nodded as if he was choking on a piece of prey. Something was up. Did he know something about the Dark Forest?
"You seem awfully quiet," I commented and then flicked my tail.
"Well I just remembered that I promised Redpaw I'd take him hunting," the warrior mewed quickly, speeding walking away to Redpaw who was talking with Reedstar.
Cherryheart entered camp with Dawnstripe and Cinderleaf who were all breathing heavily.
"R-Reedstar," Cherryheart breathed, "ShadowClan is coming this way!"
The leader nodded silently and sat in the center of camp, waiting for the ShadowClan cats.
Pikestar entered WindClan's camp, Archeye and Cloudpelt following him quietly.
"Greetings Reedstar. My warriors and I were wondering if you'd be willing to send a few warriors with me to our camp for the time being," he stated with a calm gaze.
"Why do you need them? Has something happened, Pikestar?" Reedstar asked with worried eyes.
"Hailstar demanded that his warriors attack me before he died from previous battle wounds. His warriors did so and we lost greatly. Crookedstar has taken over the Clan with Mudfur as his deputy," Pikestar explained grimly, glancing over at Archeye who was staring unhappily at his paws.
"Scratchtail and Whitefang will go with you. As well as Mothpaw," Reedstar ordered quickly.
"What?!" I looked at my leader with wide eyes.
"Go with Pikestar," he replied, giving me a glare with his dark green eyes.
Mothpaw sighed and walked to Pikestar. "Can we go now?" I asked as Scratchtail and Whitefang walked over silently.
"Of course." The leader turned around and exited the camp with the rest of us following.
I was at the back of the group when Cloudpelt fell in step beside me. "ShadowClan doesn't bite you know."
"And if they did they wouldn't exist anymore," I retorted with a glare.
"What got up your pelt?" he asked with a shiver as we crossed WindClan territory.
"Everything," I mumbled so he couldn't hear. "I just had some things to finish at camp and now I can't because I have to go with you."
"We aren't all bad," Cloudpelt purred. "You'll have fun until the next Gathering, which is coming up fast and-"
The rest of the white tom's words were drown out by a passing by monster.
I hadn't even noticed we'd reached the busy Thunderpath. My heart pounded and I felt the other monsters shoot past.
"Cloudpelt you will cross with Whitefang and Archeye you will cross after them with Scratchtail," Pikestar ordered. "Mothpaw you're with me."
Cloudpelt and Whitefang stood at the edge of the Thunderpath and as two monsters shot past they raced across, making it safety.
Archeye calmly trotted across and Scratchtail dodged the monsters coming his way with difficultness.
I gulped and looked at Pikestar who was looking down at me gently. "Don't worry, nothing bad will happen, I promise."
Mothpaw nodded, still unsure but she waiting and the leader looked at the Thunderpath while monster tumbled past.
"Go!" he yelled and darted across and I walked after him.
When it had happened I felt everything freeze. I fell over and lifted my head to see a monster coming straight for me. My eyes closed and I curled up in a ball.
"Mothpaw!" I heard someone scream.
I could feel the monster only a hair away and that's when I felt something on top of me, shielding me from the monster.
When the heat from the monster was gone I felt the thing fall off me and I opened my eyes looking over I saw it was Scratchtail!
"Help me!" I shouted at Pikestar as I tried to drag him off the Thunderpath.
Pikestar grabbed his tail and I went to his head and pushed him towards the edge. I felt the Thunderpath shake with more monsters.
"Hurry!" I screeched and saw the monster. "Please help us StarClan!" I prayed quietly and pushed harder.
I quickly jumped out of the way of the monster as Scratchtail's limp body reached the grass.
My heart pounded and I sniffed him. "Still breathing.. He's okay.."
Scratchtail's eyes flickered open and he sat up and then flinched. "Mothpaw? Are you okay?"
"Yes," I replied gently. "Can you stand?"
He struggled to his paws and walked forward. "I can make it to the ShadowClan camp. Come on; let's go!" He limped faster than I could walk.
When we entered ShadowClan's camp Crowtail sat in the middle of camp, her head bowed.
"Sagewhisker? What happened?" Pikestar approached Crowtail quickly. "Featherstorm!" he screeched, baring his teeth.
I inched forward and looked at the thing infront of Crowtail. It was a cat, indeed. She was badly wounded, her throat slashed open and her stomach was cut open.
"Mothpaw," Pikestar mewed, "can you help take care of our cats?" His eyes held sorrow and for the first time I knew he was angry and upset at the same time.
"Of course I can Pikestar," I replied and then padded over to Stonepaw and Sagewhisker.
"We're good for now.. You should go talk to Pikestar," Stonepaw mewed, mixing some herbs together.
Sighing I walked to where Pikestar had laid down. "Can I sit with you?'
"Always welcome too," he said, setting his head on his paws. "I didn't mean to lie to you.."
"About what?" I tilted my head at him and blinked.
"At the Thunderpath, I promised that everything would be okay… And you almost got killed and Scratchtail got hurt." Pikestar looked at the WindClan warrior who was letting Sagewhisker nurse him.
"It's fine," I muttered. "It was only a little damage, not a big deal…"
He glanced up at me. "Featherstorm was a queen and she had Goldenpaw-" He flicked his tail at a ginger-and-brown tabby she-cat. "We never figured up who her mate was, but I know." His eyes flashed.
"Who is it?" I asked quickly, hoping for him to get straight to the point.
"Sunstar," he replied quietly with a glance behind me. "Goldenkit is part ThunderClan.. And I don't plan on anyone else finding out yet, understand?"
I nodded. "My lips are sealed!" I turned around and walked away, looking sideways at a misshaped den I bumped into a pale ginger tom.
"Watch it!" he snapped and looked at me, his eyes softened. "Sorry.."
Mothpaw paused, confused. Why're you sorry? "Yeah, its okay.." I replied with a tilted of my head.
"My name is Brackenfoot," he mewed. "And you must be Mothpaw. WindClan's medicine cat apprentice right?"
"Yeah!" I purred. "How'd you know?"
"Scratchtail told me a lot about you while we were out hunting," Brackenfoot said while drawing his paw across his ear.
"Did he?" I looked at Scratchtail who was leading the apprentices out of camp. "So you're a warrior?"
"Sure am!" The pale ginger tom grinned. "Between you and me I hoping to get the deputy spot, I'm mean, it's everyone's dream but I have a bigger shot than they do…"
I shrugged. "You never know.. Anything could happen." My eyes flicked to the camp entrance where RiverClan entered our camp.
"What do you want?!" Pikestar snarled, marching to Crookedstar who matched his height.
"I have been informed that some WindClan cats were staying at your camp and I heard Whitefang was among them." The RiverClan leader looked at the white tom who was staring at him with wide eyes. "We request that you give Whitefang to me."
"No!" Whitefang shouted, jumping to his paws.
Oakheart and Lilystem stepped forward, their eyes narrowed with curiosity.
Pikestar glanced at Crookedstar. "I am not his Clan leader and I definitely do not own him," he mewed.
I felt Hollyflower tense up beside me and she let out a hiss.
"You cannot take who you want from where ever!" She lunged forward, tackling Oakheart she pinned him.
"Hollyflower, stop!" I screamed as she bit his neck, hard.
Pikestar watched with great interest, his eyes shining but he was frowning.
Crookedstar was frozen to the ground, his eyes focused on his brother; I could tell the leader was holding his breath because his chest wasn't moving.
Blood was oozing down Oakheart's neck and I could see him going limp, taking short quick breaths as the life was bit out of him.
"You're killing him, Hollyflower!" Crowtail snapped and plowed into her, ripping her off the tom.
Sagewhisker darted forward and put her paws on the wound. "Stonepaw, cobwebs!" she shout at her apprentice and he raced over, laying the newly got cobwebs on the wound to stop the bleeding.
Oakheart had gone limp and his breathes were like rasps.
Stonepaw grabbed some Comfrey root from behind him and quickly chewed it up and then covered the wound in it.
Crookedstar blinked and was finally back in his own four paws. "Is he going to be okay?"
The medicine cat sat back and watched the tom. "He lost a lot of blood.. I-I don't think I can save him."
The leader through his head back and let out a loud yowl of distress. "You did this!" He was glaring at Hollyflower who was behind Crowtail. "You killed my brother! And for that, you're going to pay." He grabbed his brother's scruff and left the camp, Lilystem following.
"Hollyflower," Pikestar mewed, "I want to see you in my den, now." He turned around and walked away.
She pushed past Crowtail and followed Pikestar into his den.
My paws were frozen to the ground and I was staring at the puddle of blood Oakheart had made.
"Its going to be okay," Brackenfoot mumbled in my ear. "There wasn't anything you could do. StarClan knows whats going to happen, and whatever happens next is a blessing."
I nodded but I wasn't really paying attention, his words were a blur. My head was spinning and I could hear Sagewhisker and Stonepaw whispering a few tail lengths away. "I'm going to go lay down.." I mewed and walked to the first den I could find.
The den happened to be the apprentices den. It was empty but very warm inside.
ShadowClan's dens were large rocks that had been cut up inside and now was a giant cave like thing. There were nests everywhere, feathers and moss neatly lined them.
I laid in one and closed my eyes and took up everything that had happened in the past moon: I'd become an apprentice, Dawnpool was an amazing mentor and taught me everything, a strange cat named Mothflight came to me and told me a prophecy, it turns out that the prophecy was meant for three and Dawnpool and Russettail were also in it. I was chosen to goto ShadowClan, Scratchtail almost died, RiverClan came to the camp, Oakheart died...
Mothpaw felt her eyes get heavy and she drifted into a heavy sleep.
