Hey, ya'll!
I am so, SO very, extremely, sincerely, really, amazingly, honestly, seriously sorry I was so darn late updating! I hope this makes it up to you...the end of the year is coming up, and I have 7 finals and three more tests, not to mention 2 arabic and science projects to complete! XP
If you have any ideas for kit names, I'd welcome them, cuz I only have three names for Doveheart's kits, and she's gonna have 5. ;)
Your sincerely sorry authoress,
Gingerpaw opened one eye, sticky with sleep. Her stomach still felt queasy but a bit better.
Dawn was starting to crack through the dark sky; pink clouds were forming. That night, Gingerpaw had woken up, yowling from her nightmare, and was carried to the medicine cat's den like a kit by a very concerned Smokecloud, who seemed positive something was wrong.
"Please make her better," he mewed. "I want to go with her to the Gathering tomorrow."
Berryleaf's ears pricked up when she saw her patient awake. "Feeling better?" she inquired as she gave the apprentice's ears a fond lick.
"Nothing was wrong with me."
"Gingerpaw, there isn't a cat alive who couldn't see that something was wrong-with the exception of Coalkit."
"I guess," Gingerpaw sighed. "It was just a…bad dream, you know."
At this, the ThunderClan medicine cat's eyes lit up. "Another vision?" she sounded excited, and a bit afraid.
"You could say that. Angelwing showed me the past, and said-"
"Berryleaf!" a voice called out, and the two she-cats turned to see a Nimblefoot racing towards them. "Berryleaf, Littlepine is here with news from WindClan. You need to be there!"
"On my way," replied the medicine cat, and Gingerpaw looked up hopefully. "You can come, but if you start to feel sick then it's strait back to the den with you. Oh, and be sure to tell me about that dream later."
"Who's Littlepine again?" asked Gingerpaw as they trekked out into the clearing. The name seemed familiar, but she was confused. "I've heard Mousetail talking about him quite a bit but-"
"He's from ShadowClan, Gingerpaw, probably the most pleasant cat in that specific band of cats, come to think of it. He carries out news that is too urgent to wait for till the next Gathering…he's a bit, well, loud, but very friendly."
"Why do you have to be there whenever he comes around?"
"Medicine cats have to hear these things, Gingerpaw. Ah, here we are!"
She signaled to a small brown tom, surrounded by a group of whispering cats. He was bouncy and had a short tail, but he dipped his head to Berryleaf when he saw her, and let out a booming mew.
"Berryleaf! Nice to see you again. Where's Snowpaw?" he inquired, looking around for the missing apprentice.
"Oh, he'll be here soon. Tending to a sick patient, that's all."
"You'll work the paws off him, next thing you know! Linxfur is working his tail off, with so many injuries-ah, and who do we have here? A new apprentice?"
"This is Gingerpaw, Littlepine. She and her sisters, Flowerpaw and Lilypaw, were made apprentices yesterday."
"Flowerpaw? Isn't that the young she cat who nearly ripped my fur off the minute I got here, yowling, 'Intruders! Intruders!' I have the scar to show it!" he nodded to his injured tail.
"That sounds very much like her," Berryleaf sighed. "I have to have a word with Foxfang about that apprentice."
The tom cocked his head sideways and purred. "Well, Gingerpaw! Welcome to the forest life, the life of an apprentice," he dipped his head again. 'You'll find it's not as pleasing as the nursery, though-more responsibilities, more prey running. I'm Littlepine: don't judge me for this awful name Lionstar gave me."
"I like it," said Gingerkit shyly. "It's special."
"Aren't you going to be a very well-mannered young warrior? Anyways, Berryleaf," he suddenly straitened up. "I have news from WindClan. It seems that a slightly ambitious tom- Creamtail, I think the name was-nearly killed a queen and her kits and tried to make Morningstar lose her third life. He had a small band of rogues working with him-I'd be careful if I were you. They were near ThunderClan, last I heard."
"He also said that they were planning on attacking all the Clans-at least, that's what Morningstar told me. He was killed, of course, by Lightningstorm-and Morningstar decided that WindClan could no longer go on without a deputy after that- they needed something to make them stronger, now, see. "
"Lightningstorm became deputy at last, and WindClan is making sure every cat knows, so they don't get any trouble…I had to point this out twice to Lionstar," he spat at the name of his leader. "He wanted to invade again-it's a shame, really, to be part of a Clan like that, but I suppose that's the Clan for me right now. Anyway, pass this on to Stormstar, will you? I need to go to RiverClan and tell Vinestar."
"Thanks, Littlepine. StarClan light your path!" she called, and the brown tom waved his tail before he left.
Gingerpaw felt belly pain again and staggered. The mention of rogues had scared her.
"Berryleaf," she mumbled, "do you think that-"
"-there are rogues nearby?" The medicine cat looked sympathetic and shook her head wearily. "No. Snowpaw would be afraid, too, if I told him, but he'd stay strong. Now let's get you back to my den, Gingerpaw. You look like you've seen a StarClan warrior come back from the dead."
"I did," murmured Gingerpaw. "In my dream."
&&&
Snowpaw was examining the moss-pile when Gingerpaw arrived. Berryleaf had stopped to check on Doveheart on the way-promising Gingerpaw that she would be back soon.
"Can I have some watermint please?" mumbled Gingerpaw as she collapsed on her nest. The tom instantly gave her a couple clumps of a tangy-smelling plant.
"Snowpaw, did Berryleaf tell you about a bad dream I had a while ago?"
The apprentice stopped sorting through herbs for a moment, standing stock-still, one paw in the air. He turned to face her, and she had to stare him strait in his indigo eyes. He nodded.
"Snowpaw, listen. I had another dream. A cat came to me and showed me the past. Foxfang and my father were there-it was the old camp. She said that rogues would attack the camp and take us there. Littlepine just stopped by and told me that…that there were rogues nearby."
A flash of fear flashed through the mute toms' blue eyes.
"It might have just been a dream….I mean, or else you or Berryleaf would've had the same dream. Just…tell Berryleaf to see me."
The snowy-pelted apprentice rolled his eyes.
"Oh, right…you can't. Do you think it will happen?"
Another shake and a faint hiss, accompanied by bristling fur.
"Oh, fox-dung!" spat the she-cat suddenly. "Why don't you SAY something?!"
&&&
Doveheart entered the medicine cat den, looking embarrassed. Gingerpaw looked up too, from where she was talking to Rosepaw, who had disconnected her leg hunting.
"Hi Gingerpaw," she mewed, ears flattening. "I'd have to tell you something, Berryleaf said I should," she shuffled her paws, looking happy and upset. "First of all, I'm sorry. I know how much you anted to train today-and this was my first time as a mentor so I was excited to….but I can't train you anymore."
"What?! Why not?" Gingerpaw fell back in surprise. 'Did I do something?"
"No, no! Gingerpaw, I'm pregnant!"
The orange apprentice gaped for a moment, taken aback in surprise. Rosepaw's eyes lit up. "Congratulations!" she purred. "More kits for the Clans, more apprentices to get those ticks off Oatwhisker-less for me to do!"
Doveheart purred at this, too. "Well…I've told Stormstar, Gingerpaw, and I really am sorry….he'll appoint a new mentor for you soon."
"Oh," Gingerpaw tried not to look crestfallen for the sake of Doveheart. "That's-um-great! Who's their father?"
"Duskfall," she flicked her tail happily. "I haven't told him yet. Well, Gingerpaw, I hope that settles everything. I was going to send you to the elder's den but I'm sure Slashpaw will just love to clean their pelts out himself."
Gingerpaw forced herself to give a short laugh, but inside, her heart sank. "My first day as an apprentice, ruined!" she thought. "I'm gonna get you for this, Blackpaw…"
&&&
Smokecloud was just coming back from hunting patrol when he saw Gingerpaw pad into the clearing, tail drooping. Doveheart was nearby. He dropped his vole and bounded up to her, covering her ears in licks. "Gingerpaw! Are you okay?" He squinted at her. 'What's wrong?"
Gingerpaw didn't answer, but her mood changed instantly, and she began purring her heart out. "Hi, Smokecloud!" she mewed cheerfully, and the gray tom shook his head. 'She-cats and their mood-swings! What's a tom to do?"
Doveheart answered for her. "Hello, Smokecloud. Gingerpaw has to get a new mentor; I can't train her anymore. Where's Stormstar?"
"In his den—why can't you train her anymore?"
"I'm pregnant, Smokecloud," she nodded, looking down at her belly. The gray tom looked surprised, but pleasantly so. "That's great, Doveheart! Maybe I can mentor one of your kits!"
"I'll make sure of that."
Doveheart signaled for Gingerpaw to follow her, but Smokecloud fell in pace with her. "Let's see who your new mentor is."
Gingerpaw's ears perked up at once. "Can you be?"
Smokecloud purred. 'I'd love to, Gingerpaw, but I'm a little young for that. A was made a warrior less than a moon ago, for StarClan's sake. Don't worry; I'm sure you'll have a great new mentor!"
He rushed forward to talk to Doveheart. Heart alight with happiness, Gingerpaw pounced onto him.
"Following me, eh, little kit?"
"I'm no kit!" she lifted her head defiantly. "I'm an apprentice!"
"Yea, you're a one-day-old who started early with no proper training yet!" Smokecloud let out a purr. "Listen-I'll take you hunting later, okay? If Stormstar agrees."
The young warrior, new apprentice, and the mother padded to the ledge where Stormstar's den was. Dewdrop was inside, discussing something with the old tom. He looked pleased.
Doveheart cleared her throat as they entered "Stormstar-Dewdrop," he dipped his head and Gingerpaw did too. Dewdrop blinked happily and Stormstar nodded, tail waving. "Smokecloud, Gingerpaw, Doveheart. What is it?"
"We've come to ask who Gingerpaw's new mentor will be," Doveheart mewed, flicking her tail tip from side to side.
"I know," Stormstar nodded. "I've asked Dewdrop about it. Very well." He got up and stretched, leaving Dewdrop to pad out of the den alone. The three others followed, and Stormstar let out a rumble when he saw Nimblefoot.
"Nimblefoot!" he called and the black and white tom looked up, alarmed. "I have a preposition for you. What do you think of being a mentor?"
"I think it'll be great!" Nimblefoot looked confused. 'Do you mean when Doveheart's kits-oh!" Stormstar had pointed at Gingerpaw and Nimblefoot's tail shot up in delight. "My pleasure! Gingerpaw, eh? My first apprentice!" Gingerpaw liked his cheerfulness and reached her muzzle out. Mentor and apprentice touched noses. Smokecloud looked satisfied. "If only Rabbitpelt had been that happy when I was appointed his deputy….if only he didn't want Ravenpaw inst-"
He cut himself off, suddenly giving an angry yowl and stalking back to the warriors den. Stormstar looked troubled, but Nimblefoot and Gingerpaw merely looked confused. "What was that all about?" Gingerpaw hated to see her best friend so troubled.
"Just old family problems," Stormstar sighed. "Don't worry."
Unknown to any of them, a pair of eyes were watching them, their depths cold and frosty and unutterably cruel.
"Gingerpaw, Flowerpaw, Doveheart's kits," purred its owner. "More young cats for us to take-hmmm, splendid, splendid!" The cat turned thoughts over in its head. 'Tomorrow night," came a hiss from behind him. "We attack."
"Tomorrow night," agreed the other.
The two cats hissed in satisfaction, then melted away into the darkness where no other could see them.
They retreated to their base.
"Many young cats, many," hissed the two spies as they bowed to their leader, eyes gleaming. "We will have a new Clan for you tomorrow… Falconclaw."
AN: A WindClan cat died and went to join the forest of Darkness, the deputy's space was fianally filled...this is what Angelwing saw in the first chappie, sorry, the prologue...rememeber? XP