"Hey!" A she-cat's voice shouted
Gingerpaw slowly opened his eyes and saw Willowshine looking down at him.
"Come, we need to get more poppy seeds and dock." She said
He nodded and got up. He stretched as he remembered yesterday. Blackstripe's answer had given him the best mood possible! She had said that she liked him and now he was in love. But, what Willowshine had said still made him uneasy.
"Don't become attached." She had said
He shook his head and followed his mentor out of camp. They padded towards the Windclan border where fresh poppy seeds were found and the dock was up the small hill.
"You get the seeds." She said
Gingerpaw nodded as he found the flower. He shook the pink plant and little black seeds rolled out.
"Stop!" Someone shouted
He turned and saw Snowshadow. The white tom ran towards the border as fast as he could.
"Those are foxglove seeds, Gingerpaw." He said
He froze. The seeds looked so much like poppy seeds that he thought they were.
"It's an easy mistake. Just be careful!" Snowshadow said
"Thanks! So, how's Kestrelflight?" He asked
"He's retiring after this visit tonight. He's served his clan for almost a hundred moons." Snowshadow said
"And then you take over." Gingerpaw added
The white tom nodded. He heard an elderly tom call for him and Snowshadow's icy gaze turned towards him.
"See ya tonight Gingerpaw." He said
He turned and Gingerpaw caught snip-its of what he was whispering to himself.
"Stupid Thunderclan cats! Gotta come after us over supposedly stolen prey!"
Thunderclan had attacked! That explained why they were near marigold and dock!
"We all have enemies. Why can't we just be friendly to one another?" He said out loud.
"I understand Gingerpaw." Willowshine said
He jumped at his mentor's voice and saw her pad towards him with fresh dock leaves in her jaws.
"The poppy seeds are over there." She said
Gingerpaw nodded and ran to the poppy seeds. He shook the flower and dozens of little black seeds fell onto the leaf. He picked it up and walked to Willowshine, who got up and they walked back to camp.
"We have to leave soon. Check the kits and elders." She said
Gingerpaw nodded and he entered the elder's den. Where he saw Rushtail sleeping deeply and Hawkfeather with Ashpaw.
"Thanks for the thrush." He said
Ashpaw nodded and she ran out of the den and past Gingerpaw.
"How's Birchheart?" He asked
Gingerpaw was confused. He said nothing about the gray tom.
"He's old. So is Wolfheart. She's fifty five moons and he's seventy. I think he should think about retiring in a few moons." Hawkfeather said
He had noticed white fur on his belly and flecks of white on his muzzle. Wolfheart had a few flecks of white on her muzzle, but Birchheart was much older.
"Soon." He said
"Mind checking Rushtail?" Hawkfeather asked
He nodded, he shook her leg and she awoke.
"What?!" She asked crankily
"Anything wrong?" He asked
"Sorry, just tired. Yes, my belly's been hurting." She said
He nodded and ran to the den. He grabbed some juniper and quickly ran back. She nodded a thanks as he went to the nursery.
"Gingerpaw!" Two tom's voices said
He saw Tawnykit and Moonkit run at him. He looked over at where Honeykit was sitting. He saw her talking to Cloudkit. She had happiness in her yellow as she talked to the white tom.
"Gingerpaw! Have you seen Berrytail?" Tawnykit asked
"He's out on a hunting patrol with Reedstar, Sunpaw, and Wolfheart. Why?" He asked
"He said me and Whitetail would go down to the stream!" Tawnykit said
"Anyone need anything?" He asked
No one answered and he went to Willowshine's den, but he saw her near the edge of camp.
"Let's go." She said
He nodded and ran out of camp. He thought of Shadowclan and hoped that Emberclaw and Darkpatch wouldn't be mad. They went down a large slope near Shadowclan and he scented two cats padding near the border. He sniffed and saw Thunderstorm, Cloverstream, and Oakclaw.
"Dusk patrol." Willowshine meowed
They moved to the right, obviously away from the border, and all they got were harsh stares from everyone but Cloverstream. She never came into arguments with us since she possibly still liked Hawkfeather. The red tom had never mentioned her, but, Spottedpool talked to him about it. They went to the deep slope that soon gave him the scent of Windclan and Thunderclan. He saw the white-spotted tom, Kestrelflight, and his apprentice Snowshadow. He saw the ginger/red pelt of Flowerpaw and her mentor Jayfeather.
"Flowerpaw!" He said
The she-cat's blue eyes stared at him with happiness.
"Hey Gingerpaw!" She said
He ran to her and she lashed her tail happily.
"So, how's things in Thunderclan?" He asked
"Not to good, the battle with-" She began
"Hush!" Jayfeather said
She quickly stopped and started something new.
"Uhh, we have used a lot of herbs for multiple things, but we're doing good." She said
He knew she was talking about the battle with Windclan. But, she looked perfectly fine around Snowshadow. He soon smelled Darkpatch and her apprentice's scent. She watched as Darkpatch and Emberclaw entered the area.
"Alright, let's go." She said
The cats got up and headed for the Moonpool. He saw the stars glisten above his head as the half-moon shined in the night sky. He saw the trickle of water start to appear and the lights of his ancestors shined on the ground.
"We're here..." Kestrelflight said
Te old tom padded towards the Moonpool, ahead of everyone else. Gingerpaw ran in and saw him look into the Moonpool.
"I am sorry Starclan, but it is my time to retire. I give up the name of a medicine cat and take one as an elder. Ashstar shall give the ceremony when I return. This shall be my farewell till I join you." Kestrelflight said
He looked up, his blue eyes seemed to show wisdom and drowsiness. Gingerpaw heard the pawsteps of the cats behind him and they all knew what he had done.
"Let us begin." Kestrelflight said
They all walked up to the Moonpool and lapped the icy water. Gingerpaw laid next to Flowerpaw and Willowshine. He drifted into sleep and awaited Starclan.
"Gingerpaw..."
He awoke and saw the Leafpool looking at him. Her eyes showed sadness as he stood up.
"I had hoped you'd figure out the prophecy about Sparkfur." She said
"I forgot about it, thinking it would come after the other one." He said
She nodded in acceptance.
"Don't become attached." She meowed
She sounded like Willowshine!
"To what?" He asked
"Gingerpaw, come with me. You already know about your sister." She said
He nodded as he passed through a misty barrier and the Dark Forest appeared in front of him. He saw two cats. One pure black and the other a cream colored with a patch of brown on his front paw.
"Timberfoot." He mumbled
The tom was famous for taking Onestar's last life. He had also stolen kits from Shadowclan to prove he was better than his clan.
"Timberfoot, when may I attack! It's been moons!" The black tom said
"Nightpaw!"
The name exploded in his mind as he saw the orange eyes of the black apprentice.
"Soon!" Timberfoot hissed
"Not soon enough! I've trained and trained! I want action! I've killed already and big deal! When can Starclan die?!" He shouted
Gingerpaw froze.
"Starclan...Die?" He whispered
Nightpaw turned and saw his orange gaze peer right at him.
"You!" He hissed
"Run!" Leafpool shouted
They turned and quickly went through the barrier.
"How can you die?" He asked
"I don't know what they are planning. But, listen closely..." Leafpool said
He nodded and pricked his ears.
"A taken life of a enemy shall result in the war between sky and forest." She said
He shivered. Another terrible prophecy.
"Gingerpaw.." A tom's voice said
But he had begun to wake up. All he caught of the tom was a yellow furred face.
"Sparkfur..." He meowed
He was fully awake and saw Everyone awake but Kestrelflight. The old tom's sides were moving slowly and they heard him speaking in his sleep.
"Thank you Onestar. I know I have served Windclan and want rest for the rest of my time." He muttered
"Onestar?" Gingerpaw thought
He knew nothing about the old Windclan leader.
"I shall see you again Barkface when I come." He said
He awoke as he received glares from his fellow medicine cats.
"Let us return." Gingerpaw began, "I must speak with Reedstar."
What does Nightpaw mean by Starclan's death? What does Leafpool's new prophecy mean? Find out in the next chapter...
Also thanks to those who responded. I love it when people like what I write! Please review :D
