Jiji just stared down at the dark-gray cat that had just came out of the bushes out of nowhere. Then a ginger-furred cat followed close behind the younger cat, and the gray one caught sight of Hollypaw and practically scrambled over her own paws in her excitement.
"HOLLYPAW!" The dark-gray cat shrieked in delight as she tackled Hollypaw to the ground. Jiji smiled in amusement as the ginger-furred cat approached Hollypaw at a much slower and calmer pace.
"Cinderpaw? Fireheart? How-How in the name of StarClan did you two get here?" Hollypaw asked, tilting her head to the side in confusion as she stared at the two cats who now had names to match the faces.
"Spottedleaf sent us here, and Cinderpaw has really missed you." Fireheart meowed, his whiskers twitching slightly in amusement as he pointed with his tail at his apprentice.
"Yeah, and Hollypaw, guess what? Fireheart is my mentor." Cinderpaw meowed, her paws needing into the ground as she tried her best to stay still, Hollypaw laughed, and playfully cuffed Cinderpaw over the ears.
"That's awesome, Cinderpaw." Hollypaw meowed, smiling brightly at her friend, then her face became serious and she whispered something into Cinderpaw's ear.
"Wait, what? What even made you think that, Hollypaw?" Cinderpaw meowed, Jiji tilted his head in confusion as he stared at both Hollypaw and Cinderpaw. Whatever Hollypaw had whispered to Cinderpaw, it seemed to make the other apprentice nervous and shy, witch was totally different from her excited and hyper-active energy from earlier.
"Oh, come on. Cinderpaw. It's obvious that you like him, so why don't you just tell him and get it over with?" Hollypaw mewed, and Cinderpaw stiffened and she shook her head back and forth rapidly and her tail was fluffed up.
"No! I-I can't do that. W-What would I even say to him?" Cinderpaw exclaimed, needing her paws nervously into the ground again as she stared up at Hollypaw with nervous and fearful light blue eyes.
"Break hearts, not promises, Cinderpaw." Hollypaw meowed, smiling cheekily up at the other apprentice, and Cinderpaw just blinked and tilted her head to the side in confusion. Jiji had no idea what Hollypaw had meant by that. What did that even mean?
"What does that even mean, Hollypaw?" Cinderpaw asked, and Hollypaw just laughed and flicked one of Cinderpaw's ears with her tail.
"Just roll with it, Cinder." Hollypaw said, smiling cheekily at Cinderpaw, who still looked nervous and unsure, Jiji smiled in amusement as he watched Hollypaw and Cinderpaw.
Cinderpaw stared with disbelief at her best friend, why in the name of StarClan would StarClan give her a destiny relating to Twolegs? She didn't don't get it... and... oh my StarClan! What is that thing sitting on her head?
"Wait, wait, wait, what's going on? Please, tell me, Hollypaw." Cinderpaw begged as she stared directly into her friend's emerald green eyes. Hollypaw sighed and her tail swished back-and-forth nervously.
"I received a prophecy from Spottedleaf," Hollypaw told her, and Cinderpaw's eyes widened in both shock and surprise.
"What did it say?" Cinderpaw asked, tilting her head to the side curiously like a newborn kit does once they see everything for the first time.
"Cinders from fire will save the Clan," she blurted and Cinderpaw just blinked and stared at her in confusion. She then looked to Fireheart, but he looked just as confused as Cinderpaw felt.
"But what does that mean? I don't understand, Hollypaw. Can you give me a bit more explanation?" Cinderpaw asked, staring up at Hollypaw, who frowned and shook her head.
"You know as well as I do that StarClan is very vague in their messages to us, I'm sorry, Cinderpaw. But even I do not fully understand." Hollypaw meowed quietly, as she stared at Cinderpaw with a gaze that held great wisdom, but also a hint of uncertainty.
"Hey, wait you think the prophecy is about Fireheart and Cinderpaw?" Jiji asked, blinking and staring at Hollypaw with wide eyes.
"What could that mean, Hollypaw?" The gray she-cat asked, and Hollypaw frowned, tilting her head and twitching her tail from side-to-side in uncertainty.
"Cinderpaw's only an apprentice for StarClan's sake! And Fireheart is a fully grown warrior. Are you sure it will work out like you said, Hollypaw?" Spottedleaf meowed, and everyone spun around to see the former ThunderClan medicine cat before Yellowfang. The dark tortoiseshell molly was standing right behind them, her dark brown, stary, dappled pelt glowing in the light of the moon, and her warm amber eyes bright, as she stared straight at both Hollypaw and Jiji.