"Brownpaw! Runningpaw! Forestpaw! Flowpaw!" The clan chanted their apprentice names. Runningpaw's mentor was none other but Spottedpelt, the deputy. Rainpelt is Flowpaw's mentor. Brownpaw got Badgerpath as his mentor. As for Forestpaw, she is now the medicine cat apprentice, she will be trained by Whitebreath.
Runningpaw smiled brightly at her father. She turned to Spottedpelt as he approached and sat down next to her. Runningpaw felt so proud to finally be an apprentice. The clan meeting was dismissed and everyone went back to their warrior-or apprentice-duties. "So, Spottedpelt, what are we doing first?" Runningpaw asked anxiously.
"Calm down, we can start on hunting tomorrow, but today we are going to gather moss for new nests for the apprentices' den." Spottedpelt started to lead Runningpaw and her littermates from below highrock to the camp entrance. Runningshadow sighed somewhat but it's probably going to be her own nest. She thought back on how crowded the apprentices' den will be. Though Springhollow, Mintleaf and Hawkstorm. Though Silverpaw and Hazelpaw are still there along with Blackpaw, Petalpaw, and Whitepaw. The apprentices' den is going to be crowded than ever before. Nine apprentices are going to have to squeeze into a tiny den. Runningpaw quickly snaps out of her thoughts and follows Spottedpelt out of the camp.
"Okay, Runningpaw, stretch out your claws as far as you can." Spottedpelt ordered while demonstrating. Runningpaw did exactly that, her claws unsheathed until they hurt. "Good, now slice the moss from the tree root." Spottedpelt carefully shanked off the moss, leaving a small perfect bundle to carry. Runningpaw swiped the moss off the root. It was much less than perfect. Spottedpelt shrugged. "Well, it's your first time."
Eventually, after many tries, Runningpaw got the hang of collecting moss. Spottedpelt helped pick off some discarded tree bark and small pebbles from the bundles. "Okay, I think this is enough moss to even freshen up the elders' nests." Spottedpelt picked up a large, rolled up bundle of moss with his mouth carefully, and Runningpaw did the same. Spottedpelt led Runningpaw back to the camp to lay down some nests.
Runningpaw squeezed through the camp entrance and headed to the apprentices' den. Flowpaw was already smoothing out her nest. "Hi Flowpaw!" Runningpaw greeted, dropping the moss in an empty space.
Flowpaw's fur somewhat ruffled. "Oh, hey Runningpaw, you startled me." Flowpaw's fur settled and she went back to placing her nest. "You know, Runningshadow, I've been thinking, we could cover the entire den floor with moss and all the apprentices could sleep in different places."
"Hmmm…" Runningpaw started thinking. "You know, that would work very well!" She smiled and started working moss in the area she dropped her bundle. Her paws worked the moss into a big nest, combining it with the other nests. But there wasn't enough to cover the floor. Then, Brownpaw and Forestpaw walked in with bundles of moss.
"Hey guys," Brownpaw set his moss in an uncovered area. "What's going on here?" He asked, looking at the floor with curious green eyes.
"Oh! Flowpaw had a great idea to cover the entire floor with moss, so there wouldn't be any worries to who sleeps where." Runningpaw quickly answered Brownpaw's question. She walked over to where he put down his moss bundle and worked it into the big nest. With the extra moss of Forestpaw's bundle, the apprentices' den floor was entirely covered in moss.
Spottedpelt poked his head into the apprentices' den, he was going to say something mentor-ish, but his jaw hung open. "Wha-?" His brown eyes darted around the den looking at the floor covered in moss. "What's this?"
"Flowpaw had the idea to cover the entire floor with moss so no one has to worry about who sleeps where." Runningpaw looked all around the floor to make sure no open spots were left.
"Well… I guess that makes sense." Spottedpelt locked his eyes on Runningpaw. "So anyway, I was going to show you around the territory a little bit."
Runningpaw's eyes lit up. "Oh really?" She smiled brightly and looked she was going to jump out of her skin. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I would love to see the territory!"
"Well, common then and follow me." Spottedpelt started to lead Runningpaw out of the camp and towards the Snakerocks. They followed the path to the Snakerocks quietly, not wanting to disturb any prey.
The Snakerocks came into view after a good pace was set. And it turned out Brownpaw and Flowpaw, along with their mentors, joined Spottedpelt and Runningpaw too. Spottedpelt stopped at the base of the rocks. "Here we are. These are the Snakerocks."
Runningpaw looked up and saw a snake slither through one crack to another. "I see why it's called the 'Snakerocks'." She commented.
Flowpaw giggled. "So are we going to check it out or what?" She moved toward the jumble of rock, cautious of the snakes that might be venomous.
Spottedpelt tasted the air. His fur started to rise and he gritted his teeth. The other mentors did the same, their hackles bristled and they bared their teeth. "What is it?" Runningpaw asked, sniffing the air. She now knew why the mentor's pelts were raised.
"ShadowClan! Those fox-hearts! They've been marking the Snakerocks!" Spottedpelt started circling the rocks. "Very recently too!" He stared across the thunderpath looking for any signs of ShadowClan. "Runningpaw, can I trust you to go back to camp and tell Whitestar what ShadowClan have done?"
Runningpaw nodded. "Yes, sir. I'll be right back." She turned towards the path to the camp and darted from the Snakerocks. Tasting the air every so often, she made sure she was following the right path to camp, even though this has been her first day out.
Runningpaw skidded to a halt and slipped through the camp entrance and bolted strait to Whitestar's den. "Whitestar! ShadowClan marked the Snakerocks, recently." She quickly said.
Whitestar stood up. "What? How could they? ShadowClan knows the Snakerocks aren't theirs!" He gritted his teeth and started thinking. "Ok, I'm going to get two border patrols…" He trailed off in his sentence. "Wait, why I am I telling you?" Whitestar stood up and walked out from his den. Runningpaw followed, curious of what he was going to do.
"Whitestar, what will we do?" Ripplehaze asked.
"I'm going to assign two different border patrols, one to go along the ThunderClan-ShadowClan border and the other to go along the ThunderClan-RiverClan border just in case, if nothing is happening with the RiverClan border report back to the Snakerocks, I'll be there." Whitestar gazed the area of the gathered warriors. "Addertail, lead the ShadowClan border patrol, go with Leafroot, Springhollow, Mintleaf and Ripplehaze. Ravenfur, lead the RiverClan border patrol, go with Hazelpaw, Velvetsnow, and Rubypond. Hawkstorm, come with me to the Snakerocks. Runningpaw, you're coming too. Alright everyone, move out." Whitestar led Hawkstorm and Runningpaw on the trail back to the Snakerocks.
Author's Note: Yo hey guys this is the best chapter I've written so far hope you enjoy the suspense until the next chapter is posted... please review with constructive criticism if something was wrong don't just point out flaws (unless they're just stupid mistakes).
I'M OUT, PEACE!
