Rosesong was out collecting herbs, leaving Lavapaw to sort the herbs in the medicine cat den. Lavapaw's brother, Sparrowpaw, ran in looking worried. She wondered what it was, and hoped it wasn't too bad.
"Hi Sparrowpaw! How's the leader stuff coming?" Lavapaw asked happily, since medicine cat stuff was so far fun.
"Iceeyes is sick!" Sparrowpaw exclaimed, not bothering to answer Lavapaw's question.
That was quite rude, but oh no! I don't know what will work on her! Lavapaw thought.
Iceeyes was the oldest cat in the clan, and every cat knew that she wouldn't live much longer. She couldn't survive sickness, unless it wasn't serious at all. Also, Lavapaw didn't even know which herbs were which, or what they did! Rosesong had just asked her to sort them in piles using their scent and appearance! Oh no!
"Take me to her!" Lavapaw exclaimed. Even though she knew she couldn't do much, she had to try, for the sake of Iceeyes. She didn't want her clanmate to die if she could help it.
Lavapaw followed Sparrowpaw into the elder's den. Iceeyes looked really sick…
"Fever! Stomach…Can hardly breath," Iceeyes gasped, coughing.
"What can you do?' Sparrowpaw asked Lavapaw urgently.
"I don't know! I don't even know which herbs are which! Iceeyes was fine earlier, so Rosesong left me to sort herbs! Some cat has to go find her!" Lavapaw explained.
"Oh no…some cat needs to find Rosesong." Sparrowpaw decided.
"She could be anywhere on the island! I don't know where she went! Can you go? I can't, Rosesong hasn't shown me the territory yet! I've only been an apprentice for a day!" Lavapaw exclaimed.
"I can't go either! Let's get Icestorm and Riverpaw! I'll get them!" Sparrowpaw exclaimed, as he ran out of the elder's den.
"Iceeyes, you'll be fine, I hope! Just keep breathing…" Lavapaw mewed.
He won't die! He can't die! If he dies, it'll be my entire fault. It's my fault I don't know the herbs yet! Why did Rosesong leave me in camp without her? It was a mouse-brained idea! I hope she realizes! Lavapaw thought.
"Come on, Riverpaw!" exclaimed Icestorm.
Riverpaw scurried after his mentor. They were going to find Rosesong. Out into the jungle, with the tigers and gorillas. Yes, they were. The island where VolcanoClan was huge, and it had a huge jungle area. This would be very dangerous, and Riverpaw was just hoping to come out alive.
She could be anywhere! We'll never find her, and Iceeyes will die! What if we meet a tiger? I can't fight a tiger, and one full-grown warrior can't either! We'll both die! Why did Sparrowpaw choose us? Stupid, leader apprentice brother… Riverpaw thought, but he took it back. He liked Sparrowpaw and it wasn't his fault Iceeyes was sick.
"Will a tiger eat us?" Riverpaw asked.
"Of course not. If we see one, we'll climb up a tree. Then all we'll need to worry is mouse-brained monkeys. I won't let a monkey hit you on the head, that can hurt." Icestorm mewed.
So reassuring, we escape a tiger and get hit in the head with some monkey thing. Riverpaw thought. Why was I chosen as a warrior? Well, I can probably answer that. I can't be a kit mother, of course. If I were a volcano watcher, I'd probably fall down the volcano and die. I could never remember all of those herbs. If I were a leader…I'd just be a horrible leader. So my only option was a warrior. Riverpaw decided.
"If I die, tell my mother and siblings I love them" Riverpaw mewed sarcastically.
"You're not going to die" mewed Icestorm, sounding slightly annoying.
The two of them silently made their way through trees and bushes.
"I'm tired, can we stop?" Riverpaw asked after awhile.
"I'm following Rosesong's scent trail. Climb this tree and wait. Don't make any noise. I'll be back with Rosesong. Climb to the top of the tree, but don't fall" Icestorm mewed.
Without another word, Icestorm ran in one direction.
How do you climb a tree? Does Icestorm expect me to know everything? Thought Riverpaw.
He threw himself onto the tree, and clawed his way to the top. The view was great. I see the volcano! And that thing that mother calls the ocean! I want to go there! I wonder if I could sneak out with one of my siblings and go. It would be fun! Riverpaw thought.
Suddenly, he felt like there were eyes staring at him. He turned around slowly, and found himself face to face with another cat with a scent he didn't recognize. Weird, he had never met a non-VolcanoClan cat.
"Are you part of a rogue group? What are you doing here? What's your name?" Riverpaw asked quietly.
The cat laughed. It was a young she-cat, about nine moons. Her pelt was covered in mud. What was that about?
"No! I never knew that other cats lived on this island, until today. Earlier today, I climbed this tree for the first time. You see those shapes on the volcano? I think those are cats! Anyway, my name is Cora." The she cat mewed.
"Yes, there are other cats! There's rogue groups, and VolcanoClan. I'm a VolcanoClan warrior apprentice. Those shapes on the volcano are Stormwind, the clan volcano watcher, and Lilypaw and Salamanderpaw, the volcano watcher apprentice. Salamanderpaw's my brother. We were apprenticed yesterday, along with our four other siblings, since we just turned six moons." Riverpaw mewed.
"Only six moons? You shouldn't be here alone!" Cora exclaimed.
"I know I shouldn't. My mentor was just here. I was tired, and he left me here. He probably shouldn't have…" Riverpaw mewed, looking at the ocean and the sand by the ocean.
"Oh, that's not good. You see the ocean? I guess you haven't been there before. Want to go with me?" Cora asked.
Should I? Icestorm will be angry. But I really want to go, and this Cora cat is really nice. Riverpaw thought.
"Okay. I'll go" Riverpaw mewed.
The two cats got out of the tree and bounded into the jungle. Riverpaw hoped that they wouldn't run into danger.
Icestorm and Rosesong ran into camp. Why wasn't Riverpaw with them! It didn't make any sense; Riverpaw was a new apprentice and shouldn't be left alone! DUH!
"Seasonalpaw! What's happening? Is Riverpaw here?" Rosesong mewed.
"Iceeyes died. Lavapaw didn't know how to save her. Bouncekit's sick. Riverpaw isn't here." Seasonalpaw whispered.
Will Bouncekit die too? Where is Riverpaw? Seasonalpaw thought.
"Stay here. I'll gather your siblings. Rosesong, help Bouncekit." Icestorm mewed.
A moment later, Icestorm, Seasonalpaw, Sparrowpaw, Sunsetpaw, and Lavapaw had gathered.
"What happened?" Sparrowpaw demanded. This couldn't be good. Stupid Icestorm.
"Riverpaw and I were following Rosesong's scent trail. Riverpaw said he was tired, so I told him to rest in a tree and wait for me to come back. When I came back, Riverpaw was gone. I followed his scent trail, but I lost it quickly." Icestorm explained.
Why did you do that, you mouse-brain? I hate you because my brother's now in danger! Seasonalpaw thought angrily.
"Why did you leave him, you piece of fox dung? He's only been an apprentice for a day! He doesn't know what he's doing!" Seasonalpaw exclaimed.
Seasonalpaw dashed into the nursery, Sunsetpaw following her. It was time for training, anyway. They were both going to train with Peachblossom, since Heatherpelt wanted to stay with her sick kits.
"Where could he be?" Sunsetpaw asked me quietly.
"Anywhere. You know him." Seasonalpaw mewed.
And you know him better than I do Seasonalpaw silently added. She did. Seasonalpaw had a feeling that she didn't quite understand him, while Sunsetpaw did.
"Peachblossom!" Sunsetpaw exclaimed when the two were right behind her.
Peachblossom nodded. She led the two apprentices to a corner.
"As you know, a kit mother is- GREAT STARCLAN!" Peachblossom screamed.
Every cat in the nursery turned around to stare at her. Was everything bad happening at once? Maybe this wasn't bad, but it probably was.
"My kits are coming. Get Rosesong, Sunsetpaw!" Peachblossom gasped.
Larkrose and Heatherpelt rushed over to Seasonalpaw.
"Go, Seasonalpaw." Mewed Larkrose seriously.
"Why? What about the other apprentices?" Seasonalpaw asked.
Larkrose gazed at her youngest daughter. Seasonalpaw really hated being the youngest, even by a little.
She's thinking of me as Seasonalkit. I know I'm not! I'm Seasonalpaw, now. An apprentice!
Seasonalpaw rushed out of the nursery anyway. She paced back and forth, until a warrior apprentice; Brownpaw came up to her. These warrior apprentices were always too busy in their work to notice what else was happening.
"What are doing? What happened?" Brownpaw asked.
"Peachblossom's having her kits and mommy made me leave and Riverpaw's gone!" Seasonalpaw exclaimed, her voice rising to a panic.
Duskfur called to Brownpaw and he ran to him. Then Brownpaw ran back.
"I'm not allowed to talk to you." Brownpaw mumbled before running back to his mentor.
Why can't you? What's wrong? What does Duskfur have against me? I didn't do anything! Why can't I see Peachblossom? It doesn't make any sense! Seasonalpaw thought. It didn't make any sense to her.
Seasonalpaw dashed back into the nursery and over to Peachblossom. She was moaning and no kits had come. But they would come.
"SEASONALPAW!" Larkrose screamed, and Seasonalpaw stayed.
"You can send me away all you want but Oceanpaw will tell me anyway!" Seasonalpaw screamed.
She hoped it was true.
"Stupid climb. Salamanderpaw, don't take chances!" Lilypaw scolded.
"We're almost there" mewed Stormwind.
We better be! We've been traveling since yesterday! How often will I do this? Salamanderpaw wondered. At least the view's good. And I am NOT taking chances.
The view was good. The three climbers could see almost the entire island. It was so cool, cooler than the camp.
"Why do we trek up the volcano so often?" Lilypaw asked.
"You ask this every time we come up here. We have to monitor the volcano." Stormwind mewed.
In a few minutes, the three were at the top of the volcano.
"Salamanderpaw, don't get too close to the edge" Stormwind mewed.
The three looked into the volcano. The red lava was close to the top of the volcano. That REALLY didn't look very good to Salamanderpaw.
"We have to evacuate, don't we?" Lilypaw mewed.
"Yes! Follow my orders, both of you!" Stormwind exclaimed. "Lilypaw, you know how we do this"
Lilypaw bounded down the volcano, weaving back and fourth.
"Salamanderpaw…I'll just carry you. Lilypaw, wait!" Stormwind exclaimed, and grabbed Salamanderpaw by the scruff.
Wow, that didn't take long. Salamanderpaw thought once they were at the bottom. Compared to the overnight journey, this was okay.
Stormwind, Lilypaw, and Salamanderpaw arrived in camp after awhile. Salamanderpaw was afraid that the clan might die when the volcano erupted.
"ALL CATS OLD ENOUGH TO- Oh, We're in danger! Get over here!" Stormwind exclaimed once he had climbed onto the Highrock.
"Cora, look!" Riverpaw exclaimed, gazing at the volcano. Smoke was coming out of it. Everything bad was happening at once, and Riverpaw wished he had his siblings to talk to right now.
"We have to go! What should we do?" Cora mewed.
"I'll take you back to my clan. We have an evacuation plan, so we're going to leave. You're covered in mud, stay like that." Riverpaw told Cora.
Oh no! Riverpaw thought as he ran with Cora back to the VolcanoClan camp.
"I'm here!" Riverpaw exclaimed loudly.
"Good!" Salamanderpaw exclaimed.
"One of the first two boats that leave will have the elders. The other will have Heatherpelt and her kits, Yellowtail and her kits, Peachblossom, and Rosesong and Lavapaw." Darkstar started. "The next boat that leaves will have the other kit mothers and the volcano watchers and his apprentices, plus Sunsetpaw. The next boat will have the kit mother apprentices, Duskfur, and Brownpaw. The next boat will be the warrior apprentices, including Riverpaw's companion, and Fireclaw. The next boat will be the other warriors. Sparrowpaw, you and I will go on any boats that have room. Follow me, VolcanoClan" Darkstar exclaimed.
Darkstar lead the whole clan through the jungle. The clan was going so fast that it was amazing. The clan was doing well, and Riverpaw hoped that it would stay that way.
"Cora, you'll be safe, I hope" Riverpaw told his companion.
Once at the beach, cats pulled boats made out of trees onto the beach.
We're the fifth boat. Riverpaw thought.
The whole sky was filled with smoke. It didn't look like VolcanoClan would make it. But they would try.
"First boat, load now! Second boat, also load!" Darkstar screamed.
Riverpaw glanced over at Peachblossom. She was in a lot of pain, and she still hadn't had her kits. All the boats had herbs and fresh kill, and that would be good for when Peachblossom did have her kits.
They would make it. Riverpaw decided to think positive.