Chapter Three


Asterpaw was briefly conscious as a low voice sounded in the apprentices' den. Not recognizing her or her sister's name, she drifted easily back to sleep. It was a little while longer before another cat entered, this time nudging the ginger siblings awake. Asterpaw grumbled as he lifted her head, her eyes squinting in the bright light falling just through the grass stems onto her face.

"Asterpaw, Redpaw, you're going on Dawn patrol with Valestorm, Duskpaw, and Elderpelt. Thunderstar had to leave unexpectedly so everyone's running a bit late, and you don't have a mentor today, Asterpaw." the apprentice's eyes barely recognized Ravinefall's face before she ducked back out of the den. She sniffed disdainfully. Redpaw rolled out of her twisted sleeping position, yawning. Asterpaw's whiskers twitched.

"C'mon, we need to get going. Duskpaw's probably already ready, and if she's anything like her mentor, we'll be the last ones prepared." Asterpaw hopped past the brittle fronds of the entrance and Redpaw quickly followed. They each gave their own pelts a few quick licks to smooth their fur before bounding across the clearing to the camp entrance. As they'd guessed, Valestorm, Elderpelt, and his apprentice were all already waiting.

"Are we ready, now?" Valestorm asked. Surprisingly, there was no irritation in her tone. Everyone really must be running late. How strange. The apprentices nodded and Valestorm turned to lead the way. They slipped quickly through the entrance and made straight for the far border. Redpaw ran a few pawsteps ahead on Asterpaw's right side, as they routinely did. Duskpaw ran in the back, and her mentor insisted on sticking as close to her as possible, although the path did not always permit it. Every time he was forced away the pointed she-cat seemed to relax a bit, and as soon as he came back so did her weary demeanour. I'll ask her later. Asterpaw noted silently.

Valestorm slowed the pace, eventually drawing them to a halt. They barely arrived at the base of the cliff. From here, their borders led away from the rock walls. The black and white she-cat turned away from the cliff and back towards the rest of the patrol. She looked to her own apprentice.

"Redpaw, can you scent anything strange?" she prompted. Redpaw opened her mouth and drew in a slow, deep breath. She looked up thoughtfully.

"Some herbs, here and there.. cat, of course.. and rabbit!" she pricked her ears but Valestorm batted her ear gently.

"Very good. Unfortunately, we're already late as it is. We've no time to hunt, now." Redpaw and Asterpaw sighed. Rushing, as they had, they hadn't had the time to eat yet. Valestorm hurried them on, stopping here and there for one of the cats to mark the border. After a while, Elderpelt stopped where he was.

"Valestorm, do you mind if Duskpaw and I leave the patrol early? I just remembered there were a few battle moves Duskpaw hadn't perfected yesterday and I'd like to get them out of the way before I give her another proper lesson." he queried. The she-cat tilted her head, a bit confused, but dipped her head.

"I suppose. I can't see why it couldn't wait, though."

"Yes, can't we practice another time?" Duskpaw chipped in quickly. She looked hopefully up at Valestorm.

"No, do what your mentor says, Duskpaw. There will be plenty of patrols left for you, yet." Valestorm purred. Yet the small she-cat did not seem reassured. She lowered her eyes to the ground and padded away towards the practice clearing. Elderpelt followed her, his tail confidently high. Redpaw brushed Asterpaw's side with her tail.

"Why do you think Duskpaw hates battle training so much?" she asked. Asterpaw shrugged.

"I heard Covetail had trouble with it, too. Maybe kitty-pet blood dulls their fighting instinct?" she guessed.

"Now don't be like that." Valestorm growled softly. "You two are half tame cat yourself, how can you say that? Not to mention Rabbitleap was once a kitty-pet. You both must've heard this story by now." Asterpaw was about to speak again, but Valestorm persisted. "Rabbitleap, Duskpaw, and Covetail escaped a kitty-pet prison and came to our Clan in hopes of starting a new life. They've all worked very hard to be accepted here, so that their kits-cats like you-can be accepted just like any Clan-born cat. I don't want to hear this silly rumor, again. And if you hear any of the other apprentices spreading it around, remind them that it's silly lies."

The sisters locked eyes, a bit ticked, but nodded.

"Right, now let's finish patrolling and maybe then we can catch a few fat rabbits for a proper meal." Valestorm purred, lightening up. They continued to mark the border and check the scents surrounding for quite awhile without bothering with chatter.

Then suddenly, a small ruckus began, first far away, then growing closer. As the wind began to pick up, it blew the scent of a cat towards the patrol. Asterpaw took a moment to recognize it, having associated it with three other scents until now.

"Creekkit!" Valestorm called before Asterpaw could. "What are you doing out here?"

The little tom's eyes were wide with fear as he bounded over tree roots and tendrils of foliage. He skidded to a halt, his breath coming fast in his small chest.

"There were no apprentices in camp-" breathe, "Rivertail sent me. She needs-needs Juniper berries and lamb's ear.-Longwhisker's having her kits." he meowed breathlessly. Almost instantly, Valestorm was wreathed in fear scent. Her own breathing quickened, and Asterpaw started to worry, too.

"Okay, er-Asterpaw and Redpaw, those herbs you scented, near the cliffs. There should be soft small leaves in patches in the grass. That's lamb's ear. Get as much of that as you can and bring it back to camp with you as fast as you can. Creekkit, you come with me. Juniper grows nearer the camp, I think."

Before the apprentices could get a word in, Valestorm grabbed the kit by his scruff and leaped towards the camp. The sisters exchanged a look before making their way back along the border. As their strides lengthened, the rhythm of their pawsteps fell together and they kept pace.

"What could have gone wrong?" Asterpaw gasped out. Redpaw flicked an ear in place of a shrug.

"StarClan if I know. I'm no medicine cat-" she took a breath, "but I can't help but feel this is-something like fate. Whatever's happening. It's meant to be whatever way it's headed. I just hope-" she sighed, "I just hope it's a good way."

Asterpaw remained silent, worried now. Redpaw seemed to know more than she ever would. She glanced up at her sister, only half a paw taller. Her bright yellow eyes were trained ahead of her, searching for the cliff face. Swallowing, she wished she were as confident as Redpaw. She was glad to have her of all the apprentices be her littermate. She hated to think it, but with what may become of the Clan, she at least knew she would always have Redpaw by her side. She took a deep breath and focused on her task: lamb's ear. As the cliff approached, they slowed down. Redpaw nosed among the foliage and quickly found a small patch of the leaves. She wrapped her muzzle around the fragile stems and pulled them carefully from the soil. Asterpaw brushed fronds of bracken and bramble away to uncover another patch of soft leaves. This one was almost as big as her mouth. She Wrapped her jaws around the leaves and bit them off, holding the mouthful carefully. As she met up with Redpaw, she saw her sister's bunch more closely. The leaves she had seemed a bit different. Asterpaw flattened her ears.

"Redpaw, I don't think these are the same herbs.." she murmured uncertainly. The ginger tabby nodded slowly.

"I don't think so, either. I don't know what's lamb's ear, though, so maybe it's better this way? If we each take a mouthful of each, Rivertail will have plenty of the herb she needs, and extra for her stock of another." she reasoned. Asterpaw flicked her littermate's side appreciatively, reassured. The pair then secured their bundles between their teeth and dashed towards the camp.

As they ducked through the heather tunnel, they came into a camp very different from the one they had left at dawn. Ravinefall was organizing warriors, although most had to be reminded again what they were doing. They were too distracted by the occasional feeble cries from the nursery to remember. No apprentices could be seen, although Elderpelt sat with a vole and the rest of his kits playing around him, looking rather uninterested. What about Duskpaw's training? Asterpaw thought fleetingly. It was thrown aside as Strathfang slipped from the nursery and sped towards them.

"Thank StarClan!-Hm? Drop those for a moment, they look funny-Redpaw, that's feltwort, not lamb's ear. Oh well, this may be enough. Thank you." the black tom dipped his head and carried the lamb's ear back to the nursery. Redpaw's ears sagged, disappointed. Asterpaw pressed against her flank.

"I'm already worn out. Want to eat something and get some sleep?" Redpaw offered. Asterpaw nodded and walked slowly, tiredly towards the fresh-kill pile. She nudged through the pile, but everything seemed too big for her to stomach, now. All the running and anxiety had made her belly ache. Redpaw pulled a squirrel from the pile with her paw.

"Want to just share this? I'm not so hungry, either." again, Asterpaw nodded and they trudged back across the clearing and entered the apprentices' den. Surprisingly, Duskpaw was curled up in her nest, near the back of the den. Her face was turned down but her eyes were not closed.

"Hi, Duskpaw." Redpaw meowed, trying to sound cheery. She plopped down in her own nest not far from the dark-faced apprentice with the squirrel at her paws. Asterpaw laid down beside her. Duskpaw didn't say a word. Redpaw shrugged and munched on the squirrel. For a few moments, the only sound was the crunch of the squirrel's bones in their teeth.

"I thought you were out hunting with Elderpelt?" Redpaw asked. Duskpaw looked farther away.

"I did really bad.. He's punishing me by making me stay in camp for two days." she muttered, almost inaudibly. Redpaw purred.

"That's not much of a punishment to me. You can sleep all you want and play with kits all day!" Duskpaw shook her head vigorously.

"It's not that simple. I wish I was out training, tomorrow. I wish I had a different mentor.." she growled softly. Redpaw tilted her head.

"Couldn't you ask Thunderstar for a new one? It's not unheard of. I'm sure-"

"No." she interrupted. "It's too late, now. I can make it-there are only so many moons before an apprentice is a warrior." she whispered. "I'm tired.. I'm going to sleep, now."

Redpaw and Asterpaw exchanged a look, confused. It was only just past sun-high. They finished their squirrel and went to bury it outside.

Valestorm stopped them just outside the den. She'd calmed down considerably.

"Thank you two for helping collect the herbs. I apologize, I let myself get worked up. Although-er, nevermind. If you can help it, stay away from the nursery, for now. Longwhisker isn't doing well.. but, if you want to see her kits they're staying in the nursery with Brindleflame and her kits."

Redpaw purred, "No problem. We'll do both." Asterpaw nodded happily, unable to speak with the bones in her mouth.

"Thank you, again. You two will be wonderful warriors, you know that?" Valestorm blinked warmly at them before walking away to greet her mate. The pair buried the bones of the squirrel before entering the elders' den.

Sweetflower and Aspenstripe were huddled together at the back of the den, grooming each other and talking quietly about cats they used to know. Dalefeather was nowhere to be seen, though his scent still lingered in the den. Brindleflame's kits had migrated into the den, play-fighting as always. Their mother lay on the opposite side of the den, and three tiny bodies squirmed at her belly. Glancing at one another, Redpaw and Asterpaw slipped into the den and crouched before Brindleflame. The smallest kit was a silver tabby with thick black stripes like its mother. The next looked just like it, but somewhat bigger. The last kit was a startling dark brown tabby. It looked a lot like Ravinefall.

"What are their names? Are they boys or girls?" Redpaw asked, her eyes wide. Asterpaw's whiskers twitched; Redpaw had told her before, and it was obvious now, that she wanted kits of her own. Her sister doubted she even cared who her mate was.

Brindleflame was barely audible as she replied. "Well, they don't have names, yet. Longwhisker didn't want to name them without Thunderstar. But the little silver tabby is a she-kit and the other two are toms." Redpaw nodded slowly, watching the tiny squirming kits. Asterpaw stifled a yawn. The kits were very cute, but she could only stare at them so long before it got boring. She pressed her nose against her sister's fur.

"I can't keep my eyes open. I'm going back to the den."

"Oh, okay… I'll go with you." Redpaw responded, her eyes never leaving the kits. For a moment she didn't move at all, and Asterpaw was about to prod her, before she stretched and stood. She blinked happily at her sister.

The pair made their way across camp without being confronted again and curled up close together in the apprentices' den. Asterpaw was almost asleep when Redpaw's voice cut into the silence.

"Do you ever want to have kits?" she asked quietly. Asterpaw half-opened her eyes.

"I don't know. I don't think so. I mean, if I'm honest.." she met Redpaw's eyes.

"You can tell me anything." she meowed.

"Well if I could, I'd give up having kits to try and be deputy someday. I want to help the Clan.. and Ravinefall is so cool. But I guess there are other ways to help the Clan. Maybe I'll be a medicine cat and help that way."

Redpaw licked her ear. "Things don't have to be that way. You can change that. You're amazing. If any cat could, it's you." Asterpaw purred.

"Well I changed up the subject, quickly. I can do that." she joked with a purr. "I know you want to have kits. Why'd you ask?"

Redpaw lowered her ears, embarrassed. "Er… I was thinking of names earlier. It's something to think about when Valestorm drones on like a bee." she joked.

Asterpaw yawned, "What names do you like?" she asked, humoring her sister.

"I've thought about a lot of them but I've never found a lot that I like. There's just one that's stuck in my head: Gorsekit."

"I like it." Asterpaw said. She closed her eyes and wrapped her tail around her body up to her nose.

"How must Duskpaw feel, without any siblings her age? How must Duckwing feel?" Redpaw murmured.

Asterpaw opened one eye for a moment, then closed it again. "I wouldn't know. I mean.. I've always had you. And we're not even normal siblings in the first place, right? Emberpelt and Red haven't been around for a few moons. And I think it's right to say that most of the other cats let us get away with sticking together more."

Redpaw was silent again for a moment. "I'm glad I have you, Asterpaw."