The last of the snow was starting to disappear from the camps of the four clans, melting away from the sun's harsh spring rays. With many losses, the clans suffered a great deal of pain through the leaf-bare. From mothers dying of whitecough to apprentices freezing to death, this past season was one that will stay imprinted in every cat's mind for moons to come.
"Cloudpaw, you can't keep thrusting your muzzle forward when you attack. If you do that in battle, you'll risk being blinded by your opponent. A warrior's face is the most important body part to protect," a light colored she-cat hissed from the side of the hollow. Although her voice gave away her scornful tone, her tail remained calmly on the ground, giving the impression that her anger was short-lived.
"Can we try again?" Came the eager meow of Cloudpaw, determined to prove himself to his mentor. His unusually white fur was coated in a layer of mud and his blue eyes shone with enthusiasm.
His opponent, a thin tortoiseshell she-cat, readied herself for another practice run. Her silent mentor, Lichenheart, observed her stance from the other side of the hollow. Bluetail, Cloudpaw's mentor, flicked the tip of her tail and the two cats leaped toward each other, spitting with false rage and hatred.
Lichenheart's whiskers twitched in amusement as he watched Cloudpaw succumb to Applepaw's aggressive battle moves. The short fight lasted only a few heartbeats, but both of the appprentices' chests were heaving.
"You put up a good fight," Lichenheart meowed encouragingly to Cloudpaw. The dejected cat's eyes lit up with pride, for an experienced warrior had complimented him.
"Lichenheart's right, why don't you both head back to camp and grab yourselves something to eat?" Bluetail suggested, seeking Lichenheart's approval. With the tom's nod of acceptance, the apprentices bounded into the undergrowth, racing to the fresh-kill pile to get the best pick.
Finally, in silence, the two mentors glanced at the training hollow. "I remember when I was an apprentice," Lichenheart said. "I felt just like Cloudpaw."
Bluetail's eyes gave away her empathy. "He's a good cat, Lichenheart," she surely said. "Everyone just has to give him a chance to prove himself."
Cloaked in silence once more, the two cats could hear the whisper of the trees as the spring breeze blew their limbs about. Bluetail knew what Lichenheart was about to say, and it broke her heart.
"I don't think a cat with a mental disorder could serve our clan as well as a regular cat could," Lichenheart said miserably. "As much as I hate to admit it, Cloudpaw doesn't have the mentality to become a full warrior."
Bluetail bit back her harsh response and lashed her tail from side to side. Her paws itched with hatred toward the older warrior. How could he say something like that? "I confess that it's hard to train him from time to time, but with the right mentorship, he could thrive," she said.
Lichenheart diverted his eyes from the stricken she-cat and pawed at the mud under his pads. "It's Troutstar's choice whether or not Cloudpaw is able to finish his apprenticeship. That's what it comes down to, Bluetail," he informed her.
With a final nod of departure, Lichenheart rose to all four paws and padded toward the camp. Bluetail somberly sat by herself in the training hollow.
When the sun started to peek between the tree's branches, she knew it was time to head back home. If the sun was setting, it was dangerous to be outside of camp because the night could still become fatally cold.
Taking the well-known path back to the camp calmed Bluetail. Surely Troutstar will see some reason and keep Cloudpaw in training? I mean, the poor cat can't be shamed by his clanmates because he's lame, she thought. As she approached the stream bank, she slithered into the soothing water and paddled to the other side.
The sun had no problem with quickly drying her sodden fur, but she was chilled to the bone and immediately regretted swimming.
A flock of birds suddenly exploded from the nearby tree and took off into the afternoon sky. Bluetail paused, all thoughts of Cloudpaw exiting her mind. She stared after the birds, what could've spooked them like that?
Within seconds, a giant ball of fur collided with Bluetail, throwing her head over tail into the brambles. Hissing with annoyance, she painfully untangled herself from the thorns and raised her hackles, preparing for a fight.
What she saw surprised her. Instead of a warrior from another clan, it was a medicine cat from another clan. From the scent, Bluetail could tell that it was from NightClan. She respectfully bowed her head to the younger cat, for no cat could harm a medicine cat, no matter which clan it came from.
"Are you a warrior from StreamClan?" The young cat hastily asked. The she-cat nodded her head. "I need to speak with your medicine cat, Frostscar!" The small tom hissed. Judging by the worried glare in his eyes, Bluetail knew it was urgent.
When the two cats were approaching camp, heads began popping out of the dens, questioning the weird scent that came from the new cat. Frostscar was found treating a kit's paw that was wounded by a burr. Bluetail and the medicine cat advanced upon him, sending the kit scurrying into the safety of the nursery.
"What can I do for you, Beetlepaw?" Frostscar inquired without lifting his gaze. He knew every medicine cat by smell.
The tom glanced sheepishly at Bluetail, sending a silent sign to Frostscar that he wanted her sent away.
"Please excuse us, Bluetail," Frostscar said. Bluetail obediently left to check on Riverrunner, a queen who was really close to giving birth.
Beetlepaw led Frostscar into the safety of the medicine den, where the sound of the brook obscured the two cats' conversation.
"What's the matter?" Frostscar asked. Beetlepaw curled his tail nervously behind his back.
"Oakshadow, Hareflight, and Frogleap already know the prophecy. I told them about it this morning. Have you heard?" Beetlepaw questioned.
"No, Beetlepaw," Frostscar said exasperatedly.
"The time has come where the four noblest cats will reign and save the clans from a danger unknown to any cat before," Beetlepaw said. "The perceptual, the resilient, the trivial, and the courageous."
Frostscar pondered over the words carefully. "Thank you for telling me, Beetlepaw. Send my best wishes to Frogleap," he indirectly concluded the meeting. Without asking for anything more, Beetlepaw left the medicine den and was escorted to the border by two warriors.
Dawnpaw, Frostscar's apprentice, promptly returned to the den with a mouthful of borage leaves. She saw the hesitant look on her mentor's face and stored the leaves away quickly. "What's wrong, Frostscar?"
"I need to speak with Troutstar, excuse me," the gray and white tom pushed past his apprentice. "I'll tell you tonight."
The sun was at the point where the sky turns a hazy orange and the moon is clearly visible. The wind died down to a steady draft, still cooling the warriors' pelts. Frostscar cleared the stream that separated the leader's den from the rest of the camp.
The medicine cat clawed at the wall of stone for entry. When he heard the meow of approval, he entered the warm den. The smell of fish immediately bathed his nose and soothed his worried stance.
Troutstar lay in the center of the den where it was the warmest, a pile of fresh fish beside his outstretched paws. "Frostscar," he welcomed. "Have a bite."
"I'm okay, Troutstar. I actually came to talk to you about something," Frostscar said timidly.
"Don't begin with me about Cloudpaw, I told Bluetail that I would think about it," Troutstar strictly jeered.
"No, no, something far more severe." The tom said.
"A message from SilverClan?" Troutstar said, mentioning the name of the spiritual cats that lived before them.
"A message from SilverClan to Beetlepaw to me," the medicine cat said. As he repeated what Beetlepaw told him, the leader's eyes fogged over in deep concentration.
"That's quite peculiar," Troutstar admitted. The two cats sat in silence for a while. "The perceptual. . ."
"I have an idea of who that perceptual cat might be, and I need your guidance," Frostscar said after a moment.
Troutstar's eyes grew big. "Wait, don't tell me it's. . ."
"Cloudpaw," Frostscar said finally.