I'm alive! Sorry, I have so much homework to do so I thought I'd update before I start. This chapter seemsvery rushed, I apologise for that! Anyway, onto the next chapter!
The pair worked on their jobs till the sun was high in the sky.
Blizzardsong gave Sootpaw many more piles to sort through and even let her help him mix a few poultices for Adderears aching bones.
Now the two were basking in the gentle sun outside the medicine cat den.
"It's nice, being a medicine cat," Sootpaw sighed, stretching her paws out in front of her and rolling over in the grass.
Blizzardsong half opened an eye.
"You wouldn't want to become one, would you?" he asked.
Sootpaw looked at her father.
Surely he knows I want to be a warrior. I hope I don't offend him.
"I'm not cut out to heal cats," she meowed simply, "I think gentler cats need to have this duty. Cats who have experience and accept the task of having to deal with death and healing. I don't think I could take it, the guilt I would feel if a cat died under my own paws."
Blizzardsong raised his head to look at her, confusion in his eyes.
"Where did you get it from? The… intelligence," he asked.
Sootpaw purred.
"My wonderful father, of course!"
Blizzardsong's eyes softened.
"Hey! Sootpaw!"
The apprentice looked up to see her mentor. Her paws were wet, like she had just washed them.
Must be from the mouse bile for Blackfangs ticks, Sootpaw thought.
She sat up, stretching her muscles.
"I have to go, I'll see you later," she touched her muzzle to her fathers cheek as she quickly ran towards her mentor.
"Hi, Birdflight, enjoy the bile?" she asked cheekily.
Birdflight swatted her with a paw.
"It was fantastic, thanks for asking. We are apparently needed for a border patrol around WaterClan, did Blizzardsong need anything else?"
Sootpaw shook her head.
"No, I'm good to go."
Birdflight nodded.
"Okay, go fetch Pinepaw, Beestripe and Hazelfeather, I'll meet you outside camp."
Sootpaw nodded and raced towards the apprentices den. Peering in, she could only see Beetlepaws sleeping figure. She prodded her friend with a paw.
"Hey, Beetlepaw, you've been sleeping all day, wake up already!"
Beetlepaw blinked at her, his green eyes dull with sleep.
"I just feel so tired," he groaned, sitting up and stretching.
"By the way, do you know where Pinepaw is?" she asked as the tom began cleaning himself.
"She poked her head in a couple minutes ago, mentioned something about the Flower Cave and Beestripe."
Sootpaw sighed.
"Okay, thank you, seeya later flea-brain!" She ran out towards the warriors large den, woven together with bark and leaves. There was never enough room for all of the warriors in one den so the clans were constantly upgrading the huts. A bright ginger tom and a golden she-cat with spiky fur were sharing a small thrush.
"Hi Hazelfeather, Suntail," she mewed politely, dipping her head, "You're needed for a patrol, WaterClans border."
Hazelfeather nodded and stood up, pushing the thrush towards the tom.
"Is Beetlepaw still sleeping?" the she-cat asked, amusement lighting up her amber eyes.
Sootpaw purred.
"He was, I woke him up a bit ago, hopefully Petalstripe will teach him a lesson," she joked.
Hazelfeather chuckled.
"Petalstripe always goes easy on that fur-ball, no wonder he acts like this."
The two made their way to the camp entrance to find Birdflight waiting.
"Took you long enough," she said, "I could hear you two chattering like starlings!"
Sootpaw ducked her head.
"Sorry," she apologised. "Also, Pinepaw is at Flower Cave with Beestripe, probably hunting."
Birdflight nodded.
"Okay, we'll head over there first to pick them up."
Birdflight led the way, Sootpaw and Hazelfeather following behind. Sootpaw gazed up at the large trees surrounding her. Skyclan was known for their amazing ability to climb trees and it always gave them an advantage in battles. She pricked her ears as she heard a quiet bird call in the tree above them. Birdflight stopped, her ears angled. Hazelfeather stopped too, crouching down to the ground. Suddenly Birdflight leapt off the grassy floor. The muscles in her legs poked out as she ran up the side of the tree silently, stalking her prey. Sootpaw admired her mentors powerful hind legs as she jumped higher up the tree, closer to the bird. Sootpaw recognised its soft brown wings.
Finch, one of my favourites.
She licked her lips, her mouth watering as she realised she hadn't eaten yet. A few seconds later Birdflight landed beside the apprentice with a thud. The finch was limp in her mouth.
"Can we share it when we get back?" Sootpaw asked, hungry. The brown cat purred with amusement.
"Of course!"
She quickly dug a hole into the dirt beneath the huge tree, beside a whole heap of soft moss growing, and buried her catch. The patrol continued to make their way to the cave.
"Pinepaw!" Sootpaw called, spotting her friend sitting outside the entrance to the Flower Cave.
Pinepaw turned to Sootpaw, her blue eyes light.
"Oh, hi!" She came bounding over and butted heads with the apprentice.
"Is Beestripe here?" Birdflight asked, peering into the cave. A grey tom with white stripes poked his head out.
"Is everything ok?" he asked.
Birdflight nodded.
"Just need you for a border patrol."
The tom nodded and came to stand beside Hazelfeather. The patrol began walking towards WaterClans border. Sootpaw wrinkled her nose as the soft dirt beneath her paws turned wet and soggy. She looked down at her dirt covered paws.
This is going to take forever to clean out.
Birdflight paused beside the border, sniffing.
"They renewed theirs recently."
"Thats why it smells so fishy," Pinepaw commented.
WaterClan lived beside a small waterfall that streamed down and formed a pool below it. The cats ate fish and other rodents and creatures they find in between the rocks gathered at the base of waterfall. They were quite a peaceful clan and always tried to avoid conflict.
Sootpaw peered past the trees on WaterClans side. There were a lot less trees on their side than there were on SkyClans side.
After Birdflight had marked the border the patrol walked back to camp, collecting the finch on the way, just in time to hear Swanstars call.
"Let all cats old enough to climb a tree gather beneath High Tree for a clan meeting!"
Sootpaw looked up as her leader steadily climbed up High Tree, her fluffy fur clean and shiny. She paused at the first branch, panting. Softfeather, the deputy, sat below the tree, beside the leaders den. Sootpaw sat down below the High Tree and watched as cats poured from their dens. She cast a glance at Tallscar, a brown tom with a huge scar starting at his ear and ending at his tail. It was said he got it from falling out of a tree during a storm when he was a kit.
Windleap sat beside Sootpaw and smiled gently. Hazelfeather and Suntail found a sunny spot to sit together. Beetlepaw made his way over to his friend.
"Any idea what this is about?" he asked, pressing his pelt against hers. Sootpaw pushed him over.
"I don't want your fleas!"
Beetlepaw looked at her, holding a paw to his chest.
"I don't have fleas, flea-brain!"
Sootpaw shook her head.
"Do too," she nudged him. "I'm kidding. But anyway, no, I have no idea what she's announcing."
"Maybe you would if you'd stop talking," a voice said behind the two. They turned to see a light brown tabby she-cat, her eyes alight with amusement.
"Sorry Leapfoot," the two apologised, turning back to their leader.
"I am very happy to announce I will be moving to the nursery very soon," she meowed loudly.
The clan was in an uproar, meows of congratulations and surprise came from every cat.
"Kits?" Sootpaw looked at Beetlepaw who in turn looked at her.
"Well sure, if you want to." He winked.
Sootpaw gagged.
"Never!"
"Softfeather will be taking charge while I'm unable to, that is all, thank you for your understanding!"
Sootpaw watched as Tallscar walked up to his leader and licked her cheek.
"Those two have been mates since forever," Beetlepaw commented, looking at the pair.
"Tell me about it," Sootpaw purred. "They're both still young though, we have barely any very senior warriors at the moment."
Beetlepaw nodded.
"We need more cats, more couples need to get pregnant."
Sootpaw laughed.
"Why don't you ask Petalstripe to be your mate?" she teased.
Beetlepaw looked at her, horrified.
"What?! Never!"
Sootpaw grinned.
"Anyway, I don't even like her, I don't like anyone at the moment plus thats not even allowed, apprentice and warrior." Sootpaw snorted.
"Do you not know of Dustpelt and Fernpaw? Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw? Do I need to go on?"
Beetlepaw nodded thoughtfully.
"Yeah, I see what you- Actually no, can we stop discussing this?" he pleaded, trying to leave.
Sootpaw flicked her tail.
"Seeya tonight, I'm gonna go see if Birdflight needs anything."
Just as she said that her mentor appeared in front of her.
"Ah, Sootpaw, are you still hungry?"
The apprentice glanced up at the darkening sky.
"You bet! I haven't eaten all day!"
"You've done a good job today, I'm proud of you for being so productive."
Sootpaw beamed at the praise. Birdflight placed the finch at her paws a little bit away from the fresh kill pile. The two bent down and dug into their meal. Sootpaw relished the taste of the meat and licked her lips after every bite. She cleaned up the bones and feathers after they were done.
"Its been quite a relaxing day today, sorry I couldn't take you to Flower Cave," Birdflight meowed softly, lying down on her side. "Tomorrow we'll work on some battle moves there but for now, you've earned a good rest."
Sootpaw blinked gratefully.
"Goodnight," she purred, nudging her mentors shoulder. Birdflight smiled up at her as Sootpaw got to her paws.
She made her way to the medicine cat den and poked her head into the stump. "Goodnight, Blizzardsong," she mewed softly, touching his ear with her muzzle.
He raised his head.
"Goodnight, Sootpaw," he rumbled, licking her head.
The apprentice made her way to the apprentices den. Most of the warriors had already gone to bed apart from Mistblaze who was guarding with Duskpelt. She walked into the den and to her nest which was beside Beetlepaw's and Pinepaw's. She settled down and rested her tail on her nose. She looked up as Beetlepaw stumbled in, obviously exhausted.
"See you in a bit, flea-brain," he mewed quietly, slumping into his moss nest. Sootpaw purred.
"Night, Beetle."
I put spaces between every line so it makes it seem quite longer, I hope it isn't too annoying to read, I dunno. Thanks for the feedback Kat, appreciate it XD And thank you everyone for reading, if you are!
Happy Hunting!
~Fernsky