Chapter Six

Mudpaw lay sprawled in one of the few sunny patches in the camp, surrounded by moss and ferns. The warm Greenleaf sun felt good on her belly, and she wiggled to allow the rays better access to her pelt. She dozed contendedly. It had been several days since she become an apprentice, and today was the day she and her siblings would be taken into the deep parts of the grove. She had, of course, seen the edge of her territory and hunted, but she hadn't yet gone far off the border trails or hunting trails- well-used routes that the first cats of FloodClan had built, with stick and vine bridges crafted to connect the spots where the roots got too thin and water looked murky. The constant cat-smell kept most of the snakes and gators away, but beyond the paths, death could be hiding behind every leaf or below the surface of the deep, black, algae-flecked water.

Mudpaw shuddered. She recalled one of her first memories as a kit, only days out of the nursery. She was playing feather chase with Mosspaw and Eaglepaw- Mosskit and Eaglekit then- when there was a sudden disturbance at the entrance of the camp. The three kits had bounded over to look, Mudkit in the lead, and Fernfeather had quickly gotten in front of them and shooshed them away with her tail. Mosskit and Eaglekit had pranced off without much argument, but Mudkit had looked back, back towards the commotion, and saw Looptail carrying his brother (what was his name? Mudpaw wondered, and then it came back to her. Whiteshine.) on his back. There was blood, so much blood, and Mudkit's eyes had grown wide with horror. Looptail's eyes had looked huge, vacant, and he stumbled forward slightly. "A gator got him," he had said, almost blandly. He turned a little bit, and Mudkit saw where the blood was coming from. Whiteshine's whole back leg and most of his waist was torn off; blood and other things were spilling out, and even now, he had been breathing shallowly. Short, lifeless breaths.

Irisblossom and Rosethorn surrounded the two toms- the two returning cats looking equally as dead, but only one of them dying- and the scene which had seemed to last days was over in a heartbeat. Mudkit's mother pushed her more sternly, with a low hiss of "Get back to the nursery!". The next time Mudkit saw Whiteshine, his bottom half was covered in leaves to hide the monstrosity beneath them and the clan was bowed in vigil. Looptail was completely silent, that same dead look in his eyes.

Mudpaw rolled over, back in the present. She was glad her first trip into the deep grove would be with Gatorfang; he was the most skilled gator-killer in the FloodClan, and along with Pythontail, the most familiar with the grove. Yeah, having him there would be a relief. Hearing someone approaching her, Mudpaw looked up just in time to see Mosspaw flopping down beside her.

"Freaked out yet?" Mosspaw meowed nonchalantly, swiping one paw deilcately over her ear.

Mudpaw relaxed back onto her back. "Nah," she lied. "It's just trees, after all."

"And water," Mosspaw replied. "And things in the trees and water." The pale brown she-cat paused before continuing with a shrug. "We'll be fine, though. Of course."

"Where's Eaglepaw?" Mudpaw asked. She stared through squinted eyes at the sunlight dappled through the leaves. Strange that other cats live under that fire all the time, she mused.

"Not sure," Mosspaw answered, with the sound of claws scraping absent mindedly at plant matter. "I think he was talking to Rosethorn about a scratch or something."

Suddenly, Mudpaw was jerked out of relaxation by a hard force pushing into her. She rolled out of her spot with a yelp, and whipped around to bare her teeth at the attacker. But it was only Eaglepaw, the white spot on his nose making him look extra smug. He waved his tail from a mock crouch.

"You guys ready to go kill some gators?" he asked, his eyes bright. Mudpaw, more amused than annoyed, combed her tail down.

"I don't even want to see a gator. Cats get killed be them all the time," Mosspaw meowed, but her quick blinks betrayed worry.

"Apprentices!" came a loud meow near the entrance of camp. The three young cats looked up in unison, and saw that Gatorfang, along with the other two mentors, were waiting for them.

"I guess it's time," Mudpaw meowed before they bounded over, sounding as grim as a death sentence.

Aloenose, Mudpaw's mentor, smiled as her apprentice approached her. Her pale green eyes sparkled warmly. "Are you ready?" she asked the three younger cats.

"I am," Mudpaw meowed, and she could sense her siblings nodding. Copperpelt, Eaglepaw's mentor, tried to stifle a huff of laughter. Mudpaw looked over and saw that Gatorfang's mouth was also twisted in a grin.

"Every apprentices says they're ready," Gatorfang said mysteriously, "but they never are. They never are."

"Oh, stop it, you guys," Aloenose meowed, her tail twitching. "You're gonna freak them out."

Copperpelt regained his composure. "Yeah, you're right," he meowed. "Gatorfang, would you like to lead the way?"

The older tom nodded. "Apprentices, stay behind me. It's safer. It'll also be easier for you to listen, because I have a lot to tell you."

Mudpaw nodded, almost rapt by the tom's confidence and certainty. Mosspaw is lucky to have such a great mentor, she thought briefly, and immediately felt bad. Aloenose was a better mentor than she could have asked for; patient, understanding, and a friend. Someone she could talk to as an equal, but still learn more than she ever thought possible from. Mudpaw couldn't help but purr as she thought of the older she-cat.

They exited the camp and nodded to Troutstorm, who was going into camp with a large opposum. Just outside the camp the ground sloped down on all sides until it met water, about three tail lengths from the camp border, making the camp somewhat of an island in a large, black pool of water. Several large root bridges crossed the water on different sides of the island, like rays emanating from the sun.

They circled the camp to the backmost bridge and crossed it. Mudpaw's tail brushed easily along the smooth, well worn roots, and wondered if the ancient cats had woven these bridges too, way back when the roots were still thin and flexible. It was hard to imagine.

"You all already know to always watch your surroundings," Gatorfang meowed, "but that is especially true when you're going pathless in the grove. You must not only watch in front of you, beside you, behind you; you must also watch above you and below you." The older tom waved his tail towards the tree branches above, some almost close enough to reach on hind paws, some towering above. "Pythons hide in the trees as well as the water and the bushes. Luckily the smaller ones tend to live in trees, but they can still be dangerous."

Gatorfang continued. "Gators are quiet, and like to hide for their prey. Always examine a pool of water before you go close; most of the time, you'll see the gator before it senses you, and you can avoid it." They came to another bridge on the path and crossed it after a quick glance. "Young gators are easy enough to catch, but their mothers are usually nearby, and they're vicious if they find you stealing their young. If you're going to catch one, stay quiet, stay alert, and kill it before it makes any noise."

"Are we going to be tested on this today?" Mosspaw said in dawning horror. Mudpaw hadn't considered it, but now that she heard it, she was terrified that she was actually going to have to catch a gator, baby or otherwise.

"Dear StarClan, no," Gatorfang meowed. "The grove is huge; there are parts that are so deep and so dense that no cat has explored it yet. Cats have gotten lost here. It's best that you know how to survive here, even if it came to you being all alone."

Nothing had ever sounded so terrible to Mudpaw. She shivered and focused harder on the path. Ahead of her, Gatorfang continued. "If you're attacked by a gator, you need to make sure it doesn't shake you or try to rip your skin. Scratch it's eyes and nose to escape. Their bite is strong, but their jaws are weak, and you can hold their mouth shut pretty easily. Lastly, get out of the water as fast as you can once you escape- gators are in their element there."

"Is there anything that won't kill us here?" Eaglepaw asked once it seemed Gatorclaw was finished. The brown tom nodded. "Oh yes. There are a lot of harmless creatures here in the grove too."

By this time they had gone further on this path than Mudpaw hads ever been. The path, while still clear, was green with moss and vegetation. It truly felt like they were going deeper and deeper, into the unknown.

"Be quiet now," Gatorfang said in a low voice. "There's something you need to see up ahead."

Mosskit's head turned to Mudpaw in confusion. Mudpaw shrugged back uncertainly. It wasn't long until they came to a small but deep slow-moving stream, a vivid blue-teal color instead of the usual black. They root bridge over it was mossy, and felt soft and cool on Mudpaw's feet.

"What is that?" Mosspaw said in a panicked whisper. She was into the water right beside her, and Mudpaw twisted her head to see it. The breath caught in her throat as she saw a huge, gray creature, almost blobbish in shape, drifting just below the surface of the water, only tail lengths away. Gator, Mudpaw thought instantly, and her entire pelt puffed up, ready to run.

"It's a manatee," Gatorfang answered. "They're harmless."

The gray animal slowly bobbed to the surface. It regarded them with wary curiosity, its dark eyes shockingly sentient. It watched them as they crossed the bridge single file, before finally ducking under the water once again.

"That thing was huge!" Eaglepaw meowed excitedly. "Imagine how long the clan could eat on one of them."

His mentor, Copperpelt, snorted. "How could you drag one of those back to camp?" he wondered. "Or even kill one?"

They continued walking and came to another stream. This one was dark and menacing, swampier than the last one and dotted with duckweed. Mudpaw felt uneasy as she crossed it, staring below her at the black water swirling with tiny golden dust-flecks.

She was a little over halfway over the bridge when she heard a yelp and then a splash behind her. She turned around and say Eaglepaw breaking the surface of water, covered in water plants but unharmed.

"I'm okay," he meowed breathlessly. He swam his way over to the bridge. Mudpaw noticed a flicker of movement in the water behind him, and her eyes grew wide as she saw a huge, lizard-like creature surfacing the water right behind him.

Gator, was all Mudpaw could think as the monster opened its jaws, coming right for Eaglepaw. The small tom turned and his mouth opened in a silent shriek. Gatorfang let out a furious screech and threw himself at the gator, landing squarely on its head only heartbeats before it closed its jaws on the helpless Eaglepaw. Mudpaw was frozen in place, barely breathing as the scene played out.

"We need to help him!" Mosspaw shrieked. Gatorfang clung to the gator, desperately keeping his forelegs tightly clenched around the beasts jaws as it flung him around, vigorously shaking its head.

Mudpaw was in a daze. She dragged her gaze from Gatorfang's battle and looked at Copperpelt, pulling Eaglepaw out of the water; Aloenose had leapt into the water and had her claws looped into the gator's nostrils, biting the tip of its nose. Mosspaw, after a moment's hesitation, leapt onto the gator's back to join her mentor, leaning over and reaching her paws under to tear at the beast's sensitive belly.

The gator suddenly broke through Gatorfang's grasp. The large tom fell backwards onto its back, bowling Mosspaw over and into the water. Aloenose released a yowl of surprise as the gator flung her into the air, sending her flying over Mudpaw's head and into the stream on the other side of the bridge. She landed with a sickening slap and disappeared.

Mudpaw finally was able to move into action. She leapt gracefully into the water, cutting through the surface. She opened her eyes underwater and felt her pupils contract, allowing her to see in the dim light of the water. She made out a silhouette far away, motionless and sinking. Aloenose, Mudpaw thought, and swam towards it.

Her lungs were screaming for air by the time she reached her mentor. She sinched her teeth around Aloenose's scruff. She's too heavy, I'll never be able to save her, Mudpaw thought vaguely, but she somehow was able to pull the both of them to the surface.

Coppertail was waiting for her at the surface, and Mudpaw was relieved when he took Aloenose by the scruff and dragged her back to the shore. Eaglepaw, Mosspaw, and Gatorfang were waiting for them- Gatorfang had a cut on his flank and Mosspaw's nose was bleeding- but they looked mostly unharmed. Mudpaw was barely able to hoist herself out of the water. Her lungs ached and her muscles cramped, not to mention the ringing in her ears. And Aloenose? She was motionless.

Gatorfang rolled the still she-cat onto her side, and by some miracle from StarClan, she coughed up a throat full of water. She regained her breath, then groaned and flopped to the ground.

"She might be hurt inside," Coppertail meowed uncertainly. "We need to get her to Irisblossom and Rosethorn."

"Couldn't it hurt her if we try to move her?" Mudpaw asked. Her mentor's wet pelt clung pathetically to her frame, making her look small and weak. It reminded her of Whiteshine, bleeding out, half his torso gone...

She had zoned out and when she snapped back to reality, Rosethorn and Irisblossom were being lead down the path by Coppertail. The older medicine cat sniffed Aloenose, then laid an expert paw on her side. She felt up and down the she-cat's pelt. Mudpaw was completely silent. Please, StarClan, please save Aloenose's life, she prayed.

"She's heavily bruised," Irisblossom meowed carefully, "but I don't think she's broken anything. We need to get her back to camp- very carefully."

Slowly, meticulously, Irisblossom helped ease the unconscious she-cat onto the three larger tom's backs. The walked side by side, with Aloenose reclined between them. Mudpaw brought up the rear, numb to the world. The group started the long, slow journey back to camp. Just as she took the first steps back home, something barey registered on her senses, and she whipped around. She thought she had heard something, but when she turned around, there was nothing there. She was staring at the empty bridge and the path behind it, quiet and still, but as she stared, she could swear she smelled something, like mint and steam coming off stone. The trees seemed to be ruffling, but there was no wind in the dense grove. She kept staring, filled with uneasy curiosity; surely she would see something...

"Mudpaw!" Mosspaw called. The spell was broken, and Mudpaw whipped back around and ran to catch up with the group. They all walked solemnly, struggling to move quickly without dropping Aloenose or tumbling off the path.

It seemed like ages before they made it to camp. Irisblossom ran ahead to prepare a spot for Aloenose in the medicine den. Mudpaw numbly followed. Her mind was blank, but she was sure of one thing- she had to make sure Aloenose would get better. She had to.

Thankfully, Irisblossom didn't make her leave the den. She just looked up quickly, turned back to her herbs, and was quiet.

"She's breathing easier," Gatorfang meowed as the toms laid her gently in her nest. Irisblossom retrieved a lump of wet moss and placed it near the injured she-cat's mouth in case she got thirsty.

"From what I can tell, there's nothing wrong with her, besides bruising. And shock, of course." Irisblossom sighed before continuing. "All she can do to get better is rest, and take poppy seeds for pain."

"Maybe aloe, for the bruise-pain?" Rosethorn suggested. The older medicine cat nodded thoughtfully, lost in the world of healing.

After a while, the other cats wandered off to see to their duties or eat. Mudpaw sat in the medicine den, watching anxiously as Irisblossom and Rosethorn worked on and off to keep Aloenose stable.

Finally, right before sunset, Aloenose awoke for the first time. She groaned and raised her head slightly. Mudpaw shot up and crouched down next to her mentor, practically bursting with gratefulness. "Thank StarClan, you're awake!" the brown she-cat rejoiced.

"I can't say I'm as happy as you are," Aloenose meowed painfully. "Everything hurts." The tan she-cat made an effort to sit up, but only got halfway before she sunk back to her belly with a shallow wheeze of pain.

"Don't strain yourself," Rosethorn said, crouching down beside Aloenose. He guestured to the wet moss, and the injured she-cat lapped at it thirstily.

"How are you feeling?" Rosethorn asked. "Besides the pain, I mean. Do you feel sick?"

"No, nothing like that," Aloenose meowed between laps of water. She paused, and looked up. Her face was certain, and a little bit afraid. "I'm lucky to be alive, aren't I?"

Rosethorn nodded. "Oh, for sure. You're lucky Mudpaw jumped in to save you; you could have drowned."

Aloenose looked back to her apprentice. "I owe you my life," she said in an awed whisper. Her broken uncertainty transformed into stern confidence. "Mudpaw, I promise you I'll get better so I can train you again." She smiled for the first time. "After all, it's only a bruise."

Mudpaw purred and nudged Aloenose's head lightly. "You better," she meowed.

Later that evening, Mudpaw was wolfing down a small snake, absolutely famished. She hardly noticed Frondstar mounting the High Root, and it was only when the leader spoke that she stopped eating.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High Root for a clan meeting!"

Mudpaw was confused as she took a place in the middle of camp. She wondered briefly if she was in trouble when Frondstar looked directly at her, but then realized. I must be getting a new mentor!

"Aloenose has suffered a serious injury today," Frondstar meowed. "She was hurt defending her clanmates, for which there is no greater honor. However, for the time being, this means that Mudpaw will need a new mentor."

Frondstar paused before continuing. "After discussing the matter with Flamepatch, we have settled on someone we think will make a suitable mentor." The leader paused again, leaving Mudpaw's feet itching with curiosity. Frondstar looked down at the cats below her before continuing.

"Snakescale, step forward."

There was a gasp from the clan as the black and white tom took his place at the front of the crowd. Mudpaw's face was burning from embrassment; the clan was alive with accusatory mutters and whispers.

"Silence!" Frondstar demanded. Her green eyes danced dangerously, and a hush fell over the clan.

"Your leader has spoken," Flamepatch said from his spot just below Frondstar. "Snakescale is a part of FloodClan now, and what better way is there for him to prove it?"

"What kind of influence will he be on Mudpaw?" Fernfeather meowed. Mudpaw's face grew hotter.

"Snakescale has been working his tail off to feed FloodClan," Ravenpetal growled at the other she-cat. They glared at each other, bristling, and Mudpaw thought she would die of embarassment if they started a fight.

"I won't hear another word about it!" Frondstar said, her voice sounding like a clap of thunder. Instantly the clan was silent. In a lower, growlier voice, she continued. "I am your leader, and my word will be obeyed. Mudpaw, step forward."

Mudpaw stumbled to the front of the gathering. She looked up at Snakescale. He was tall and muscular, with long legs accustomed to the prairies of SteppeClan. His yellow eyes were sad, but there was a fire there, a confidence, something he had to prove.

"Snakescale, during the time you've been here, you have proved yourself to be a hard worker and a good hunter for FloodClan. May you prove your loyalty by training Mudpaw."

Mudpaw reached up and touched her new mentor's nose. She realized she didn't feel embarassed anymore.

The clan dispersed, some cats murmuring to each other, but not daring to let Frondstar hear them complaining. "I'll do my best to be a good mentor," Snakescale meowed, and turned around. Mudpaw watched him trot over to Ravenpetal, and the two rubbed against each other, the black she-cat purring in congratulations.

Maybe he will be a good mentor, Mudpaw thought as she watched him. After reflecting for a moment, she turned around to see Eaglepaw and Mosspaw coming to talk to her. She promptly paced over to them. They had a lot to talk about.

Thanks for reading everyone! In this chapter we get a glimpse into FloodClan territory, arguably the most dangerous territory of all the Clans by the Sea. FloodClan lives in a very dense mangrove, thus their habit of calling their forest/swamp 'the grove'. Next chapter will focus on Lynxpaw,and his first gathering. Follow to be updated!