Sulking again, Greenkit followed Sunpaw to the warrior's den. Twilightstar's stories had ended, and Greenkit saw Seaheart organizing the patrols outside of the leader's den. She couldn't see Twilightstar, and assumed she was probably with Pearlpelt. She shared tongues with the old cat often, and the old cat rarely left her den.
Shellstream, a gray-blue she-cat with a fluffy white chest, paws and tail, and pretty light-green eyes, was chatting with Stormrush, a young blue-and-cream tortoiseshell she-cat with equally pale green eyes. Their conversation seemed very animated. As Sunpaw approached her, Greenkit thought Shellstream might not even realize she was there.
But, Greenkit should have remembered that Sunpaw was Sunpaw. She was well liked by the Clan, and though she was a very quiet she-cat, most every-cat noticed her presence. Shellstream looked down with a purr. "Sunpaw."
"Shellstream, may Greenkit and I go practice battle moves in the scrubs?" Sunpaw asked evenly, calmly, certainly.
Shellstream glanced at Greenkit, who was still hanging a bit behind Sunpaw. She looked Greenkit up and down, as if assessing her. "Kits aren't suppose to leave the hollow without their mam," she reminded Sunpaw kindly. Greenkit felt herself begin to fluster…she didn't have a mam. Not anymore.
"Perhaps with a warrior? Could you come with us?" Sunpaw asked seamlessly, unabashed by Shellstream's tense realization. She smoothed over the awkward transition of the conversation easily.
Shellstream seemed to consider their request. She looked to Stormrush, who was waiting quietly, impatience in her pale eyes. She blinked. A solid 'no.'
"Twilightstar is out and about," Sunpaw put in. "We could go find her. And perhaps ask Pearlpelt if she needs any herbs stocked up?"
Shellstream brightened, purring again. "Of course! Just make sure you check in with Pearlpelt before you head out. And remember, it's high tide. Stay away from the beach!"
Sunpaw dipped her head, but held eye contact with Shellstream as she did with all cats she spoke to. "Thank you, Shellstream." she mewed. "We will."
Sunpaw was turning around with the thanks on her tongue. Shellstream called back to the pair quickly. "We'll join Frogleg later on for a fishing lesson with the other apprentices, Sunpaw!"
Sunpaw flicked her tail with an obedient acknowledgement as they trotted toward Pearlpelt's den. Greenkit couldn't believe her luck! She could leave the hollow! With Sunpaw, she purred loudly to herself. Her excitement started to tingle through her veins once more.
"Pearlpelt?" Sunpaw called softly outside the dark cliff den. Greenkit wondered why Waterpaw couldn't just fetch the herbs, before remembering that Waterpaw was away. She she-cat wouldn't be back for nearly a moon. Pearlpelt wouldn't – couldn't – leave the hollow to fetch her own herbs, so it was up to the other apprentices to pitch in.
No cat questioned Pearlpelt's resistance to leaving the hollow. Her imperfections seemed minor considering her skills as a medicine cat. She was most definitely invaluable to the clan.
Pearlpelt's silver muzzle appeared in the slight light cast over the den, the old cat remaining in the damp darkness of her cavern, curling her long tail around herself. "Yes?"
"We were wondering if you needed any herbs," Greenkit mewed quickly, her mews rushed and running together. She wanted to get out! She felt the excited zing in her paws. They tingled and ached with anticipation of seeing the water again.
"We're going out and thought we might check before leaving," Sunpaw added. We. Greenkit loved it when Sunpaw mewed that word. Greenkit had never felt more included in her entire lifetime than she had when she was with Sunpaw. Even when the Nighttime cats invited Greenkit to join their quest, she hadn't felt completely 'as one'; or even when they had properly named her…but with Sunpaw, Greenkit was pretty certain anything was possible.
"Watermint," Pearlpelt instructed, wasting no time. "You'll find it in or near the Saltmarsh. It's green and leafy, but what you need to fetch is the puffy purple flower. See if you can't find any leather fern while you're near the marshes. Looks like the fern we use for nesting, but is much thicker. And find nickernut! Don't bring it back; just be on a lookout. It's encapsuled in a very spikey green pod. The nuts are excellent treatment for worms, and the can be used to further reinforce the nursery. But don't bring any back yourselves. I don't want to waste any herbs on unnecessary pricks and pokes."
Greenkit stared, surprised. She definitely didn't waste any words, but Pearlpelt had left them with a full list of insturctions, and had turned back to her den the moment she finished listing. Sunpaw even seemed a little taken aback, but was as calm as always when she turned back to Greenkit and flicked her tail to the slightly exit from the hollow.
Greenkit couldn't wait for Sunpaw's casual trot, and bounded out of the camp in front of her, kicking up dirt as she went. She unsheathed her claws, making it easier to maneuver through the sandy Dunes. She was free!
She raced to the top of a dune, Sunpaw quick behind her. Greenkit scrambled up, so excited that she temporarily seemed to forget her coordination.
And there it was.
"Beautiful," Greenkit accidently mewed out loud, appreciating the striking way the sun cast white stripes on the cresting waves, yellow mingling with the still blue waters far at sea. She absorbed every inch that she could, missing the sound of the crashing waves on the wet sand, the heavy smell and taste of salt on her tongue. In that moment, Greenkit was certain she would never return to the nursery.
Sunpaw sat beside her, gently wrapping her tail around Greenkit. Sunpaw mewed nothing, allowing Greenkit to soak in the beauty of the salty water she missed so desperately, in mutual silence. Greenkit was not use to this. Usually, Greenkit was always talking. But she didn't feel the need to, right in this perfect moment, with Sunpaw sitting so close.
After some time, sun-high well and gone, Greenkit stood up to stretch her legs, the sandy tops of the Dunes spilling down. Greenkit arched her back, extending herself out and kneading the grainy sand. Sunpaw sat quietly.
"Will you show me those battle moves now, Sunpaw?" Greenkit asked softly, still vaguely unwilling to break the serenity. Sunpaw was staring out into the water, still, her eyes unblinking. She was quiet for just a few more moments before turning her head to Greenkit.
"Are you ready?" Sunpaw questioned. Not in the reproving tone that Greenkit had become accustomed to over the years. A simple question. Maybe the hint of a friendly challenge.
Before Greenkit could answer, Sunpaw had swiped her sheathed mitts under Greenkit's forepaws, causing her face to drop into the sand, a mouthful of grit her prize. Greenkit jumped up, but Sunpaw was already racing down the side of the Dunes, toward the brush and away. Greenkit scrambled down the side of the Dune after her.
The first thing Greenkit realized was that Sunpaw was fast. There was no way she was going to catch up to her. So, instead, she plopped herself down beside a bush, and sat, panting. It only took a moment for Sunpaw to realize she wasn't being followed and bounded back to Greenkit.
"Are you okay?" Sunpaw began, her beautiful yellow eyes wide. "Did I—"
But Greenkit swiped her small, sheathed paw to Sunpaw's legs. Sunpaw stumbled, but regained her footing with a playful growl. "You don't think you need any instructions?" she teased lightly.
Instead of answering, Greenkit leapt at her opponent. Her friend. Sunpaw easily dodged her, and Greenkit landed, once more, with her face in the dirt.
"Greenkit," Sunpaw teased contently. "You won't much get anywhere like that! Here, look at what Shellstream was teaching me. It's the forepaw slash."
For the rest of the remaining daylight, Greenkit and Sunpaw played with each other gaily. Greenkit thought Sunpaw might have been holding back a bit, but when Greenkit accused her, Sunpaw swore she was fighting with all of her might.
Greenkit decided to believe her, because something about Sunpaw's eyes told her that her friend didn't – and wouldn't – lie. Greenkit felt very content as the she-cats relaxed, their energy wearing thin.
"I think," Greenkit mewed, panting as she laid down on the hard brush ground. "I could lie here forever."
"Forever has to come now," Sunpaw answered, her chest heaving with effort as well. Greenkit noticed that Sunpaw sounded winded, but delicately so. Greenkit was quite sure that she, herself, was huffing like an angry raccoon. "We must fetch Pearlpelt's herbs, and see if Twilightstar is still out."
"That's such a long walk," Greenkit complained, coming back to her paws. "Can't we just tell Pearlpelt we couldn't find any?"
"No," Sunpaw answered simply, neither judgement nor criticism in her tone. "We can't."
"I see Sunpaw will be a good influence on you, Greenkit." A hidden voice announced from beside a saw palmetto bush not too far from the tired duo. Twilightstar stepped out of the shadow of the plant, her eyes crinkling with amusement.
Greenkit counted her lucky stars that Twilightstar was in a good mood. Had she not been, she probably would have been further rebuked for disobeying Pearlpelt, even if it were only a suggestion. Greenkit gulped, despite the leader's amused ambiance.
"What has she asked you to fetch?" Twilightstar asked, still no clear reprimand in her tone.
"We're to collect watermint and leather fern," Sunpaw answered, easily remembering. "We're to find nickernut as well, but she instructed us to leave it behind. She wants a warrior to collect it, I think. It's prickles must be dangerous."
Twilightstar nodded thoughtfully. "Did she mention what those herbs are used for?"
"No," Greenkit bravely answered this time. "She just told us where and what to look for, in the Saltmarsh."
Twilightstar sighed. "I still have a lot to learn of the Clifflands. You gave a very informative tour of the beach, Greenkit." She added, and Greenkit glowed with the praise, no long afraid of a scolding. "But it's important for me to know the lay of the land. Can you tell me what these herbs look like? I'd like to go collect them."
"By yourself?" Greenkit asked, surprised.
But Sunpaw quickly began listing what the herbs looked like and whereabouts to find them. Twilightstar thanked them, nodded, and turned to head to the Saltmarsh.
"But, why –" Greenkit began, but Sunpaw quieted her.
"Wait until we're back at camp," Sunpaw mewed in a whisper. She blinked at Greenkit and began to lead them back to the hollow.
Greenkit trotted ahead to walk in sync with Sunpaw. She wanted to walk across the beach, feel the waves crest upon her paws, between her claws. In all honesty, she had been looking forward to travelling to the Saltmarsh with Sunpaw, just a little bit. Greenkit had forgotten that they would have to eventually return when she was so exhausted, but now, as they headed back to the confinement of the camp, Greenkit wished she had kept her muzzle closed and joined Sunpaw to the Saltmarsh.
It was all lost now, Greenkit sighed to herself. She already felt a little unsettled, antsy again. She felt her fur begin to bristle.
"I can ask Shellstream if we can go out again tomorrow," Sunpaw promised, her tone soft and cool, soothing Greenkit like a patch of sunned sand in the shade.
Greenkit relaxed. "But why did Twilightstar want to go alone? Isn't it dangerous?" she asked, unable to wait until they got back to camp.
Sunpaw seemed to shrug as they walked along. "I expect she probably misses home. It can't be easy, leading a group of strange cats to follow ways foreign to their nature. She's probably worried about all sorrts of things right now, things we could only guess at."
Greenkit nodded understandably. She supposed so. It was definitely hard for Greenkit to follow the rules; be nice and respect all cats, stay in the hollow, sleep in the nursery with a rotten queen who had nothing nice to say to her. She was just getting to know her new family, but Twilightstar had left her family behind. She didn't even have her siblings. As a matter of fact, they were her rivals!
All of the sudden, a deeper understanding flooded over Greenkit. Poor Twilightstar!
Sunpaw must have sensed this, because as they approach the dune that hid the entrance of the camp, she mewed, "Don't pity her, though, Greenkit. Just don't make anything extra difficult for her."
Sunpaw hadn't said this in a patronizing way, or in any way to make Greenkit feel badly, but Greenkit still felt a little bit of guilt, a tiny seed budding in her chest. "Okay," Greenkit sighed anyway. "But you'll try and take me out tomorrow?"
"I promise," Sunpaw purred. "And before you know it, you'll be able to come fishing with us, too."
Greenkit perked at this as they entered the camp. Greenkit held onto the promise of a new tomorrow tightly, bidding goodbye to Sunpaw as the pretty yellow-and-white striped she-cat raced off to meet the fishing group that had already left. Greenkit held onto Sunpaw's promise tightly as well.
Soon, she promised herself. I'll be Greenpaw soon.