Thankfully, Cloudpaw did not go on the tour of StoneClan territory all by herself. She would be accompanied by both of her siblings and their mentors, much to her relief.
"Keep close, now, it's easy to get lost in these tunnels," Brookleap said, beginning to pick up his pace to a trot.
Cloudpaw had only heard descriptions of StoneClan's territory before. Those descriptions by elders and warriors paled into comparison to what lay before her. The entrance to the camp was a long, dark tunnel, but on the other side, it was a maze of tall sandstone walls that wound this way and that. The ground beneath her paws was cool, and tall dry grasses dotted the walls and ground around them. Every so often, they would pass a pitch black hole that led deep into the depths of the walls.
"How do you get anywhere with such tall walls?" Asked Skypaw as they trotted along.
"You get good at remembering all the different routes," Cloverflower said, easily keeping pace with Brookleap. "When you first walk out of the camp, go left, and then go left again at the next branch in the path, and you'll be going to the training hollow. If you go out, go right, then left, you'll go up to the high lands."
"What are the high lands?" Asked Moonpaw.
"It's a tall-grass moor," said Littlepounce. "That's the best place to catch rabbits."
Skypaw gasped, and her eyes lit up. "Really? Are we going to get to go there?"
"In time," Littlepounce said with a nod. "But for now, we are going to show you where the stream is - you'll want to know where it is, since it has been so unbearably dry and hot."
Skypaw nodded and pranced gleefully after their mentors.
The patrol wove their way through the intricate, labrynthian walls of StoneClan's territory. The three mentors kept a swift pace, and the siblings struggled to keep up. They had never had to walk so far, so fast, for so long. By the time they finally reached their destination, they were out of breath. As they walked up to what seemed like a perfectly normal hill, Littlepounce used her paw to move a tuft of tall grass aside, revealing a hole that was big enough for a cat to get through.
Moonpaw tipped his head to the side. "Is this the stream?" He asked.
"It is," said Cloverflower, taking the lead and disappearing into the tunnel. Skypaw followed her, then Littlepounce, then Brookleap, then Moonpaw, and lastly, Cloudpaw.
It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust once she was inside, but it was made a little easier by the fact that the inside of the cave wasn't entirely dark. In the ceiling, there was an opening, allowing warm. Green grasses and vines crept up the walls, and soft plants and moss dotted the stone and dirt floor. Running directly through the center of the cave was a wide, albeit shallow, stream.
Cloudpaw must have been gazing at the cavern with wonder, because Brookleap sat down and said warmly, "Beautiful isn't it? This is one of my favorite places on the territory. It's cool in green-leaf, and it stays warm enough in leaf-bare for the stream to continue running until new-leaf."
"You know," Littlepounce said, settling down beside the stream to take a few laps from the stream. "This is where Brookleap got his name."
"Really?" Asked Moonpaw.
"Yes. On his warrior assessment, he was seen chasing a frog into the tunnel, and when it tried to get across the stream, into a crook in the wall, Brookleap jumped all the way across and caught it. His mentor was impressed, and implored Dapplestar, the leader before Petalstar, to give him the name "leap" to honor that great catch."
Brookleap's tail flicked in embarrassment. "We should drink and move on," he said. "There is much to see, and once you get back, you will be helping remove ticks from the elders' fur," he added.
Cloudpaw had the good sense to not let it show that she was disappointed by this, but her siblings both let out groans. Their mentors turned to look at them, their expressions dared them to dispute their choice.
"But I wanted to go hunting!" Skypaw said. "That's an important skill, isn't it?"
"It is," Littlepounce agreed. "But so is respect. Warriors take care of everyone in their Clan, not just themselves. There is plenty of time to teach you how to hunt, but there is little time to instill within you a strong sense of community and value for those who came before you. Spending time with, caring for, and listening to the elders will ensure that these values are solid in you three," explained Cloverflower.
"For the next seven days, you will spend time caring for, reinforcing, and tidying the camp - you will be rebuilding nests, reinforcing the tunnel brambles, and building dens," added Brookleap. "You will also be responsible for making sure the elders and queens have eaten. They will be thankful for your courtesy and consideration."
"But," interjected Littlepounce, "we will be going on a patrol today, exploring the territory, and getting you familiar with marking the borders and seeing how to tell if someone's crossed it recently."
This made Cloudpaw feel a little better - she would at least get a little time to have fun being an apprentice before the work began.
The cats remained in the cave for a few moments more before the warriors stood and led their apprentices back out. "Next we're going to go around the border - we only have two of them. Do any of you know why?" Asked Littlepounce as she trotted along.
For a moment, the apprentices said nothing. Cloudpaw saw their mentors look between themselves while they waited for a response. Just as it seemed that no one would answer, Moonpaw ventured, "Because… The walls are too tall?"
Cloudpaw noted a pleased look on Littlepounce's face. "That's correct, Moonpaw! The walls of the canyon are too tall and too steep to climb down, so we do not have to worry about anyone or anything coming down from the southern half of the territory. Only the northern border, which is split in two, the northeast and the northwest, have to be checked every day."
"That doesn't sound so bad," Skypaw said.
"It's not checking the border that's the trouble," agreed Cloverflower. "It's getting there. Our territory is a maze - and a very large maze at that. Memorizing the correct path is crucial. But, you will not have to worry about that for some time. Ideally, a few moons into your apprenticeship, you will have the paths to the start of the northeast border and the path to the northwest border memorized."
"How long did it take you to figure out?" Skypaw asked her mentor.
"It took me about three moons," Cloverflower answered. "I had lots of trouble remembering my way, but by the time I became a warrior, I knew the way like the back of my paw. Don't worry now about knowing it right away. You will learn in time."
Cloudpaw was a bit surprised to hear Cloverflower say something so encouraging. The she-cat was known for being outspoken, to the point of being rude at times. Not only that, but she was often indifferent to the feelings of others. She had been under the impression that was exactly why Petalstar had chosen her to be a mentor - because no matter how her apprentice felt, she would train her objectively and that she would be unafraid of telling her apprentice that she was slacking or falling behind. The genuine kindness caught Cloudpaw off guard. Would Brookleap be encouraging like that to her?
The cats continued on, their pace swift and steady. It felt as though they had been walking for moons by the time Cloudpaw noticed an incline in the ground beneath her paws. "Are we almost there?" She asked meekly.
"We are," Brookleap said simply.
The incline became steeper, and Cloudpaw knew that they were traveling upward very quickly. Soon, she felt a breeze on her fur, and she could smell fresh, warm air. Before long, they had risen out of the canyon and onto a wide, flat moor, dotted by tall grasses and the occasional tree.
"These are the highlands," Brookleap said.
"This is where I will train you to hunt," Littlepounce said to Moonpaw.
"All the way up here?" He asked.
"I thought most prey would be caught in the canyons…" Skypaw ventured.
"It is," Cloverflower said. "But, it is difficult to learn to hunt in such a constricted environment. It will be better for you to learn the basics here, then I will teach you to hunt in the canyons."
"Will I learn to fight here, too?" Moonpaw asked.
A purr rose in Littlepounce's chest. "Yes, you will, Moonpaw, but that is some time off. StoneClan has no enemies to compete with, only the occasional rouge or loner, so learning to catch prey will be the priority, but in due time, you will be as capable in battle as even the most experienced warrior."
Moonpaw's eyes shone with awe. Clearly he was pleased to hear this.
"Have you ever had to fight someone off?" Cloudpaw asked Brookleap.
"That I have - your own father, in fact."
He said it so easily, as if it were of no importance. "Really?"
"Yes," Brookleap answered honestly. There was no pride in his voice, no fervor. It had not been a job he was happy to perform. "But also here, on the border. Sometimes outside cats will think themselves special, as though these border markings do not apply to them, and they prance through our territory without a care in the world. Those are who we usually have to fight."
"Enough chatter, though," Littlepounce piped up. "We have patrolling to do." The other two mentors nodded in agreement. "Let's go. We're going to patrol the whole border, so you can get a good look at it, then we will show you another way to get to camp from the northwest side."
With that, the cats were off. The ground here was so flat and devoid of anything that would do well as a border marker. There was the occasional tree or rock, but they were oddly far apart. Their mentors didn't go very far between scenting, though. Even when there was nothing but a tall tuft of grass, their mentors would stop and cover it in their scent. They would stop and scratch tress with their claws, rub their cheeks against it, and move on. By the time they left every mark, the objecked smelled strongly of StoneClan, just as it ought to.
The cats continued on, marking, scenting, the mentors proudly displaying the highlands to the apprentices, and the apprentices looking on with wonder, until they reached a hill with a small cave beneath it.
At first, the mentors went about marking it, as they had with everything else, but Cloverflower stopped short of her duties. Her eyes narrowed into threatening slits and she parted her jaws to scent the air. The patch-furred she-cat turned her gaze towards the cave, and just as she was about to approach it, a tiny, miserable mew broke the silence.
The anger on Cloverflower's face fell away as she walked up to the cave, and as she poked her head into the entrance, a paw took a furious swipe at the she-cat's muzzle. "Get away from me! Get away!" A cat - another she-cat, guessed Cloudpaw - yowled.
Fast as lightning a cat appeared from the tunnel, spitting and hissing, her long fur fluffed up along her spine. "Leave us alone!" She snarled whenever one of the mentors came too close.
"Wait, wait! It's ok, we're not going to hurt you!" Cloverflower shouted, skittering back from the furious cat's claws.
"It's ok! Calm down!" Added Littlepounce in a panicked tone.
"If you touch my kits, I will claw your ears off!"
"Kits?" Gasped Brookleap. "Get away from her, Cloverflower! Give her some space!"
The loner calmed down when Cloverflower backed away, but her fur remained fluffed.
"What's your name?" Asked Brookleap.
"S-sophie," the loner said, her mew hoarse.
"Are you from here, Sophie?" Brookleap asked softly.
"No… My twolegs, they-"
"A kittypet! What are you doing out here!" Moonpaw piped up, earning a cuff to his shoulder from his mentor.
"Hush, Moonpaw!" Littlepaw snapped.
"My-my twolegs abandoned me," Sophie said miserably. "I tried to keep my kits a secret from them, but when they found me with them in their shed, they gathered us all up and dumped us not too far from here…"
Cloudpaw got a good look at the cat while she told them their story. She was black, with fluffy fur, white paws, and belly. When her fur fell flat against her flank, it became clear that she was thin. She hadn't eaten well in quite a while, and it must have been made all the worse by having kits to nurse…
"Mama?" Called a voice from inside the cave. "Mama what's happening?"
Just a moment later, a kit, no older than three moons old, poked her head out of the cave. She was thin, sickly looking, too.
"Oh, Piper, dear, go back inside, it will be ok."
The kit disobeyed her mother and teetered over to her, pressing herself against her flank. Her eyes were big, round, and glittered with fear. "Mama… Who are they?"
"I -"
"StoneClan warriors," answered Brookleap.
"Sophie, when was the last time you ate?" Cloverflower's mew was soft, gentle.
"The morning I was dumped," she answered meekly.
"When was that?" Asked Cloverflower.
"Four, maybe five days ago…"
There was silence from the patrol. That was too long for a queen to have gone without eating.
"Sophie, if you let us bring you back to camp, we would be able to get you something to eat, and a safe den to sleep in, with a soft nest," Cloverflower offered. "Your kits would be safe and well-cared for. StoneClan takes good care of its young…"
"You'd like it," Cloudpaw ventured. "It's nice and cool in the canyon, quiet and peaceful, too. You could eat and rest and get your strength back."
"And you won't have to worry about your kits, either. The camp is in a cave, and no one who's not supposed to get in can get in," Skypaw added.
The queen looked to be considering her options. She looked down at her kit, who was staring back at her, and then looked back to the patrol. She nodded, "take us with you," she said at last.
Relief washed over Cloudpaw. She worried that the queen would turn them away, and that she and her kits would not survive after they left them.
"Would you like us to carry your kits?" Asked Cloverflower. "We don't want you to strain yourself," she added.
"I can carry one of them," Sophie objected, but politely.
The queen then turned and disappeared back into the cave. Only a moment later, she reappeared with a second, larger kit. "Mama! Put me down! I can walk!" The kit wailed.
"We are traveling a far distance, little one. It will be best if you let us carry you," Brookleap said.
Cloverflower gingerly picked up the second kit. Both of the kits were so big that the she-cats carrying them had to stand up tall so that their little hinds wouldn't touch the ground. They couldn't have walked, though. It would have taken much too long. The kits wouldn't have been able to keep up.
It was slow going, and they all returned to camp tired, but at least Sophie and the kits were safe. Cloverflower led her to the nursery, while Brookleap and Littlepounce sought out Petalstar to tell her what had happened on the patrol. While Moonpaw and Skypaw sat outside the nursery, trying to listen to what was going on, Cloudpaw went over to the fresh kill pile and picked through the prey that had been caught that day. She chose a rabbit for the queen, expecting her to be ravenous and desperate for as much food as the Clan could spare her. The apprentice thought that if anyone in the Clan needed it, it was Sophie.
Cloudpaw shouldered her way through the nursery, nearly tripping over the rabbit's legs, which dangled limply below her. She managed to stay on her paws, but only just.
Upon entering the nursery, Cloudpaw shrank back. Petalstar had come to see Sophie and be filled in on what had happened. The leader turned back to see who had entered, and her gaze hardened upon seeing the apprentice. "Cloudpaw," she said curtly. "What is that you have?"
"A-a rabbit," Cloudpaw said, setting the rabbit down. "I know Sophie must be hungry. I brought it for her and her kits!"
"That's very considerate, Cloudpaw," Cloverflower praised. She waved her tail, beckoning Cloudpaw to come forward with the prey.
She picked the prey up once again and brought it to Sophie's nest. The queen sniffed at it, and Cloudpaw could tell she was reluctant to eat it, but before any cat could tell her that there was no kittypet food in the canyon, she began to eat. The bites were small at first, but her hunger quickly took over, and she began eating the rabbit faster than Cloudpaw had ever seen anyone eat anything.
The queen ate all she could, but there was still a decent amount of meat left on the prey's bones. The kits made quick work of what was left, though, just as their mother had. By the time the prey was gone, the kits had settled into their nest to sleep. All three of their flanks had an odd shape, now. They were thin, their little ribs showing, but their bellies were full, causing them to protrude from their otherwise skinny bodies.
Cloudpaw then left the den to allow Petalstar and Cloverflower to finish whatever business they had begun. Her siblings were still sat outside, listening intently to what was happening. Cloudpaw couldn't help but join them. The siblings kept quiet, crouched on either side of the nursery as Petalstar spoke.
"You are welcome in StoneClan, Sophie, and safe. You may stay as long as you wish, forever if that is what you choose to do, but if you do, your kits' names must be changed."
"What! But they're named after their family…" Sophie objected sadly.
"It is Clan custom," Petalstar explained evenly. "You are a full-grown cat, so your name need not be changed, but your kits are young, and if you allow them to, they may grow into apprentices and full warriors of this Clan. If that is what they choose, however, they must take apprentice and warrior names."
There was silence for a minute. Sophie must have been thinking about what she wanted to do.
"I will give you three moons to decide - that is near the time your kits would become apprentices. If you choose to stay, and they choose to become apprentices, then at their ceremony, they will receive new names. But I will leave it up to you."
The apprentices could hear Petalstar turn to leave, and the three of them scrambled to look as though they were making themselves useful and fixing the nursery, but one look at the leader's expression was enough to tell them that she was not fooled.
When Petalstar was gone, Cloverflower appeared. She looked at the apprentices on either side of the den, her expression miffed. "It is impolite to eavesdrop - if Petalstar had wanted you to listen to what she had to say to Sophie, she would have invited you in," she scolded. "Go eat, but quickly. As soon as you're done, you'll be fetching grass for the elders' new nests."
The apprentices flattened their ears and dropped their tails as they trotted off towards the fresh-kill pile, consigned to their fate of replacing bedding for the rest of the day.