{"sf1_id":565084,"sf2_id":"4nApkKGm","title":"Warriors Dawning Chpt 4","author":"Snowodin","words":1985,"posted_at":"2013-07-19T04:32:00.000Z","tags":["Clans","Clean","Female","Male","cats","erin hunter","warriors"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/565084-warriors-dawning-chpt-4","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/4nApkKGm","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/2a/88/2a889127-e556-4cd3-a251-d0ae8b87c133","description":"#6 of Fanfiction\n\nChapter four; slightly longer than the others.","content":" **Chapter Four**\n\nTwigpaw groaned silently to himself as he continued plucking borage leaves, an herb used for helping queens produce more milk for their kits and, occasionally, helping cure fevers.\n\n\u0026nbsp; It had been half a moon since the gathering, and since he had met Pinepaw, and he was no closer to figuring out which cats believed the fake prophecy. He'd tried slyly asking the cats that came into the medicine den with small injuries, but none of them had seemed to believe it. They said nothing interesting on the subject...\n\n\u0026nbsp; Twigpaw pushed the thought of it to the back of his mind, and returned his focus to collecting the herbs. He looked at his amount, and then at Berrystorm's. They almost had enough.\n\nTwigpaw plucked the last few leaves they needed, and then picked his pile of herbs up, careful not to bite into the leaves and puncture them. With a nod from Berrystorm, they began trekking back to their camp.\n\nThey returned to camp fairly quickly, as borage leaves grey close to the camp. Twigpaw went strait to the medicine cat's den, and placed the borage leaves where they needed to go, in the herb store. After a short bit, Berrystorm followed him, his elder bones having had slowed him down.\n\n\"Thank you, Twigpaw, for helping me.\" Berrystorm told Twigpaw, and he quickly responded.\n\n\"You're welcome, but, you're my mentor, so of course I helped.\"\n\n\"But you didn't have to.\"\n\n\"But I did.\" There was a small pause, and then Berrystorm broke the silence.\n\n\"But, Twigpaw, you didn't. I cannot force you to do anything, although that's what the warrior code says.\"\n\nTwigpaw was reminded of the warrior code. It was a set of rules and laws that warriors lived by. They followed the warrior code strictly, and only rarely did a warrior break it. It stated several things, including that a leader's word is law, but Berrystorm was pointing out a specific part in it. 'An apprentice will listen to their mentor, and obey orders without question' was what it said.\n\n\"You help me on your own free will, and your own obedience.\"\n\nTwigpaw didn't respond. Instead, he took a moment to think. _He's right..._\n\nBerrystorm purred at the silence. \"Now, you've helped me enough for the day.\"\n\nThese words almost surprised Twigpaw. It was barely after sunhigh, and yet Berrystorm was telling him he was done for the day.\n\n\"A-are you sure? No other herbs to be stored, or dried, or anything?\"\n\n\"Everything's fine for now. Go relax, and do whatever you need to do.\"\n\nTwigpaw gave a small, thankful nod, and trotted out of the den. _I don't know why he's letting me go early, but... This gives me an opportunity to try and figure out whih are the cats. Pinepaw's probably enjoyed the past half moon, watching me..._\n\nHe had went straight to the center of the camp, and stared at the warrior's den. _Let's see... It was Barkpelt, Honeytail, Antpelt, Kinktail, and Lizardclaw who went to the gathering... I doubt they believed any of Froststar's words...but what about Stonepelt, Fernheart, Poppyfang, and Goldenheart? Stonepelt hardly believes the real prophecies and omens anyway... Poppyfang's a smart she-cat, she'dsee through it. But,_ He looked towards the antrane of the camp, where Fernheart was talking to Kinktail, who was on guard. _Fernheart worries me... She's always easily believed the stories she was told..._\n\nHe then turned his head towards the apprentice' den. _The only apprentice I'm sure about is Cloudpaw..._\n\nHis gaze then turned to the Nursery. _Even if Sagetail did believe it, she'd fight against having to join other clans._\n\nLastly, Twigpaw turned his head towards the elder's den. Silverfur and Tangsyclaw were sitting next to eachother, grooming themselves. _They wouldn't, I know._\n\n\"Shouldn't you be helping Berrystorm?\"\n\nCloudpaw's sudden mew in Twigpaw's ear startled him, and he nearly fell over from the startle. He hadn't expected her to sneak up on him like that.\n\n\"N-no. Berrystorm said I could have the rest of today to relax, and do what I want.\" He replied, and began licking his ruffled fur, to smooth it.\n\n\"That's great! Goldenheart said I could too, because I went out hunting early, and brought back a few pieces of fresh-kill!\" Cloudpaw purred.\n\nTwigpaw looked towards the fresh-kill pile, and noticed a mouse and rabbit on top of it. He assumed that those were what Cloudpaw had caught.\n\n\"What should we do for the rest of the day, Twigpaw?\" She asked him.\n\nTwigpaw responded with a small shrug. After a moment's silence, Cloudpaw turned her head to the camp entrance.\n\n\"Why don't we take a walk?\" She suggested.\n\nTwigpaw nodded, and began heading towards the camp entrance.\n\n_A walk would be nice, come to think of it. It might help me think._\n\nThey passed by Kinktail, who nodded his approval of them leaving camp. They turned, and began heading towards the thicker part of the forest, where less flowers grew, and much more trees were. As they walked, Twigpaw noticed how the light was slowly fading, from the thickening canopy of leaves.\n\n\"So, how's being Berrystorm's apprentice?\" Cloudpaw broke the silence with her question.\n\n\"It's been good. It's been almost slightly boring with so few injured cats to care for, but it's also fun, because Berrystorm likes to joke. How's being Goldenheart's apprentice?\" He returned the question.\n\n\"Tough! He constantly makes me push myself. HE expects so much out of me, even though I'm a fairly new apprentice...\"\n\n\"Has he pushed you too hard? Have you felt sick? He's letting you rest, right?\" Twigpaw bombarded Cloudpaw with these questions obvious concern in his voice. Cloudpaw purred at his concern.\n\n\"I'm fine, Twigpaw. In fact... I like the challenge. It's made me stronger.\"\n\n\"As if you weren't strong enough before! You pinned every cat you wrestled with, back in the nursery!\" Twigpaw teased, and Cloudpaw gave him a friendly gaze, but responded with a short silence.\n\n\"So,\" she began, \"What's been on your mind lately?\"\n\nTwigpaw looked down at the ground. Did she know he'd been troubled lately? \"What do you mean?\"\n\n\"You've had this thoughtful look on your face since the gathering. So tell me. What's wrong?\"\n\nTwigpaw continued gazing down at the ground. _Can I tell her? Did Pinepaw say I could have help? I wish I knew..._\n\n\"Sure you can have help!\" Pinepaw's voice startled Twigpaw, and he jumped back. Twigpaw looked towards where the voice came from, and was surprised to see the starry figure of Pinepaw.\n\n\"P-Pinepaw!\" he exclaimed.\n\n\"What's wrong? Why'd you jump? I don't see anyone... who's Pinepaw?\" Cloudpaw's voice sounded genuinely confused, and the way she stared straight towards Pinepaw but didn't seem to notice him made Twigpaw wonder why she couldn't see him. \"W-what do you mean you can't see anyone? You can't see him?\" Twigpaw was almost amazed that she couldn't see his clear, starry form.\n\n\"Nope, she can't see me.\" Pinepaw responded for Cloudpaw.\n\n\"Why did you come here? ... HOW did you come here?\"\n\n\"Well, I came to answer your question.\"\n\n\"You read my thoughts?\"\n\n\"More-or-less... Hey, you do know you probably seem like a mouse-brain to her, right? She sees you talking to air.\" Twigpaw didn't respond, and Pinepaw purred.\n\n\"Really, who's Pinepaw?\" Cloudpaw's mew had an obviously confused tone to it still.\n\n\"Pinepaw's a cat from starclan,\" Twigpaw explained. \"He's the one who put the thoughtful look on my face, I suppose.\"\n\n\"Really? How'd he do that?\"\n\n\"He told me that if I don't convince some cats about something, then the clans will all suffer, and maybe die...\"\n\n\"Painfully.\" Pinepaw added.\n\n\"Painfully.\" Twigpaw repeated.\n\nCloudpaw stared at Twigpaw in disbelief. \"What do you mean convince some cats?\" She eventually broke the silence with her question.\n\n\"You might want to sit down, and get comfortable. It's a bit long...\"\n\nCloudpaw nodded, and sat down, wrapping her tail over her paws. Twigpaw followed her lead, and Pinepaw laid down. Twigpaw repeated to Cloudpaw what Pinepaw had told him, about how the omen was indeed fake as they had thought, and how some cats believed it. He told her about what the clans were doomed to if he didn't find out who these cats were, and convince them otherwise. He also told her about the more detailed things Pinepaw had mentioned, when he had come to Twigpaw again three sunrises after he first came. The day went by slowly as he explained, but eventually he finished repeating Pinepaw.\n\nCloudpaw turned her head slightly. \"Wait... why would he ask you, when you weren't even an apprentice for a full moon? Why didn't he ask a more experienced warrior, like Berrystorm?\"\n\n\"Because I wouldn't have had as much fun watching them!\" Pinepaw answered.\n\n\"He says because he wouldn't have had as much fun watching them.\" Twigpaw repeated for Cloudpaw, since she couldn't hear Pinepaw.\n\nCloudpaw rolled her eyes, doing exactly what Twigpaw wanted to. \"But... how is he even here? Don't cats from Starclan generally... I don't know... stay there?\"\n\n\"Excellent question! Well, you se-\"\n\n\"Sh!\" Pinepaw was cut off by Twigpaw, and his ears twitched.\n\n\"Do you hear that? A patrol... We can't let them know about Pinepaw, Cloudpaw.\"\n\nCloudpaw nodded, and focused her hearing so that she could hear the patrol, as Twigpaw had.\n\nTwigpaw sniffed the air, to scent who it was. _Silverfur, Lizardclaw, and Barkpelt..._He recognized their scents.\n\n_Strange though... Normally an apprentice is with a hunting patrol._\n\nHe thought for a moment, and then what he said hit him. _Are we really this close to the Winterclan border?_\n\nIt wasn't until now that he realized the trees above them were no longer filled with lush green leaves, but the leaves had turned brown, and a lot of them had fallen, and were on the ground. They were almost at the border.\n\nTwigpaw tensed. He quickly scented the air again, to see if they had crossed the border. He was relieved when he learned that they hadn't yet.\n\nThe bushes rustled behind them, and the patrol came into view. Both Cloudpaw and Twigpaw turned their heads towards the patrol. Pinepaw stayed laying down, ignoring the patrol, and began licking his forelegs, to wash them.\n\nSilverfur was the first to notice them, and she rushed towards the three, unaware of Pinepaw, as she only looked at Twigpaw and Cloudpaw. \"Twigpaw, Cloudpaw, what are you doing here? You're not sneaking away again, like when you were kits, are you?\" She asked them.\n\n\"No, Silverfur. We were told we did enough for the day.\" Twigpaw responded.\n\n\"And we decided to take a walk.\" Cloudpaw added.\n\nSilverfur stayed silent, studying the two for a moment. She eventually responded. \"Allright... I'll take your word for it.\" She told them, and then walked back to the patrol.\n\nTwigpaw sighed relief. Normally, if he were found this far away from the camp without Berrystorm, or another warrior, he'd be scolded, or given a lecture.\n\n\"But, you really were put in this situation by Pinepaw?\" Cloudpaw turned her gaze back to Twigpaw.\n\nTwigpaw nodded. \"Yep...\"\n\n\"You know, if you need help, you can just ask me for it. If this needs to be kept as a secret, I can keep it.\"\n\n\"Thanks, Cloudpaw... I appreciate it. I'll ask for help if I need it, and I need it. Would you mind helping me find out which cats in Springclan believe Froststar's fake prophecy? I have no ideas about the apprentices...\"\n\n\"Well,\" Pinepaw mewed, getting up. \"I'll be off now.\"\n\n\"Of course I can find out.\" Cloudpaw obviously hadn't heard Pinepaw.\n\nTwigpaw watched as Pinepaw's starry form faded away, and he looked back at Cloudpaw. \"It's starting to get dark a bit. We should head back.\"\n\nCloudpaw nodded. \"I could do with some fresh-kill!\" She replied, and stood up.\n\nTwigpaw got up as well, and the two began heading back to the camp.\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"Fanfiction","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/565073-warriors-dawning-chpt-3.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/565086-warriors-dawning-chpt-5.json"}}