Warriors | Adventures of SnowClan

Chapter 9

The next few days passed in a blur. Opalclaw seemed to be intentionally keeping her busy with hunting, training and assisting the elders. Every time she left camp he wanted to know exactly why, and then he'd insist on coming. Whitepaw guessed he was worried about her going back to StarClan's Chamber, and she couldn't blame him. But she really did mean to keep her promise. She just wished Opalclaw knew it as well as she did.

One warm day, which were rare in the mountains, Smokepaw suggested she, Whitepaw and Snowpaw go hunting. 

"It's a beautiful day! Come on, Whitepaw!" She whined when the pure white apprentice of hesitated. 

"Opalclaw wants me to attend to the elders today before training..." she meowed. 

"The elders have never needed less tending to! You've been helping them day and night, believe me, they are always commenting about how 'helpful Whitepaw is, why can't you be more like Whitepaw?'" 

Whitepaw looked up sharply, but saw no hostility or jealousy in her denmate's eyes, just that of an excited young cat. Snowpaw was also jumping up and down with her hopeful face on. They begged and pleaded until Whitepaw finally relented. They bounded out of camp and went to the place where all their mentors said was the very best for hunting: Coldlake's Hollow. 

The large area was almost flat, near the bottom of the mountain, and the snow was dotted with paw marks. In the centre of the space was a small lake that was always freezing. Very few fish swam there, that wasn't what made it a good hunting spot. Coldlake's Hollow was peppered with greenery. The one place on the whole mountain with lush bushes and tall grass. It attracted loads of prey, and there were several snow burrows to be found. They all split off in different directions to hunt, Whitepaw to the North, Smokepaw to the East and Snowpaw to the West. Soon they had a good lot of prey; two snow rabbits, three young thrushes and a squirrel. They divided up the prey and dragged it back to camp. Opalclaw was waiting for them. 

"Whitepaw, where have you been?" He asked sharply. Whitepaw stared at him.

"Uhh..." she looked at the others, then gestured with her tail at the prey they were all carrying.

"You were hunting? When I asked you to tend to the elders?" He meowed. 

"Oh please!" Smokepaw said, rolling her eyes. "The elders are fine! And without Whitepaw, we wouldn't have caught nearly as much prey!" 

Opalclaw grumbled, but even he couldn't argue that the elders had never looked more comfortable. Just then, Freezefur's yowl almost made them all jump out of their pelts. 

"Smokepaw! Why are you dawdling?! We're going training! Now!" 

Smokepaw sighed and handed over her prey. "Take these to the pile, would you?" She meowed sulkily. Whitepaw nodded, a rush of sympathy hitting her. Freezefur really was the worst mentor for Smokepaw, who was outgoing and adventurous. Freezefur was strict, no nonsense and quick to anger. When Smokepaw was first apprenticed, Whitepaw thought Freezefur would be the worst mentor in the clan. But she seemed, despite her hostility, to be a dedicated warrior. Smokepaw would thank her in the end, Whitepaw was sure of it.

Soon, Ashstar came and collected Snowpaw for training and Whitepaw was left alone with Opalclaw. He gave her a sideways look as he sank his teeth into a rabbit from the fresh kill pile. Whitepaw picked at a vole half-heartedly. Once the silence was too much to bear, Whitepaw spoke up.

"I didn't tell them, you know."

Opalclaw sat up, licking his muzzle clean. 

"I know Whitepaw. I'm sorry I've been so jumpy. I just never thought I'd ever show anyone—" his words were cut short by the yowling of a cat. Smokepaw was dragging Freezefur's limp body into the camp.