Warrior Cats: The Forgotten Prophecy (The Prophecy of Five #1)

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Brightpaw trotted up the ledge to StormClan's camp, a plump squirrel dangling from her jaws. The new-leaf sun shone brightly, warming up the worn stone cliffs. In the two moons that she'd been an apprentice, this was the first time Tawnyfall fall had let Brightpaw go hunting on her own. Well, at least without a warrior. Pinepaw padded closely behind her, carrying two finches.

"Wasn't that so much fun!" Brightpaw bubbled. Pinepaw nodded, trying not to drop the poofy birds hanging from his jaws. The grey apprentice picked up a slow run as they skidded into the camp. Pinepaw stumbled in behind her and dropped his prey.

"You should be more careful." Pinepaw mumbled dryly. "Carrying that fat squirrel, you could have easily fallen."

Brightpaw rolled her eyes. "Yes, mentor." she meowed playfully. Pinepaw was about to say something, when Hollypaw limped sluggishly from Silverfern's cave.

"Hey guys," she wheezed. The bright ginger she-cat had caught white-chough a few sunrises ago and been bedridden ever since.

Brightpaw picked up the squirrel she'd caught and walked over to Hollypaw. "I'm going to take this to the other sick cats." she mumbled through her prey's fur.

Hollypaw nodded tiredly and fell in behind the grey apprentice and continued down the tunnel to the medicine cat's cave. Brightpaw pushed her way past the lichens that blocked off the main section of the cave.

"Hello, Dappledpaw, Silverfern?" Brightpaw called quietly, trying not to wake any of the sleeping cats.

Dappledpaw peaked her head out from one of the small alcoves of the cave. "Hello, Brightpaw." The blue-eyed medicine cat apprentice mewed.

Brightpaw dipped her head and placed the prey in front of her friend, then gave Dappledpaw a brief lick on the ear. The ginger and white she-cat had been converted to a medicine cat apprentice a little over a moon ago, and had been happier than Brightpaw had ever seen her.

"How are Tawnyfall, Greytail, and Runningheart?" Brightpaw asked.

Dappledpaw chewed her lip. "Runningheart seems to be on the mend, but Tawnyfall and Greytail may be developing green-cough."

Brightpaw cringed. "When does Silverfern think they'll get better?"

The ginger and white apprentice shrugged. "She hasn't been able to find much catmint. She's out right now, looking for some."

"Hey, Brightpaw!" Tawnyfall suddenly snapped. "Come here."

Brightpaw dipped her head to Dappledpaw and crept over to her mentor. "What is it, Tawnyfall?" she asked sweetly, batting her eyes sarcastically.

Tawnyfall ignored her. "How did the hunt go?" she wheezed. Brightpaw smiled proudly.

"We did great! I caught that big ol' squirrel over there and Pinepaw killed two finches. We caught all of it in the trees!"

Tawnyfall nodded approvingly. "That's not bad, but you're not done yet. I asked Brokenthorn to take you and Pinepaw to do some battle training." Brightpaw's tail fluffed up.

"Why him?" she hissed. "Why do we have to be taught by the deputy?"

Tawnyfall narrowed her eyes. "Because I asked him to. He's one of the best fighters in the clan, not to mention he's my son. I don't trust just any cat to train my apprentice."

Brightpaw hung her head in defeat. "I'll go get Pinepaw." she muttered before leaving the medicine cat den. Brightpaw cringed as she thought about training with StormClan's deputy. Brokenthorn was the youngest cat anyone could remember to ever become a deputy. He had become an apprentice a few moons before Brightpaw had come to StormClan. The brown tabby tom became a warrior in four moons and was given an apprentice only a moon later. Brokenthorn was said to be an amazing mentor and his apprentice, later named Cinderbreeze, was made a warrior in just five moons. The previous deputy, and Cherrystar's mate, unfortunately died just before Brightpaw had become an apprentice and Brokenthorn was named the new deputy. Something about Brokenthorn's rapid rise to power had always made Brightpaw nervous. He was always so intense and intimidating, but if Tawnyfall ordered it, she couldn't argue.