Warriors: Shadows in the Light - Veiled Stars

Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE

ROSEPAW | WINDCLAN CAMP

Rosepaw grumbled to herself, lazily sorting a ton of herbs. This was her punishment for not getting honey. She had told the whole story - with Duskface backing her up! - but Rowanmask still flipped out and punished her. He didn't pay any attention to Duskface, but did tell Rosepaw to stop manipulating cats to help her cases.

"At least I'm not gathering for once." Rosepaw meowed to herself loudly. Rowanmask had gone out to collect the honey himself, and if Rosepaw was being honest, she wanted the murderer to end him. She already prayed to StarClan for that to happen.

The herbs she had been sorting for nearly half of the day had been neatly sorted yesterday by Rowanmask (the day she went to get honey), but he messed them up for her punishment. Now she had to sort through a pile of herbs that had already been organized. To her delight, she was nearly done sorting.

Pawsteps behind her made her twist around. Rowanmask was back... yay. In his jaws he delicately held a branch of dripping honey.

"Rosepaw," he snapped, moving the branch to his paws so he could speak. Rosepaw wondered what she did wrong, "fetch me a mouse."

StarClan, why didn't you answer my prayers this time? You always do... Rosepaw thought, mildly upset as she stomped past Rowanmask.

She stopped at the prey-pile. There were no mice at the moment.

He didn't say I had to get a mouse at any cost... Rosepaw grabbed a rabbit, trotting back.

"I thought I said get a mouse?" Rowanmask asked with contempt.

"There wasn't a single mouse." To her relief, Rowanmask didn't say anything back. He (hopefully) realized he couldn't tell her she failed.

Rowanmask rubbed the honey on the rabbit. After that, he set the branch against a wall, grabbed a leaf, and wrapped the leaf around the branch's end with the honey. He stopped by the nearly-done herb pile, shooting a questioning glare at Rosepaw.

"I'll finish it..." she grabbed the rabbit, going to deliver this first. She dragged her paws as she walked out. StarClan, how she hated Rowanmask some days.

She crossed camp, ducking into the elders den.

"Darkblossom?" she mumbled around the rabbit. "I'vsh got tshe rabbitsh for you."

"I didn't ask for a rabbit," a croaky voice replied. Two green eyes stared at Rosepaw.

"It'sh got honey on itsh. For your tshroat?" she dropped the rabbit, licking her lips, collecting any honey that got in it.

"Oh, in that case..." a silver paw lashed out, grabbing the rabbit. Darkblossom thanked her before diving into the rabbit.

The other elder, Twistedbird, smiled at Rosepaw. "Rosepaw, you don't mind grabbing me prey, right?"

"Of course not." Rosepaw mewed, backing out of the den. She quickly grabbed a vole and gave it to Twistedbird before dashing back to the medicine cat den. The sooner she finished sorting, the sooner she could escape the medicine cat den.

Rosepaw returned, a little breathless. The taste of honey still lingered in her mouth as she sat down, finishing the sorting.

"Once you're done sorting, I hope you know how to entertain yourself. You're not leaving this den today." Rowanmask's meow shocked Rosepaw.

"What?!" she jumped up, leg accidentally hitting her finished piles. "Why?"

"I can't trust you around other cats. You turned Duskface on me rather easily with that fake story."