Warriors: Secrets Beyond the Stars: The Prophecy

~Chapter 34~

Nightpaw bit off the fern from it's root, making sure he didn't strip the plant from it's leaves. As the last light of dusk shined down on the forest, the black apprentice threw the plant onto the pile of ferns and thickets that he, Snakefang, Russetspots, and Duskpaw were collecting. Russetspots started bundling the plants together, "I think this is enough for the warriors' den," he muddled through the thickets, "and if there are some left over, we can use them for the apprentices' den."

Nightpaw dropped his fern in the pile, he heard a loud grunt as the snow crunched behind him. He turned around, but ended up in a ball of laughter. Duskpaw was tangled in thickets and thorns, she tried to pull off the thorns from her back. Her eyes flashed at him, "Quiet fox-dung!" she hissed. Russetspots quickly padded over towards the apprentice and started pulling off the plants. "You have to be more careful when collecting thickets, Duskpaw." he reminded her. Duskpaw sighed, "Yes Russetspots." Nightpaw still couldn't believe Yellowstar made Duskpaw Russetspots's apprentice, a caring warrior being partnered with a cold apprentice seemed so bizarre. But it seemed like an option after Amberheart died, the dusky grey apprentice threw her thicket onto the pile.

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Nightpaw weaved the thicket through the top of the warriors' den, he landed on all four and picked up another fern and stood on his back paws, leaning on the side of the den with one paw as he used the other paw to reach the ceiling. He weaved the fern around the corner of the den, where the ceiling and the wall touch. Then he tied them together, then landing on all fours again.

"Are you all done?" Snakefang asked, Nightpaw looked at the entrance of the den, the brown warrior was standing in the entrance, fern leaves and a bit of thicket dotted his muzzle.

"I believe so, but we still have some left over." Russetspots replied from the other side of the den, tying a loose hole together. He trotted towards them, "Watch it!" Scorchwhisper hissed, moving his tail and rolling over in his nest. "Sorry." the russet tom appoligized. "I guess we have enough for the apprentices' den." Nightpaw suggested.

"Barely." said Duskpaw as she trotted over beside Snakefang, spitting out a fern. "We only have a few left. That's enough to fix one hole." she said. Nightpaw trotted back over to the pile of thicket and ferns wrapped in leaves. He picked up the last one, then carried it towards the entrance, "Then why are we standing around?" he muffled. Russetspots trotted out of the warriors' den, he followed. The russet tom picked up the other leaf bundle then trotted towards the apprentices' den, Duskpaw following close behind.

He trotted side by side with his mentor, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Talonwhisker was trotting towards them, his pelt seemed ruffled and it looked he hadn't groomed it. "Hey, Snakefang, Nightpaw, do you mind helping out a fellow Clanmate out?" he asked, his voice sounded exhausted. Nightpaw could see a few clumbs of brown and black hair on his speckled pelt, he smelled of Hollyspark, the Nursery, and dirt.

"What it is?" Snakefang replied. "I saw you two and Russetspots and Duskpaw fixing the warriors' den, the Nursery entrance does need a little fixing. Flinchkit and Longkit tore a hole in the side of it." he said, embarrased.

Nightpaw looked at his mentor, the warrior was still looking at Talonwhisker, then he shifted his gaze towards Yellowstar's den. "I can't, I have to speak to Yellowstar, but maybe Nightpaw can help fix it." he said.

"And have kits pulling at my tail and biting my paws? No thank you." Nightpaw retorted, shifting his gaze towards the Nursery. The last time he was in there was giving Hollyspark some fresh-kill, Flinchkit bit his tail and Longkit threw some of his own dirt in his face. "That was an accident," Talonwhisker said, "I'm sure they won't do it again."