A New Horizon: Book 1: Sun Awakening {COMPLETE}

Chapter 7

"Coltsfoot, daisy and mallow leaves." Honeypaw turned her gaze from the three herbs in front of her to her mentor who sat expectantly in front of her. Pebblestep's steps eyes were judging yet soft.

"Very good, now tell me their uses." Pebblestep added with a twitch of her tail, Honeypaw looked back at the herbs.

"Coltsfoot for coughs, mallow leaves for belly aches and daisy..." Honeypaw trailed off, scanning her mind as she struggled to recall what the white flower was used for. She looked up at her mentor again, ashamed she couldn't remember.

"Daisy is for joint pain, but it also has one other use." Pebblestep swept up the herbs with her tail. "Which is why I tested you on it." Honeypaw tilted her head, what could the other use be? Was a cat in the clan sick? "Daisy is a traveling herb, along with sorrel, chamomile and burnet."

"Traveling herbs? For when a cat has to go on a long journey?" Honeypaw questioned. How often did cats go on journeys? And why did she need to know now?

"Or when cats travel to the moonstone." Pebblestep's mew was a gentle purr, she placed the herbs in her store and looked back towards Honeypaw. "That's why I'm telling you about them now, because tonight is the half-moon."

Excitement sparked inside Honeypaw, she stood up tall. "Really? Tonight is the half-moon? That means we go to the moonstone, right? Where I have my true medicine cat apprentice ceremony?" The questions tumbled out of Honeypaw's mouth like loose rocks, she couldn't contain her excitement, she had been waiting to go to the moonstone since she had became an apprentice!

Pebblestep's eyes grew soft like heather. "Yes, we travel to the moonstone tonight. You will get to meet the other medicine cats and also StarClan. I will hold a ceremony for you when we reach it."

Excitement raced through her veins, she couldn't hold it down. "When do we leave? How far is it?"

"Calm down, young one." Pebblestep rested her tail gently on Honeypaw's shoulders. "We will leave before the sun sets, but beware it's a long journey. We'll take some traveling herbs but you should eat here soon, the herbs keep you from getting hungry." Pebblestep explained and returned to her herb store. "In the meantime would you take some fresh moss to the nursery? The apprentices have been slacking on that."

"Right away!" Honeypaw trotted out of the medicine cat den and towards the moss hollow, the sun was high in the sky and the camp was quiet, most cats must be out hunting or on patrol. Honeypaw exited the camp, welcoming the scents of the forest as stepped into it. She walked along the forest floor, feeling the warmth of the sun beating down on her pelt as she made her way to the moss hollow.

In the days since she had become an apprentice, she loved everything about her training. She loved learning about and remembering all the herbs she could, she wanted nothing more than to be the best medicine cat she could possibly be. Honeypaw walked down the slope into the hollow, feeling the soft moss under her paws. She went to the farthest wall, which was thick with moss and began clawing balls off the wall and setting them by her paws. The nursery was full so she had to make sure she had more than enough for every queen and kit in there.

When she had sufficient amount, Honeypaw secured the moss in her jaws and padded out of the hollow and towards the nursery. She re-entered the camp and and approached the den. As per usual, Sedgekit, Dovekit, Petalkit, Larkkit, Sorrelkit and Pikekit were playing outside. Larkkit and his siblings had grown quite a bit since Honeypaw had become an apprentice. Larkkit was just as big as Honeypaw now, and Sorrelkit and Pikekit were not much smaller. They would be apprentices in less than a moon.

Honeypaw approached the nursery, the playful kits looked up as they heard her paw steps grow closer. Petalkit was the first to bound over to her, her blue eyes glittering. "Honeypaw! You're bringing us moss today?" Sedgekit and Dovekit were at her side as well.