Warriors: The Last Apprentice

Prologue

All was quiet as Sheepfur sat in the medicine cat den, sorting herbs deep into the night. His long white fur shone in the dim moonlight coming from the den's entrance. The rest of the camp was asleep, but there was no sleep for a medicine cat. BirchClan needed him, and if there was an emergency tomorrow morning he needed to be prepared. "Prepare for the worst!" His mentor, Tigerblossom, had told him this when he was still an apprentice. Sheepfur sighed. That was so long ago.... He was much older now. Sheepfur heard a small squeak as his small apprentice, Sunpaw, rustled in his sleep. Sunpaw was barely an apprentice-- more like a large kit, but Sheepfur cared for him deeply. Sheepfur turned away from Sunpaw and back to his herbs when all of a sudden Sunpaw gave a loud gasp, startling Sheepfur. The white fluffy medicine cat rushed over to Sunpaw, his one blue eye filled with worry. "Sunpaw, are you okay?" He asked, leaning against Sunpaw to give him balance. Sunpaw's blonde fur stuck up, and his amber eyes were wide with fear. "When the forest is stained with the blood of birch, a trapped flame will singe the bars of it's cage and burn freely." Sheepfur wrapped his tail around Sunpaw. After a moment of calm, Sunpaw finally breathed a bit lighter. "What does that mean?" Sheepfur asked, a serious tone in his voice. "I don't--I don't know..." Sunpaw stuttered. "But it must be important! Dovetalon told me." Sheepfur paced around the medicine cat den. "Sunpaw, you musn't tell anyone about this until further notice. We wouldn't want to cause panic." Sheepfur said sternly. Sunpaw shuffled his paws nervously. Sheepfur sighed. StarClan help us...