Warriors: The Prophecy of Frost - A New Soul

Chapter 4

"What are we doing today?" Frostpaw asked her mentor. Two tiring moons of training had past and she had learnt a lot from Appleshade.

"Well, today, we are going to help out the elders with their bedding, "Appleshade replied.

"But-" Frostpaw began in protest.

Appleshade raised her tail in dismissal. "No 'buts'," she meowed. "The elders' bedding aren't going to change themselves!"

"Okay," Frostpaw sighed, following Appleshade into the forest.

After a couple of heartbeats, Appleshade stopped in front of a tree. "Moss grows in damp places," she explained. "Usually, moss would grow well here, thus making it a good spot to collect fresh moss."

Frostpaw nodded.

"Let me show you how to squeeze the excess water out," she continued.

Appleshade sliced out a pawful of moss, enough to make a nest, and laid it on the ground.

She then gently pressed the moss with her paw. "Remember that you must be gentle with the moss or else it will break."

"Now you try," Appleshade mewed, setting the piece of moss in front of her apprentice.

Frostpaw tried to copy what her mentor did, but either she was too gentle or too rough with the moss.

"Concentrate," Appleshade mewed.

Frostpaw concentrated even more and was delighted that her moss looked satisfactory - according to Appleshade.

"There's still room for improvement, but for now we need to get the moss to the elders before they start grumbling again," she meowed.

Frostpaw carefully grabbed the moss and headed back to camp with her mentor.

~~~~

By the time Frostpaw finished making the nest for Ashwhisker, he was fuming. "What took you so long?" he grumbled, settling himself into the newly made nest.

"Sorry," Frostpaw apologised.

"Don't worry about it so much, Frostpaw," Spottedpelt called.  "Ashwhisker has always been impatient and grumpy, even as a warrior."

"Really?" Frostpaw asked, padding over to Spottedpelt, where Goldenpaw was searching for ticks on the she-cat's pelt.

"I want to hear a story!" Goldenpaw interrupted. "Sparrowshadow said that you always have good stories."

"I do have many stories," Spottedpelt admitted, "and I will share one with you two right now!"

"Thanks!" Frostpaw mewed while Goldenpaw gave a little jump before resuming her work.

"When the elders' den had more elders in the past, many apprentices resented doing the apprentice chores. When a certain kit became an apprentice, all the elders were surprised at his willingness to work," Spottedpelt smiled as she spoke.

"It was Webfoot. He would volunteer to do the apprentice chores by himself and help others doing most of the work," she continued. "Thus, the nests seem to us more comfortable. Although Ashwhisker doesn't show it, he actually miss Webfoot being in the elders' den most of the time."

"I never knew that," Frostpaw gasped.
"I never knew he was that hardworking," Goldenpaw admitted.

"Well, basically to be a good apprentice, you have to carry out your duties faithfully," Spottedpelt mewed.

"We will!" the two apprentices promised.

~~~~

After a battle training session with Appleshade, Frostpaw and her mentor headed back to the camp.

"Appleshade, what's wrong?" she asked, noticing her worried look.

"I smell badger," she replied. "But it is stronger and thicker than usual. It probably means that there are a lot of badgers nearby."

"And we are very close to the camp," Frostpaw added. 

Appleshade widened her eyes. "Badgers are invading the camp! Come on!"