(Outdated) Warriors: Clouded Skies #2 - Frost

Chapter Twenty-Two

Jaypaw sniffed curiously at a small patch of dock, once again testing Ravenpaw's seemingly never ending patience. The smaller tom stopped, black coat bushed against the chilly air wisping through the trees, almost completely cleared of leaves in late leaf-fall.

"Aren't these herbs?" the white and gray tom asked his brother.

"Its dock, used for soothing scratches," Ravenpaw answered, wanting to get going but not able to be rude to his brother. It was barely past sunhigh, but Ravenpaw didn't know how long it would take to get to Rainshadow, question him, and bring him back. What if he doesn't even want to come back? a part of his mind questioned, but he managed to shake it away. If he truly cared about his family, the moment he learned Maple was alive he would come to the Clan. Ravenpaw main task was likely going to be convincing him to stay there.

"Should we take it? We're out here to collect herbs, aren't we?" Jaypaw looked at his brother, and likely noticed the guilty look in Ravenpaw's gaze. The black medicine cat silently cursed his open nature. Jaypaw raised himself up, eyes wide in disbelief. "You lied? I didn't think you had it in you!"

It happens more than you think, Ravenpaw thought, but kept the words inside his head. "I'm not proud of it, but yes, I had to lie." His heart dropped just thinking about it. Yes, he kept the truth about his power, but he had lied straight out to his own sister. Without trust, where would the Clan be? Would she get mad when she found out he lied? Fear crawled over his spine.

"Does Mossrain know the truth?"

Ravenpaw looked at his paws. "Mossrain doesn't even know I came out here. Hopefully, he won't find out until we're back, but it's likely he'll ask Willowpaw, so he'll think we're getting herbs, too." Shame mixed with fear.

Jaypaw purred, shifting excitedly on his paws. Ravenpaw looked at him in surprise. 

"What?" Jaypaw meowed, unable to hide his happiness. "You're finally breaking out of your shell! It's like the old Ravenpaw!" He jumped forward, tail flicking. "So what are we really doing?"

Like the old Ravenpaw? Had he really changed that much since he was a kit? He filed the question away for a different time. Now came the hard part. How much should he tell Jaypaw? "I had a vision from StarClan," he began slowly, thinking carefully about his words.

Pride flooded Jaypaw's eyes. "That's amazing! What did they say?" He edged even closer, barely able to stay still, jumping from one paw to the other, tail waving.

"They told me about Maple's father, Rain, and where he was..." Keeping the second part of the name a secret stung his tongue like a lie. "They want him in the Clan, to raise her as a Clan cat."

Jaypaw twirled in a circle. "That's so cool!" he gasped as he stopped, eyes bright. "I can't believe they told you and not Mossrain! And now we're going to get him, right? How far is he? Will we be going on a long adventure? Hiding out in the forest at night, traveling so far we can't even see the mountains?" His gaze raised to the tall mountains that surrounded their home.

Ravenpaw couldn't help but purr. "Yes, we're going to get him, but he's right outside the territory. We'll be back before dark, hopefully." A brief flare of disappointment echoed in Jaypaw's eyes. Ravenpaw scoffed and shoved his shoulder playfully with his forehead. "Brighten up! You'll still have quite a story to tell the other apprentices! Now come on, we're losing daylight."

Breaking out of his brief sadness, Jaypaw purred and hurried to catch up to him.

They traveled quickly but quietly through the forest, with Jaypaw leading his brother on the best paths, away from the common hunting places in case they were to run into Maskdapple's patrol. Despite how much Ravenpaw would like to see his mother, who was on the patrol, he knew it might cause problems if they were caught. But they went unseen, slipping past bracken and ferns and stepping over tree roots and vines until they reached where the mountains stood in their way, an impossible barrier. They followed the steep rocky cliff side until the undergrowth broke and they found themselves alongside the Old Thunderpath.