Lost Hope: Book 1: The New Star

Chapter 16

Burrowpaw trotted along the forest path with her patrol, Darkmoon Glarerspor, and Griffinpaw the sunlight warming her pale brown pelt. She thought of what Dandelionpaw had told her. I'm part of a prophecy! The idea was cool, but the responsibility lay heavy on her shoulders. How could two apprentices stop a battle?

      Her thoughts were interrupted by Griffinpaw who fell into step beside her. "I bet I can catch the most prey," she challenged, her bushy tail bristling mischievously.

      "You're on!" Burrowpaw replied, the prophecy vanishing from her mind. She tasted the air and located a mouse not far away. "May the best apprentice win!" she told her denmate and hurried off. She thought she heard Darkmoon yowl instructions after her, but she didn't look back.

The mouse was nibbling on a nut in the undergrowth, unaware of her presence. Burrowpaw stalked forward, but a twig snapped underneath her paws and the mouse bolted away. "Mouse dung!" she vented and chased after it.

The brown she-cat caught up to it, her long tail streaming out behind her, and grabbed it between her paws. She landed a quick blow to it's neck, killing it.

She looked up and realized the river wasn't too far from where she stood. Not wanting to get in trouble with BrookClan, or her mentor, she started backing away.

      Suddenly, she spotted a gray-furred cat make his way out of the line of bushes on the opposite bank. He saw her and waved his tail in greeting.

      Burrowpaw nodded curtly in his direction, then turned to leave. The tom smiled and dunked into the water. Alarmed, she raced to the edge to see where'd he'd gone. He reappeared a moment later and splashed her face.

      With a yelp of surprise she stumbled backward. The gray tom padded up the bank and shook out his fur. Burrowpaw recognized him as Fogpaw, the medicine apprentice her brother had introduced her to.

      "What are you doing here?" she hissed, though she wasn't angry. "You're on EchoClan territory!"

      "I just wanted to say hello," Fogpaw said. "Hello."

      Despite herself, Burrowpaw laughed. "Stupid furball," she said. "Now get back to your territory."

      "We should meet up sometime," Fogpaw suggested. "I could teach you about herbs, and you could teach me to hunt!

      "I have a brother to teach me herbs." Burrowpaw wrinkled her snout. "But I guess we could talk." I could learn some of BrookClan's secrets. Maybe that's how I'm supposed to stop the battle!

      "How about to night?" Fogpaw asked. When she nodded, his grin widened. "Great, See you then!" And with that, he jumped back into the river.

      "Burrowpaw!" Darkmoon's voice called from the trees. She quickly picked up her mouse and sprang into the forest. Her mentor, Glarespot, and Griffinpaw were waiting for her. A couple shrews and a thrush lay at Griffinpaw's feet.

      "Looks like I win," the fluffy brown she-cat said smugly. Burrowpaw had forgotten about the competition.

      "Yep," Burrowpaw said, forcing cheerfulness into her voice. "Good game."

      Griffinpaw seemed a little surprised by her lack of usual competitiveness. But she didn't say anything. Shrugging, she picked up her prey, and followed her mentors back to camp.

"Don't run off again," Darkmoon hissed at her before turning his back to follow his Clanmates.

      Burrowpaw's thoughts were too occupied with a certain gray apprentice to care much about her mentor's rebuke. She carried her own mouse back to camp and dropped it on the well-stocked prey pile.

      Her brother was outside his den, laying out herbs in a patch of sunlight. When he saw her, he flicked his ear and smiled. She nodded back and trotted over to the apprentice's den with the smallest shrew she could find. She wasn't that hungry, but Darkmoon has told her earlier that they'd be going on patrol and she needed to keep her strength up.

But she wasn't focused on her shrew, or the patrol. I'm going to meet Fogpaw!