HazelStalk's Constellation

Chapter 5

-
—
The gathered cats all gasped, murmuring anxiously. PlumWillow wrapped her tail around HatchPaw, clearly shocked.
AdderStar scoffed, "As if StarClan would talk to a medicine cat apprentice. How do I know this isn't some ThunderClan trick?"
HazelPaw bristled. How dare he think that! He should be happy StarClan isn't gone forever.
"Be quiet, AdderStar. This is no time to pull tricks. HatchPaw, what did you see?" FidgetStar gazed down at the stunned apprentice.
"There were four pebbles in a circle, but they were being batted away one by one by a shadow. The words 'four will fall with closed minds, one will restore with an open heart'." HatchPaw explained shakily.
HazelPaw's gaze shot from leader to leader as she searched for an emotion. They all seemed confused and deep in thought—as if they were trying to interpret the message.
"Perhaps we should return to our camps to think this over," SheepStar meowed.
LarkStar nodded, "Good idea. RiverClan, lets go," she leapt down and waited for a moment as her clan mates got to their paws.
The clans began to depart one by one. HazelPaw quickly followed PeakPaw and LynxPaw as they began to leave as well.
"That was so scary," LynxPaw shivered.
"I know..." HazelPaw's fur was still prickling.
She didn't even mind the idea of having to cross the log again. Compared to what just happened, the log wasn't even the slightest bit scary.
HazelPaw could tell the rest of ThunderClan was on edge too. Nobody was really talking. If some-cat did, it was usually muttered and brief.

HazelPaw was relieved once they finally got back to camp. She watched as HatchPaw trotted towards the medicine den, looking surprisingly calm despite what had just happened. HazelPaw would've thought that HatchPaw would be more shaken up than anyone.
HazelPaw crept into the apprentice's den, collapsing in her bed. Exhaustion tugged at her paws from the long walk. It felt as if weights had been attached to her eyelids.
"I wonder what StarClan meant when they spoke to HatchPaw," PeakPaw suddenly meowed.
Anxiety flared up in HazelPaw's chest.
Seriously PeakPaw? I was just starting to push it out of my brain! Now I'm all scared again.
"Why can't StarClan just say what they need to say? Why do they need to make some weird riddle for us to solve?" LilyPaw scoffed.
"Maybe they have a limited amount of time to talk to HatchPaw. They probably have a lot to say, but there isn't enough time to say it. So they narrow it down into a prophecy," HazelPaw yawned.
She really didn't want to keep talking about it. She wanted to be able to distract herself and fall asleep.
It seemed everyone else managed to do so. Within heartbeats the rest of the apprentice's had fallen asleep.
How do they do that...? HazelPaw flexed her claws. She couldn't rest, her mind was whirling and spinning like crazy.
I shouldn't worry about it. I'm just an apprentice—this is HatchPaw, PlumWillow, and FidgetStar's responsibility. I need to focus on training.
But at the same time, StarClan being silent does affect me. And what if I think of something that could help? I can't just shut off my brain if it could save cats, right?
No, who am I kidding. Compared to the amount of talented medicine cats and leaders in the forest, I wouldn't be able to do anything remotely helpful or amazing.
During her constant swirling thoughts, she finally managed to drift off to sleep.

HazelPaw was woken by the sound of her sisters snickering.
She blinked open her eyes, yawning.
"Darn!" LynxPaw puffed.
"We were going to wake you up in the best way possible," PeakPaw snorted in amusement.
HazelPaw purred, "well thank StarClan I woke up in time."
Doubt stabbed her chest at the mention of StarClan—the memories of the night before flooding back to her.
HazelPaw shook it off quickly, reminding herself she didn't have to worry about it.
LynxPaw hurried out of the den at AmberJay's voice, likely to join the dawn patrol. PeakPaw followed her anyway, her eyes grazing the camp in search for her mentor.
HazelPaw quickly spotted SunLeap. Her bright shimmering pelt was easy to spot, especially when it seemed to glow in the early morning sunlight.
She trotted over to her mentor, hoping that training would take her mind off of the anxiety-inducing thoughts about StarClan.
"Good morning, HazelPaw," SunLeap purred.
"Good morning!" HazelPaw smiled.
"We can begin training soon. How about you go share breakfast with RampagePaw?" SunLeap gestured over towards the russian-blue tom, who was crouched over a shrew.
"Erm...okay," HazelPaw felt unease prickling under her fur.
SunLeap purred before trotting off.
I mean, RampagePaw did laugh at one of my jokes when we first entered the gathering...maybe he isn't mad at me anymore?
HazelPaw forced herself to walk over. He couldn't still be mad about the argument in the forest, could he?
"Hey RampagePaw, can I share?" HazelPaw asked.
"Er...okay," RampagePaw replied, shuffling to make room for her.
HazelPaw's heart seemed to stiffen. Usually RampagePaw would be happy to share with her. But now, he seemed to be forcing himself to be fine with it.
We used to be such good friends. Surely one argument doesn't change that?
HazelPaw and RampagePaw finished the shrew swiftly. RampagePaw quickly got up and dashed over towards his mentor, as if he was desperate to get away.
Sighing, she got to her paws and found SunLeap chatting with RobinWing.
"I finished breakfast," HazelPaw meowed, trying to keep her voice enthusiastic.
"Great! Let's go practice some hunting," SunLeap meowed.
HazelPaw nodded, trotting after her. She looked over and noticed RampagePaw and LilyPaw talking, their purrs loud enough to be heard from where HazelPaw was.
HazelPaw felt a weird flutter in her chest, before a boiling anger. The new emotion startled her, but she pushed it away and hurried to catch up with SunLeap.