Warriors: The Trail of Centuries

Chapter 17

     "I know that the Gorge had its own set of rules and codes for you to follow, but here, things are a little different." Swallowclaw swept his tail along the sandy floor of the camp as he recited the rules that are in place for apprentices of the Clans. Spottedpaw nodded absently as she listened to her new mentor, struggling to pay attention to him. The sun rested high in the sky, though it provided little warmth compared to when she first woke up here some sunrises ago. Even when it had been sunhigh, the warmth it provided was weak.

     Though the breeze from before was absent, a faint chill hung in the air, threatening the cats with leafbare. Spottedpaw wondered if whitecough would strike BlazeClan as badly as it had hit the Gorge; the last thing the Clans needed was sickened or dead cats, considering the ever-growing threat from Deadeye. He made no move to wage a war yet—according to the warriors, the border with the Gorge had become oddly quiet. The news gave Spottedpaw a dark and ominous feeling.

     "Apprentices must also visit Starfalls once during their apprenticeship." The mention of the sacred place jerked Spottedpaw's attention back to the warrior. She perked her ears, remembering how Hawkscar mentioned it when she revealed the dreams she'd received. "They might experience nothing special there, and that's okay. Some cats simply don't develop a powerful bond with StarClan. In addition, our ancestors are known for being vague, and rarely truly reveal themselves to those who are not medicine cats or leaders."

     "You'd be lucky to have a connection at all, considering Deadeye's contempt for them," Rockstorm chimed in, his amber eyes, though as harsh as ever, glittered considerately.

     "That doesn't mean anything, Rockstorm," Swallowclaw chided, his tone cool. His eyes flashed fiercely, but he said nothing more to the warrior. "Spottedpaw, you're due to visit the Starfalls yourself soon. To prepare for it, apprentices and their mentors will take traveling herbs. The Starfalls is farther away than most apprentices are accustomed to, and it's safer to take traveling herbs so you don't grow weary or hungry along the way."

     Spottedpaw said nothing in response. She only nodded, thinking of what Rockstorm said to her. If what he said was true, perhaps she should consider herself lucky that Shadestar has visited her so much. He sure is persistent, she thought to herself, letting her gaze drift away as Swallowclaw recited more rules. He's even taken me directly to StarClan's territory . . . maybe I am lucky. She thought back to her starry-pathed journeys through the ancestral forest, and how both Shadestar and Ivorystar had spoken to her—and of her countless horrible, foreboding nightmares.

     Lost in her thought, Spottedpaw hadn't noticed when Heatherstar approached the trio. The black-furred she-cat cleared her throat deliberately, catching their attention.

     "Hello, Heatherstar," Rockstorm and Swallowclaw chimed together. Spottedpaw bowed her head to the leader, feeling embarrassed when she realized she forgot to verbally greet her.

     "Swallowclaw, I trust you've told Spottedpaw about her upcoming trip to Starfalls?" When the brown tabby warrior nodded, Heatherstar sat down and continued. "I've spoken with Blueheart and Skyfeather, and they feel that since tonight is the half moon, it'd be easier to simply have you journey with them to Starfalls." Swallowclaw blinked in surprise, while Rockstorm jumped to his paws in defiance.

     "Apprentices are supposed to be escorted by their mentors," Rockstorm hissed through clenched teeth, his eyes narrowed. "Why would you allow one—especially a previous Gorge apprentice—to accompany our medicine cats?" Heatherstar fixed the senior warrior with a cool glare.

     "You know better than to challenge my decisions, Rockstorm," Heatherstar mewed with a level tone, her twitching tail the only evidence of her irritation. "However, since you seem to feel she poses a threat to our medicine cats, I'll explain this simply. How would the other Clans feel if they found out two warriors were escorting a Gorge apprentice through their territory?"