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Chapter Four

Twigpaw groaned silently to himself as he continued plucking borage leaves, an herb used for helping queens produce more milk for their kits and, occasionally, helping cure fevers.

It had been half a moon since the gathering, and since he had met Pinepaw, and he was no closer to figuring out which cats believed the fake prophecy. He'd tried slyly asking the cats that came into the medicine den with small injuries, but none of them had seemed to believe it. They said nothing interesting on the subject...

Twigpaw pushed the thought of it to the back of his mind, and returned his focus to collecting the herbs. He looked at his amount, and then at Berrystorm's. They almost had enough.

Twigpaw plucked the last few leaves they needed, and then picked his pile of herbs up, careful not to bite into the leaves and puncture them. With a nod from Berrystorm, they began trekking back to their camp.

They returned to camp fairly quickly, as borage leaves grey close to the camp. Twigpaw went strait to the medicine cat's den, and placed the borage leaves where they needed to go, in the herb store. After a short bit, Berrystorm followed him, his elder bones having had slowed him down.

"Thank you, Twigpaw, for helping me." Berrystorm told Twigpaw, and he quickly responded.

"You're welcome, but, you're my mentor, so of course I helped."

"But you didn't have to."

"But I did." There was a small pause, and then Berrystorm broke the silence.

"But, Twigpaw, you didn't. I cannot force you to do anything, although that's what the warrior code says."

Twigpaw was reminded of the warrior code. It was a set of rules and laws that warriors lived by. They followed the warrior code strictly, and only rarely did a warrior break it. It stated several things, including that a leader's word is law, but Berrystorm was pointing out a specific part in it. 'An apprentice will listen to their mentor, and obey orders without question' was what it said.

"You help me on your own free will, and your own obedience."

Twigpaw didn't respond. Instead, he took a moment to think. He's right...

Berrystorm purred at the silence. "Now, you've helped me enough for the day."

These words almost surprised Twigpaw. It was barely after sunhigh, and yet Berrystorm was telling him he was done for the day.

"A-are you sure? No other herbs to be stored, or dried, or anything?"

"Everything's fine for now. Go relax, and do whatever you need to do."

Twigpaw gave a small, thankful nod, and trotted out of the den. I don't know why he's letting me go early, but... This gives me an opportunity to try and figure out whih are the cats. Pinepaw's probably enjoyed the past half moon, watching me...

He had went straight to the center of the camp, and stared at the warrior's den. Let's see... It was Barkpelt, Honeytail, Antpelt, Kinktail, and Lizardclaw who went to the gathering... I doubt they believed any of Froststar's words...but what about Stonepelt, Fernheart, Poppyfang, and Goldenheart? Stonepelt hardly believes the real prophecies and omens anyway... Poppyfang's a smart she-cat, she'dsee through it. But, He looked towards the antrane of the camp, where Fernheart was talking to Kinktail, who was on guard. Fernheart worries me... She's always easily believed the stories she was told...

He then turned his head towards the apprentice' den. The only apprentice I'm sure about is Cloudpaw...

His gaze then turned to the Nursery. Even if Sagetail did believe it, she'd fight against having to join other clans.

Lastly, Twigpaw turned his head towards the elder's den. Silverfur and Tangsyclaw were sitting next to eachother, grooming themselves. They wouldn't, I know.

"Shouldn't you be helping Berrystorm?"

Cloudpaw's sudden mew in Twigpaw's ear startled him, and he nearly fell over from the startle. He hadn't expected her to sneak up on him like that.

"N-no. Berrystorm said I could have the rest of today to relax, and do what I want." He replied, and began licking his ruffled fur, to smooth it.

"That's great! Goldenheart said I could too, because I went out hunting early, and brought back a few pieces of fresh-kill!" Cloudpaw purred.

Twigpaw looked towards the fresh-kill pile, and noticed a mouse and rabbit on top of it. He assumed that those were what Cloudpaw had caught.

"What should we do for the rest of the day, Twigpaw?" She asked him.

Twigpaw responded with a small shrug. After a moment's silence, Cloudpaw turned her head to the camp entrance.

"Why don't we take a walk?" She suggested.

Twigpaw nodded, and began heading towards the camp entrance.

A walk would be nice, come to think of it. It might help me think.

They passed by Kinktail, who nodded his approval of them leaving camp. They turned, and began heading towards the thicker part of the forest, where less flowers grew, and much more trees were. As they walked, Twigpaw noticed how the light was slowly fading, from the thickening canopy of leaves.

"So, how's being Berrystorm's apprentice?" Cloudpaw broke the silence with her question.

"It's been good. It's been almost slightly boring with so few injured cats to care for, but it's also fun, because Berrystorm likes to joke. How's being Goldenheart's apprentice?" He returned the question.

"Tough! He constantly makes me push myself. HE expects so much out of me, even though I'm a fairly new apprentice..."

"Has he pushed you too hard? Have you felt sick? He's letting you rest, right?" Twigpaw bombarded Cloudpaw with these questions obvious concern in his voice. Cloudpaw purred at his concern.

"I'm fine, Twigpaw. In fact... I like the challenge. It's made me stronger."

"As if you weren't strong enough before! You pinned every cat you wrestled with, back in the nursery!" Twigpaw teased, and Cloudpaw gave him a friendly gaze, but responded with a short silence.

"So," she began, "What's been on your mind lately?"

Twigpaw looked down at the ground. Did she know he'd been troubled lately? "What do you mean?"

"You've had this thoughtful look on your face since the gathering. So tell me. What's wrong?"

Twigpaw continued gazing down at the ground. Can I tell her? Did Pinepaw say I could have help? I wish I knew...

"Sure you can have help!" Pinepaw's voice startled Twigpaw, and he jumped back. Twigpaw looked towards where the voice came from, and was surprised to see the starry figure of Pinepaw.

"P-Pinepaw!" he exclaimed.

"What's wrong? Why'd you jump? I don't see anyone... who's Pinepaw?" Cloudpaw's voice sounded genuinely confused, and the way she stared straight towards Pinepaw but didn't seem to notice him made Twigpaw wonder why she couldn't see him. "W-what do you mean you can't see anyone? You can't see him?" Twigpaw was almost amazed that she couldn't see his clear, starry form.

"Nope, she can't see me." Pinepaw responded for Cloudpaw.

"Why did you come here? ... HOW did you come here?"

"Well, I came to answer your question."

"You read my thoughts?"

"More-or-less... Hey, you do know you probably seem like a mouse-brain to her, right? She sees you talking to air." Twigpaw didn't respond, and Pinepaw purred.

"Really, who's Pinepaw?" Cloudpaw's mew had an obviously confused tone to it still.

"Pinepaw's a cat from starclan," Twigpaw explained. "He's the one who put the thoughtful look on my face, I suppose."

"Really? How'd he do that?"

"He told me that if I don't convince some cats about something, then the clans will all suffer, and maybe die..."

"Painfully." Pinepaw added.

"Painfully." Twigpaw repeated.

Cloudpaw stared at Twigpaw in disbelief. "What do you mean convince some cats?" She eventually broke the silence with her question.

"You might want to sit down, and get comfortable. It's a bit long..."

Cloudpaw nodded, and sat down, wrapping her tail over her paws. Twigpaw followed her lead, and Pinepaw laid down. Twigpaw repeated to Cloudpaw what Pinepaw had told him, about how the omen was indeed fake as they had thought, and how some cats believed it. He told her about what the clans were doomed to if he didn't find out who these cats were, and convince them otherwise. He also told her about the more detailed things Pinepaw had mentioned, when he had come to Twigpaw again three sunrises after he first came. The day went by slowly as he explained, but eventually he finished repeating Pinepaw.

Cloudpaw turned her head slightly. "Wait... why would he ask you, when you weren't even an apprentice for a full moon? Why didn't he ask a more experienced warrior, like Berrystorm?"

"Because I wouldn't have had as much fun watching them!" Pinepaw answered.

"He says because he wouldn't have had as much fun watching them." Twigpaw repeated for Cloudpaw, since she couldn't hear Pinepaw.

Cloudpaw rolled her eyes, doing exactly what Twigpaw wanted to. "But... how is he even here? Don't cats from Starclan generally... I don't know... stay there?"

"Excellent question! Well, you se-"

"Sh!" Pinepaw was cut off by Twigpaw, and his ears twitched.

"Do you hear that? A patrol... We can't let them know about Pinepaw, Cloudpaw."

Cloudpaw nodded, and focused her hearing so that she could hear the patrol, as Twigpaw had.

Twigpaw sniffed the air, to scent who it was. _Silverfur, Lizardclaw, and Barkpelt..._He recognized their scents.

Strange though... Normally an apprentice is with a hunting patrol.

He thought for a moment, and then what he said hit him. Are we really this close to the Winterclan border?

It wasn't until now that he realized the trees above them were no longer filled with lush green leaves, but the leaves had turned brown, and a lot of them had fallen, and were on the ground. They were almost at the border.

Twigpaw tensed. He quickly scented the air again, to see if they had crossed the border. He was relieved when he learned that they hadn't yet.

The bushes rustled behind them, and the patrol came into view. Both Cloudpaw and Twigpaw turned their heads towards the patrol. Pinepaw stayed laying down, ignoring the patrol, and began licking his forelegs, to wash them.

Silverfur was the first to notice them, and she rushed towards the three, unaware of Pinepaw, as she only looked at Twigpaw and Cloudpaw. "Twigpaw, Cloudpaw, what are you doing here? You're not sneaking away again, like when you were kits, are you?" She asked them.

"No, Silverfur. We were told we did enough for the day." Twigpaw responded.

"And we decided to take a walk." Cloudpaw added.

Silverfur stayed silent, studying the two for a moment. She eventually responded. "Allright... I'll take your word for it." She told them, and then walked back to the patrol.

Twigpaw sighed relief. Normally, if he were found this far away from the camp without Berrystorm, or another warrior, he'd be scolded, or given a lecture.

"But, you really were put in this situation by Pinepaw?" Cloudpaw turned her gaze back to Twigpaw.

Twigpaw nodded. "Yep..."

"You know, if you need help, you can just ask me for it. If this needs to be kept as a secret, I can keep it."

"Thanks, Cloudpaw... I appreciate it. I'll ask for help if I need it, and I need it. Would you mind helping me find out which cats in Springclan believe Froststar's fake prophecy? I have no ideas about the apprentices..."

"Well," Pinepaw mewed, getting up. "I'll be off now."

"Of course I can find out." Cloudpaw obviously hadn't heard Pinepaw.

Twigpaw watched as Pinepaw's starry form faded away, and he looked back at Cloudpaw. "It's starting to get dark a bit. We should head back."

Cloudpaw nodded. "I could do with some fresh-kill!" She replied, and stood up.

Twigpaw got up as well, and the two began heading back to the camp.