Warriors Cats: A New Horizon; Ominous Skies [Book 1]

Chapter Two

Turtlepaw sat in the medicine cat den, the sunlight filtering through the brambles that acted as the entrance. The warm sunlight on her back, combined with the mixed scents of herbs, was very calming to her, she hummed slightly as she sorted the different herbs into piles. She scooted the yarrow leaves together, then the juniper berries into their pile. Once everything was neat and organized, she turned to the entrance of the den. 

Watching the other apprentices play, sometimes she wished she could play, and go hunting. But she knew her heart lie as a medicine cat, she glanced to Redstar, who was sharing tongues with his deputy, and mate, Squirreltail. She sighed, knowing she couldnt have a mate either. She shook the thoughts away, what am I thinking? I'm a medicine cat apprentice, I must put my clan duties before my own needs and wants. She sat by the entrance of the den, watching the sun slightly set as she waited for her mentor to get back. Finally, Sorrelfinch and Acornspeck appeared through the entrance of the camp, she padded over to them. They seemed to be carrying plenty of herbs, plenty of herbs that I have to sort. She thought to herself, she looked up at them. 

"Welcome back, do you need any help with that?" Acornspeck shook his head politely, padding past her.

 "You can take this Goldenrod." Sorrelfinch meowed through a mouthful of Catmint. She handed the bright yellow flowers to Turtlepaw, before brushing past her towards the medicine den. 

Turtlepaw quickly scrambled after her, 

"Do you think I can help gather herbs next time? I feel so useless sitting around here all day."

 "You're not useless, you help sort the herbs, thats an important part of being a medicine cat." She set down the herbs, noticing Turtlepaws disappointed look.

 "But I'll be sure to take you next time, I promise." Turtlepaw smiled slightly, looking over towards Acornspeck, who was quickly sorting the herbs into their respective piles.

 She stared at her paws, tiredness tugging at her slightly, she stood. Walking over the join Acornspeck with sorting herbs, she sighed to herself. 

After sorting the rest of the herbs with the help of the other medicine cats, she curled up in her nest by the entrance of the den. She flicked her ear, listening to the night noises she felt a cool breeze blow through her fur. Turtlepaw glanced out into the clearing, it seemed to be dead at this hour. She got up, shaking off moss that clung to her pelt. She padded out towards the middle of the clearing, before she spotted Badgerstripe by the entrance of camp. Her heart began to pump faster, he must be guarding the entrance. She quickly jumped into the bushes, noticing a way out of camp, I could climb up these rocks, she thought to herself. 

She took a chance, leaping up onto one of the ledges, and then used her back paws to scramble up the side of the ravine. She grappled onto the top of the cliff with her forepaws, digging her claws into the grass. She heaved herself up, shaking dust off her pelt. I made it up! She looked around at the forest, it seemed much bigger at night. She started to pad towards the Moonpool, unsure of where she could explore first. She looked around the forest, listening to all the sounds around her, she pinned her ears back and forth, hoping she wouldn't get caught sneaking out. Sorrelfinch would make me pick ticks off the elders for a moon! She thought to herself, speeding up. As she heard a noise, she froze in her tracks, her heart racing. Her paws felt like stone, and she frantically looked around. 

A tom she didnt recognize slid out from the bushes, her eyes widened as she stepped back, unsheathing her claws. 

"Who are you?" She meowed, the tom jumped, clearly not noticing her either until now. 

"Great Starclan, you scared me!" He meowed, glaring at her. 

"I scared you?" She shook her head, 

"Get off of Thunderclan territory!" She hissed, he rolled his eyes. 

"What are you going to do about it? You're just a medicine cat apprentice." His words made her angry, she leapt at him, raking her claws across his face. 

He yowled in pain, swatting at her flank with unsheathed claws.

 "Whats going on here?" The sudden voice of another cat stopped them both, they turned to face the other cat, it was Badgerstripe. 

"I dont know! This random apprentice came over on Thunderclan territory, I was trying to defend us!" The tom glared at her, but she ignored him, looking pleadingly at Badgerstripe.

 "I suppose you should skedaddle." He meowed at the Tom. 

"As for you-" He glanced at Turtlepaw as the ginger and white apprentice raced off towards Shadowclan territory.

 "-Why were you venturing outside of camp." Turtlepaw had to think quickly,

 "Late night herb gathering." He looked her up-and-down

 "And yet you have none."

 "I encountered him before I could find anything..." Badgerstripe flicked his tail as a signal to follow.

 "We will have to inform Redstar about this." Turtlepaw quickly trailed behind him, her fur bristling with fear that Sorrelfinch would punish her for sneaking out.

  If only that stupid Shadowclan cat didnt come over here! What was he doing anyways? She thought to herself, still following Badgerstripe. Could he have been over here with ill intents? Her heart lurched at the thought.