ωαяяισя ¢αтѕ // Mintpool's Promise

Chapter 5

Mintpaw scrambled up, wobbling, due to her sleepiness. Her pelt was bristled, as though she had been jump scared. Her eyes were still blurry with sleep and her head was slightly dizzy from the suddenness of the awakening. Am I still in that awful dream? As the sound of water trickling floated into her ears and the scent of herbs drifted towards her, relief seeped through her bones as she realized that she was now awake. What in StarClan was that?

Echoleaf's head poked out from the herb storage. Her green eyes flashed with amusement as she blinked at her apprentice. "What's wrong? You look like you've just seen a badger!"

Mintpaw forced her fur to flatten, debating on whether or not to tell her mentor about the dream. "Nothing," she mewed, deciding to keep it a secret from Echoleaf for now.

Her mentor seemed to accept her answer without a second thought. "Okay, then. Go grab some prey, and quickly! The Gathering patrol is about to leave. I'll be out there soon." With that, she disappeared back into the cave.

For a moment, Mintpaw's pelt pricked with confusion, before the memories of the events washed back into her mind. Echoleaf had informed her that they were going to a Gathering, and she'd decided to take a quick nap before they left. That nap had brought the dream.

The gray tabby shook out her pelt, then bounded out of the medicine den. The setting golden sunlight beamed in her eyes, making her squint, as she made her way to the fresh-kill pile, a feeling of dread swirling in her belly. The clearing, much unlike her thoughts, was cheerful. Cats were talking and sharing prey before they had to leave. By the apprentices' den, Adderpaw and Flowerpaw were gulping down a thrush. Crowpaw, who had become Crowfur, was crouched beside them, eating a mouse. Icepaw lay nearby, his head on his paws, looking full and resting.

"Hey, Mintpaw!" Adderpaw's voice made the tabby turn towards him. "Want to share?"

At the sight of her brother, Mintpaw's mind flashed back to her dream, and now lifeless his body seemed, laid on the ground. She almost didn't notice Flowerpaw's fur fluff up slightly with annoyance. Who put thorns in her pelt?

"Sure!" she answered cheerfully. Turning towards the prey pile, she snatched up a vole and bounded towards her friends.

As she neared, Adderpaw scooched away from Flowerpaw to make room for her, seemingly making the ginger she-cat even more annoyed, sending pulses of confusion through Mintpaw. They had been such good friends as kits, and now it seems that Flowerpaw was annoyed with the gray tabby. What happened? We've barely spoken. There's nothing I could've said that would annoy her.

Ignoring Flowerpaw's attitude, Mintpaw laid down her vole, taking a bite. "So, how's your warrior training going?"

"It's fine." Flowerpaw's answer was curt. "So, Adderpaw, do you want me to introduce you to some apprentices at the Gathering? I know loads of cats!"

The black-and-white tom shrugged. "Sure. That would be cool."

Mintpaw's pelt pricked uneasily, feeling as though she was getting in the way. Before she was able to say something, the sound of pebbles clattering made her glance towards the leader's den, where Spottedstar was exiting.

"We're leaving for the Gathering now!" the golden she-cat announced, her voice travelling clearly through the camp.

Mews echoed throughout the clearing as cats scrambled to their paws, promising their friends that they'd tell them what happened. Mintpaw hurriedly gulped down the rest of her vole as she spotted Echoleaf exiting from the medicine den. Crowfur pushed himself to his paws and went to join the patrol, Flowerpaw right on his tail.

"Tell me what happened, okay?" Icepaw mewed as Adderpaw scrambled to his paws as well.

"Of course!" Adderpaw chirped back. "Are you coming, Mintpaw?"