The Apprentice's Curse (A Shrouded Path book 1) {COMPLETE}

Chapter 1

 A falling dewdrop roused Minnowpaw from sleep, landing squarely on her nose. Her eyes flew open and she parted her jaws in a wide yawn. Thin beams of sunlight drifted through the small gaps in the roof of the apprentices den, and a warm morning breeze ruffled Minnowpaw's fur as she stood to give her speckled silver pelt a wash. She could hear birds calling from the forest outside the camp, and beyond that the river bubbled and sang as it carried on. Rich prey-scent drifted to Minnowpaw's nose from all directions, and her paws itched to begin the day. After a long, cold-leaf bare, newleaf was here at last.

A stirring body next to her made Minnowpaw aware that Sorrelpaw had woken up. "You're awake early," the pale she-cat mumbled, yawning. She stretched out wide and began to groom herself as well. Outside the den, Minnowpaw could see that the dawn patrol was just leaving; she picked out the pelts of Birchclaw, Cloudsplash, Pebblenose, and Nettlestep.

"I couldn't sleep," Minnowpaw replied, drawing a paw over her ears. "There's so much I want to do!" Apprenticed just six sunrises ago, Minnowpaw felt as if she still knew so little about her territory, about hunting and fighting and swimming. And with the tantalizing newleaf winds beckoning her out of camp, she could hardly control her excitement.

Sorrelpaw nodded. "I should be having an assessment today," she said in between licks, eyes alight with obvious excitement. The ginger apprentice had been training for almost four moons now, and Minnowpaw knew that before long, her friend would be sleeping in the warriors' den.

"I hope Tawnyclaw takes me swimming soon," Minnowpaw said. "Maybe the river will be warm enough now." Leaf-bare had gripped the forest in icy claws and Minnowpaw, just now six moons old, had yet to attempt the one thing that RiverClan was known for, all because the water was too cold. She couldn't wait to get started!

At last, Mudpaw yawned and uncurled his thick brown body from his reed-lined nest. "Do you have to be so loud so early in the morning?" he grumbled, drawing a paw over his face.

Sorrelpaw rolled her eyes at her brother. "It's not that early, fish-brain," she teased. "You're just lazy."

Minnowpaw purred with laughter. "StarClan forbid Shadebelly ever assigns you to the dawn patrol!" she joked.

"You better get up," Sorrelpaw added. "I'm sure our mentors will need us soon."

Mudpaw yawned and sat up, licking his forepaw groggily. "Oh, Sweetstripe can wait," he muttered.

"I'd better not have to," a light voice said from outside the den, and the sand-colored head of Mudpaw's mentor poked through the entrance.

Mudpaw's eyes flashed with alarm. "Sorry, Sweetstripe," he apologized instantly, licking his fur faster, but the she-cat's hazel eyes shone with laughter. Head down in embarrassment, Mudpaw ducked out of the den after his mentor.

"Come on," Sorrelpaw said to Minnowpaw. "Let's go see if there's some fresh-kill left on the pile."

The two apprentices headed out into the camp, where the rest of their Clanmates were beginning their day as well. Ashstar and his deputy, Shadebelly, were speaking to each other outside Ashstar's den. Bristlepelt, Minnowpaw's father, and Ashflower, her mother, were sharing a large trout just outside the warriors' den, and Nightwhisper and his apprentice Silverheart were laying herbs out to dry in the middle of the camp. Minnowpaw and Sorrelpaw nearly tripped over Maplenose's three kits as they made their way to the fresh-kill pile. Maplenose was chasing them down, calling to them sternly. "I told you not to get under any cats' paws! Get back here, all of you!"

There wasn't much prey left, but Sorrelpaw picked up a water vole, Minnowpaw's favorite, and the two apprentices bent down to share it. As they finished, Twigtail, Sorrelpaw's mentor, approached them. Minnowpaw's mentor, Tawnyclaw, was close behind.