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

Chapter 22

 Minnowpaw spent a good part of the day hunting with Flamepelt and Redpaw, letting her emotions out as she caught prey for her Clan. Her heart was lighter as they trekked back to camp just after sunhigh, and for once Minnowpaw was relieved at the grumbling feeling in her stomach.

Once they got back to camp, the three cats put their fresh-kill on the pile, and Flamepelt said, "I'd love to share a fish with you, but I have to go talk to Birchclaw."

Redpaw suddenly looked nervous. "About me?"

"Yes. He just wants to know how your training is going," Flamepelt reassured his apprentice. "Don't worry; you're doing great."

As he padded away, Minnowpaw asked Redpaw, "Do you want to share some fresh-kill with me?"

Looking apologetic, Redpaw replied, "Sorry, I can't. I have to go find my littermates."

Minnowpaw felt a little crushed, but reminded herself that she wasn't the only cat in the Clan. It wasn't like Redpaw was saying he wasn't her friend. So she said, "Okay, some other time then." She instead picked up a juicy fish and headed for the nursery.

Cherryheart's kits were playing, rolling around the nursery floor chasing after a shiny pebble that some cat had brought them from the river. Ashflower and Cherryheart watched them, faces lit up in amusement, and Ashflower's own kits were slightly stirring in their nest.

Everyone looked up when Minnowpaw announced herself, and she was suddenly tackled by Specklekit, Birchkit, Reedkit, and Breezekit. They toppled her over and batted at her with their paws and, letting out a small cry of alarm, Minnowpaw dropped the fish onto the ground.

"Got you!" Reedkit exclaimed.

"You tried to ambush us, but we were ready!" Breezekit added. "Because we're tough RiverClan warriors!"

Minnowpaw purred, pushing the kits off of her. "That's right, you are," she meowed. "If I were an enemy warrior, I'd be terrified!"

Squealing with laughter, the four kits ran back to their game. Minnowpaw picked the fish back up and set it in front of Ashflower, who blinked gratefully and took a bite. After a few moments of chewing, she said, "You're looking better."

Minnowpaw nodded and sat down. "I went out hunting with Flamepelt and Redpaw," she explained. "I guess I let myself forget that I still have friends in the Clan. I just felt like everybody hated me."

"I understand," Ashflower meowed, though Minnowpaw was certain she didn't. "You and Ashstar took Shadebelly's death harder than anyone else, and that kind of grief doesn't go away easily." More thoughtfully, she added, "You remind me more and more of Ashstar every day."

Minnowpaw blinked. "Really? How?"

Ashflower's whiskers twitched. "You have the same heart as him," she said. "You're fiercely protective over your Clanmates, and your loyalty to RiverClan runs deeper than the roots of the oldest tree in the forest. Cats like you are born leaders."

Minnowpaw almost jumped up. She'd never thought of herself as a leader before, except when she was a kit. But every kit wanted to be Clan leader someday. Since becoming an apprentice, Minnowpaw felt like she'd lost that urge. "Do you really think I could be Clan leader?" she mewed, surprised.

Ashflower shrugged. "Any cat can do it," she mused. "But only certain cats can do it well. I think, if you really wanted to, you could be a great leader for this Clan."

Minnowpaw thought for a moment. "I can't really see myself as a leader," she admitted.

Cherryheart's whiskers twitched mischievously. "Do you have other plans in mind?" she asked with a sideways look at the two litters of kits.