Warriors: The Prophecy of Frost - Apprentice's Journey

Chapter 5- The First for Everything

When Frostpaw opened her eyes, she heard a faint sound of water drops dripping onto a pool of some sort.

She blinked. She was still in that dark tunnel, but she couldn't see or scent her mentor or the dog that attacked her.

Frostpaw padded hesitantly towards the exit, which had traces of light shining from it.

When she walked out, she could not recongise the territory. That's when she realise she was dreaming.

A cat, who she had seen when Bluewish led her to the pool, padded up to her. The tom smiled slightly, as if he hadn't for a long time.

"As you probably know, you are in StarClan," he mewed. "The things that you just experienced... are planned."

"So I was meant to attack the dog and fall unconscious?" Frostpaw asked disbelievingly.

"It is predicted," the tom replied calmly. "As I was saying, you are supposed to meet with us - me - now. I know of your uncertainty, but don't worry any longer. It will fade soon. Bluewish's visit was to get you somewhat prepared. And you are, in a way."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" she asked anxiously.

The tom stared at her seriously. "You are to go on a journey to another set of territories, far away, known as the lake.

"What?" Frostpaw mewed in disbelief, widening her eyes in shock. "On my own?"

"StarClan will guide you," the tom mewed as if it was obvious.

"But..." Frostpaw mewed, "Why on my own?"

The tom sighed. "If you are lucky, some cat might help you. But StarClan will always be watching. You are young, but determined. You will need the skills attained from that in the future. You have to leave in a quarter moon, or there will be compilations."

"Okay," Frostpaw replied hesitantly.

"Good luck," the tom mewed.

~~~~

"Frostpaw, wake up!" the sound of her mentor was the first thing she heard. Timberclaw looked at her worriedly.

"You fell unconscious while fighting that dog," he explained. "I chased it away and decided not to move you because it might be dangerous."

Frostpaw blinked at the darkness and nodded, feeling her head pounding with knowledge.

"I know why Bluewish visited me!" she mewed excitedly. "I am supposed to go on a journey, far away from here."

Her voice fadded away at the last part and she scanned Timberclaw's face for any signs of expression.

"Let's get out here first," he mewed finally.

When they got out, Frostpaw blinked again at the brighter light. The sun was beginning to set as Timberclaw stared evenly at her.

"Going on a journey is tough," he began, "but I'm sure that with training, it would help. The next day will be the Gathering. You will be going so that you can learn a bit about other Clans. After the Gathering, you and I have a lot of training to do."

"What training?" Frostpaw asked curiously.

"Battle training," Timberclaw replied. "A revision on your hunting skills, tracking skills, your speed and finally, survival skills. I might have to ask for help on the last one though."

"That's an awful lot to cover in four days," she mewed worriedly. "Can I learn that much in time?"

Timberclaw's amber eyes gleamed. "We shall see."

~~~~

"Why can't I go to the Gathering?" Lightningpaw complained. Blazepaw ignored him this time.

His littermate continued to complain to no cat. The only cat who replied to his question was his mentor, Stripepad.

"You did your apprentice jobs poorly," he mewed, unfazed by the glare that Lightningpaw gave him. "You will only attend the Gathering when you have finally learnt something called, 'patience'."

"ThunderClan, we are leaving!" Silverstar called out as Lightningpaw stomped into the apprentice den, sulking.

Frostpaw, Blazepaw and Poolpaw were coming to that Gathering, and their first one too.

"I can't wait to meet the other apprentices," Blazepaw whispered to Frostpaw and Poolpaw as the Clan walked to Fourtrees.

"Me too," Poolpaw replied.

"What about you, Frostpaw?" Blazepaw asked.

"I hope to learn about the other Clans," she replied, remembering Timberclaw's words.

Blazepaw shrugged. "I suppose it helps during a battle with that Clan."

"Save your chatter for later," Specklebreeze purred, walking as fast as them although she was an elder. "You will find it hard to keep up."

Frostpaw nodded respectfully as Specklebreeze padded to Russeteyes' side.

When ThunderClan arrived, Frostpaw nearly bumped into a ShadowClan apprentice.

"Careful," the apprentice mewed, not in an unfriendly way. "I'm Cloverpaw, what's your name?"

"Frostpaw," she replied. "Are there any other apprentices?"

"Yes," Cloverpaw mewed. "But I am sure that the RiverClan apprentices got their warrior names already. WindClan have no apprentices yet but ShadowClan have two other apprentices other than me."

Frostpaw turned and saw a brown, broad-shouldered tom. "Is that one of your fellow apprentices?"

"That's Brackenpaw," she mewed and raised her voice to call out for the other apprentice. "Brackenpaw, come here!"

When Brackenpaw padded up to her curiously, Frostpaw realised that he was massive, to her at least.

"I never see you before," he commented, staring at her deeply with his dark amber eyes.

Frostpaw felt her legs wobbling and she stumbled a little.

"Steady, I'm not going to hurt you," Brackenpaw mewed.

"He is quite intimidating at times," Cloverpaw admitted. "But he is loyal."

Frostpaw let out a sigh of relief. There was something in his dark amber gaze that she couldn't put her paw on.

"I was a rogue once," he mewed. "So was Alderstep and Daisypetal."

"My mother and father," Cloverpaw added with pride.

"The Gathering is starting," a black tom hissed at them. "You don't want to get scolded."

Cloverpaw let out a purr of amusement. "That's my littermate, Beetlepaw. He is too serious at times."

Frostpaw found herself relaxing as her first Gathering began.

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A/N: Thoughts on Frostpaw's soon-to-be-journey? And Brackenpaw?