'StarClan's Gift'

Deathberries

Fun fact:Bumble bees only live about 28 days.

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Silverpaw and I were padding through the forest,searching for moss.

"Sometimes being an apprentice can be hard work."Silverpaw sighed.

"Yes,but it's important! Who would help the elders with their ticks if us apprentices weren't here?"I argued.

Silverpaw stayed silent for a moment. "I suppose you're right."

We approached a tree covered in moss and started clawing it off.

"This should be good,we can always come back for more later."I shrugged.

We both grabbed as much as we could carry,and headed in the direction of home.
Entering the camp,we gazed around.

"Let's take this to the elders den,I heard Cloudedgaze complaining about her dirty nest."Silverpaw nodded toward the den.

I felt a weird feeling inside me.

"Uhhh,I'll take mine to the leaders den and change out Hornetstar's bedding,"I offered. "We will cover more that way."

Silverpaw narrowed her eyes,but shrugged and headed into the elders den.

The truth was I wasn't ready to see the elders den so empty.

In the days of my depression,Silverpaw had been doing my share of apprentice duties.But now I was back to doing stuff,meaning going in there.

But Cloudedgaze was all alone.No Honeyspot.Nothing to look forward to.(no offence Cloudedgaze)

And I wasn't ready to see that.

Entering the leaders den I grabbed the old bedding in my jaws.

"Hornetstar must be out in the forest."I thought,seeing that he wasn't in his den.

I threw the old bedding out,and replaced it with new moss.

Then I went to find Frostpool.

He was sharing tongues with Blossomfeather,a light brown she-cat.

"Hello."The friendly she-cat meowed to me as I approached them.

"Hey,"I replied,flicking my tail in greeting. "I'm here to ask Frostpool to go training."

He rose to his paws,nodding his head. "Will you be fine without me?"He nosed her swollen belly,round with kits.

"Yes.Enjoy some time with your apprentice,if I need anything,Ferretcloud can help me."

Worry still shone in the tom's eyes,but he nodded and followed me into the forest nonetheless.

"So,"I decided to start conversation. "When are they due?"

He smiled softly. "Ferretcloud says in a few weeks,mabye three."

"That's nice."I purred. "We could use some more apprentices."

We found the training hollow,and saw Frogwhisker training his apprentice,Nightpaw.

"Looking good!"Frostpool called over to them.

Nightpaw raised her head,pride in her eyes,and Frogwhisker took the opportunity to barrel her over.

My mentor chuckled,and stood in front of me. "Let's see how your training is so far.Attack me."

I bunched my muscles,needing to put more strength into my leap due to my missing leg,then leapt over him,landing on the ground as gracefully as I could.I turned,fast as light,and hopped on his back,wrapping my sheathed paws around his neck.

He went limp,dropping to the ground.Then he rolled onto his back,sending me flying off him and landing,wind knocked out of me,against a tree.

He then got to his paws and cornered me against the tree,my back pressed against it.

"What are you going to do now? Huh?"The tom teased me,lashing his tail but waiting to see what I would do.

I glanced around,looking for something to use,and spotted a low hanging branch right above my mentor's head.

Smiling,I leapt high,hooking my claws into the branch.I swung a bit,and landed a few feet behind Frostpool.
Turning, I leapt forward and knocked him over,sinking my teeth into his scruff.

I let go,standing back to let him get up.

"Good job! You're turning into a wonderful warrior."My mentor licked me over the ear, his gaze warm and full of pride.

"Thank you!"I purred.

"Now let's head back to camp."

~~~
"Come on guys!"Nightpaw urged us,her voice a little more than a whisper.

We were sneaking through the forest in the night,because Nightpaw saw something interesting when she was training.

Walking up a hill beside the training hollow,we spotted a bush.

"There! Look!"The black and white apprentice ran over to the bush and crouched beside it. "Yummy looking berries!"

Silverpaw and I stood beside the bush as well,staring at the berries.

They were shiny and red,glittering in the moonlight.

"We should try them!"Nightpaw picked one off of a branch,setting it on the ground.

"No,we shouldn't eat berries if we don't know what they are."I stepped back.

Silverpaw nodded. "They could be deadly.Squirreltail warned me about a few things we shouldn't eat."

Nightpaw huffed. "Fine,I'll ask my mentor some other day.At least we had a fun nighttime adventure!"

Sighing in relief,I started back home,my friends behind me.

I didn't know that the berries were deadly, I felt that they were.