Warriors - The Leopard's Apprentice

-Chapter 3 - The War Begins-

It had been two moon since LakeClan's attack and Leopardwillow noticed that Lynxdawn wasn't the same after Junipercloud's death, she would always walk into the medicine cat den and stay there for most of the day talking with Ivypaw thankfully she always managed to take Dandelionpaw out and practice her training but Leopardwillow couldn't help but feel pity for the grey spotted warrior. She knew Iyvpaw and Dandelionpaw always tried their best to try and cheer her up but after all they had never lost their mother before. "Leopardwillow!" her ears perked at her name and sat up, Sprucethorn was walking towards her now, "yes Sprucethorn." The tan spotted she-cat said with respect dipping her head at the ForestClan deputy, "I want to talk to you about something Leopardwillow, could you come over here with me for a second?" he asked. Leopardwillow nodded, she stretched and followed Sprucethorn to a secluded area "what did you want to discuss?" she asked her tail silently lashed in curiosity, The deputy smiled "I wanted to ask you how you thought of my son, Timberheart." Leopardwillow felt her face burn under the deputy's pine eye gaze, "H-he's nice I've always thought of him as a nice and reliable friend." she said, making sure to emphasize the word friend.

Sprucethorn let out an amused purr before responding "It's okay if you have feelings for him I understand that he's too shy to admit he has feelings for you." Leopardwillow stared back at the tom baffled did Timberheart really like her? "I-i better go I'm on dawn patrol." she said nervously leaving Sprucethorn alone in the clearing. "Hey Leopardwillow what did Sprucethorn want to discuss?" Foxbristle asked as they made their way to the rest of the patrol, Fallenbranch looked at her and nodded with interest. "He erm just wanted to ask me about hunting techniques." she said awkwardly, Foxbristle looked at her with a suspicious frown before changing the subject and beginning to discuss the battle with LakeClan. "It was crazy, wasn't it? I've never seen Flamestar so mad before, right Leopardwillow?" she said babbling away to Fallenbranch, who merely nodded in response. Leopardwillow nodded sadly the image of Junipercloud's battered body reappearing back in her mind. Suddenly she began to feel the slightest bit dazed Only a leopard can stop the smoke and fire before it destroys everything in it's wake, she looked around to see fire blazing through the trees as cats called for help she could see smoke through the flames It is not the fire you should fear but the smoke that lies within it. "Leopardwillow?" she heard Fallenbranch ask, she shook her head "yeah?" "you looked a little sick are you feeling alright?" Foxbristle answered for the shy tom.

Leopardwillow walked towards Dovesong's den as soon as the patrol returned to camp "Dovesong?!" she asked walking towards the beautiful pearly white she-cat "Coming!" Dovesong said her mouth filled with herbs, "Ivypaw can you put these away?" she asked the young tortoise-shell apprentice, Ivypaw nodded "Dovesong, where's all the poppy seeds? I need to give Lynxdawn a few before she goes to bed." Dovesong sighed and flicked her tail to a small ledge that kept all the poppy seeds, "Right, now what seems to be the trouble Leopardwillow?" "I-i had a vision I think, Foxbristle, Fallenbranch and I were on the dawn patrol and we were talking about the battle with LakeClan at the border and then all of a sudden it felt as if I blacked out I heard screams and then I saw fire everywhere and I heard a voice whisper only a leopard can stop the smoke and fire before it destroys everything in it's wake, it is not the flames you should fear but the smoke that lies within them, Dovesong is there something wrong with me?" she asked shaking the slightest bit. Dovesong shook her head "so you've heard about the prophecy at last." she said a hint of guilt in her voice, "prophecy?!" Leopardwillow asked, the white she-cat nodded "Starclan sent a prophecy the day Snakepaw, Dandelionpaw, and Smokepaw were apprenticed. That's why Bearstar assigned you as Smokepaw's mentor. We don't know the exact definition of the prophecy but we do know war will be inevitable between ForestClan and LakeClan."

Leopardwillow sat in disbelief, "so what does this prophecy have to do with me?" she asked nervously. Again Dovesong shook her head "we don't know but we think that you are meant to stop Flamestar- though we haven't quite thought of the meaning that ties in with Smokepaw." Leopardwillow thought for a second "so I'm supposed to stop an evil murderous pschycopath?!" Dovesong looked at Leopardwillow with a look of disbelief "why does this surprise you, you are the most confident, skilled, and flexible cat in ForestClan." "but why do I have to mentor Smokepaw?! This still doesn't add up at all!" she yowled in frustration. "Leopardwillow I know you don't understand but you'll have to trust Starclan if it wasn't that important Cherryblossom wouldn't have notified me about it." Leopardwillow looked quizzically at Dovesong, "Cherryblossom sent you this prophecy?!" she asked dumbfounded. Dovesong nodded "Leopardwillow don't think this makes you any less of a normal cat the prophecy will reveal itself in time but you don't have to act upon anything anytime soon." she said reassuringly, Leopardwillow breathed a breath she didn't know she'd been holding "thank you." she gasped trotting out of the medicine den.

Without looking where she was going she bumped into Wolfhowl, his fur was raised and he looked as if he was in distress, "Bearstar is dead!" He wailed.