Distant Sun - Thunder

Chapter 11

Heatherpaw couldn't sleep. She'd tried counting the stars, she'd tried remembering stories Falconcall once told her as a kit. Nothing was working. So she started pacing. All of the other apprentices were asleep anyway so she wasn't bothering them.

Heatherpaw could see the sun peeking out into the camp, so she wouldn't be alone soon. Though, she always felt alone now when it came to camp.

Finally, some cat crept out of the dens and stretches. It was Smokesong. Heatherpaw waits a moment longer before creeping into camp. Smokesong sits down next to Reedtail, who'd been guarding the camp in the night, and starts talking to her brother.

Heatherpaw walks out of the den and grabs a small mouse off the pile. As she eats, she watches as the camp becomes busier. She feels her restlessness leave her as other cats start walking into the clearing. It was the day they would all move to the greenleaf camp, so the chatter was more excited than usual.

"You're up early."

Heatherpaw looks up and smiles when she sees Mangledface standing next to her.

"Couldn't sleep," Heatherpaw replies. "Why are you up so early? Didn't Goldenlight say you needed rest?"

"She did, yeah. But we're moving camps today and the warriors are in charge of making sure everything is in order before we leave," Mangledface shrugs.

"Fair," Heatherpaw purrs. "Though I have noticed that Raventooth, who is equally as damaged as you, often sits out on that."

"He's missing a limb, though. That makes it harder for him," Mangledface rebukes. "Besides, I don't want to sit around all day, I've done that enough."

Heatherpaw gets to her paws and shakes out her pelt. "I'd take advantage of that privilege, if you get it. Moving day is horrible on the warriors. I can tell."

"Heatherpaw!"

"Gotta go," Heatherpaw touches noses with her brother and walks over to her mentor. "What's up?"

"You and the other apprentices are going ahead with the elders and queens to clear up the greenleaf camp," Appleberry meows.

"We don't have any queens, though," Heatherpaw tilts her head in confusion. The nursery had been cleared out after Larkpaw and Nightpaw had been made apprentices, so there were no queens using that den.

"We do now," Appleberry motions with her head to where Firepelt and Snowheart were sitting. Rubyheart and Sapphireeyes were chatting excitedly with the older she-cats.

"They're having kits?" Heatherpaw asks.

"Yeah, they told Spottedstar this morning," Appleberry flicks her tail, which shows how excited she was. Heatherpaw remembers that her brother, Halffur, is Sapphireeyes's mate. These kits would be Appleberry's kin. "So you should start getting ready."

Heatherpaw nods and walks over to the older she-cats. "Good morning."

"Morning, Heatherpaw," Snowheart meows kindly. "Are you ready to go back to the greenleaf camp?"

"Yeah, the quarry isn't as warm as the clearing," Heatherpaw purrs.

Silverpaw, Oakpaw, Larkpaw and Nightpaw walk up to the group, each of the young cats looks excited.

"Good morning, dears," Firepelt greets them. "We'll be leaving once Spottedstar gives us an escort."

The younger cats nod enthusiastically. Heatherpaw looks around the quarry, wondering who Spottedstar would assign as escort. On the way to the quarry, Heatherpaw remembered that it was Misteye who'd lead them through the forest. Who would it be this time?

Petalpaw and Yewpaw approach the group quietly, they looked like they had just woken up. Now all they needed was Opalpaw and the escort.

"Raventooth!" Spottedstar's harsh voice makes Heatherpaw jump.

"Yes, Spottedstar?" the black and white tom looks up from clearing out the moss nests from the elder's den.

"You'll be going with the apprentices, queens and elders to the greenleaf camp, so hurry up with disposing of those nests!" Spottedstar flicks her tail angrily and goes back into her den.

Raventooth drags the nests over to where Heronsight was gathering all of the old moss and rushes over to the group as fast as he was able. It was as he joined the group that Opalpaw finally appeared outside of the apprentice's den. She joins the group and sits down next to her uncle with a yawn.

"Is everybody here?" Raventooth asks, looking over the group. He does a headcount and nods to himself. "Right, then we can get going."

Raventooth takes the lead with Rubyheart and Sapphireeyes near him. Heatherpaw and the other apprentices follow after the elders, as it was usually the apprentices' job to keep the elders safe during the journey to and from the two camps.

"Excited to be back in the greenleaf camp?" Petalpaw asks with a smile.

"Yeah, I kinda missed it," Heatherpaw smiles back. "It's weird though. The last time I was there, I was a kit."

"I was kind of hoping I'd be going back as a warrior, so I understand where that comes from," Petalpaw purrs. "But hey, at least you get to train in the greenleaf training grounds now! That place is beautiful during newleaf. There's always a few flowers around."

"That does sound pretty," Heatherpaw flicks her tail a little.

Petalpaw continues to talk about training in the greenleaf area of the forest, so Heatherpaw allows herself to zone out a little. Her thoughts wander to the queens who were walking with Raventooth. Their kits would be the first new kits born in RowanClan since Silverpaw and Oakpaw. They would be the first new kits born under Spottedstar's new rule of making apprentices at four moons. Would these new kits be made apprentices early? How did Rubyheart and Sapphireeyes feel about that idea?