Warriors: Toxic Claws From The Trusted

Chapter Nine

Moonpaw woke up, moss stuck on the back of his ears. He slowly stumbled into the clearing, tired. The clearing glowed in snow and mewling emerged from the medicine den and leaders den. Why does Smallstar insist to be leader with kits?  Moonpaw padded into the medicine den to see his siblings and Fogkit was weak and skinny, but better than when she was born last night. The crunching of snow sounded from behind Moonpaw and he turned around. Smallstar stood above him, eyes full of anger. "That must've been a good nap, you missed the ceremony in which I chose Icefang to be my deputy." Moonpaw flicked his tail in annoyance. Icefang has always deserved that role, but I would've liked it better if she was given it by a good cat.... "You're also on a break from training to be a warrior, so fetch some mouse bile and get rid of the ticks here, they've been clinging to us to escape the cold of Leaf-Bare and I hate it. I can get my own so don't touch me, Blackfur's front legs healed a while ago so you can just do Icefang, Smokefur, and Lilynose." Moonpaw nodded and grabbed some mouse bile that had been soaked into moss.

"Mouse Bile smells horrible!" mewed Moonpaw to himself as he padded over to the river after getting rid of the Clan's ticks. He put his paws into the river and got the Mouse Bile out. "I hope Lostpaw comes over here..." Moonpaw sat at the shore, hoping she would come. A RiverClan patrol came to the river, with a familiar apprentice, but not Lostpaw. "Oh! Hello! You're from the meeting! Mosspaw, right?" Mewed a tortoiseshell she. "Moonpaw, actually." The she laughed. "Oh! Well I'm Yarrowpaw, her sister, bye!" She mewed as she padded off. Moonpaw waited for the large patrol to leave before he sniffed the ground for any scent of how long it's been since Lostpaw was here. She seems to come here everyday at the same time... Moonpaw missed her, she had come here earlier. "Too late." He mewed, sad before he left the river and came home.

As he padded through the gorse tunnel, Mudpaw joined him. "Why weren't you in the den last night?" Moonpaw mewed. Mudpaw sighed. "Hunting, I've gotta prove myself, and become a warrior!" Moonpaw rolled his eyes. "You're not even the age where you'd be an apprentice yet, Mr. five moons!" He mewed. Mudpaw mewed again. "My eyesight's gotten worse, but I know the forest, I can hunt with my eyes closed now!" Moonpaw looked shocked. "Wow!" He mewed. Mudpaw flicked his remaining bit of tail. "It's not that crazy eheheh.... Anyways my little siblings- are becoming apprentices in one more quarter moon I think now." Mudpaw mewed. "They're my family too I guess.. How strange. Anyways I think it's more than that, three or two." The two apprentices argued on the way down.

One moon later.

Moonpaw curled into the his nest inside the apprentice den. Mudpaw came in shortly after and chose the biggest nest, which made him look like a newborn kit. "Smallbubble says that the kits are starting apprenticeship tomorrow." Mudpaw mewed. "Knew it! Hah!" Replied Moonpaw. The two fell asleep.

Gorsepaw drifted off into sleep and a dream appeared. Bloodtail padded up to him. "Gorsepaw!" Gorsepaw's eyes widened. "What is it? Why are you in my  dreams?" Bloodtail's tail was no longer red, and the scar where his tail started was gone. "Leopardkit is not to be trusted! Not when the snow falls." Gorsepaw looked confused, but Bloodtail faded away, into nothing. Gorsepaw was left in complete darkness. "Hello?" He mewed. A tiny kit appeared in front of him. "Who're you?" Gorsepaw asked. "I was Mudki-Mudpaw's sister. I died of starvation in the cold Leaf-Bare." "I'm here to help you. You're so interesting and cool- but... Smokefur is the curse!" The kit said as Gorsepaw awoke, panting and sweating, even in Leaf-Bare. "Smokefur is... the curse?" He mewed, confused. Smallstar yowled the familiar call of a Clan meeting. Gorsepaw limped out into the clearing and sat next to Lilynose. Gorsepaw had been thinking about what happened in his dream, and he was glaring at Leopardkit. "Lionpaw, Leopardpaw, and Tigerpaw!" Yowled Smallstar.

Moonpaw was shocked at the words that came out of Smallstar's mouth. "Leopardpaw, Lionpaw, and Tigerpaw will not be normal apprentices right now, and will all be trained by each warrior together, no specific mentor." Moonpaw was confused. "When our three apprentices are made warriors, they will mentor my kits. Leopardpaw says she wants to be a medicine cat, so she will train as a warrior until the spot is open." Moonpaw was shocked that Smallstar would choose him, no warnings either. Moonpaw looked up at the almost full moon and flicked his tail impatiently. Lostpaw should be at the river soon.  I have to go see her! I haven't since fourtrees! Smallstar dismissed the Clan. Moonpaw immediately left for the river.

Moonpaw crouched at the scent and sound of a mouse. He looked around before pouncing on the mouse. He picked it up and walked to the river. On the other side, was Lostpaw. "Oh! You've finally come! I've been visiting the river two times a day, before Sun-High, and before Moon-High, and you're finally here! Oh Moonpaw, how I missed you!" Moonpaw leaped over the river, almost falling in, but was caught by Lostpaw. "Thank you!" He purred. "I caught you a mouse..." Lostpaw blinked gratefully. Moonpaw dropped the mouse in front of her and she ate it. "You look older now." Moonpaw looked down at the snowy grass. "I'm almost six moons." Lostpaw was digging around in the snow with a paw. "I'm about eight moons. And- You're about the size of me now! You used to be much smaller" Moonpaw's ears moved around. "Do you hear that? I think... It's a patrol from my Clan! Blackfur... Mudpaw.... Icefang!" I gotta hide! I'll be behind that bush, pretend like you're doing something!" Moonpaw mewed as he leaped into a bush near the river. Lostpaw sighed and began fishing, she caught about two fish. Icefang, who had been leading the patrol noticed her. "Awfully close to ThunderClan territory, are you, apprentice?" She hissed. "My Clan is hungry, what's your excuse for rubbing your scent on our  sunningrocks? We've owned them for a bit." Icefang hissed. "Only a moon or two, we'll fight for them back!" Icefang padded away, the patrol following. Moonpaw slowly came out of the bushes. "Moonpaw, the sun is coming up. You should go. Let's meet again when the sun is going." Lostpaw mewed. Moonpaw nodded and hopped over the river, having to swim the last bit. Moonpaw got rid of the RiverClan scent and pelted off.

Moonpaw went into camp and Smallstar padded over to him. "I think it's about time I assess you and Mudpaw's hunting skills." Moonpaw's eyes were glad and full of excitement. Meet me at the sunningrocks' bushes surrounding it. RiverClan is getting mad that we're going there. They have owned it for a bit." Moonpaw nodded and padded off. Maybe I'll be a warrior soon? Or.... when I'm around twelve moons...