South Park - Warriors

Chapter 3

Reedpaw laid beneath a tall layer of ferns where he was grooming his black and white patched pelt.
Suddenly, the camp's bramble entrance shook, and emerged Tegridyheart first, then the rest of the patrol—and with Gingerpaw pouting.
Reedpaw rushed over to Gingerpaw. "What's wrong, did something happen on the patrol?"
The ginger apprentice inhaled shakily. "Just that Bigpaw—" Bigpaw bounded over to him instantly.
"Gingerpaw!" He interrupted.
Reedpaw gave the dark tabby a curious glare. Something's going on.
"Can you come with me, for a minute." Bigpaw guided the red tom out of ear shot from other clan mates. "What are you trying to do!" He hissed.
      "I wasn't going to say anything." Gingerpaw growled, then he inhaled deeply. "Reedpaw's my best friend, I promise he wouldn't ever tell anyone."
      "Yeah, then he'll tell Ghostpaw to not tell anyone, then Ghostpaw will tell Butterpaw not to tell anyone, and soon the whole Clans will know!" Bigpaw sneered ignorantly.
      "Okay. I won't tell Reedpaw." Bigpaw stared into Gingerpaw's eyes trustingly. "Now, what were you going to finish telling me when we were on the hunting patrol?"
      "I'll tell you but you can't freak out, okay?"
"Fine, just please get on with it Bigpaw." Gingerpaw's tail lashed impatiently. "The last thing you said when we were in the patrol, was that Reedpaw was talking behind my back. And when I asked you what he said, you said you heard it from Butterpaw?"
      "Yes, Butterpaw came up to me and said 'Reedpaw was saying horrible things about Gingerpaw, I thought you would want to talk to him about it.'" Bigpaw mocked in Butterpaw's pure voice.
      Gingerpaw narrowed his eyes doubtfully. "Ok. Let's go get Butterpaw—"
      "No no, no! I'll go get him." Bigpaw hissed abruptly, pounding off and shouldering through the bramble screen into the apprentice den.
      Gingerpaw scoffed wearily.
"Gingerpaw!" The red apprentice whipped his head around. It was his so-called mentor, Thrushclaw. "I, Kernelstar, and Ambershade would like to speak with you."
"Ambershade?" He echoed.
"Yes, Ambershade—the Clans medicine cat. She would like to speak about the apprentice ceremony."
Gingerpaw dipped his head. "Okay. Let's go then." He followed Thrushclaw beneath highledge, where Kernelstar's den lingered.
"He's here." Whispered Ambershade.
Kernelstar twitched his tail briskly. "Welcome, Gingerpaw."
The russet-furred apprentice bowed his head, then sat beside the brunette pelted tom.
"Does he know why he's here?" Questioned the leader.
Thrushpelt nodded. "I told him most of it—that you two wanted to speak with him about what happened at the ceremony."
"Great." Kernelstar turned his head towards the medicine she-cat. "You may speak."
"Thank you, Kernelstar." The blonde cat's voice was like a murmur in the wind, Gingerpaw had to strain his ears to hear the rest she had to say. "Gingerpaw, I think what happened—at the apprentice gathering—was truly a sign from Starclan. After that night, all I did was keep tossing and turning, I had this vivid feeling, this ringing in my ears." Ambershade hesitated before going on. "I tried reaching Starclan then, and well. . . Gingerpaw, I think you're destined to be my apprentice."
Gingerpaw felt his eyes widened. "I-"
Kernelstar blurted. "Ambershade does need an apprentice."
      "Mmm-hm." Thrushclaw agreed. "And we have plenty of apprentices to become warriors."
      "Then why choose me!" Gingerpaw yowled. "If there's plenty of other apprentices, then why choose me!"
      Ambershade stood furiously. "Because Starclan chose you! When you were entitled to have a warrior mentor, Starclan hadn't agreed! What's more clearer than dark clouds hovering over the sun?"
      Gingerpaw's pelt bristled, but he let in to him becoming a medicine apprentice. "If it's my destiny, then I suppose so."
      "Then it is decided." Kernelstar meowed. "I will continue the ceremony." The big tom bounded out of his den and leaped onto highledge.
      "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, come gather along highledge!" Kernelstar declared.
      Once all the clan cats had crowded beneath the ledge, Kernelstar began the gathering.
"We'll continue with Gingerpaw's apprentice ceremony." Gasps and murmurs broke out at once. Kernelstar ignored the muttering and carried on. "Gingerpaw, may you please step forward." The dawn-colored tom approached hesitantly. "Gingerpaw, since you have already been given your apprentice name and reached the age of six moons, your new mentor will be Ambershade."
Every cat stayed silent, waiting for catastrophe to strike, but Starclan had approved with no sign of neglect; the sun broke out through streaks of cloud and burned Gingerpaw's pelt like fire. Relief flooded the crowd beneath highledge, and they soon started chanting Gingerpaw's name once again.
"Gingerpaw! Gingerpaw! Gingerpaw!"
The ginger medicine apprentice could make out Reedpaw's voice howling his name out the loudest.
Ambershade strolled over to her new apprentice. "It was meant to be." She mewed half to herself, then gazed down at Gingerpaw. "I'm glad you chose this path. Clearly Starclan had approved." She hesitated, "I know this choice was right."
Like I had a choice. Gingerpaw scoffed under his breath.
The she-cat brushed her apprentice's flank with her golden tail as she padded away, heading towards the medicine den.
Gingerpaw frowned as his eye caught Reedpaw's, being reminded about the rumor Bigpaw had told him. Stepping back from the chanting crowd of cats, Gingerpaw sat to the side alone, observing the last of the kits becoming apprenticed.
      After the apprentice ceremony, Gingerpaw went to scout out for Bigpaw. I want this talk to be finished. The tom spotted Butterpaw and raced over to him.
      "Have you seen Bigpaw?" He asked the soft, cream-furred apprentice.
      "Uh, no. Sorry fella. Why'ya ask?" Butterpaw flicked his ear curiously.
      Gingerpaw sighed. "He said that you told him that Reedpaw was talking bad about me."
       "Wh- Wait- What?" Butterpaw was clearly surprised. His tail dropped and eyes widened.
      Gingerpaw understood that Butterpaw couldn't have said anything like that, but he went on questioning with suspicion. "Have you spoken to Reedpaw lately?"
      "No!" He blurted.
      "Ok. Are you sure?"
      "Yes, I'm being honest. The last time I spoke to him was before the apprentice ceremony yesterday." Butterpaw gave his chest fur a few supportive licks.
Gingerly, Gingerpaw waved with his tail goodbye to Butterpaw. "I'll go talk this out with Bigpaw and Reedpaw now."
Abruptly, a tall, brown spotted tom appeared in front of him. "Hey, kit." He teased.
Gingerpaw was relieved to see his father. "Hello, Tallpride."
"I want you to know how proud I am of you. I know how much you wanted to become a warrior with your clanmates, but sometimes path's change in the greatest cats." Tallpride gave his son a swift lick in between the ears. "Medicine cats are the hearts of every Clan; they help provide health in every warrior. Even by not being a warrior, you can still help your Clan."  The tom rested his chin on top of Gingerpaw's forehead. After lifting his head, Tallpride whisked past Gingerpaw.
The ginger apprentice smiled brightly, upraised from his fathers speech. Then at once, he spotted Tegridyheart heading towards him.
"Why don't you go see what Ambershade is up to? She's your new mentor, after all. I know this is a big change for you, but you need to follow your duties." The black-and-white cat's voice was stern.
I don't need sympathy from every cat I see! Gingerpaw forced back a snarl. "Ok. I'm on my way. Thanks, Tegridyheart." He muttered.
He paced towards the medicine den, pushing through hanging bracken.
"I'm glad you're hear, Gingerpaw." Ambershade's mew was like a tiny whisper. "Come sit next to me. I'll show you some herbs."
Gingerpaw voluntarily sat next to his mentor, scanning the herbs she had laid out in front of him.
"This is poppy, we use the seeds to induce sleepiness and to soothe pain." She clawed at a red flower with black seeds, then she hovered her paw over to long green leaves. "These are dock leaves. They are used for healing scratches. . .

. . . After Ambershade had showed her apprentice each herb they used, she asked him which was which.
"Can you figure out which one is chervil?" The she-cat asked.
At first, Gingerpaw seemed puzzled, but then he pointed at a bunch of tiny fern-like leaves on thin stems with his claw. "Is this it?"
"Yes, great job! You sure do learn quickly. Now, what does it do?"
The red apprentice hesitated. "Uh, is it for fevers and bellyaches?" Gingerpaw felt himself tense up.
"No, that's Borage." Ambershade noticed her apprentice mope. "It's ok, dear. It took me moons before I could even figure out half of these herbs." She purred in laughter.
"It's true," teased a voice who brushed through the bracken entrance. Gingerpaw turned to see Thrushclaw. "I remember when your mentor wouldn't let you go to any of the gatherings—just to learn your herbs." Thrushclaw skimmed his mate's cheek with his muzzle.
"Oh, stop, stop." Ambershade's throat rumbled in a purr. "Now let me continue teaching my apprentice."
"Well, I came to tell you that Tegridyheart needs to talk to you."
"Tegridyheart?" Ambershade echoed. "The deputy?" Her voice slightly quivered.
"It's nothing too bad." Thrushclaw licked his mates cheek. "I'll go with you."
The medicine cat turned towards Gingerpaw. "You go take a break—get some rest—you learned smoothly today, it wouldn't hurt to have one day off."
Gingerpaw nodded his thanks, and bounded over to a moss and feather covered nest near the corner of the den.