eternal: hyacinth || warrior cats

chapter 14

mintpaw

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MINTPAW FELT HER VEINS turning into ice as she padded briskly away from Viperpaw and back to her herbs.

He knew something, the gray tabby realized, otherwise he wouldn't be poking around and asking such questions.

But he doesn't know what he's talking about. Mintpaw fixed her eyes on her paws, ignoring the confused look Viperpaw was sending her. If he knew even a fraction of what I knew... She shivered. He would leave this situation alone.

It wasn't long before Clearfrost exited the den, giving Mintpaw a disappointed look. "I asked you to sort these ages ago, how come you're not finished yet?"

The gray tabby ruffled her fur, deciding it was best to leave out the fact that she'd taken a break and joined Viperpaw for a meal. "Oh, sorry, I messed up and had to re-start. I'll get it done soon, I promise."

She knew that was a promise she'd keep; though Mintpaw didn't enjoy medicine cat training, she was smart enough to grasp the different herbs and usages with ease. She just always got dreadfully bored, and added with the whole Berryfern situation... 

Well, let's just say that being a medicine cat was the last thing Mintpaw wanted right now.

Clearfrost flicked her tail. "No time now. We're out of watermint, so we need to go get some more. Come along."

"But..." Mintpaw frowned, quickly picking herself up and following Clearfrost to the exit of ShadowClan's camp. "Watermint grows on RiverClan's territory."

"Good memorization," Clearfrost meowed flatly, flicking her tail.

"And... we're in a war with RiverClan."

"Precisely," Clearfrost murmured. "I haven't re-stocked my stack in ages."

Mintpaw frowned, quickening her pace to keep up with Clearfrost's long strides. "Won't it be dangerous?"

The ragdoll shrugged. "Perhaps," was all she mewed in reply.

The gray tabby felt her heart beating faster and faster in her chest as they crossed into ThunderClan's land. And that's when she had an epiphany. 

Oh! Mintpaw thought in realization. We're not actually going on RiverClan's land, we're just going to pick the herb at ThunderClan and RiverClan's border. We probably won't even meet a RiverClan cat.

Feeling much more relaxed, she padded more eagerly after her mentor, excitement bundling through her at the thought of seeing another Clan's territory.

"I usually use WindClan's border to get watermint," Clearfrost meowed, breaking the silence, "but I thought that might be risky. WindClan and RiverClan might be allies now in the war."

Mintpaw fluffed her fur. "Right. Are we going to form an alliance with ThunderClan?"

"There's possibility," the ragdoll answered. "They did help us in the last battle, but Tigerstar doesn't want to get his Clan involved. However, if it's confirmed that WindClan's helping RiverClan, ThunderClan will feel more pressured."

Mintpaw nodded in thought. "How... How did the war begin, anyway?"

She didn't miss the way Clearfrost's eyes darkened. "Let's just say cats are often too greedy for their own good."

The gray tabby swallowed roughly. Ah, she knew what Clearfrost was hinting at.

The prophecy.

Of course. Of course it was the stupid prophecy that started this entire war. But does that mean...?