Warriors | A Prophecy Reborn: Book 4. (Hidden In Darkness)

~Hidden In Darkness: Chapter 19~

"Fernstar, Russetfire's back," she heard Brackenpaw say. Fernstar stretched and left her den by the Highledge, running over to greet Russetfire and the refugees.
"We're here to borrow some herbs from Russetfire's supply," Aspentail said.
Russetfire heard a slight tone of urgency in his voice.
"And I wanted to see Specklefern and how she's doing," the orange-brown she-cat added.
"Chestnutdapple, Aspentail," she said with a nod. "Hello, Specklesplash," she added to the tortoiseshell tom. "Russetfire, if you're not busy afterwards, I'd like to speak to you in my den."
Russetfire nodded, leading the refugees to the medicine den so they could dry themselves while Russetfire got the dock and yarrow.
Coldpaw and Frostpaw burst into the medicine den not a second later and sat down, shaking their fur.
"Watch yourself!" Shimmerpaw complained as some droplets of rain water hit her face.
"Sorry!" Coldpaw said quickly. "Russetfire, Frostpaw wanted to talk to you about something."
"I'll talk when I'm done, sorry, Frostpaw," Russetfire said. "Go into the back and wait while I sort these out."
Frostpaw walked into one of the back dens. Coldpaw stayed behind, staring at Shimmerpaw as she cleaned her gray and black pelt from the rain.
Shimmerpaw stopped mid-lick and looked up at Coldpaw. "What is it?" she said. Her eyes widened. "Is there a spider on me?"
"No! There isn't a spider!" Coldpaw said, flicking his tail in embarrassment. "Are you a RiverClan apprentice?"
"I am," Shimmerpaw replied proudly.
Coldpaw looked amazed. Clearing his throat, he got up. "I'm going to check on my sister. Bye."
"Goodbye," Shimmerpaw replied, looking confused.

After the strange interaction between the two apprentices, Russetfire sorted out the dock and yarrow and gave it to Specklesplash.
"Chestnutdapple, it's time to go!" Aspentail said before picking up the rest of the herbs.
The orange-brown she-cat looked startled, then said goodbye to Specklefern and followed Aspentail, Shimmerpaw and Specklesplash back to the Clans' Refuge.
"Okay, Frostpaw, what did you need to talk about?" Russetfire said, walking up to the apprentice. She heard Spiraltail stir in the separate den.
I don't know if you'll like it, but try and deal with it as well as you can, Firpaw advised.
"I... don't want to be a warrior apprentice," the little light-grey apprentice said.
Russetfire stifled a sigh of exasperation. She'd make a good warrior if she's going to be this slow about it, she thought.
"What, has Ashpelt been leaving you behind on hunting patrols again?" Russetfire snorted.
Don't be too hard on her, Firpaw told Russetfire.
"I don't think I'm a very good at being a warrior," Frostpaw admitted hesitantly. "I know ThunderClan needs more warriors, but I can't fight and I'm bad at hunting."
How am I supposed to help with that?
You'll figure it out, Firpaw said. Dawn was coming, but the sky was still dark with rainclouds. I need to leave for now.
Please look for Darkclaw in StarClan, Russetfire said. She knew it was unlikely that he would be in StarClan after what happened to him in the Dark Forest, but she had to hope he was still alive.
"I feel like I'm useless as a warrior apprentice," Frostpaw went on. "Ashpelt's been trying to teach me what he can, but I can't get the fighting moves right."
Russetfire sighed quietly. "Ashpelt is a good warrior. He may be a little irresponsible at times, but he is actually very smart when it counts. He's doing his best to teach you, Frostpaw. Maybe you just need to focus more on training."
"I do focus on training," Frostpaw insisted. "But even when I do try, I end up failing."
"For StarClan's sake!" Coldpaw interrupted. "She wants to be a medicine cat apprentice! I don't know why it took you so long to say that," he added to his sister.
Frostpaw curled her tail over her paws, embarrassed.
"I'll think about it," Russetfire said after a moment. "If I do agree to take you as my apprentice, you have to do your best and listen to what I tell you."
"I will," Frostpaw said.
"And remember, you'll be a medicine cat apprentice longer because of what you still need to learn. Warrior apprentices become warriors sooner than medicine cat apprentices become medicine cats," she reminded her.
"I'll listen, I promise," Frostpaw said, practically hopping on her paws.
"Very well," Russetfire said. "I need to speak with Fernstar now."
Frostpaw and Coldpaw surged out of the medicine den happily and ran back to the apprentices' den. Russetfire hoped that when she spoke to Fernstar, she'd wait for a break in the storm before calling a meeting.
Russetfire ran over to Fernstar's den near Highledge and ducked inside, avoiding the bracken that threatened to catch her ears.
"Hello, Russetfire," Fernstar said. She was sitting in a corner of the den with Tigerfur at her side.
"Fernstar, Tigerfur." Russetfire sat opposite the leader and deputy. "What did you want me for?"
"I'd like to ask where Darkclaw is," Fernstar said slowly. "I noticed he didn't return with you and Spiraltail."
Should I tell her? Russetfire thought. She's my leader. But the Spirit Tree needs to stay protected...
That doesn't matter, she decided. No cat can get to StarClan through the Spirit Tree anymore. It's worthless now.
After mentioning Frostpaw's doubt in becoming a warrior, Russetfire told Tigerfur and Fernstar all about the Spirit Tree and how she had gone there with Spiraltail and Darkclaw. She briefly mentioned seeing Firpaw in StarClan, but didn't add the fact that he visited her almost every night to try and get some information through to ThunderClan.
"We were attacked by the cats of the Dark Forest, but Darkclaw was already injured and he... Darkclaw died to Greenstar," Russetfire finished.
"I see," Fernstar said. She looks troubled.
"Russetfire, how are RiverClan and WindClan?" Tigerfur said while Fernstar left the den.
"They're doing the best they can with what they have to work with," Russetfire told the older warrior. "Minnowstar suspects there will be a battle. Mintstar is helping with the preparations just in case."
"I don't blame them for being cautious," Tigerfur said. "Although, assumptions will not help the situation."
"Tigerfur, when do you think we'll finally be able to leave the Lake?" Russetfire asked.
"I don't know," Tigerfur admitted. "All I know is that we'll have to wait quite a while before the storm stops and we're able to find a safe route out of here."
There is a safe route out of the Lake, Russetfire thought. You just don't know about it yet.
Spiraltail and her siblings better show Tigerfur and Fernstar where it is soon!
Russetfire padded outside the den to see Fernstar walking back, jumping onto the Highledge. Russetfire left to sit by her den as Fernstar called the Clan meeting.
The ThunderClan cats gathered beneath the Highledge and looked up at Fernstar through narrowed eyes in an attempt to keep the rain from flying into them.
Fernstar told the Clan that Frostpaw would now become a medicine cat apprentice instead of continue being a warrior apprentice. Ashpelt looked sad, but he accepted that he wouldn't be able to go on teaching her warrior skills.
Afterwards, Fernstar announced, "ThunderClan needs help more than ever and we will not find it sitting here. We need to find a way out of this Lake before a battle begins and we are wiped out."
"What about RiverClan and WindClan?" Whiteshine called. "What will they do?"
"WindClan and RiverClan plan to leave," Fernstar said.
"You mean they won't even bother to help?"
"If they do enter ThunderClan to help, they will be risking their lives," the leader said.
"They're warriors," Mossgaze pointed out over the heavy rain. "Warriors protect their own Clan. They have no reason to help us with our own troubles if we don't need it."
"Don't need it?" Rockhopper said, taken aback. "We're in danger here. We'll die if we don't find a way to escape this place."
"Danger, us?" Spidertail scoffed.