Warriors: Shattered Blossom

Chapter Nine

 Cragpaw peered brightly down into the Sandy Hollow. Surrounded by a thin wall of gorse was a dusty clearing, loose patches of cordgrass clumped together here and there. His ears pricked at the sight of Cricketpaw and Goosepaw sparring, moving fluidly with each strike, dodge, and roll. Once they disengaged, he raised his tail in a hello. He beamed as Cricketpaw waved back.

Turning back to Stumpwhisker, he asked, "Will we be learning any battle moves?"

The older tom shook his head. "Not today."

Cragpaw's face fell, and one of the mentors down below, Viperwing, tilted her cream head. "Cricketpaw and Goosepaw are too far along in their training to be fair opponents. Maybe you can join Hollypaw, Fleckpaw, and Cardinalpaw the next time they're out."

"Can we?" Nightpaw chimed in, his amber eyes gleaming earnestly as he stared up at Stumpwhisker. It had nearly been half a moon since their visit to the Moonstone, and in that time, their former denmates had been appointed to apprenticeship.

The old tom sighed. "Maybe some other time. Herbs are the first thing on my mind today."

Cragpaw flicked his whiskers in acknowledgement, watching as the two older apprentices molded into battle once again. With a complicated sea of battle moves, Cricketpaw swiftly claimed victory, releasing a triumphant yowl. Cragpaw drew his attention away and hurried to catch up with his peers. The three medicine cats trekked along the edges of the Sandy Hollow. Stumpwhisker and Nightpaw were speaking softly to one another, while Cragpaw kept his eyes roaming, hoping to spot the slightest of signs indicating a message from StarClan. Stumpwhisker had introduced him to the idea of omens just a pawful of days ago.

"They could be seen in the slightest difference in the wind," Stumpwhisker meowed. "A strangely shaped cloud, a crippled bird, or even a savage fox. Omens can be anything in our sight, but we must learn to interpret what is from StarClan and what is not. Do you see any omens now?"

Cragpaw looked around. They were in the camp, sitting near the entrance of the medicine den. The sky was ominous and cloudy. Could clouds prophesize a coming rainstorm? He parted his mouth to speak, but noticed that Nightpaw was still fixedly studying the clearing. Uncertainly, he snapped his jaw shut and returned his eyes to the camp. By the nursery, Fleckkit was getting briskly groomed by Vixensong, while Hollykit and Cardinalkit eagerly fidgeted beside her. A long shadow flitted over them. He glanced up. A cloud had passed over the sun.

"Are they about to be made apprentices?" Cragpaw mewed excitedly.

"Yes, they are. But did you spot any omens?"

Cragpaw allowed his brow to furrow together. "Was that shadow an omen?"

"No. Nightpaw?"

Nightpaw tested the air. He furrowed his brow. "I don't see anything."

Stumpwhisker smiled. "That's because there are none. You merely made an intuitive guess, Cragpaw, but with an omen, there's always a way to tell, be it in the prickle of your fur or the flash of an uncalled thought. Now, let's sit and wait. Ripestar will be calling a meeting soon."

"Do you see anything that could be of use for Sedgeflight?" Stumpwhisker proposed suddenly, snapping Cragpaw out of his daydreaming.

The apprentice turned his head in the older tom's direction, his amber eyes sharpening intently. If he's mentioning it, it must be around here somewhere. His eyes turned to the foliage brimming the Sandy Hollow, scanning for any familiar plants. He let his paws guide him as he slipped closer to the sparring apprentices, his mouth slightly parted to breathe in the scents on the air. There were so many scents to dig through, and he closed his mouth to slow the influx of smells. He focused on the scents that were closest to him.