Rising Greatness

Chapter 4

I woke up feeling the warm breeze on my furr. I noticed that most of the apprentices were still sleeping soundly in their nest. As I stretched with delight knowing that we would get more time for my training. Once I had cleaned behind my ears I hurried along outside the den seeing that the sun was starting to rise. My fur stood up on end. "Wow!" I whispered underneath my breath. I had never seen such beauty. Knowing I would probably never wake up again this early to enjoy this, I grabbed my food and watched it until it rose all the way to the sky.

As me and Barktail trailed along, I could smell a strong scent of the tall oak tree every warrior has to prove they can climb. Surly , she didn't expect me to climb that? I thought. We walked towards a smaller tree near it. "Today you will climb this. Use your claws, and your tail for balance." She nodded toward the small oak. I took a big mighty leap and clung to the bark. I slipped on the silky bark but managed to take a big leap getting higher. As I pulled my body weight up my nose picked up a.... familiar scent. Shadowclan? Here! Once I got up on a branch I realized the scent was old but still suspicious. " Very good! Now look for any movement in the trees and you'll find your birds there." She said quite loudly. As I sat still and tall. I noticed some rustling up on a few higher branches. I crept closer and closer swiftly but softly moving from branch to branch. Then I found it. A big mocking bird sitting right there looking at the sun that was beaming in through the leaves. The branch was big enough for me to leap on the bird without falling. I crouched down low to where my fur rubbed the bark just slightly. Once the bird sat perfectly still, I launched myself with the force from my hind legs onto the bird and with one mighty leap, the bird was dead. I dropped my kill to the ground and slid all the way down the bark, to the ground. " This will be nice for the elders. On the way we'll split up and hunt. Barry, your catch somewhere you'll remember." I followed her through the hedge and up a steep rocky hill. As we split it wasn't hard for me to find food. I caught two rabbits, and a nice big rat. " Good catch! We need to get back quickly, I smelled fresh Riverclan scents on our territory." she said, running with her mouth full of prey.

We returned home with lots of compliments and greetings. After we dropped all the yummy prey off I noticed Barktail had a worried look on her face as she hurried to tell Dawnstar about the smells. She looked not too surprised when she heard and called these familiar words when wanting us to listen. " Every cat that is able to catch its own prey meet under the high rock.". We gathered around sitting in a messy clump waiting for the news. " Today's reports have brought back smelling scents of Riverclan and Shadowclan on our territory. From now on the elders will be kept closer to the nursery and patrols will now take place around mid afternoon." Worried faces went about the camp and the elders began their stretching. All their creaky bones had just been awakened. As everyone helped them move their beds of moss and leaves , Leafleap ordered the night patrols as well as tomorrow's patrols.

I didn't feel like eating this time even though my stomach growled with hunger on the way back. I decided to go visit with Daisypaw before bed. She was looking outside the den window with the sun shining in on her fur. How her gray hair stood out in the sunlight. "Hello sis!" I said seeing her face light up as she smiled. " How are you?" As she rubbed up on me I noticed a scent of herbs on her. "Good! I'am learning fast. Well at least Moonscare thinks so. How's training?" "Good! I'm almost as good as the others for the most part. I hope I can go to the gathering." She looked sad as she said. " You and I both. All I want is to go there and see the other clans." " It's not going to be as pleasant as it may sound." I said trying to hide my worry and fear. " Will Moosefur be there?" She said, perking up with excitement. " I don't know, maybe he is a warrior. But he did go to the gathering last moon." After catching up on things we said goodbyes and I left the den. I gave in and finally decided to eat. This time don't stay out by yourself or you'll have to hear it from Drakonfur. I thought to myself. As I curled up in my den I knew she would announce who was going to the gathering . I really hoped it was me and Dasiypaw. As I curled up in my moss lined bed I noticed some faint sniffing. It was coming over from Oceanpaw's nest. I slowly crept over there and nuzzled her. " Oceanpaw?" I said softly not to embarrass her. " Are you alright? Is there something wrong?". She silently lied there still sniffing. " Willowpaw," she said. " Silvermeadow, is not doing too well. She seems to not recall a lot like she used to. I'm a little worried for her." " Well she is older, but it just makes her wiser." I said reassuringly. " Don't worry. Just calm down, shhhh there yah go." I said soothingly. Once she fell asleep I hurried back to my spot and curled up. I was too worried for my mom. I had to admit I was super worried . My mother still cared for me and loved me, unlike my dad who really acted nice but never showed compassion. Why would she lose her memory? Will she forget us? These thoughts spun through my head as I drifted to sleep.

The next morning I didn't have early training because due to the new patrol mater's she was called for morning patrol. I knew I had to tell Daisypaw, she could probably figure it out. I skipped breakfast and hurried along to the medicine den. I saw Moonscare sitting there giving thorough directions. "What do we need whenever a cat has a sore throat and a cough?" her voice rang out through the den . "A leaf coated in honey, and a moss ball that was soaked in water." Daisypaw's soft cute voice rang out. " Good now ask is their throat dry or itchy, or both?" Daisypaw walked over to Russingbrezze and proceeded to do what she was directed. Once Russingbrezze left and Daisypaw was done, I walked over to her and licked her forehead. " You're doing good! Are you glad you're a medicine cat?" I said playfully pawing at her. " Sure! Why wouldn't I be?" She said dooging my strike. " I have something to tell you. Mom is losing her memory slowly. Oceanpaw was worried for her because she's not as on point as she was." Daisypaw looked puzzled for a moment but her soft look with a slight tinge of sadness rang over her. " It's just what happens when you get old, we medicine cats can't do anything about that sadly. Remember the stories about old Spottedcreak? He lost his memory completely! But he only remembered his name." She said with cheer at the end. I nuzzled her and said goodbye then walked off.

When morning patrol came back, Dawnstar called a meeting. " I have decided who will go to the gathering. Drakenfur, Moosefur, Lightfeather, Flamefoot, Oceanpaw, Willowpaw, Moonscare, Daisypaw, Silvermeadow, Baybite, and Quicktoe" She said with a cheery expression. We were going! My heart leaped with joy! " Be ready by sunset tonight." Dawnstar finished. I quickly found Oceanpaw and told her the good news. " Really!? Okay I'll meet you by the highrock just before we leave." She said, much happier than last night. The clans will turn against each other in a violent war. My dream had come back to me. Surly not this meeting, right?