A New world - The Frozen Forest 1# Warrior Cats

14 - Hidden- or Not

The juniors rushed along the Silverpaths going through the clearing, chasing over Southernpaw. ''You'll never catch-!'' Windpaw cornered the apprentice and pawed at her until she lied on the ground.

''You can't beat my speed, though!'' she spoke as if she spoke to kin, playfully, although Southernpaw was. Moonlit and Shrew watched happily as the she-cats play-fought on the dusty ground.

''It wasn't speed, it was your luck!'' Southernpaw demanded a tie-breaker, ''But it is your turn-''

Windpaw flicked her tail over the she-cat's face, ''Then come and get me!'' the sisters chased each other leaving the two toms behind.

Shrew followed too, when Moonlit caught a glimpse of Oak. He approached the Junior from aside, him calmly focused on a small piece of prey ''What is that poultice?'' he checked on the apprentice's tom throat, plastered with yellowish and green blurbs from one day to another.

''Minttrail told me it was horsetail and something else. Can't remember,'' he replied calmly, lowering his chin to look at the herb mixture. ''I should remember, every apprentice has to, but anyway-''

''But I mean, what happened?'' Moonlit inquired.

Oak shrugged, ''We got a bit hurt yesterday, Shrew included'' he pointed with his muzzle towards his sister, running exited with the same poultice.

''So she got hurt with you?'' Oak nodded acknowledging him, ''Nothing important, just a scratch-''

''But you are all covered in poultice!'' The black tom worried, ''And by the way, you weren't-''

''Just a scratch!'' Oak's tone was something of a low growl. He breathed ''I'll be fine'' he reassured Moonlit with a flick of his tail. But that wasn't reassuring at all. What if he fought with a FrostClan cat? Or with Lucidpaw? Or what if it- was something else? A Rogue? Or Loner? Something not-...feline?! He cared much of him to just not get worried. ''But-''

''But what?'' the trio of she-cats followed, ''Why don't you play?'' Wind insisted

''Coming-'' Moonlit gave a last side glance at oak, who looked aside with the same hidden worry as him. He turned his dull copper gaze to the ground, and Moonlit caught the faintest trace of pity in his eyes.

...What could he know?

...

The path was longer than usual, Lucidpaw wandered from side to side around the trail of leaf-covered bracken where Stonewardens would settle much afar. The trees' sweet scent flooded her. What a strange place moonlit had decided to meet up in- Soon she could reach with him, and hopefully this time they could finish talking properly.

But that was the least of her worries. She continued her travelling. Surely this is a shorter route for him, and safer, she reminded herself. She looked upwards, the moon rose high in the sky, about to strike Moonhigh.

The apprentice could be either called insane or brave for her travelling again. She hadn't forgotten the last confrontation with rogues. She chuckled at the thought, looking back at her throat wounds, still freshly covered in poultice. Leaving the medicine den was a risky move too.

''We could rename you Woundpaw for StarClan's sake! It is the third time this two moons you get hurt,'' she remembered Stem teasing her with half annoyance and half amusement. 

The soft forest ground was pinned by her moving paws, no brown leaves or white tingles of snow ahead. Newleaf had come finally, but the partially cold temperature was still hanging around the trees. The copes above showed brown-green leaves in the trees which shed in Leafbare, and green for the tall pines who thrived in the cold. The she-cat wished she could just thrive like the pines, perfectly, and not having to sleep in the deepest of the caves for avoiding the chills.