A New Form || A Warrior Cat Fanfiction Series \\

|=Chapter 30=|

                 It was Sunhigh when both she-cats returned to camp, hunting any prey they could catch on the way back. It was... silent, between the two, except for some communication when one spotted prey and hunting. 

They reached the overgrown tunnel entrance, going in hastily. However, they passed the border patrol going out, with Slowstride in the lead, followed by Sagewing, Blizzardpaw, and Sleepingleaf.

Sleepingleaf brushed her tail against Northpaw's snout as she passed, making the apprentice's pace halt as she looked at the warrior, Sleepingleaf stared back at Northpaw when she stopped following her patrol. "Your relatives were looking for you earlier." She mewed quickly, before going back to join the border patrol.

Northpaw noted it mentally, nodding before trotting back inside the camp. Getting inside, she padded to the fresh-kill pile, dropping her prey before heading to find her siblings or mother. Going to the med den first, she pushed her head slightly through the vines. 

"Sheeppaw? Are you there?" She mewed, taking a paw in the den. The smell of herbs filled her nose when she looked around, spotting a clump of light reddish-brown fur further down the den. That's when Sheeppaw, the medicine cat apprentice, poked his head out of the passageway connecting to the med den's lower part.
                 "Northpaw? You came back. You know, Mom and Echopaw had been looking around for you earlier... Though I'm not sure about how Oddpaw's feeling." Sheeppaw murmured.

Northpaw lowered her head slightly, averting her gaze when Sheeppaw made eye contact. "Thanks, brother, do you know where Echopaw, Oddpaw, or Lightwhisper is though?" She asked as Sheeppaw thought for a moment, before answering. "Mom and Oddpaw had gone out on a hunting patrol with Silverfeather, Cloudpuddle, and Junipertail."

Sheeppaw hesitated again, adding on. "Echopaw, I'm not exactly sure, but I saw him last time with Hickorypaw attending to the elders." He told her before a noticeable heap of golden fur pushed her way out of the connected tunnel. "Sheeppaw, who are you talking to?" Midgeberry asked when she landed her eyes on Northpaw.

"Ah, Northpaw, you haven't returned to the med den for half a moon now, are you missing the fresh scents of the herbs, perhaps?" Midgeberry chuckled, joking with the apprentice. But Northpaw shook her head, "No, I got over being here too much. Thanks for the invite though, Midgeberry." 

Midgeberry nodded in acknowledgement, "But why not stay longer for a small chat? Sheeppaw and I here have a lot of time to spare." Sheeppaw eagerly looked at his older sibling, making her shift her paws. "I would like to, but I have to find Echopaw and Mom. Sorry Sheeppaw," She bowed slightly when she turned her head to Midgeberry, " and Midgeberry." 

"Maybe another time?" The question made Sheeppaw's smile get strained. "Alright, sis." Northpaw could see the reddish-orange hue glow radiating from him clearly as he said that. "Is... There a problem, Sheeppaw?" Northpaw got confused. "What? No, no. It's fine." He meowed, smiling innocently.

"Okay...?" She breathed, yet she knew her brother was growing irritated. Though why? Northpaw turned to Midgeberry, but the she-cat only shook her head. The apprentice was growing skeptical but still went out of the medicine den in search of her brother.

                                "Now, now, Sheeppaw, it's alright. Your sister is still warming up since the last incident, no need to be irritated since you and your relatives' plan didn't work out." The medicine cat began. 
                         "Yes, but I am still worried for her mental health. She denied what she did on ''purpose'' to Creek and Cerulean." Sheeppaw paused, breathing his thoughts. "What did those two loners want with Shiveringstar anyway, Midgeberry?" He turned his head to the soft-spoken feline.

"It must be kept a secret between us, only the deputy, leader, and the medicine cats should know, so I'm saying this only to you." Midgeberry considered, "It only happens on rare occasions, there have been rumours of the Watchers, but only a little proof has been there. And Creek And Cerulean knows a portion of it." It made the medicine apprentice a little confused. "What ''Watchers''?" He asked.

"You really are curious, huh?" Midgeberry joked lightly, before continuing, "The Watchers, or the Guiding Soul Watchers, are like StarClan's acquaintances. They watch over these small, floating little balls, the size of a full-grown mouse. They are called souls, those who do not believe in StarClan get transported into those. And then we have these cats called 'Spiritpaws'."

 "Spiritpaws mean cats that the four Watchers chose since their kithood days unknowingly. With a portion of a Soul's energy, they could see unordinary things no other cat could see. The four Watchers are designated to their corresponding Clan, one for MandevillaClan, One for QuetzalClan, you know. And they choose one Spiritpaws kit from their Clan. So, it adds up to four, one from each Clan. There are other terms other than Spiritpaws, Visionborn, Starbound, Spectreeyes, and some others."

Sheeppaw was still processing Midgeberry's words, in a slight daze. "Ohh... Wow." He could only say, making his mentor chuckle. "A lot of information, yes. But do forget it, or keep your mouth silent. We can't talk about this in public freely." Sheeppaw nodded.