Warriors: A New Light (Book 1)

~ Chapter Six ~

Thrushpaw

Thrushpaw picked nimbly at the patch of chervil growing along their border they shared with MoonClan. Birdsong has asked him and Nightfeather to go on a herb patrol, and his mentor agreed and added on that it'd be good to have some lessons with scavenging anyway. So now here they were, just at the start of their 'scavenging'. And it bored Thrushpaw.

"Why can't we be learning hunting right now, or fighting?" He eventually asked, after he managed to pull the roots of the plant free. His mentor didn't look at him when he answered.

"Patience. That is what you must learn right now. And finding herbs for the clan is just as important- and when a medicine cat asks you to do something, it is very much expected that you do it." He said, finally looking up at him. His tone was serious, but his gaze was gentle. Thrushpaw nodded his head in response.

Honestly, he was thankful for anything at this point. He tried as hard as he could to ignore the sickening lurch in his stomach. It wasn't that long ago that Thornbloom has come running back to camp, announcing the sudden 'encounter' they had with LightningClan's deputy, Scarface, after sending Sorrelflame and Snowdapple into their enemy's territory.

Rainstar told him to threaten Scarface that his patrol would kill him if he made any move to alert his clanmates, but to tell Snowdapple and Sorrelflame they'd kill him if they got captured. Just to make their hunting...easier for them. Which didn't make any sense to Thrushpaw. Was there some secret knowing between the two?

But it also didn't make sense to the apprentice why Rainstar would tell the warrior and his patrol to possibly...kill Scarface, and why when he said it, his eye portrayed truthfulness.

But then it hit him exactly why. And his heart seemed to lurch up to his throat, nearly choking him. It was obvious, the reason was so obvious! No wonder the usually kind Rainstar had made such a choice, and that half of the clan seemed to agree with him. It was because-

"Hey, you awake over there?" Nightfeather snapped him out of his thoughts, and he lifted his head to see the black warrior glancing worriedly at him.

"Yeah, just thinking." The brown furred apprentice answered instantly, beginning to pick up the pile of chervil that was gathered at his paws. He gripped the bundle firmly in his jaws, part of him proud on how much he had managed to find. Birdsong would be very thankful.

"I know it's hard, what's going on right now. And I think we all know the reason why Rainstar made such a rash desicion- especially one that breaks the warrior code." Nightfeather said, his voice muffled through the bunch of poppy seeds he had. He walked back in the direction of camp with Thrushpaw by his side.

"I know." He said firmly, rather wanting to forget about it. Hopefully they wouldn't have to kill the deputy. Scarface was wise, and if keeping quiet meant protecting himself for his clan, than surly he'd do so? Yet the thoughts still troubled him. Immensely.

Nightfeather gave him a side-eye, and Thrushpaw knew what he was thinking without having to say it. He said it in his eyes. Part of the fact that he was so troubled, was because his own father, Dustwhisker, was apart of the patrol. And with how he was acting lately, he didn't doubt that his father would easily go along with the order.

One wrong move, Scarface, and you're done. Please be careful. He felt bad about supporting a cat from another clan, but no matter how awful things had been lately within his own clan, he still didn't like the matter of death.

Nightfeather led him to Birdsong's den, past the empty camp, which was located under the shade of overhanging boulders. There was a crack in the wall of which led to a small, hallowed out cave. There were few nests lined inside, since most of them were placed outside. There were places where her categories of herbs were neatly stored inside.