Mintfeather's Secret

Chapter 5

Mintpaw sighed and padded out of the medicine den. Speckledfern was snoring softly in his nest, and the light grey tom shook his head with amusement. He sniffed the air and started padding towards the fresh kill pile for prey when he was knocked to the ground rather roughly. The scent of Antpaw rolled into his nostrils and he froze, not moving in case the ginger tom tried to hurt him.

"Where do you think you're going, you useless furball?!" Antpaw sneered down at him and lashed his tail. Mintpaw flattened his ears against his head and felt the tears prick his eyes. He willed himself not to cry, not to show weakness towards Antpaw, but his words really hurt. Mintpaw heard an angry growl before the scent of rain and sweet grass wafted into his nose and hit the roof of his mouth. Thrushpaw was standing over Mintpaw in a protective way as he glared at Antpaw.

"Leave him alone, Antpaw!" He hissed, narrowing his eyes into dangerous forest green slits. Antpaw glared at Thrushpaw challengingly.

"Or what?! You'll beat me in training again?!" He hissed at the light brown tom with venom in his voice. Thrushpaw flicked his tail and growled.

"Just leave him alone, or we're going to have a problem." He said, his voice cold and angry. There was a snarl before Antpaw's scent faded and Mintpaw raised his head, bumping it against something soft.

"Oh, sorry." Thrushpaw hastily stepped away from Mintpaw and sat down, grooming his chest fur with embarrassment. Mintpaw blinked and stood, shaking the dust from his pelt, hoping the new apprentice didn't notice his embarrassment.

"Thanks..." He murmured. Thrushpaw looked up and purred at Mintpaw.

"You're welcome. I'm Thrushpaw. What's your name?" He mewed.

"My name is Mintpaw." The blind grey tom mewed softly, scuffing his paws in the dirt.

"Why was Antpaw picking on you?" Thrushpaw asked, tilting his head to the side with a curious look in his eyes.

"It's because I'm blind. He thinks I have no purpose being in the clan because of it." Mintpaw mewed sadly, his ears drooping as he wrapped his tail around his paws. Thrushpaw's eyes snapped wide open and he let out an angry growl.

"That's a mouse-brained reason to pick on someone! Just because you're blind doesn't mean you can't help your clan!" He mewed. Mintpaw turned his head towards the sound of the tom's voice and his ears perked up.

"You really think so?" He asked, his voice small. Thrushpaw purred and nodded his head enthusiastically.

"Of course I do! Don't listen to that mouse-brained furball. He doesn't know what he's talking about." Thrushpaw purred, flicking his tail at Antpaw as he padded over to where Darkpaw sat. "If any cat gives you any more trouble, just tell me, ok?" He mewed.

"Thank you." Mintpaw stuttered, feeling his pelt heat up. He felt flattered that Thrushpaw was so willing to stand up for him.

"Thrushpaw! There you are! Reedwhisker said we could go hunting together!" Robinpaw screeched to a halt beside Thrushpaw and glanced between him and Mintpaw as the two toms turned to stare at him (or in his direction, in Mintpaw's case). "Am I... Interrupting anything?" He asked uncertainly.

"No. We were just introducing ourselves." Thrushpaw mewed. Mintpaw nodded his head.

"Are you guys friends now then?" Robinpaw asked. Mintpaw didn't know what to say.

"Of course!" He heard Thrushpaw exclaim, and he stared in the direction of the tom's voice with wide eyes.

"Really? You want to be friends with me?" He asked incredulously before shutting his mouth and ducking his head in embarrassment. He hadn't meant to say that out loud.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I want to be your friend?" Thrushpaw purred and head butted the tom's shoulder gently. Mintpaw purred and smiled. He never thought he'd actually gain a friend.

"Great! Let's all be the best of friends!" Robinpaw mewed, and Thrushpaw let out a yelp of alarm when he tackled him to the ground. He squirmed out from under the brown and ginger tom and took a step forward to try to get out of his range. His shoulder brushed against Mintpaw's and the blind tom felt his pelt prickle as if he had just been struck by lightning.

"Thrushpaw, Robinpaw, come on! We haven't got all day!" Reedwhisker called to his new apprentice and Robinpaw. They both glanced at each other and started rushing towards him, but not before Thrushpaw stopped next to Mintpaw to say something.

"We'll be back. We're just going hunting." He mewed before he took off, leaving Mintpaw to watch after where he heard the cats leave camp. He sighed and let out a purr.

"Friends, huh? I think this day just got better." He muttered to himself before turning and padding back into the medicine den.