Sixteen Paws

Chapter 3

Moonpaw padded next to Mintfur, looking across the territory. The river rushed in front of them, salmon and trout jumping out of the water. She was getting a tour of the territory (for the third time already) with her mentor. Moonpaw always loved the Riverclan territory. The air was always humid in the summer and foggy in the winter. It was beautiful.

The wind brought a strong scent of fish as Moonpaw tried to think of a conversation topic. She wasn't a big fan of silence. Well, that actually depends.

"Are we going to get to hunt?" she asked, turning to a trot. Mintfur didn't even glance eat her.

"For the last time, no. We are just looking at the territory so you can get familiar with it before you become a warrior." Moonpaw could sense his impatience and tried to test it.

"Will we get to hunt after? I mean, we did this a million times already." She didn't understand why she was eager to make him mad, but it was working.

"Are you being serious?" He spun around to bare his teeth at her. Moonpaw could feel herself getting hyper, she was softly vibrating. (*gently vibrates* XD )

"You've been asking for this whole time now: 'Can we go hunting' 'Will we get to go hunting' Do you think we will get to go hunting after this' " He mocked her voice in an unrealistic matter.

"You don't even eat fresh kill! So will you just quit it already?" His hackles were rising. Moonpaw could feel a purr stifling in her throat. She loved the way cats got irritated. The way their fur spiked up and their teeth bared, how they hissed, it fascinated her.

"Now, for the last time! NO. WE. WILL. NOT. GO. HUNTING." Mintfur snarled, and continued down the river, hackles still raised.

"Stupid apprentices" He muttered coldly. Once he found out Moonpaw wasn't following him, Mintfur stopped and turned towards her.

"Are you coming or not?" He demanded. Moonpaw felt her smile grow bigger and she started prancing alongside her mentor.

After the 'tour', and the two cats headed home, Moonpaw rushed to the fresh kill pile. She was starving. Dissapionted not to find what she was looking for, Moonpaw made her way got the medicine den and saw Mothwing and Willowshine sorting herbs. Mothwing pricked her ears and turned to see Moonpaw sitting patiently. She whispered something to Willowshine and after a few heart beats, Willowshine disappeared and came back with a bunch of blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. Seeing them made Moonpaw's mouth water. After a nod of thanks, Moonpaw headed back to the apprentice's den, away from the other cats.

Ever since she was born, Moonpaw never had the same 'taste buds' as other cats. She preferred the taste of the juice in fruit than the blood in fresh kill. Or the center of fruit to the meat of mice. Plus, it was sweeter and left your breath smelling decent. 

Settling down on her nest, she didn't notice that Foxpaw was in the den. But once he caught sight of her, his pelt spiked up and that got Moonpaw's attention. Gulping down some of the berries, she stared at her fellow clanmate, and he stared back. After what felt like a whole moon, he got up cautiously, picked up his  small salmon, and padded out of the den. Veering out of Moonpaw's reach. 

She then let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. It wasn't fair. Whoever looked at her, immediately thought she was dangerous. Whatever that means. 

"What was she doing?" Moonpaw heard Shadepaw talking to Foxpaw outside the den. Their voices a forced hush.

"Eating the fruit Willowshine gave her."

"I swear, she's not even a cat" Shadepaw hissed.

"Yeah, every time there's an argument or a fight, she just smiles. Smiles! It's creepy" Moonpaw could hear Foxpaw do a dramatic shudder. 

Feeling uncomfortable, Moonpaw shifted, which alerted the two apprentice's.

"Do you think she heard us?" Shadepaw whispered, clearly attentive.

"No, she's probably too busy eating her berries." He replied critically, but still cautious. 

Looking through the entrance, both cats peeked at Moonpaw. Who turned away quickly. Feeling shivers go down her spine.  Satisfied, Foxpaw and Shadepaw padded off. Losing her appetite, Moonpaw pushed away the berries and got up and out of the den.

Heading towards the entrance to camp, some cats whispered and some snickered, leaving her self-concious.

Leaving camp, Moonpaw padded up to the river and sat at the bank. She glanced around at the territory. Thinking of the clans that bordered. 

Shadowclan to the left, Windclan to the right. A soft voice said in the back of her head. Her own. It was strange, listening to your own voice, and then thinking of how others hear it. She might sound one way, but to others, she might sound differently.

"Hey!" Called an all too familiar voice.

"What are you doing back here by your self?" Willowshine asked, bounding up cautiously. Every cat that Moonpaw assumes trust her, they actually don't. It wasn't fair. But then again, nothing is.

Moonpaw shrugged. But she knew the answer.

I'm leaving.

As much as she wanted to say it, she couldn't. No one would let her. Even if the others were more than happy to let her go.

"Well, come back" Willowshine said, her ears back and grey pelt rippling. She was still wary. No surprise there.

Moonpaw shook her head. She didn't even know why she didn't agree go back to camp. There was obviously know where to go. But she just couldn't come back. Not yet.

"Moonpaw" Willowshine demanded. More seriously.

"Is something troubling you?" She asked, her voice growing soft.

She's being pitiful! 

Moonpaw shook her head again. And all of a sudden felt a smile forming. It was apparently her new habbit since being a kit.

Willowshine paced back a few paw steps and cleared her throat.

"Well, if not," she shifted her eyes from the ground back to Moonpaw's. 

"we should go back before Mintfur finds out you're not in camp." she pointed out. It was more like a warning to her, though. Moonpaw felt a sudden shiver as she realized the other cats might be gossiping now that everyone saw her slip out.

Moonpaw nodded and got to her paws and followed Willowshine back camp.

Casting a longing glance to the stretch of territory behind her, Moonpaw padded back to the camp filled with whispering cats with no thought of others' well-being.

Isn't it funny

A/N: WoOOHHo third page! Or chapter, I guess XD Just wanted to say that there's one more cat to write about before starting the cycle again. You know, Jiji, Snowpaw, Moonpaw, *Next Cat*, Jiji, Snowpaw, Moonpaw *Next Cat*. You get the drill. I just wanted to say thanks for reading! And if you have any questions about the story, don't be afraid to ask :3

- Pandabelle (Shadowlily) :)