Silentsong's Cry

Chapter 8

*3rd Person Seedpaw*

      Sunlight filtered into the den. Seedpaw's eyes opened. He looked to his sleeping sister, whom was pressed against him.

      Seedpaw carefuly slipped out of the nest. He walked out of the Apprentices Cave. It opened to another big cave. Caves led to different dens. RockClan lived in a big cave system.

       "Seedpaw! Your tending to the elders this morning. We'll train later." Seedpaw's mentor, Thornlily, padded up to him. Thornlily was a blue-gray she-cat with dark teal eyes.

      Thornlily was at least three times Seedpaw's size. Seedpaw was born small, and sick, but we survived. His size was still there. His sister, Cocapaw, was double his size and younger. This had always been a problem for Seedpaw, but he overcame it.

      Seedpaw smiled. "Sure!" Seedpaw had always loved helping the elders. In his opinion, they were wise and full of exciting stories!

      Bounding to the medicine cat cave, he burst into it. "Hey Kesterelpond?"

       "Yes?" A small brownish red she-cat came out of a smaller cave attatched to the back bof the den. She had bits of herbs stuck to her fur.

       "Can I have some mouse bile for the elders?" Seedpaw asked the she-cat.

      "Sure thing. I'll be right back." Kesterelpond disappeared back into the smaller cave and returned with a piece of moss soaked with foul smelling liquid. She batted it to the smaller cat. "Remember. Dont wash your fur with your tounge. Go to the stream."

      On RockClan territory, there was a small stream that lead over the hill that the camp was made in.

       "Yep!" Seedpaw carefully picked up a part of the moss that didnt have the bile on it. He padded over to a cave across the cavern. He slowly paddded in, careful to not make cranky elders.

       "Hello Seedpaw. How are you doing?" A black she-cat struggled to sit up. She had kind gray eyes.

        "I'm doing just fine. Thanks Nightshine." Seedpaw set down the dripping moss.

      "Is that you Scarletwing?" A brown tom woke up from his slumber and squinted amber eyes at the young cat. He was Seedpaw's grandfather. Scarletwing was Seedpaw's mother.

       "No, it's me Seedpaw." Seedpaw gently told the old tom.

       "Hello Seedpaw. Have you come with mouse bile?" The old cat asked, sitting up.

      "Of course Oakbranch." Seedpaw smiled. He picked up the moss and padded over to the elder.

      "I have one on my shoulder I can't seem to get." Oakbranch croaked. Seedpaw parted the tom's fur to find the tick.

     Soon a little black bug appeared in the fur. Quickly presseing the moss onto it, Seedpaw got the tick out of the elders fur.

      "Ahh. Thank you Seedpaw."

       "Any more ticks?" Seedpaw asked, searching through Oakbranch's fur a little bit.

      "No, thank you." Oakbranch shook out his fur.

      "I have a few in my fur." Nightshine beckoned. Seedpaw started to work on the old she-cat's ticks.

      "Would you like to hear a story?" Oakbranch asked.

      "Oh, yes please!" Seedpaw happily nodded, and pressed the dripping moss into Nightshine's fur.

       "Let's see. How about the tale of Stonestar?" Nightshine asked. "I know you've heard it millions of times."

       "I'd love to hear it again." Seedpaw smiled and listened to the story told by the two elders.

* * *

       "Alright Seedpaw. Today is a hunting assesment. Catch as much prey as you can before sundown. Remember, I'll be watching, even if you can't see me." Thornlily told her apprentice.

       "Alright! When should I start?" Seedpaw asked, lookong up at his mentor.

       "Let's start.... Now!" Thornlily started the assesment.

     Seedpaw bounded off, taking in all the scents of the forest. Mouse. He angled his ears to catch sound of where the mouse was.

    Making sure he was downwind, Seedpaw dropped to a hunters crouch. He crept forward very carefully. Seedpaw spotted the mouse. Bunching up his hindquarters, Seedpaw leapt. He landed staright on the mouse, and swiftly killed it.

       Seedpaw quickly buried it and snoffed the air once more. He heard rustling in the trees above. Crouching down, Seedpaw waited for the squirrel to come down for food. Patience. All I need to be is patient. Seedpaw reminded himself and soon saw a brown squirrel scurrying down an oak.

      Seedpaw crept forward, stepping over twigs and leaves. Narrowing his eyes, Seedpaw closed in on his prey. He pounced! Giving the squirrel a nip to the throat, Seedpaw sat up and gave his paws and muzzle a quick lick.

     Seedlaw continued to hunt and brought back two mice, a squirrel and even a blackbird back to camp.

       "Good job Seedpaw! Now go eat." Thornlily praised her apprentice. Seedpaw smiled and bounded to the freash-kill pile.

        Seedpaw saw his parents eating together in a corner of the cavern. A blue tabby tom and a brown spotted she-cat. One had green eyes and the other had yellow eyes.

        "Scarletwing! Splashclaw!" Seedpaw greeted his parents, laying down next to them.

       "Hello dear. How was your assesment today?" Scarletwing asked her son.

       "Great! I caught four pieces of prey!" Seedpaw answered and took a bite out of the vole he had picked.

       "That sounds wonderful." Splashclaw's deep voice congratulated Seedpaw.

        "Thanks dad." Seedpaw smiled and finished eating the vole.

       "Go get some sleep. The moon's already coming up!" Scarletwing nudged her son.

      "It is?" Seedpaw panicked looking through a sky light. "Night!"

      Seedpaw quickly gave both his parents a lick on the cheek before racing to the apprentice's den for a bit of sleep before he had to meet with the beautiful, beautiful Silentpaw.

      "Hey. What'd you do today?" Cocapaw asked, she was sitting in her nest grooming herself.

      "I tended to the elders and had a hunting assesment!" Seedpaw listed, settling into his own nest, tucking his paws under his belly.

      "Lucky. I just went on a hunting patrol." Cocapaw frowned.

      "Cheer up. We're training together tomarrow!" Seedpaw tried to cheer up his sister. Cocapaw softly smiled.

      "Let's go to sleep. We'll need it." Cocapaw curled up and drifted off to sleep.

       Watching his sister for a moment, Seedpaw fell asleep to the thought of seeing the gorgeous silver tabby once more.

Heya! Go ahead and ask your characters some questions! I'll answer them in the next chapter! Add, vote, comment, and share!

-Nyx Cat out