Broken Code

Chapter 27

Ashpaw narrowed his eyes, his muzzle a mere centimeter away from the crescent waters that ran through Ravenclan territory. The minute waves splashed against his nose but he didn't flinch, instead keeping his paw hooked in the air. Ashpaw didn't dare let his shadow fall over the water. Within in instant, he darted his snowy claws through the water and snatched a small fish. He threw it onto the bank and quickly bit down on it, killing it instantly.

"What in Starclan are you doing?"

"Fishing." He replied with a shrug.

"Fishing? It's the beginning of Leafbare! It's freezing. You're going to catch greencough if you stay out here. And you're wet! Good Starclan maybe we
made a mistake taking you in."

"First off, my sister is a medicine cat and she never told me I couldn't fish in the cold. Second, I like living here." Ashpaw pointed out and added the fish to a small pile he had made. "The fish taste better out here than they did in Streamclan."

"I'm sure they do."

"It's also colder here. I wonder why that is..." Ashpaw turned away from the water to face her.

"I'm not sure Ashpaw. Perhaps Streamclan is closer to the sun." Mistcloud shrugged.

"Does it work like that?" He grabbed the three fish in his mouth from his pile and padded towards her.

Mistcloud waved her shiny tail. "I'm not sure...it makes sense though."

Ashpaw nodded. Together the mentor and apprentice padded back towards camp and were welcomed by a few clan mates gasping as Ashpaw walked in with fish. He placed them on the freshkill pile before grabbing one and taking it to the elder's den. Ashpaw quickly came back and sat beside Mistcloud.

"What in Starclan do we have here Ashpaw?" Micahstar twitched his whiskers in amusement at the small white apprentice.

"It's fish my goodness." Ashpaw let out a meow of amusement. "You all act like you've never seen fish before!"

"It's just not something we typically eat mousebrain." Claypaw came up from the side and nudged Ashpaw's flank. Ashpaw licked his friend's shoulder.

"They taste good."

"They taste salty." Claypaw shook his head.

"I have to agree." Micahstar nodded. "They're salty."

"Whatever. You all don't have a good taste in freshkill." Ashpaw rolled his eyes.

"Was that a pun?" Winterpaw's voice piped up from behind them and she twitched her whiskers.

"It wasn't supposed to be." Ashpaw admitted and him and Claypaw went to go join their snowy friend. Winterpaw smiled at the two and tilted her head to the side. Her fluffy tail swept back and forth over the dusty ground and kicked up some of the remaining dead leaves. A small oak leaf fluttered high in the sky before falling down with a small twirl and landing back down almost exactly where it started. Ashpaw had been focusing on the leaf before Claypaw waved his tail in front of Ashpaw's muzzle.

"What? Sorry." Ashpaw shook his head to snap back into reality and the other two cats laughed.

"I didn't say anything. You were just really intrigued with that oak leaf." Claypaw admitted and crossed his paws over each other.

"Do you two want to go for an afternoon hunt? Although it seems like Ashpaw just got back... how about just a walk through the forest? I'm itching to do something." Winterpaw bounced up and down on her feet. The wind ruffled through her fluffy long white pelt and her sharp eyes seemed to reflect the sky.

"Yea I'm down." Ashpaw stood up from his crouch. Really Ashpaw? I'm down??! What a dumb thing to say...

"I would like to come with you guys, but I scratched my paw on a thorn bush today and want to get it checked out." Claypaw licked his pad and showed the two other apprentices.

"Yea you should get it checked out." Winterpaw waved her tail towards the medicine den and Claypaw bounded off. Then she turned to Ashpaw. "Looks like it's just me and you."

Ashpaw felt his stomach flutter with monarchs and he shoved them away. He stood up and followed Winterpaw out into the deep forest.

Oh how his life had changed....
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ok i have a GREAT plan for how i want the next few chapters to pan out so hopefully i'm going to be writing a LOT of new chapters for you guys over thanksgiving break!!
ash