Warriors: Finding Myself: Downcasted (Book Two)

Chapter Thirteen: New Prophecies

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"Cats of ShadowClan, as you know, I will not be around forever. So it's time I took on an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown wisdom and intelligence. Your next medicine cat will be Whisperpaw."

Beestar rose her voice over the Clan to be heard, "Whisperpaw, do you accept the post of apprentice to medicine cat?"

The apprentice nodded her head firmly, being as she couldn't speak.

"Then at the half-moon, you must travel to the Moonpool to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats," Puddleheart mewed to her.

"The good wishes of all ShadowClan will go with you," Beestar finished the ceremony and Puddleheart and Whisperpaw touched noses before exiting the camp after Springpaw

"Springpaw! Whisperpaw!" the Clan cheered.

It had been three moons. Dawnpelt passed away, Junipernose was in the elder's den, and ShadowClan had ten apprentices. Springpaw was assigned to Birchwing, Rainpaw was assigned to Yarrowfur, Sunpaw was assigned to Sleekfeather, Amberpaw was assigned to Spikefur, and Oakpaw was assigned to Slateleaf. But soon Ravenpaw and Dovepaw would be warriors, followed a moon later by Creampaw and Yellowpaw. They still have Fangclaw's kits to apprentice. Plus it was nice to have so many apprentices to do all the apprentice duties.

No one had really spoken to the former rogue and when they did it was to tell her to move or that they would watch her kits. Hollykit and Nightkit fit in with the other kits, and even now that they're apprentices. They don't seem to be treated different.

But poor Whisperpaw, she was being treated just like Wintersky. A sharp pang in her stomach made her flinch. It wasn't fair to that poor cat. It wasn't even fair to treat her that way, either. Whisperpaw was mute, that was it.

Ravenpaw padded up to Wintersky. He was about her size now and still growing. He was becoming an amazing warrior. "What are we doing today?" he asked, looking around.

The apprentice's den must be crowded. "Let's go collect moss. You're good at that," she teased, remembering last time he accidentally cut his paw open and had to limp all the way back to camp because Wintersky was laughing too hard to help him.

Just as she turned towards the entrance a loud yowl above them made her look up to see cats surrounding the top of camp, their eyes dark. At first she thought it was a trick, that the cats weren't really there, but Ravenpaw was gazing at them too.

"ShadowClan cats!" Crowfrost's familiar voice startled her. "We are here to take back this camp. Attack!" he yowled and then cats jumped over the thorns they had placed and dived into battle. Wintersky met Indigo with force, bringing him down to the ground and making sure Ravenpaw was okay as he took down an unfamiliar tortoiseshell cat.

"Kill or be killed!" a familiar voice screeched, but it wasn't a ShadowClan cat's voice and the rogue cats around us yowled battle calls as they sliced through our fur and skin and drew blood.

She took a chunk out of Indigo's shoulder, but he batted at her stomach and claws pierced her belly fur. She hopped off and he jumped to his paws, lashing out at her muzzle, but he missed and Wintersky raced forward, raking her claws down his side and he let out a yowl of pain.

"Wintersky!" Ravenpaw's yowl startled her and she whipped around to see him covered in blood, his ear oozing and he was limping but his tail pointed to Whisperpaw who was trapped at the edge of the clearing, her eyes wide in fear as the old WindClan deputy, Harespring leaned over her. "Help her!" her apprentice ordered and then tackled Indigo.