Warriors: A New Generation

Chapter Five

   "Salvationpaw!" A voice said. "Wake up!  Flutteringwing said that we have to change the elder's bedding." Salvationpaw opened her eyes and saw that Turtlepaw was standing over her, prodding her gently. "Come on or Flutteringwing will get mad at us."

   Salvationpaw was a little annoyed. "Okay, Okay I'll get up now." She stretched and yawned. Then she followed Turtlepaw out into the cold morning air. It was leaf-fall, which means that the weather was getting colder and leaf-bare is just around the corner. She shivered and saw that Flutteringwing was waiting for them at the entrance to the camp. "Hurry up or the elders will get cranky." Flutteringwing meowed. Salvationpaw heard stories about most elders being cranky, but the elders here weren't cranky, only sometimes they were, like when they're bedding wasn't changed or when they don't feel good.

They exited the camp and headed out to the forest. This was the fifth time that she collected bedding for the elders. Last time, she collected about two mouthfuls of moss with Gorsepaw. The elders were happy that they brought back lots of moss. It could fill a whole den with an extra claw-length layer. The elders told Salvationpaw and Gorsepaw two stories as a reward for collecting a lot.

Salvationpaw's mind snapped back into reality. She somehow was still following Turtlepaw and Flutteringwing. She spotted a clump of moss on the side of a tree. "There's some moss on that tree!" She meowed to them. They looked at where Salvationpaw was looking. They saw the moss and Flutteringwing told her, "Great job! Now let's go collect some."

They went over to the tree and collected all of it. They divided it into three so that each of them could check if there were any thorns in the moss. The elders would complain if there were any thorns bothering them. Salvationpaw found a few thorns, then she checked the moss again to make sure there weren't any more of them. "Are you guys finished?" She asked Turtlepaw and Flutteringwing. Turtlepaw kept on checking her clump of moss and Flutteringwing stopped. "Just about. Let's head back before it's sunhigh, everyone would be wondering where we were."

They went back to the camp with their clumps of moss. Salvationpaw looked around them, looking for any danger in their territory. There hasn't been any danger in their territory since she was born. It's a good thing though. Nobody would want any battles. Salvationpaw scented the air. There was nothing she could scent except for the scent of prey, Turtlepaw, and Flutteringwing.

They finally reached the camp and found the camp very busy. She spotted Lightningstar and Jaggedtail talking privately. They went to the elder's den and found it empty. They're probably out in the camp somewhere. Lightningstar called out to Flutteringwing, and she said, "Turtlepaw, take my moss. Lightningstar needs me." She scampered off toward Lightningstar while Turtlepaw and Salvationpaw cleared out the moss in the den.

"Why do we have to do everything." Turtlepaw complained. "Why couldn't the other apprentices help us. We could have come back quicker if we had them all, and we would have known why the camp is so busy." Turtlepaw did have a point, but Salvationpaw meowed. "The other apprentices were probably busy, like Flutteringwing told us earlier, and at least Flutteringwing helped us, so we didn't do it by ourselves."

Turtlepaw thought for a moment, then looked at Salvationpaw. "You're right, I'm sorry." They put the moss they collected in the den and piles the old moss behind the den.

Flutteringwing rushed back to them and said, "Are you guys done? Lightningstar just wanted me to tell you, Salvationpaw, that—" she took a deep breath then meowed out, "you'repartofanimportantprophecy!" Salvationpaw started at her, confused. "What?"

Flutteringwing's gaze flicked from Salvationpaw then to Turtlepaw and to Salvationpaw again. She opened her mouth to speak, but Mossneedle bursted to them and meowed quickly, "Salvationpaw, come with me. Now!" Salvationpaw followed her mentor and they hid behind a clump of bushes. "This is unbelievable." Her mentor hissed. Salvationpaw's stomach turned. Did I do something wrong? She looked at her mentor. He didn't look mad. He looked shocked. "What... What is it?" Salvationpaw asked.

Mossneedle pokes his head through the bushes, making sure no one was listening to them. "What's wrong?" Salvationpaw asked. Mossneedle stared at her. "You're part of a prophecy, Salvationpaw," Mossneedle explained. "An important one."

Salvationpaw stared at her mentor, her eyes wide. "What prophecy?" Mossneedle though for a moment. He shook his head and said, "I can't tell you now, but I know what the prophecy is. You aren't old enough yet to know. Maybe Lightningstar will tell you sooner or later."

They came out of the bushes and walked toward the fresh-kill pile. This was very exciting. She was part of a prophecy! And Mossneedle said it was an important one. Is it a good kind of important or a bad kind of important? Salvationpaw wasn't sure. She thought about how the prophecy might affect her future, even if she didn't know what the prophecy was.

  It was actually kind of terrifying at the thought that she might get in trouble, and even die.