Warriors || Rose's Path

Chapter 4

       The snow was gone when the sun started to rise. Rosepaw blinked open her eyes, morning sun shinning in her eyes. Sleeping out in the open meant waking up bright and early when the sun peeked over the horizon. Although the snow had melted into slush, there was still morning frost covering the yellow blades of grass.
       Rosepaw blinked the sleep out of her hazel eyes, casting her gaze around the camp. Cats were just beginning to stir, but Sandheart was already awake, ready to send out patrols. The border to ThunderClan had been tense ever since Puddlepaw had chased the squirrel in to their territory.
       Sandheart had been sending out the dawn patrol with a few extra warriors, just in case a skirmish should happen. Puddlepaw's tail had only been scratched on the surface of his skin, nothing too series to keep him from his duties. Although Puddlepaw was able to continue his training, Sandheart had strictly ordered him to clean out bedding and search for ticks on Heathermoon, the Clan elder.
       A few days after Puddlepaw's incident, their father, Jaggedswirl, had been hunting on the shore and tore his paw pads after chasing a rabbit over the pebbles.
       He was in the medicine den now, hopefully recovering quickly. Rosepaw stood slowly, stretching and giving herself a quick groom before padding towards the medicine cat den. She slid through the rock cleft, eyes adjusting to the lack of light.
       The black and white tom Rosepaw had been looking for lay in a nest near a small pool of water.
       "Hey, Rosepaw," Jaggedswirl greeted his daughter. His deep copper eyes were warm and kind.
       Rosepaw dipped her head. "Hello, Jaggedswirl. Are you feeling any better?"
       Jaggedswirl opened his jaws to reply, but was cut off by a ruff growl.
       "Are you two going to chatter like birds all day?"
        Rosepaw felt herself grow rigged. A dark orange she-cat padded from the shadows. The fur along her spine was spiked slightly. Rosepaw shivered.
         "Come on, Firepool," Jaggedswirl blinked kindly at the medicine cat. "She just came to visit."
      Firepool lashed her tail, fiery amber eyes slits. "You can visit all you want, so long as you don't talk."
      Firepool reminded Rosepaw of Crookedwing, but more snappy and angry. Crookedwing was grumpy, but not straight out rude.
       Rosepaw backed toward the entrance. "I was just leaving," she forced her voice to be calm but she knew her feelings shone through her actions.
       Rosepaw turned without and answer and squeezed quickly through the rock cleft.

       Rosepaw sat near the fresh-kill pile. She chewed a skinny rabbit. She had had a successful hunt earlier that day, but now it was time to fill her own belly.
      Brackenpaw sat beside her, sharing the rabbit between them. Brackenpaw and his mentor Duskspots has gone hunting with Rosepaw. Crookedwing had taken them on their first team hunt.
      Rosepaw reflected how she and Brackenpaw had been hiding in the grass together while Crookedwing and Duskspots drove the rabbit towards them. If Brackenpaw hadn't leaped out so early, we would have caught the rabbit, Rosepaw mused. She remembered how she had rolled over laughing after the brown tabby tom tripped over his own paws.
       She glanced over into his green eyes, smiling to herself. He was good company. They had stayed away from Amberpaw and Puddlepaw ever since they had crossed into RiverClan territory. Both Rosepaw and Brackenpaw agreed that the warrior code came first, no matter what. Amberpaw clearly has other ideas. Rosepaw's whiskers twitched. And Puddlepaw follows him like a duckling follows his mother.
       A figure looming over Rosepaw stole her away from her thoughts. Crookedwing glared down at the apprentices.
       "Come sit with me, Rosepaw," Crookedwing eyed Brackenpaw.
       Rosepaw shared a small glance with the brown tabby tom before rising to her paws and following her mentor. She didn't sit down, instead she lead Rosepaw to the edge of the camp.
       "I want you to stay away from Brackenpaw," Crookedwing's tone was harsh.
       Confusion flickered through Rosepaw.
       "Why?" She questioned. "We're friends."
       Rosepaw couldn't bare the thought of losing Brackenpaw just because her mentor said so. He was her only friend in the Clan.
       Crookedwing's gaze hardened. "He's too much of a distraction. He made one wrong move in the hunting session, which caused you to fall over laughing. You spend most of your free time hanging around with him."
        Rosepaw winced at her mentor's stinging words. They were true, but what was so wrong about having a friend in the Clan? What was so wrong about having fun? Rosepaw couldn't give in without a fight.
       "Please, give us another chance," she mewed, tail twitching. "We haven't done anything wrong."
       Crookedwing gazed intently at Rosepaw before giving a grunt. She glanced away, fixing her gaze on a spot behind Rosepaw. "Fine." Crookedwing stalked away without another word.
       Rosepaw felt relived, but most of all confused. Why wouldn't I be able to have a friend? She turned around to gaze at the place where Crookedwing had been staring. Only gorse bushes lined the edge of the camp behind her. Rosepaw squinted. From the shadows, familiar green eyes glinted in the evening light.