eternal: hyacinth || warrior cats

chapter 7

mintpaw

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MINTPAW'S NOSE WRINKLED with disgust at the taste of Clearfrost's traveling herbs, swallowing them forcefully and swiping her tongue across her jaw a few times to try and get rid of the bitter taste.

It didn't work, but the gray tabby didn't dare complain in front of Clearfrost's icy eyes.

The medicine cat gave a curt nod. "We'll be setting out soon. Go organize the marigold from the feverfew we collected earlier until then." She swept her tail and then disappeared.

Mintpaw felt her ears drooping as she dragged herself to the herb storage. So Clearfrost was still mad about this afternoon, then. It wasn't her fault she'd leapt further than Snakepaw; she didn't know how it happened. All she wanted to do was give it a try, and she'd somehow beat her brother.

The gray tabby felt infinitely bored as she picked the yellow flowers apart from each other. Thankfully, despite having no interest in the subject, her mind was sharp enough to perform the duties properly.

After a while, the sounds of stomping grew louder and Snakepaw's presence was announced. Her brother ducked into the den, clearly annoyed, and brushed past the two medicine cats without even glancing at them, putting the mouse bile away, washing his paws, and exiting.

He was soon replaced by Ivorystar, much to Mintpaw's surprise. However, what shocked her even more was the fact that Clearfrost didn't even bother to acknowledge the leader's presence; clearly, there was some tension between the two sisters.

"Clearfrost," Ivorystar snapped after longer ignorance from the medicine cat. "We need to talk."

"If it's about what we discussed earlier in your den, Ivorystar, then no, we don't," Clearfrost meowed firmly. "We have reached a clear disagreement, there's no point in trying to hash it out."

"Clearfrost." Ivorystar's eyes were deadly. "I order you."

Clearfrost let out a low growl as she stood up, turning to her apprentice. "Mintpaw, please go into the herb storage and continue sorting in there."

Mintpaw nodded, picking up the herbs and trotting into the separate cave obediently. However, curiosity overcame her, and she found herself pressed at the entrance of the herb storage, ears pricked as she listened to the leader and medicine cat's conversation.

I'm not technically breaking any rules, she assured herself. I'm still in the herb storage, and I'm done with all the sorting. 

However, as Ivorystar and Clearfrost's conversation proceeded, Mintpaw's eyes widened. She felt her stomach dropping with dread. Her blood veins ran cold, as if they were made of ice, and she suddenly felt frozen and overheated at the same time. She could feel herself trembling slightly.

She was beginning to wish she didn't eavesdrop on their conversation after all.

Mintpaw backed away from the entrance, her breathing coming out rapidly as she shook, wanting to curl up in a ball and wish that this was all a bad dream. There's absolutely no way what she just heard could be true. No way.

Fear spiked inside the gray tabby as she pressed herself to the stone wall, trying to calm herself down. It wasn't working.

Please, StarClan, please, Mintpaw found herself praying. Please let Ivorystar's words be a lie. It can't be real. Please.

"Mintpaw!" Clearfrost's voice, calling for the gray tabby, rang loudly through the medicine den. "Come on, it's time to go."

The gray tabby took a few deep breaths, attempting to at least stop shaking. Her pelt twitched when she saw that Viperpaw had also entered the den, glancing at him briefly as she trotted out with Clearfrost.