Warriors || Aspenrose's Goodbye

Chapter Three

       Aspenpaw pushed through the brambles of the medicine cat den and padded into the camp clearing. Her paws ached. She had just finished helping Duskheart sort through her herbs. Aspenpaw entered the apprentice den to see her two brothers asleep in her nest along with Graypaw and Birchpaw.
        She curled up in her nest between Juniperpaw and Cedarpaw, her two brothers, and let the dusk-light lull at her to sleep.
       Aspenpaw opened her eyes upon darkness from the night. She was in an unfamiliar nest. Aspenpaw studied her surroundings and realized she was in the medicine cat den, with Duskheart sleeping across from her. How did I get here?
Aspenpaw stood from the nest and walked up to Duskheart. I hate to wake her, but I want to know why I'm in here. She shrugged, reaching down to prod her medicine cat with a claw. She didn't budge.
"Duskheart?" Aspenpaw whispered in the ginger tabby's ear. "Duskheart!"
Duskheart didn't stir. Aspenpaw grumbled, stalking out of the den. I'll go sleep in my own den. I bet my father is the one behind this. Before she could reach the bramble den, a mist clouded suddenly in front of her, blocking her from the apprentice den.
Aspenpaw gasped. A starry cat appeared before her, with a gray pelt and blue eyes flecked with brown. A StarClan cat?
     "Who are you?" Aspenpaw let questions pour out of her. "Why are you here? And why wouldn't Duskheart wake up?"
The gray tom placed his tail over Aspenpaw's mouth. Sorry. "It's good to finally meet you, Aspenpaw." He purred. "Follow me."
      As the gray tom started padding toward the thorn tunnel, Aspenpaw noticed he left a trail of dim stars behind him, falling from his starry paws. Must be StarClan. Aspenpaw bounded after him. As they padded through the woods, the trees started to thin out and give way to a clearing. Aspenpaw recognized it instantly. The training hollow.
       The gray StarClan warrior spun around to face Aspenpaw. "See that rock?" He nodded to a huge flat rock at the edge of the clearing. "I want you to go up on it and wait once you get there."
      Aspenpaw cocker her head. The StarClan warrior smiled at her as if she didn't understand, then waved his tail at the rock invitingly. She padded up to it hesitantly, before making a clumsy jump to sit on top. Aspenpaw steadied her self, then looked down to find the StarClan warrior.
      He was gone. She searched the clearing with ice-blue eyes. Where did he-? Before she could finish the thought, a heavy weight bowled her over, making her land at the edge of the rock.
"Show me your fighting skills," the gray warrior hissed in her ear. "Try to stay on this rock!"
Aspenpaw growled. She reared up, shaking the small gray tom off of her and batting at his ears with sheathed claws. The gray tom stepped sideways, diving at Aspenpaw and unbalancing her as he hit her shoulder.
Aspen felt herself slide across the rock, coming too close to the edge. She struggled to get up as she teetered by the edge. Aspenpaw lost her footing, falling to the soft grass below.
The gray tom jumped down from the rock, landing neatly beside her. "My name is Driftfrost." He purred in amusement as Aspenpaw staggered to her paws. "Exactly what I thought. It looks like you aren't too great at that." He murmured half to himself.
Aspenpaw shook herself. "What? Fighting?" She shrugged. No one needed to tell her that. She already knew it. She was better at hunting, although she still wasn't too great at it either. She was really fast though. Probably faster than a WindClan apprentice her age.
Her brother Cedarpaw was the one that was good in battle. He was also great at climbing trees. Juniperpaw was best at hunting. I might not be great at battle moves or hunting, but I'm a fast learner.
She looked up to meet Driftfrost's gaze. "I know. The only thing I'm good at is running."
She left out the part about being a fast learner. He probably wouldn't believe it the way that she had fought, but it was true.
"Your father's right," Driftfrost stated suddenly. "You're ready, Aspenpaw."
A glint of confusion sparked in Aspenpaw's eyes. Ready for what?