Warriors || Aspenrose's Goodbye

Chapter Seven

       The small cream she-cat trailed silently behind two tabby toms; one darker brown and skinnier than the other. Juniperpaw's long legs and thin frame made him look meek in comparison with his broad shouldered brother who's muscles ripple under his fur as he walked.
These traits made Cedarpaw great in battle, and amazing at climbing trees. Juniperpaw's skill was hunting. He was also good at making strategies. Both toms were very different, yet both would make great warriors one day or even deputies.
Aspenpaw on the other hand was small. She was light on her paws which only helped the fact that she was very swift. I bet I could outrun a WindClan warrior apprentice! Aspenpaw padded on after her litter-mates.
It seemed like her only skills were being a fast learning and running. Learning quickly would help with her medicine cat training, but what about her speed? Any warrior would trade fast learning for speed. To bad I don't get to use my swiftness to benefit the Clan.
Aspenpaw's thoughts were cut off as she stumbled into Cedarpaw. The toms had stopped. Aspenpaw felt embarrassment well up inside her. One of her faults was clumsiness. Maybe it's a good thing I won't be a warrior after all.
     The three apprentices had come into a clearing. Two other cats awaited their presence. A gray tom and a white she-cat. Graypaw looked around to make sure no other cat was around.
       "Did you make sure your mentors were too busy to notice your absence?" Cedarpaw asked Graypaw and Birchpaw.
       Birchpaw's gray-striped tail twitched. "Yes. Littlefrost went hunting and Blackheart went on the evening patrol. What about your mentors?"
       Aspenpaw gave a slight shiver. Her brothers had forced her to come with them. They said they had needed her help. Suspicion pricked at her paws. Why did Graypaw and Birchpaw need to get away from their mentors?
       "Hollyflower and Robincloud went hunting together, and Duskheart was busy sorting through herbs," Juniperpaw replied.
       "Good," Graypaw gave a nod of satisfaction. "We're ready then."
Ready for what? Aspenpaw's pelt tickled with apprehension. What were these young apprentices planning?
       "Okay, here's the plan," Juniperpaw unsheathed his claws. He took one claw and dragged it through the loose dirt to draw a semi-circle. "This is the stone hollow."
       The dark tabby tom drew a bigger full circle nearby. "This is the lake." He then drew four lines coming out from the lake. "And these are the borders."
       Aspenpaw inwardly gasped. She had begun to understand what was about to take place.
       "We will sneak through the undergrowth until we reach the stream which marks ShadowClan's border," Juniperpaw explained. "We will use the shadows from the pine trees to sneak into their camp."
       "And once we get there we will take back what is rightfully ours!" Cedarpaw growled.
       Bewilderment pulsed through Aspenpaw. What is rightfully ours? Did ShadowClan steal something from ThunderClan? Aspenpaw wanted no part in this.
       Birchpaw had noticed Aspenpaw's confusion in her expression. "Graypaw and Cedarpaw were out on a team hunting exercise. They were chasing a blackbird that flew right over the border-"
       "And into the claws of a ShadowClan Fox-heart!" Graypaw snarled. "Our mentors didn't witness this because they were waiting by the lake."
       "And now we must retrieve what rightfully belongs to ThunderClan," Cedarpaw hissed. "And Aspenpaw will be our bait."