grim hollow | 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐜

chapter 3

"Feverfew."

"No, we've been over this. That's chickweed."

Dawnpaw wasn't sure she could roll her eyes any farther than she was now. Graypetal really expected her to know all the herbs in a few days?

"They look exactly the same." The medicine cat apprentice snickered.

"But they're not. Look," Graypetal sighed, "this is feverfew. The yellow bud is much larger, while chickweed has longer, more flared petals."

"Got it." Dawnpaw muttered, however she wasn't even listening. She couldn't care less.

"Okay, then what's this?" Graypetal spoke, his tone difficult to read however Dawnpaw sensed a bit of challenge as the gray tomcat nudged a yellow flower towards her with thick green stems.

"I have no idea. Marigold?"

"For StarClan's sake no! It's coltsfoot, the most basic herb I can think of."

"Not my fault they're all yellow." Dawnpaw mused, however Graypetal didn't find her joke very funny.

"Well when a cat comes in with a cough and you treat them with marigold, tell me how it feels to be labeled the worst medicine cat in history." The medicine cat grumbled, however Dawnpaw was confused.

"I thought marigold healed coughs?"

"No, they heal small cuts and bruises." He sighed.

"Oh." She murmured, laughing to herself gently, however catching herself as he gave her a death glare.

"Just get out of my sight, we'll go over this all tomorrow, so brush up on your facts by morning. It'll be a small test."

"Got it!" She grinned, nearly skipping out of the den. She seemed to suffocate whenever she was around her mentor who seemed to lack any kind of substance besides teaching. Did he even have a sense of humor?

"Hey D!"

Dawnpaw twisted around to meet rounded golden eyes, a smile slipping across her jaws.

"Hey, Leo." She smiled as she faced her friend who had just recently had her apprentice ceremony. Though ever since, all she'd talk about was her training and Dawnpaw couldn't help but get annoyed with it very quickly. She was just listening to what she couldn't have, and it irked her more than anything.

"I'm heading out with the other apprentices, want to come?" The bengal queried, however Dawnpaw wasn't sure she wanted to. She couldn't relate to them like she used to, and she almost envied them. Worst of all, she even envied Leopardpaw. It wasn't fair that they all got to go out and practice strategic battle moves and that they got to constantly be out of camp. However that was life for you; not fair.

"I guess." She finally shrugged, which resulted in an excited shrill from her friend.

~~~

"Flowerbee is nice, and I heard she's the best hunter in the clan." Dovepaw boasted, however Brinepaw scoffed from beside her.

"Flowerbee doesn't even amount to my mentor. I got Sunstar, beat that."

"Oh shut it Brinepaw, you only got Sunstar because your daddy is the deputy. It's privilege." Tealpaw hissed.

"No one cares about your mentor's hierarchy." Blossompaw spoke bluntly, causing Lionpaw to chuckle lightly beside her.

"I agree; we all know I'll be the best warrior either way." Leopardpaw purred, which resulted in Nightpaw arching a questionable brow.

"What about you Dawnpaw? How's your mentor?" Dovepaw finally questioned, a nearly malicious glint in her sage gaze. Dawnpaw should've expected something vile from the calico molly.