ωαяяισя ¢αтѕ // Mintpool's Promise

Chapter 18

Another moon had flown by. Flowerpaw had successfully received her warrior name of Flowershine. Icepaw had passed his Warrior Assessment soon after, getting the name of Iceclaw. Now, it was Adderpaw's turn to chatter excitedly about when he was becoming a warrior. 

As for the rearing up move, Adderpaw had managed to get it down by the time the training session was over, but neither Robinpaw nor Mintpaw could master it yet. The brown she-cat had probably forgotten about the rivalry over the move, but the gray tabby practiced the move whenever she could. As soon as she had a break, she would rear up and try to balance for as long as she could. She would be true to the promise of her getting the move before Robinpaw. And, as she padded by Robinpaw and Flowershine talking, she often heard Robinpaw complaining about how Mistyfur kept pushing her to get it, and she always failed. This always gave Mintpaw a happy flick of her tail, knowing that she still had a chance to win. 

At the moment, Mintpaw had ducked behind the medicine den. Most cats were out on patrol, and Echoleaf didn't need her for anything. So, she, of course, was practicing the move. She reared upwards, balancing on her hind legs.

"Whoah!" The gray tabby tumbled over. She pulled herself up, shaking out her pelt in frustration. Sometimes, it felt like she'd never get it. Being a warrior is hard! Learning herbs is much easier, and more fun, too. But she couldn't quit now. "Remember, keep both your hind legs in the ground," she mumbled to herself, lifting up into the air again.

This time, she didn't tumble over instantly. Excitement spiked her pelt. I might be able to do the move! As Mintpaw prepared to strike out a paw, Echoleaf's voice startled her. 

"Mintpaw? Can you go check on Windstrike, please? I think we might need to move her to the medicine den."

Mintpaw tumbled over instantly, shock spiking her pelt, soon followed by embarrassment. Heat flowed through her fur. Echoleaf hadn't seen that, had she? If she had, the gray she-cat wasn't showing any signs of it. She blinked calmly at her apprentice, awaiting her answer. 

The gray tabby ducked her head. "Of course." She bounded to the herb storage, picking out a bundle of feverfew, honey, catmint, and one poppy seed, in case the elder needed help falling asleep.

"When you're done, get some prey. There's a Gathering tonight," Echoleaf informed her before padding away, in the direction of the leader's den. 

Mintpaw hurried towards the elders den, the thought of the Gathering quickening her steps. As she entered, she realized that Graywhisker and Mousepelt were gone. They're probably eating some prey before the Gathering. A hacking cough came from the back of the den. 

Mintpaw stepped forward. Windstrike lay in her nest as cough after cough rattled through her bones. She felt a stab of sympathy for the elder as she padded near. "Hi, Windstrike."

The gray elder blinked up at her. "Hello. Are you going to give me something for my sickness?"

Mintpaw nodded, nudging the herbs towards her. "Here, eat this. The honey should help your throat, and the feverfew and catmint should help the illness." As Windstrike chewed, she pressed her nose gently to the elder's body, surprise flicking through her as she realized how warm it was. Echoleaf was right; we do need to move Windstrike to the medicine den!

"So," Windstrike's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, "while we're both here, why don't I tell you a story?"

Mintpaw fluffed her pelt. "Oh, no. You're sick. You need to rest."

The elder coughed. "I'm alright! Those herbs fixed me up just fine." 

"We need to move you to the medicine den," Mintpaw mewed, shaking her head. "You need to rest."