ωαяяισя ¢αтѕ // Mintpool's Promise

Chapter 21

The early morning sunlight splashed slid into the camp, lighting up the clearing slowly. A breeze ruffled through the trees, making the branches sway. No cat was up yet, for it was still before dawn.

Mintpaw slid out of the medicine den, her pelt ruffled with sleep. Yesterday, she bumped into Leafpaw while collecting herbs at the EarthClan border, and somehow, he'd convinced her to meet him at the borders early morning. She couldn't help but feel her pelt twitch guiltily that she was leaving the camp while the Clan had so much tension, preparing for the rogues. She was escaping to have fun, while her Clanmates were working hard. We shouldn't do this any longer, but one more time couldn't hurt, right? Mintpaw ducked under a branch, trying to convince herself of that as she hurried towards the border. 

Leafpaw, as usual, was waiting for her by the time she'd arrived. The gray tabby slid to a halt, rubbing her pelt against her friends' in a good morning greeting. As stressed as she was in the past days, whenever she saw Leafpaw, she instantly felt better and cheered up. "Good morning, Leafpaw!"

Leafpaw blinked at her. "Morning! And, it's Leafwhisker, now." His green eyes were gleaming proudly. 

The tabby's eyes widened with surprise and pride for her friend. "Really? Congratulations! When did that happen?" 

"Around half a moon ago." Leafwhisker swished his tail. 

Mintpaw nodded and congratulated him again. Another friend who received their full name! I can't wait until I get mine!

Leafwhisker blinked at her, as though he could read her mind. "Don't worry, you're sure to get yours soon. But now, since I'm a full warrior and you're an apprentice, I get to order you around." It was a running joke that they had.

Mintpaw rolled her eyes playfully. "Sure, I'd definitely listen to a little fur-ball."

Leafwhisker huffed, pretending to be upset, before changing the subject. "So, how's things in your Clan going?"

Mintpaw tilted her head. "Almost every cat in my Clan wants to attack the rogues, and force them to leave," she meowed, "but Spottedstar says we can't do anything until the rogues physically provoke us first."

Leafwhisker nodded. "Us, too, but Moonstar says that we should send a patrol to find out what the rogues' plan is."

"That sounds like a good idea." Mintpaw shook out her pelt, not wanting to talk about the rogues any longer. "So, what do you want to do this morning?"

Leafwhisker's green eyes sparkled. "So, you remember that strange forest that we'd found? Let's go explore it!"

Mintpaw's pelt ruffled uneasily, remembering how she felt as though something had been watching them the last time she'd entered. "What if the rogues are there?"

Leafwhisker thrust his head over his shoulder, pointing in the direction of WaterClan's border, or, for him, FireClan's border. "All the rogue scents have been in that direction, downhill. The forest is up in this direction."

Mintpaw nodded slowly. He did have a point. All the reports have been in the direction of WaterClan's border, and nothing had been found uphill.

Seeing that she wasn't fully convinced, Leafwhisker nudged her gently. "Don't worry, if there are rogues, I'll protect you!"

Mintpaw scoffed, nudging him back. "I don't need your protection." Okay, so maybe that wasn't true, but she and Leafwhisker often teased each other like that, seeing who was "tougher" than the other. Still, affection warmed her pelt. "Let's go." 

The two began another race, bounding up the hills. Their tails streamed out behind them as wind whistled through the fur. Mintpaw's heart was practically bursting with joy as she pulled ahead of Leafwhisker. For this moment, she'd completely forgotten about the stress and pressure that faced her back at camp.