The Apprentice's Curse (A Shrouded Path book 1) {COMPLETE}

Chapter 5

"Mouse dung!" Minnowpaw spat. She stared crossly at the rippling water where her paw had just been. The fish she'd been after had vanished. Anger seared her pelt; she should have caught it!

"Don't be so upset," Tawnyclaw said gently from beside her. "It's just one fish. We have plenty more. In fact, with this load, we'll have to flag down the evening patrol to help us carry it all back."

Minnowpaw eyed the bulging pile of fish next to her. She'd caught them all herself, and had since lost count of the slippery silver bodies. A cool evening breeze ruffled her fur, a welcome relief from the heat of the impending greenleaf. Across the river, the tops of the trees in ThunderClan's forest glowed like fire beneath the orange sunset.

Minnowpaw looked back at Tawnyclaw. "Are you sure we have enough?" she asked.

Amusement lit Tawnyclaw's eyes, but it faded to concern as Minnowpaw continued to stare at him. "Of course we have enough!" he meowed, sounding shocked. "I think you've been feeding the Clan all by yourself this past moon! I've never seen an apprentice so keen on keeping the fresh-kill pile bulging."

Minnowpaw wished she could share his enthusiasm, but she could feel nothing but worry in the back of her mind; worry that had plagued her since the Gathering over half a moon ago. She was trying to keep her Clan fed, and therefore strong, to make up for the lack of warriors and apprentices. She figured that if the other Clans had more cats, then RiverClan cats just had to be twice as strong.

Tawnyclaw was watching Minnowpaw thoughtfully. "Tell me what's really going on," he mewed with a rare softness. "You've been pushing yourself harder than usual. You've hardly been eating or sleeping, and you insist on taking twice as many patrols as your denmates. Plus there's all this fresh-kill," he gestured to the pile of fish, "and any cat would think you've actually been trying to hurt me during battle training." When Minnowpaw didn't respond, Tawnyclaw added, "Don't feel bad about Mudpaw and Sorrelpaw becoming warriors soon. They're much older than you, and you still have plenty of time to train."

"That's not it," Minnowpaw muttered. Tawnyclaw flicked his ears for her to continue. She sighed. "I'm just worried that RiverClan isn't strong enough. We're the smallest Clan right now. I don't want us to look weak, or worse, actually be weak."

Understanding spread across Tawnyclaw's face. "Ah," he meowed. "I understand your concern. But trust me, RiverClan is not weak. In fact, this is the strongest we've been since I was an apprentice myself. And that was many, many moons ago," he added jokingly.

"But what if it's not enough?" Minnowpaw tried to keep the desperation out of her voice.

Tawnyclaw looked away, across the river, looking like he was trying to find the right words. "We'll have two more warriors by moonhigh," he meowed. Mudpaw and Sorrelpaw's ceremony was supposed to be today. "And it will be less than a moon before Redkit, Cinderkit, and Poppykit become apprentices. And Cherryheart has moved to the nursery. Her kits will also be a wonderful welcome to RiverClan."

Not long after the last Gathering, the tortoiseshell warrior had announced that she was having kits and moved to the nursery, much to the delight of Cloudsplash. Minnowpaw had never seen the black-and-white tom so proud. Minnowpaw had finally understood what Cherryheart meant when she said there'd soon be more kits in RiverClan. But would it be enough?

Sensing her lingering concern, Tawnyclaw added, "I know you're worried. We all are, even Ashstar. But we've had many moons of peace. Do I need to remind you that you've never seen a battle?" Minnowpaw shook her head. "Right now, RiverClan has no quarrel with any other Clan. They don't need to know that we're weaker, and as long as we appear strong, they have no need to attack us or threaten our borders. We're going to be fine."

His words lifted a weight off Minnowpaw's heart, and she let herself relax a bit. Perhaps she was just worrying over nothing. She nodded. "Okay."

"Now let's see if we can find that patrol," Tawnyclaw mewed.

As if on command, the reeds behind the two of them rustled and Ashflower, Flamepelt, Sweetstripe, and Mudpaw stepped onto the bank. "Wow!" Flamepelt exclaimed as he eyed the pile of fish beside Minnowpaw. "Good hunting, I see."

"Minnowpaw caught most of them," Tawnyclaw told him, sounding proud.

Ashflower bounded forward and gave Minnowpaw a swift lick on her ears. "Well, thanks to you, RiverClan will feast tonight," she meowed affectionately. Minnowpaw breathed in the sweet scent of her mother.

"And we'll have good reason for it, too," Sweetstripe put in, flicking her tail warmly over Mudpaw's ears. "We'd better get back if you want to be in time for your own ceremony," she told the brown apprentice.

"Looks like you could use some help," Flamepelt meowed to Minnowpaw, grabbing prey in his jaws. Between the six cats, they managed to carry the fish back home.

The camp was buzzing with excitement. It seemed every cat was in good spirits in anticipation of the naming ceremony; even grumpy old Blacktail was sunning himself in the clearing, chatting with Troutleap and Shadebelly. As the evening patrol, with Tawnyclaw and Minnowpaw, entered camp loaded with fresh-kill, their Clanmates crowded around them.

"Great StarClan!" Birchclaw was exclaiming, his gaze warm as he eyed Minnowpaw. "Did you leave any fish in the river?"

Ashstar emerged from his den and padded over to the fresh-kill pile as the six cats deposited the prey. "Well done," he meowed to Minnowpaw. Sorrelpaw was also heading over, her pelt slick and glossy like she'd just finished grooming. Seeing her, Mudpaw immediately began to clean his own messy fur as well. Ashstar said, "Now that everyone is here, we can begin the ceremony."

He walked to the meeting rock and jumped onto it, opening his jaws to yowl, "Let all cats old enough to swim gather for a Clan meeting!" The call was hardly necessary, as most of the Clan was already in the clearing. Nightwhisper and Silverheart emerged from the medicine den to sit beside the elders. Maplenose brought Redkit, Poppykit, and Cinderkit out of the nursery, calling them to stay with her. She was followed more slowly by Cherryheart, whose belly was bulging with kits. The pretty she-cat went to sit beside her mate, and Nettlestep and Pebblenose joined them. Minnowpaw found Flamepelt and went to sit next to him. Shadebelly took his place next to Ashstar, looking proudly at his kits. Mudpaw and Sorrelpaw, coats gleaming, approached Ashstar, flanked by Sweetstripe and Twigtail. The camp fell silent.

"Twigtail, Sweetsripe," Ashstar began. "Are you confident that your apprentices are ready to become warriors?" The two mentors replied with a confident 'yes,' and Ashstar continued. "I, Ashstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these two apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

Minnowpaw's chest tightened as she heard the words. She wondered how many naming ceremonies Ashstar had conducted, and suddenly her paws itched for her own. It wouldn't be too long now.

"Mudpaw, Sorrelpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?" Ashstar gazed at the two cats.

"I do." Mudpaw's voice was trembling a little.

Sorrelpaw's mew was calmer, but with just as much pride. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Mudpaw, from this moment you will be known as Mudpelt. StarClan honors your courage and enthusiasm, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan." He stepped forward to rest his muzzle on Mudpelt's head before turning to Sorrelpaw.

"Sorrelpaw, from this moment you will be known as Sorrelstream. StarClan honors your thoughtfulness and dedication, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

"Mudpelt! Sorrelstream!" The clan cheered the warriors' new names, howling praise and encouragement. Overcome with pride for her friends, Minnowpaw felt her voice was the loudest of all.