Warriors: The Fading Light ~Series 1 Book 5~

Chapter 22

Clearlight's POV:

Clearlight poked his head into the apprentice's den and saw all of them fast asleep. Except for Autumnpaw and Goldpaw, of course. Those two were eagerly standing behind Clearlight. He parted his jaws and meowed, "Wake up all of you. I have a task for you!"

Immediately, Blizzardpaw bolted up from his nest and yowled, "Task? What kind?" Blackpaw raised his head as well and looked at Clearlight questioningly.

"Wake up Rosepaw." Blackpaw nudged his sister with a paw. The light brown tabby she cat yawned and stretched and moaned sleepily. Icepaw stayed in her nest but Clearlight felt her ice blue eyes staring into him.

Satisfied that the apprentices were all listening, Clearlight began explaining their task. "We're going to do a race in camp. You are each going to scout around camp, looking for little stones poking out of the ground. If you see any, dig them up and bring them back to me. Whoever collects the most stones gets to pick whatever they want from the fresh-kill pile."

Blackpaw and Blizzardpaw flashed eachother competitive grins and the two toms jumped out of their nests in unison and dashed past Clearlight. They joined Autumnpaw and Goldpaw in the main clearing and debated on who was the best stone collector. Rosepaw rose from her nest more sluggishly and Icepaw rolled lazily onto her back. Her short white fur shone brightly from the darkness of the den and Clearlight could see the spiteful young she cat was deliberately ignoring him.

"Icepaw, come on." Clearlight ordered and flicked his tail irritably.

Icepaw snorted, "No way, I'm not a kit. I don't play stupid 'Stone Collecting' games." She flashed Clearlight a sly grin and rolled back onto her belly, curling up in her nest and closing her eyes.

Her flicking ears and tail told Clearlight she was just pretending to sleep but he didn't say anything. Instead, he shrugged and murmured, "Oh well, I guess I'll just have to get Icepaw to check the elders for ticks since she is too old for play."

Immediately Icepaw shot out of her nest, "Fine! I'll play! Great Starclan, what is wrong with you?" Clearlight forced down a rude reply and stayed silent as Icepaw padded towards the others. "So.. Blackpaw," The white she cat grinned at her black furred brother. "I bet my feathers that I'll collect the most stones."

"Your feathers?" Blackpaw pricked his ears, "The dove feathers that line your nest?" He grinned softly. "Okay, you're on! I bet my left whisker that I'll find the most stones!"

Rosepaw sighed and turned to Autumnpaw and Goldpaw. "Toms are so ridiculous."

"Yeah." Autumnpaw chuckled.

"Hey!" Blizzardpaw growled at the flame coloured she cat. "You're more stupid that us!"

"Really? How?" Autumnpaw smirked and twitched her whiskers.

Rosepaw lashed her tail, "Don't start an argument. Let's just do the race and get it done."

Clearlight flashed a thankful smile at Rosepaw and then meowed, "Alright. Everybody ready?"

"Yes!" The apprentices yowled in unison.

Clearlight grinned, "Ready..."

Blackpaw and Blizzardpaw crouched down, ready to run.

"Set..."

Rosepaw and Autumnpaw flashed each other grins.

"Go!"

Blackpaw and Blizzardpaw took off running along the clearing as fast as they could. Rosepaw and Autumnpaw trotted side by side and kept their gazes on the ground as they searched for stones. Icepaw and Goldpaw went in different directions at a fast walk, sniffing the ground. Icepaw pricked her ears and shot a paw into the ground, digging quickly. Then she stooped down and picked up a small stone in her jaws. She turned back around and ran back to where Clearlight stood. "Found one!"