Warriors: Into The Wild - Book One (Completed)

Chapter Nine

Runningwind looked up with wide eyes and looked around frantically. His tongue still out from a mid lick. Waterpaw finally reached him and panted hard, "I... have to ask... you something." She said in between pants. 

Runningwind finished his mid lick on his chest and looked up at Waterpaw with curious eye. He tilted his head to the side.

"Spottedleaf asked me to help her find some Catmint. I know where some is."

Runningwind looked even more confused. Why was an apprentice for a warrior helping out a medicine cat as if she was Spottedleaf's apprentice? He nodded his head in acceptance and went back to licking his puffed out chest. 

Waterpaw, then bounded off towards Spottedleaf who was waiting near the medicine den entrance. "Let's go!" She mewed happily then, trekked on towards the Sandy Hollow. Spottedleaf padded closely behind her. Spottedleaf noticed how happy Waterpaw was to help her out. Was she excited to go back to her hometown? Or did she really want to help Spottedleaf as if she was her apprentice? As they neared Sandy Hollow, Waterpaw became aware that they would have to cross into RiverClan territory. The RiverClan cats didn't bother her, it was the river that did. She hated water, despite her name. She laid her ears back and softly sighed, hoping they can find a shallow part of the river. Spottedleaf curled her lip in a slight snarl when she saw the water. She hated water as well. They were not RiverClan cats, so swimming was not their strong suit, especially Spottedleaf. Waterpaw had fallen in the river of RiverClan and almost drowned, but was saved from RiverClan warriors. It was a traumatizing event for her, but she dared not let that take over her fears. It has been only a moon since she left the twolegs, but she felt like it was much longer. The air began to get colder as they stepped into the water. Waterpaw closed her eyes and wanted to screech like a helpless kit, but held back her tongue. When they finally reached the other side, Waterpaw shook off her pelt. The water clung to her body, and made her look really small compared to Spottedleaf sleek, and long body. A patrol wasn't too far ahead and padded up to the she-cats. Spottedleaf stood in silence and and suddenly shushed Waterpaw before she could say anything. "Let me do the talking." She softly mewed before one of the got close enough to hear her.

"What we can do for you, Spottedleaf?" Asked a smoky black tom. He had a younger  tabby tom standing just beside him. He was cordial, but there was definitely hostility in his voice. 

The young tabby tom tilted his head and stared at Waterpaw. He knew that he saw her somewhere, but couldn't think of why. She smelled of ThunderClan, but also of a kittypet. Something told him that ThunderClan took her in, as they do often with kittypets. Waterpaw looked at him with her side eye. She looked worried as if he was trying to read her thoughts. "Oh!" He blurted out, "You're the kittypet that fell into our river!" He surprisingly didn't seem angry, but he also didn't sound pleased to see her again. 

Waterpaw nodded, "Yeah, that's me." She meowed. Her paws began to burn with embarrassment as they warrior and three other warriors padded up to see who was crossing their border. 

"Forgive us for trespassing," mewed Spottedleaf, "We have come to speak with Mudfur." 

The RiverClan warrior looked as if he was going to reject, but dipped his head and flicked his tail to follow him into the camp. Waterpaw padded up to Spottedleaf's side and whispered in her ear, "Why are we seeing Mudfur?"

Spottedleaf didn't answer until the warriors a few tail-lengths ahead of them, "I believe the catmint that your twolegs grew is the herbs that Mudfur uses." 

Waterpaw fell silent. She had no idea what she was going to say now. They can't just go and steal some catmint from Mudfur's supplies. So what was Spottedleaf going to do?

When they reached RiverClan's camp, Waterpaw felt all eyes turn onto her. She laid her ears flat on her head and gulped for air as they neared Mudfur's den. Mudfur was tending to a few roots, and chewing on them as they padded up to her. The RiverClan warriors left them be and went back to patrolling. Spottedleaf sat down a few tail-lengths from Mudfur. Waterpaw mimicked her sitting position and wrapped her fluffy, tail around her front paws. Mudfur looked up at Spottedleaf, then at Waterpaw. 

"Spottedleaf, you are welcome here." He dipped his head in respect, then did the same for Waterpaw. "This must be your new apprentice?" He added, purring with delight.

Waterpaw's eyes widened, "No no no," She quickly meowed, "I'm just accompanying her."

Spottedleaf silenced her with a lash of the tail, "Waterpaw is a warrior in training as of now. I have come to ask for some catmint if you have any to spare?"

Waterpaw shot her a glance of anger. What did she mean by, as of now? Waterpaw wanted to stomp her feet in anger, but held back to action and bit her tongue, hoping that Mudfur or Spottedleaf doesn't make anymore comments towards her about becoming a medicine cat.