Warriors: Shadows in the Light - Veiled Stars

Chapter Nine

"It wasn't fake! We couldn't collect the honey because it was dirty." Rosepaw whined, frustrated that her piles were ruined.

Rowanmask's gaze told her this conversation would last no longer. "Seems like you have something to do," he implied coldly to the scattered herbs behind her.

Rosepaw whipped around, sitting down roughly.

***

It was dusk by the time she finished again. She was in the worst mood possible. She shoved each herb bundle into their appropriate crags before turning around, nostrils flared.

"I'm done," she grumbled.

Rowanmask looked up from where he was relaxing, eyes flitting over to the herb storage. "It's a little messy."

No 'thank you'? I wasted all of my day to sort those herbs you already sorted! Rosepaw dug her claws into the ground.

"It's the half-moon meeting tonight. I'd suggest fixing your attitude before we go." Rowanmask added, looking at his claws.

"Okay," muttered Rosepaw, willing her fur to stay flat. She forgot about the meeting! She'd see Seedpaw and Puddlepaw - wait, no Puddlepaw was Puddlecloud as of last meeting.

Rowanmask glanced outside. "The sun is dipping down. Let's head out." The sun couldn't be seen, but its orange light mingled with the dark gray storm clouds at the edge of the moor.

Rosepaw walked out before Rowanmask, energy buzzing through her bones. She felt like she could run to the Moonpool and back and not be breathless.

Rowanmask swept past her, swiftly walking out of the camp. Rosepaw had to trot to keep up with his stride. She watched his tail flick as the two walked silently across the moor, the wind battering her in the face. She noticed the ground was wet and the sky was covered in clouds. It smelled like fresh rain - her favorite smell.

"Can the Moonpool flood?" Rosepaw asked without thinking.

Rowanmask didn't turn to face her. "How would I know?" he replied harshly.

Rosepaw flattened her ears. He didn't have to be rude every time. "Sorry... just a question..." she mumbled, tail drooping.

Watching Rowanmask's body language, she swore he flattened his ears ever-so-slightly in guilt, but they perked back up with thunder boomed off in the distance. Lightning flashed out of the corner of her eye, criss-crossing the sky.

Rowanmask paused at the ThunderClan border. The stream between the two Clans seemed to be flooded, so Rowanmask turned right. Further downstream, there was a log over the flooding stream. Rosepaw uncertainly climbed atop of the wet bark. She had never gone this way before. The stream had never flooded before, so Rowanmask and her usually just jumped over it.

"Come on." Rowanmask meowed from the other side of the log, watching her like a hawk. "You won't slip."

Is he encouraging me? First time. Rosepaw thought dryly. She unsheathed her claws and walked stiffly across the log.

At the end, she jumped off and bumped into Rowanmask. To her surprise, when she looked up, Rowanmask had a small grin on his muzzle.

"You walked like you wanted to fall in." He told her, voice not portraying the amusement on his face, but it still warmed her up despite the biting wind.

Rowanmask wheeled around, picking up their pace. Rosepaw rushed after him, eyes scanning the ground wildly before her. There were so many branches scattered everywhere, how did the ThunderClan cats do this? She already stepped on four and nearly tripped on eight others.

Rowanmask dodged the branches effortlessly, so Rosepaw tried to place her paws where he placed his. Just as she was beginning to mimic Rowanmask, her paw slid on wet grass and she went spinning into a bush.

Rosepaw let out a yelp of shock. Thankfully nothing hurt (except her pride) as she squirmed out of the bush.

Rowanmask watched her, eyes betraying nothing. Rosepaw smiled sheepishly and dashed through the forest when he began leading the way again, going slower for the clumsy apprentice's sake.

After a few excruciating minutes of clumsiness and slipping, Rosepaw arrived at a path that had been trod on by multiple cats before her. Rowanmask whisked past her, paws falling into the pawsteps.

Rosepaw bounded down the slope, gazing at the Moonpool with wide eyes at the bottom. She never got over it every time; the stars reflected clearly in the beautiful black pool as it lapped slightly at the rocks.

"Greetings," a voice came from the pool. Rosepaw glanced airily that way, eyes resting on Mistysong, ThunderClan's medicine cat, and Mintleaf and Puddlecloud of SkyClan.

"Mistysong, Mintleaf, Puddlecloud." Rowanmask mewed each name politely, dipping his head.

Rosepaw waved her tail enthusiastically at Puddlecloud. Puddlecloud grinned at her.

"Hopefully nothing has happened to Tawnythorn and Seedpaw or Softfur." Mintleaf fretted. Her specialty, by the way.

"They're always late." Mistysong meowed dismissively.

Rosepaw walked over to Puddlecloud, sitting next to the black she-cat. She watched the stars flicker in the Moonpool, eager to share with StarClan.

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-artemis