WITHERING HERBS || A Warriors Fanfiction

|| chapter sixteen

A chilling wind entered the apprentice's den, swirling around and hissing angrily. It paused, stomping furiously around the den in a fit of rage before whisking out. The grasses waved, and the den shook slightly.

Owlpaw soon woke up, feeling frigidness creep into his pelt. He shook himself, beginning to slowly groom his dark brown fur to try and warm himself up. Trying to keep the strokes of his tongue swift, he curled his tail around his now-shivering form. Shaking himself out again, he fluffed out his fur.

His yellowy-golden gaze flicked to the entrance of the den.

He blinked, shaking his head, before looking at the entrance again.

What is that?

There was a small plant-like object at the entrance of the den. Padding forwards to inspect it, he peered at the plant. It had sharp edges and it looked like a pine needle. But it didn't smell like a pine needle.

It smelled like an herb.

He couldn't tell which herb it was. Hazelberry might be able to tell which it was, though. Flicking an ear, he began to pad past the herb but heard a sound. Confusion flickered through him, though he stopped and stepped backward. 

"Go to the Moonpool..."

What in StarClan's name is going on? I need some herbs to calm me down. I can't keep imagining things like this.

"It's real, Owlpaw.."

Okay, no, it's not. This is fake. I'm imagining this. There's no way this herb is speaking to me.

A freezing breeze brushed up against Owlpaw's pelt and he shivered.

"This is real, Owlpaw... Please trust me?"

"Fine." He hissed, finding this ridiculous. Can I really be talking to this herb? 

The breeze curled around him, smiling lightly as it swirled away. He huffed, placing his tail on his paws, sitting down.

"Go to the Moonpool when it's right before sundown. There will be three other cats there and we will instruct you what to do. Please trust us... There's nothing else we can do... You're not imagining it, Owlpaw, we're real."

He asked, "What kind of herb are you?" He blinked, and before he could inspect it, the herb was gone. 

This is ridiculous. There is no way that was real. Of course, it's fake. There's practically no way some random unidentified herb can just speak to me.

But he couldn't help but feel nervous. If he didn't go and everyone else who supposedly got the message too did go, he'd ruin it all.

He wasn't sure what he was going to do. 

But he thought he could hear Sedgestorm's voice outside of the den. So he padded swiftly out of it, fluffing his fur against the cold wind.

•~•~•~•

"Dismissed."

Owlpaw dipped his head, his paws aching with the battle session Sedgestorm and he had just done. It was almost sundown and he still hadn't decided if he wanted to go or not. The training session had been particularly exhausting. His tail flicking, he grabbed a vole from the fresh-kill pile and curled up outside of the apprentice's den, quickly taking a few bites.

Flavors exploded on his tongue and before he could savor the lovely taste of vole he swallowed the meat. His belly felt warm as he took another bite of the creature, soon finishing it off and burying it. Golden gaze flicking towards the sky, he noticed the sun sitting on the horizon.

I have to go. 

Giving his fur a quick grooming, he fluffed it out. He surveyed the camp, gaze traveling around, and then sprinted out.

The cold wind rushed through his fur as he breathed in and out, puffs of warm breath billowing out in front of him. Pushing forward, he swerved around a rock, snow swelling behind him as he curved sharply around another jutting rock. Quickly heading in the direction of the Moonpool, he was acutely aware of the sun setting above his head.

The light that came from the now-setting sun seemed to drain away from the ground ahead of him as he continued on. He could almost sense the darkness seemingly overtaking the area around him. Racing to the Moonpool faster, he picked up a scent of a PetalClan cat.

"Owlpaw?"

It was Finchtuft.

"Hi, Finchtuft..." he trailed off, turning to see the tom.

"You got the message too?" Finchtuft asked, eyes concerned and confused.

Owlpaw nodded, "Do you know what herb it was-?"

"Wait, Owlpaw, Finchtuft?"

A voice called out. It sounded slightly familiar. Finchtuft and Owlpaw turned around to see Talondust and Logbite standing a few fox-lengths behind them. 

"Greetings," Finchtuft mewed to them, dipping his head. Owlpaw did the same, and Talondust inclined his head, Logbite nodding. 

"You all got the message?" Owlpaw queried.

They all nodded.

"Do you know what herb it was...?" The apprentice felt strange speaking about this weird herb that had spoken to them all. 

Finchtuft muttered, "No, why would that matter?"

Owlpaw flicked his tail, mulling it over when Talondust exclaimed;

"Maybe it has to do with the sickness!"

Logbite gave a disdainful sniff. "Doubtful, we seem like randomly chosen cats. There has to be a commonality between us," she shook her head, her gaze traveling among them. "It can't be just warriors, because of Owlpaw."

Each of the cats seemed to collectively think, their heads tilted down, intently studying their paws. Their ears were flattened in thought, tails held erect.

"Wait!" Finchtuft looked up. "I'm the youngest of my Clan and I'm healthy. What about you all?"

Logbite and Talondust both mewed, "I'm the youngest and healthy, too." 

"And Owlpaw is the youngest, obviously, and I know he's healthy!" Finchtuft gave a little jump of excitement.

Logbite frowned, "But how does that have to do with anything? It doesn't really pertain to the sickness at all. Well, yeah, we're healthy, but all the leaders are fairly healthy, and the medicine cats aren't deathly ill either. So it has to do with us being young?"

Owlpaw's gaze was still stuck on his paws when he looked up.

"Oh no, the moon!" 

Everyone looked up, spotting it climbing into the sky. They clambered towards the Moonpool, swiftly entering with soundless pawsteps.

Talondust whispered, "Lick up some of the water and sleep next to the Moonpool." Owlpaw nodded, and he curled up next to it, lapping up some of the water.

It tasted like starlight, its icy feeling traveling through him. A pang of chilliness pulsed inside of him, and he shivered, curling his tail around his body. He listened to Talondust's breathing slow, and the rhythmic, collective breathing from Finchtuft and Logbite. It swirled around, lulling him into a light sleep.