Fading Shadows (A Trail of Shadows book two)

chapter five

Rainpaw yawned as she sat up in her nest, giving her chest fur a few licks as she looked around the den.

Beside her nest, Bramblestorm slept soundly, his spiky pelt rising and falling as he snored. A few tail lengths away, Stormpaw laid in a heap of golden brown tabby fur, his eyes shut tight. Tigerfrost and Honeypool were gone already, probably on the dawn patrol by the look of how light it seemed outside.

Her eyes stopped on Cinderpaw, who tossed and turned a bit as she slept. Her silver fur looked mussed up, bristling slightly. Stepping forward a little, Rainpaw was greeted by the slight tang of blood, and peering closer, she could see a scratch on Cinderpaw's shoulder.

"Hey, what happened, you're bleeding." Rainpaw meowed, jostling her littermate awake worriedly.

Cinderpaw jerked awake, her copper eyes wide as they darted around before settling on Rainpaw. She relaxed, taking a deep breath as she sat up. "Hmm? Oh this?" She spoke, registering what Rainpaw had said as she glanced at her shoulder. "Must've been a thorn in my nest." She shrugged.

"You should get some herbs, it could get infected." Rainpaw meowed, her head tilting.

"No, I don't wanna bother Ravensight or Snowfall." Cinderpaw dismissed, her head shaking.

Rainpaw sighed. "Stay here, I'll be back." She spoke, hurrying out of the den before her littermate could respond.

She made her way to the medicine cat den, stepping inside and breathing in the scent of the herbs and moss. Inside the den smelt like mint leaves and moss, the scent she remembered coming off of Snowfall whenever the pale grey and white tom visited the nursery.

"Rainpaw? Is everything alright?" A calm, gentle mew spoke from further inside. She looked further, her eyes adjusting as she met eyes with a fluffy grey and white tom, his hazel eyes full of curiosity.

"Yeah, it's just-Cinderpaw has a scratch on her shoulder from a thorn in her nest. I was wondering if there was a herb she may need?" Rainpaw spoke softly.

"Of course. Come on." He smiled gently as he led her towards the far end of the den. As he crouched and began to look, Rainpaw's ears perked up at the sound of hushed voices.

"She'll more than likely need a bit of dock, that soothes scratches." Snowfall spoke, his voice soothing as he picked up a few leaves. "Just chew it up and lick the juices into her scratch. It'll sting a bit, but it should help."

Rainpaw nodded, her tail flicking as she sniffed at the herbs, recoiling at the sharp scent. "Okay, thank you Snowfall."

"You're welcome Rainpaw. Come visit again." He purred before turning, heading towards the side of the large den that housed his and Ravensight's nests.

She nodded, picking up the herbs. As she made her way towards the exit, the hushed voices grew a bit louder as if the owners were angry.

"...are apprentices! They shouldn't be sent on some hare-brained quest to find a so called lost clan." The voice of her mother seemed to ring higher than the rest, the silver shecat sounding upset. Taking a quick glance around, Rainpaw set the herbs down before freeing towards the voices slowly. She soon made it to the side of the den, where as she perked through a thin crack in one of the walls she could see Snowfall taking a seat next to Ravensight, the black furred medicine cat glaring heatedly at Skyfeather and Thistlefang. The two warriors looked angry, their pelts bristling while they squared off. Between the cats sat Mudstar, his dark brown frame large in comparison to Snowfall's small stature and Ravensight's thin body.

"I received the prophecy the night of their birth Skyfeather. 'A storm of cinders and rain will find the lost clan and bring it full circle. Then the four clans will be five and if not United, will fail against the coming darkness'. It's about Rainpaw, Cinderpaw and Stormpaw!" Ravensight hissed back, his sleek tail lashing furiously. "I don't like the idea of such young apprentices being the sole cats of a prophecy, but it is what StarClan has wished."