Honeypaw plummeted down with the thrush in her jaws. She knew she had to act fast- the Fernclan leader was watching!
She spun around to face the tree trunk. Having to swim through the rushing wind, she raked her claws down the trunk. As she swiftly slid down, she removed all relief from her face. She thought, If I make it seem like I planned this, maybe Goldstar will think I'm good at hunting.
Eventually, her paws landed on the soft earth. A golden pelt appeared out of a nearby bush, eyes twinkling in approval.
"That was fantastic, Honeypaw!" The leader cheered.
Honeypaw lifted her head up, pride in every aspect of her face. Her green eyes were blazing with joy.
"Not many apprentices catch prey from trees, some warriors haven't touched a branch!" Goldstar chuckled, stepping closer to examine the thrush.
Recieving praise from any warrior was amazing, but praise from the leader felt like a shining light bursting inside of her, emitting an energy she had never felt.
"That's quite a good catch, Honeypaw. Now, let's return to camp." The leader said, flicking her tail to the left. Honeypaw nodded and trotted in that direction, her fresh-kill in her jaws.
-----------
"Not enough herbs... Not enough..." Thrushheart mumbled, tossing herbs behind him. Mothpaw sat anxiously nearby, sorting the tossed herbs into piles.
"Are you both alright?" Honeypaw asked as she padded inside the hollow tree. Thrushheart didn't look up, however, the silver apprentice spoke through a mouthful of herbs. "The gathering is tomorrow and Thrushheart believes Silkeyes will be kitting around that time"
Honeypaw gasped. In the short time she had been in the nursery with the queen, she had quite grown to like her. She had forgotten that her belly wouldn't be swollen forever, one day, those kits would be playing in the nursery happily.
"I can tell Ebonytail?" Sunpaw suggested, poking her cinnamon head through the vines. Although the thought had only just struck her, she had noticed the connection between the two cats before. Because they're mates mouse-brain! Honeypaw scolded herself.
"Ebonytail and Goldstar" Thrushheart added, flicking a poppy over his shoulder, which scattered seeds across the earth.
Her sister nodded and rushed away, excited at the prospect of helping a queen with her kitting, but nervous that Ebonytail and Goldstar would ignore her.
"Mothpaw, continue sorting out the piles. This is good practise; raspberry leaves, iris petals and borage leaves should be in one pile. Nothing else goes in it, do you understand?" The tortoiseshell tom said urgently.
"What's going on?!" A shadowy head and a ginger head appeared through the vines. Thrushheart's eyes shone with relief but he still spoke solemnly, "Silkeyes will be kitting soon, and soon means around the time of the gathering"
Goldstar's eyes flashed in alarm, but it was nothing compared to Ebonytail, who was pacing around the room anxiously, "Does she know? Will she be ok? How many kits will there be? On the gathering day or during the actual event? Will you be-"
"Quiet!" A often unheard, stern voice yelped, "I'm trying to sort out these herbs for her, but you're breaking my concentration! These herbs could save her life if it's done correctly!"
Everyone turned around to see Mothpaw with her fur bristling, her eyes filled with worry. At the other cats' stares, she immediately looked at her paws.
A wave of sympathy washed over Honeypaw. Mothpaw was just speaking her mind. The medicine apprentice was stressed, in need of a break and, possibly, in need of a friend.
"You're right, Mothpaw... I'll leave now.." Ebonytail stuttered, dipping his head before disappearing out of the hollow tree. If Honeypaw could recall one of the strangest moments in her life, this would be one. She has portrayed Ebonytail as a strict, no-nonsense tom. No emotions, just clan. Learning that he wasn't always the one intimidating other cats wasn't comforting. It made Honeypaw's skin crawl. She could get the image her mind had painted of him out of her head. He had emotions, just like any other cat. It should be good for Honeypaw to know, but the tension had already poisoned the air, streaming into every crevice. Honeypaw couldn't breathe in it.
"Honeypaw, you may eat now" Goldstar said, flicking her tail as a signal to leave.
"And so can you, Mothpaw" Thrushheart added sternly. Still looking down, the apprentice padded out, without a word spoken. Honeypaw did the same, eager to escape the stuffy air of tension.
The sun rested on the trees but still found its way to make every pelt sparkle. Sprucefrost, Olivegaze and Acorncloud were chatting near the Brackenrock, Dawnsong, Dusksong and, surprisingly, Hollypaw were speaking in low voices, occasionally glancing around the camp to see if anyone was listening. Honeypaw studied the apprentice. Hollypaw would have been quite pretty, if it wasn't for the stealth that made her skin crawl. She had never spoken to her, but she could tell that Hollypaw didn't like her.
Honeypaw didn't spot the shadowy tuxedo cat anywhere in the clearing. I suppose he's talking to Silkeyes, Honeypaw thought, I don't blame him. She padded towards the fresh-kill pile, swelling with pride as she saw her thrush had already been taken. She glanced back, smiling as she saw Berrypool sinking her teeth into the plump bird. Honeypaw bent down and picked a mouse before scanning the clearing. Sunpaw and Chestnutpaw were beckoning her over. Honeypaw began to trot over, until seeing Mothpaw alone in the shade of a tree. Honeypaw gave Sunpaw a ' Not right now ' look before coming to join the silver tabby.
Mothpaw was eating a scrawny rabbit. Wrapping her tail around her paws, Honeypaw sat neatly next to her. Looking up absent mindedly, Mothpaw leaped back, fur bristling in shock as she saw the goldish-brown apprentice gazing at her.
"You scared me!" She muttered, continuing to look down at her paws.
"I'm sorry that you feel pressured" Honeypaw admitted, tearing a chunk of meat off of the mouse.
When Mothpaw stayed silent, Honeypaw said, "If there's anything you need to talk about, I'm right here"
Mothpaw looked up at Honeypaw, her silvery-blue eyes reflecting worry. "She's my mother, Honeypaw, I don't know what to do" She sobbed. A year trickled down her face, splatting on the ground.
All Honeypaw could do was listen, she sensed that's what Mothpaw needed.
"They're not even my real siblings!"
It took all of Honeypaw's energy not to widen her eyes. It was strange to mate with someone just shortly after the silver apprentice's birth but even stranger to mate with a different cat.
"And before you ask, I don't know who my father is" Mothpaw sniffed, "My family is broken.."
Honeypaw's eyes became pools of sympathy. It was heartbreaking to see the beautiful silver tabby torn apart. Her eyes were pink from crying, and still nobody noticed. It didn't take long to realise for Honeypaw that this had been on her mind since she could walk. She didn't have a father figure to speak to, and her mother was too occupied flirting with Ebonytail to take notice of her, well at least Honeypaw suspected. Honeypaw was the first one to take notice, to listen, to sympathise. She needed to act, and fast, before Mothpaw broke down.
"Let's find your father then" Honeypaw said firmly. She knew the apprentice needed it.
"But how?" Mothpaw said, shuffling her paws. Honeypaw would've looked into her eyes, but she was drawn to one of her hind paws.
It was a patch of dark-brown. It wasn't like any fur she had seen in Fernclan. "That patch of brown- that belongs to your father" She said. Mothpaw looked at her, confused before a wave of realisation hit her.
"The gathering is tomorrow- we can look for my father then!" Mothpaw said excitedly, smiling for the first time in a while.
To see hope in her eyes warmed her heart. Mothpaw's eyes were no longer bright pink or taken by shame and worry. They were sparkling like Silverpelt in the night sky.
Honeypaw had absent mindedly shuffled closer to Mothpaw, and, when she realised, she didn't mind. Her eyes followed Berrypool, who was talking to Hollypaw.
"That thrush was lovely! Thanks for catching it!" Berrypool congratulated her.
"No problem, anything for you" Hollypaw said, her smirk in her eyes.
Anger bubbled inside of her. That was my thrush! It took me so long to catch it, how dare you take credit! She hissed at Hollypaw silently.
Untangling herself from Mothpaw, she padded over to the two cats, "I caught that thrush! Why are you taking credit for something I did myself!" Honeypaw spat, her fur bristling. Berrypool looked at Honeypaw in surprise, as Hollypaw said, "No, I did! I can't imagine you catching anything; why do you think Goldstar was training you today?"
"I'm sure this is nothing to argue abou-" Berrypool said.
"Just ask her! She saw me catch it!" Honeypaw hissed, just as she saw the ginger she-cat pad out of the medicine den.
"Goldstar! Didn't I catch that thr-"
"Not now, Honeypaw" Goldstar said impatiently.
Satisfaction evident on her face, Hollypaw smirked at the tabby apprentice. Mothpaw trotted over and gave Honeypaw a 'Lets go before this escalates' look. Sighing, Honeypaw retreated, noticing Berrypool's disappointed glance as she went away.