Ashstar left the medicine den, leaving Stoneheart to rest. He climbed up on the High Ledge, looking out over his Clan. Wind ruffled his fur. Closing his eyes, he remembered that more cats had fallen with green cough. Sorreltail and Ivypool got the sickness, and they joined Stoneheart in the medicine den. Stoneheart was the worst of them all.
Squirrelflight came into camp, a fat mouse in jaws. Her apprentice, Firepaw, trotted by her side, looking grim; he had a small sparrow in his jaws.
Ashstar saw Mothstripe come out of the medicine den. She looked worried. She climbed up the rocks, heading towards Ashstar on High Ledge.
Ashstar turned to face her.
"Ashstar, Stoneheart's not getting better at all, and we've used all the catmint we've had," She explained. "I think we should call a patrol to go and search for some," She meowed.
Ashstar's heart dropped, hearing that his son hadn't been getting better at all. He looked Mothstripe in the eyes. "Good thinking, so maybe I'll call a Clan meeting," He meowed. He turned. "All cats old enough to hunt, join beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting!" He called.
Mothstripe stood beside him still.
"Our medicine cats currently have no catmint, so I would like to gather a patrol to search for some. Bramblehawk and Mossheart and me as well shall go," Ashstar explained. He turned to Mothstripe. "Mothstripe, explain to them what catmint looks like," He meowed.
"It's a leafy and delicious-smelling plant and it has a bit like gray-green leaves," Mothstripe simply explained. It has a hairy stem and purple flowers," She meowed. "It looks a bit like nettles, but it doesn't sting," Mothstripe added. "Be careful and don't confuse it with nettles."
"Thanks," Ashstar meowed to her. "Since Stoneheart is sick, I'd like to pick a cat as deputy to take his place. Squirrelflight, I'd like for you to take over his duties," Ashstar meowed.
Squirrelflight dipped her head. "Alright," She looked at him.
"I'll take my patrol with me now," Ashstar meowed.
Bramblehawk and Mossheart bounded over to him.
"Hairy stem, looks like nettles," Bramblehawk was muttering.
"Ready?" Ashstar asked.
The two warriors nodded.
All of a sudden, Rust and Flower came bounding over.
"Ashstar!" They called.
They stopped at a halt when they reached Ashstar, their pelts neatly groomed, their eyes shining. Flower stepped forward. "We want to help you find catmint," She meowed. Rust stepped beside her.
"Can we?" He asked.
Ashstar sighed inwardly. He couldn't let them not go on this adventure. Plus, they needed a tour of the territory. "Alright, fine, I guess you two can go," He meowed.
"Thanks!" Flower meowed. She looked at him, though. "Ashstar, when will we become apprentices?" She meowed.
"Well, you need to wait," Ashstar meowed.
Flower groaned but was still purring. Rust purred beside her, staring into her eyes.
"Alright, lets go," Ashstar meowed. He took the lead and walked out of the camp entrance, walking along the trail that led towards the hill. Vines and roots instantly swept over the path, almost making Ashstar trip. He walked farther, then as the hill neared, he swerved sideways, cutting into the thick undergrowth. He leaped over bushes and ducked under vines and small branches. After what seemed like forever, he made it to a clearing, seeing the moor in the distance.
The orange sun was beginning to sink in the scarlet sky, and only a few stray clouds doted the sky.
Ashstar led his patrol across the clearing, and more trees came into view. Leaves littered the ground, and the wind started to sweep across the forest. They finally made it to WindClan's border.
"Alright, we can wait for a patrol to come. It shouldn't be that long," Ashstar meowed, glancing at his cats.
"Where are we even heading?" Flower asked.
"To the Twoleg Place," Ashstar meowed, flicking his tail. "Catmint usually grows there," He added.
WindClan scent drifted across the moor, making its way towards Ashstar's group. "I think a patrol is coming," Ashstar muttered.
Sure enough, a WindClan patrol did cross the moor, but they must of scented Ashstar's group because they came walking over to them. Tawnypelt was in the lead, along with her apprentice, Fernpaw, and Doveclaw.
"Hey Ashstar, why are you here?" Tawnypelt asked, dipping her head.
"Three of our cats have caught green cough," Ashstar explained.
"That's terrible," Tawnypelt sighed.
"We were wondering if we could cross the moor to go to Twoleg Place and see if anything was there," Ashstar meowed.
"Well, Fernpaw had just completed his warrior assessment and we were heading back to camp," Tawnypelt explained.
"Oh, that's great," Ashstar purred. WindClan was growing....
"I guess we could escort you to the other side," Tawnypelt meowed.
"Or they could just cross," Doveclaw meowed. "If they have sick cats waiting on them, they should hurry, not waste time talking to us," The gray warrior pointed out, her ear twitching.
Tawnypelt glanced at her. "Well, I guess you're right," She meowed. "Quickly cross the moor, but just cross it, don't do anything else," She meowed.
"Alright," Ashstar meowed.
Crossing the moor was easy, but now, the sun had already sunk down, the moon about to take its place.
The Twoleg Place was just in sight; harsh lights glowed and large nests of red and gray sat in rows. The place was huge, stretching beyond the moor, and beyond it were multiple thunderpaths.
Ashstar braced himself for what they would find. Maybe kittypets looking for trouble...or maybe twolegs that might grab them.
They slipped in between two twoleg nests and made their way into the Twoleg Place. Gray stone stretched under Ashstar's paws as he padded over short grass.
Skinny metal trees with lights on them stretched tall and shone brightly.
Ashstar gazed around nervously. Looks like this was going to be hard....
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top