Warriors: The Prophecy of Frost - Apprentice's Journey

Chapter 21- The Mission

Goldenstar climbed down the Highrock to get Frostpaw to start on her mission.

It's about time for that.

The golden furred tom mewed a greeting to Blaststorm as he walked past and had to turn sharply to avoid bumping into Gorgenight, who was running towards his sister, Quailbreeze.

"Sorry!" his former apprentice called.

Before Goldenstar could speak, Gorgenight was already far away from him.

As active as always, he thought in amusement.

"Are there any patrols for me to join?" Boltstrike asked. "I have been stuck in camp for the past few days."

"Sure," Goldenstar meowed. "You can join Cliffbird's patrol."

"Thanks," Boltstrike mewed stiffly.

Goldenstar acknowledged it with a nod and continued walking to the apprentice's den.

As he padded closer, he noticed that Russetpaw and Creampaw were already awake.

"Where's Frostpaw?" he asked, blinking in confusion as he realised that Frostpaw wasn't in the den.

"She told me that she was going to take a quick walk," Russetpaw replied immediately. "She should be back soon."

"I'll wait for her then," Goldenstar decided. "By the way, your mentors are expecting both of you."

"Okay," both apprentices replied.

Creampaw was about to take off when she saw a familiar shape. "Frostpaw is over there!" she meowed.

Goldenstar turned his head to face the ThunderClan apprentice. She looked energetic but her expression told him that she was feeling slightly disturbed.
"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Frostpaw replied hastily.

"You can tell me if you have any problems," Goldenstar mewed.

"I am okay," she mewed, not giving anything away.

"Well, okay then," Goldenstar meowed. "Today, we are going to start on the task I have told you."

"Sure," Frostpaw mewed. "Where do I start?"

"Hold on," he warned. "You are not going alone, remember? One of my Clanmates and I will go along with you."

"Who?" she asked curiously.

Goldenstar quickly looked around. "Wavetail will come with us."

Frostpaw nodded with a slight frown.

"Wavetail!" the DragonClan leader called.

The black tom warily padded towards Goldenstar. "Yes?" he asked, flicking his tail impatiently.

"You are coming with us around the lake to find the horsetail that Forestbrook needs," he mewed.

"Fine," Wavetail grumbled.

"Horsetail?" Frostpaw mewed. "Where can I find horsetail?"

"Marshy areas," Goldenstar replied, remembering what Forestbrook had told him. "You will be leading the way. We will follow you and back you up if you find something you can't handle."

"Do I start now?" Frostpaw asked.

"Yes," Goldenstar meowed. "Try to get the herbs and bring it back before nightfall."

As soon as he had finished talking, Frostpaw sped off.

~~~~

If horsetail grows on marshy areas, I need to find a marsh or something. Maybe I could climb a tree, Frostpaw thought.

Sinking her claws into the truck of a tree, she heaved herself up, glad that her tree climbing skills had improved greatly.

Frostpaw carefully balanced herself on a branch and looked over most of the lake.

I found it! Frostpaw spotted a brownish patch of land beside the pine forest.

She climbed down the tree, where Goldenstar and Wavetail were waiting.

"So, have you found the place you need to go?" Goldenstar asked.

"Yes," Frostpaw replied. "It's beside the pine forest. It should be faster if we take that way."

"Lead the way then," Wavetail meowed.

Frostpaw led the two older cats along the lakeshore. The lake was calm and the fishes' silvery scales reflected the sunlight.

Frostpaw quickly moved slightly away from the lakeshore as the water began to reach her paws.

Wavetail let out a grunt of annoyance as his paws got wet. Goldenstar smiled in amusement.

A growl broke her thoughts. It came from a collared cat. "Get out of here!" he hissed.

How many prickly cats am I going to meet? Frostpaw thought in annoyance.

"We are just passing through," she mewed. "We mean no harm."

"I don't care!" the kittypet snapped. "Get out!"

With a frustrated hiss, Frostpaw leaped forward to tackle the irritating kittypet.

The kittypet fought back, much to her surprise, but not with difficult moves that she can't handle.

Ducking from the kittypet's swipe, Frostpaw struck the kittypet's leg quickly with her paws.

The kittypet growled as he stumbled backwards and fell. Knowing that he couldn't defeat her easily, the cowardly kittypet ran off.

Frostpaw continued walking towards the marshy area. By the time they had walked past the pine forest, it was sunhigh.

The walk had been slow and painful; they had been interrupted by other kittypet that Frostpaw chased off and she almost fell into the lake when she accidentally got distracted.

We are almost there! Frostpaw thought happily. I can go back to ThunderClan soon!

But that's when things went wrong. They heard a mighty rumbling of rocks and the ground spilt like an open cut.

Goldenstar and Wavetail just managed to get away from the huge cut in time but Frostpaw wasn't as lucky.

With a terrified yowl, she began to plunge into the darkness.