Prologue
Pitter, patter, pitter, patter... Raindrops fell like tears onto a dark, heather moorland. The bracken crunched softly as honey colored paws fell and rose upon this abandoned land... or as it seemed abandoned. Hearing a rustle, a young she-cat swerved around sharply, ears pricked in alarm. She sighed, turning away from the thorn-covered holly bush she was looking at. Just as the young cat did that, dazzling, jade-flecked emerald eyes glowed from the bushes, fixed on the honey colored cat. Leaping as swift as a jaguar, almost becoming a blur, the watcher cat leaped on the other cat, holding her still until she realized who she was.
"Coffeeblossom!" mewed the attacker, her eyes friendly despite her suddenly attacking.
"M-Mother!" replied Coffeeblossom, her hazel eyes wide in surprise, and her way of speaking unusual. "Heatherflower! But why hath thou come?"
"I have come to warn you..." replied Heatherflower, her tone serious and quiet as she lowered her head. "One will fall but revive... and the leaves will fall until the time of destiny calls. And as for you..." she trailed off, lifting her head up. "Not as strong... but stronger. Not as pleasant... but more pleasant..." Her words faded as she did. The sky turned dark... and the world blacked out...
Chapter One
Coffeeblossom was sorting herbs in her den, as she had been warned a battle was upcoming. A small, pretty white she-cat was beside her, her minty green eyes fixed on the stacks of leaves, petals, roots and stems... Borage here, nettle there, watermint goes.... Huh? Where's the watermint? thought the newly appointed medicine cat apprentice. She stood in a daze for a bit, her bright gaze fixed on the herbs.
"Mintpaw." The call of the medicine cat startled her, and she snapped out of her daze.
"Yes?" replied Mintpaw to Coffeeblossom, the medicine cat.
Coffeeblossom ordered her, "I need thou to grab a small supply of thy watermint from the bank of thy Melody River." Mintpaw nodded, and dashed off, out of Leafclan camp. Stopping at the small stream that trickled through her clan's territory, she picked off the small, puffy, purple flower, when a twig clumsily snapped from infront of her. What was that...? she thought, looking up and pricking her ears. She felt... as if she was being watched...
Chapter Two
Mintpaw stared at the bushes beyond the icy river, and shuddered at the thought of being watched. Back to herb collecting, she decided there was nobody in the bushes, probably just some juicy prey. Just as she finished collecting watermint, another twig snapped. You got to be kidding me. thought Mintpaw. She arched her back and folded her ears back slightly, hissing softly.
"Who goes there?" she threatened to whatever was snapping twigs so carelessy, enough for her to get annoyed.
"I do!" replied a humourous voice, and just then a flaming red tabby popped out of the leaf thicket, and started padding towards to Mintpaw.
"Don't tresspass!" hissed the medicine cat apprentice, her voice softer now.
"What?" complained the red tom, adding, "I'm not even on your territory."
"Okay..." replied Mintpaw, her tone no longer threatening. "So... our clans woudn't mind if we chatted, would they?" she asked, as she was a bit bored now.
"I guess they don't mind." replied the tom. "I'm from Scorchclan, what about you?"
"Leafclanner here, medicine cat apprentice." she mewed calmly.
"Oh." replied the tom, his eyes like a block of emerald. "So, I knew you were here easily, Noisypaw." he joked, hoping to get a laugh out of the apprentice.
"As for you, Clumsystep!" Mintpaw retored in a bright voice, minty green eyes glittering with humour like leaves spotted in dew.
"You're pretty funny. Oh, and by the way, the name is Sketchedflame." he replied, chuckling a bit at her joke. "Well, got to go. Infernostar will wonder where I've been. We could do this again sometime, if you wanted."
"Sure. Meet here tomorrow, when dawn patrols go out?" asked Mintpaw. She liked his jokes and his sense of humour, and doing this would cheer her up every day.
"Ok." mewed Sketchedflame. As he said this, Mintpaw picked up her watermint under her chin and began to pad off.
"Wait!" came the tom's voice. Mintpaw halted.
"Yes?" she replied.
"What's your name by the way?" he asked.
"Oh, it's Mintpaw." While saying this, she padded away, to camp, and then tomorrow, she would meet again with Sketchedflame... What could go wrong?
Chapter Three
Light flooded through the roof of the medicine cat den, making Mintpaw blink open her eyes. Another normal day- No! Today's the battle! thought the pretty white she cat nervously. She had been meeting up with Sketchedflame most of her days; and now came the battle with HIS clan. Mintpaw flinched at the thought of someone accidently killing him.
"I'm going to collect herbs!" she quickly said to Coffeeblossom, and she dashed to Melody river. Mintpaw had to tell him to beware of her clan, she just had to. But as she was dashing along, she slipped on some smooth, glistening rocks and tripped head-first into the river. Flailing in the water, Sketchedflame must have been near, as he came rushing towards the river, and skidded to a halt as he reached the bank. Jumping in the river, he grabbed the tiny medicine cat apprentice by the scruff and dragged her onto the shore of the river. Mintpaw panted, and opened her eyes slightly.
"Sk-Sketchedflame?" The leafclanner coughed up some water and weakly rose to her paws.
"Ugh..." she mewed, feeling dizzy. Sketchedflame helped her up onto her paws and nuzzled her.
"You ok?" he asked nervously.
"Yes.." replied Mintpaw weakly, managing to get up on her paws.
"Just wanted to warn you about a battle patrol coming... Don't tell anyone else..." she mewed. She picked some goldenrod from the ground, drying off her fur before she padded off to camp. She would have to wake up at sundown, for the battle between Scorchclan and Leafclan, and would have to go against the one whom she didn't want to get hurt at all...