The Apprentice's Quest

Sandstorm’s green eyes glowed. “That wasn’t a dream… it was a vision.”

“Really?” Alderpaw began to share the older cat’s excitement. “So who are the cats that I saw?”

“They are from another Clan, SkyClan,” Sandstorm replied. “And they may need our help.”

Alderpaw gaped at her. There was another Clan he’d never heard of? He had to believe Sandstorm, because he knew how wise she was.

And he was excited to have had a vision, like a real medicine cat. But at the same time he felt that the vision was wasted on him. “Why me?” he blurted out.

“Why not?” Sandstorm’s voice was calm. “If you weren’t supposed to have the vision, you wouldn’t have had it. StarClan chose you, and you must honor their choice. And that means you must tell Leafpool and Jayfeather.”

Alderpaw’s belly lurched with nervousness.

He shrank from the idea of telling his mentors.

Jayfeather already thinks I’m doing stuff I’m not ready for… What will he think when I tell him about my vision? Won’t he think this is more of the same?

“Jayfeather will claw my ears off,” he muttered.

“Nonsense!” Sandstorm mewed briskly.

“Alderpaw, you need to stop getting your tail in a twist and go tell the others.”

Alderpaw’s paw steps dragged as he headed across the stone hollow to the medicine cats’ den. By the time he reached it, Leafpool had returned and was bending over the sleeping Briarlight.

“I… uh… I need to talk to you about something important,” he began.

Jayfeather twitched his whiskers. “What now?”

Leafpool flicked his ear with her tail. “Of course you can talk to us, Alderpaw, but let’s go outside. Briarlight just woke up and ate something, but she’s sleeping again now, and I don’t want her disturbed.”

“Make it quick,” Jayfeather meowed.

Outside the den, Alderpaw spoke in a low voice as he told his mentors about his vision at the Moonpool. “Sandstorm said she recognized those cats,” he finished.

To his amazement, Leafpool was gazing at him with glowing amber eyes, while Jayfeather clawed at the ground in his excitement. They’re both really pleased, Alderpaw thought, not just Leafpool.

“Do you think this might be my first vision?” he asked.

“No,” Jayfeather responded, “this wasn’t your first vision. Remember when the medicine cats were given the prophecy from StarClan?

Didn’t I see you there?”

Alderpaw gazed at him in wonder. Maybe he really had seen Firestar before! “That was a vision?”

Jayfeather rolled his eyes. “StarClan give me strength!”

“Yes, it was a vision,” Leafpool replied.

“And that’s why it was clear to us that you should become a medicine-cat apprentice.

Alderpaw, StarClan obviously has big plans for you!”

Alderpaw found that hard to take in. He felt so excited that he was tingling from nose to tail-tip, and his claws flexed in and out. I wasn’t chosen to be a medicine cat just because I was a terrible hunter—I was chosen because I have these special powers!

“We’ll have to go and discuss this with Bramblestar,” Leafpool announced.

“Good,” Alderpaw meowed, turning toward his leader’s den. I can’t wait to hear what Bramblestar thinks about this!

Leafpool shook her head, while Jayfeather raised a paw to halt Alderpaw. “No, we’re going alone,” he rasped. “You may have had the vision, but you’re too inexperienced to discuss what it means. We’ll tell you what happens.”

Alderpaw’s sensation of being special faded. “Oh,” he muttered, feeling young and silly again. He stayed outside the den, watching Leafpool and Jayfeather as they headed toward the tumbled rocks that led up to the Highledge.

I guess whatever my vision was trying to tell me, the older cats will take care of it.

Chapter 8

Left alone in the den, Alderpaw went back to the tasks of sorting dried herbs and putting away the fresh ones Leafpool and Jayfeather had brought back. Once his excitement had died down, he felt as if his pelt didn’t quite fit him anymore. He wasn’t sure that he wanted to be a cat who had important visions, and he wished he knew how Bramblestar would react to what Alderpaw’s mentors were telling him.

He had almost finished the task when he heard limping paw steps approaching the den.

Oh no—that must be Cherryfall!

Alderpaw had no idea what he would say to her. He didn’t know whether to apologize about treating her without asking advice, or to ask how she was doing, or just ignore the whole thing.

But when Cherryfall poked her head around the bramble screen, he had no chance to say anything. “Alderpaw!” she blurted out. “You have to come quickly—Sparkpaw’s hurt!”