Erin Hunter - The Sight

“What about his blindness?” Firestar queried.

Hollypaw bristled. Surely Jaypaw wouldn’t let Firestar get away with that? “He knows the herbs far better than me,” she mewed quickly.

“His sense of smell is incredible,” Leafpool agreed. “He can already tell an infected wound from a clean one a tail-length away.”

Hollypaw waited for Jaypaw to point out that blindness had nothing to do with it, but he only murmured, “I will try as hard as I can. Leafpool will soon see whether I can manage or not.”

“Very well.” Firestar nodded, looking a little dazed. “Leafpool will be your new mentor.”

Jaypaw dipped his head.

“But first,” Firestar went on, “we must tell Brightheart.”

Jaypaw’s ears twitched. “She’ll be hurt.” Hollypaw could hear anxiety in his mew. Her brother had never gotten on particularly well with his mentor, but he was clearly worried about her feelings.

“Maybe Brightheart could be my mentor,” she suggested.

Firestar shook his head. “Her skills were perfect for training Jaypaw, but not for you.” He shifted his paws. “She will be a mentor again very soon; don’t worry.”

“What if she doesn’t understand my decision?” Jaypaw mewed.

“It’s up to you to make her understand,” Firestar answered.

“I may be able to tell the Clan what to do, but I can’t tell them how to feel.”

“I’ll make sure that she knows my decision has nothing to do with her,” Jaypaw promised. “This is something I have to do.”

His mew was oddly flat. Hollypaw felt a ripple of unease stir her pelt. It was almost as if being Leafpool’s apprentice wasn’t Jaypaw’s choice at all, but something that had been forced upon him.

Leafpool glanced at Firestar and Sandstorm, the sort of meaningful glance that told Hollypaw that they wanted to exchange words in private.

Taking the hint, she bowed her head. “Shall I fetch Brightheart?”

Firestar nodded. “Yes, please.”

“She’s in the warriors’ den,” Jaypaw told them.

Hollypaw’s whiskers twitched. It was weird that Jaypaw was always totally aware of what was going on in the camp.

She bounded down into the clearing and padded over to the warriors’ den. Sticking her head through the entrance, she called Brightheart’s name.

Brightheart was sitting up in her nest, washing, her warm breath billowing in the gloom.

“Firestar would like to see you in his den,” Hollypaw told her.

Brightheart stopped, her tongue still half out, and stared at Hollypaw. She looked as if she was about to ask why.

Hollypaw ducked out of the den. She did not want to give Brightheart time to speak. She knew she would not be able to hide the truth, but she also knew that it was Jaypaw’s duty to break his news to his mentor. She slipped into the apprentice’s den before Brightheart emerged. It seemed a good time to visit her new home. The scent of the yew was strange, and the nests were all empty. Jaypaw’s nest would be hers now, she guessed.

She sniffed it out and gazed around the shelter, happy at the thought of sleeping among her Clanmates. After the nursery, her nest in the medicine den had seemed cold and lonely. She wished some of the apprentices were here to welcome her.

Everyone must be out training . The thought brought a prickle of excitement. Before long, she would be out with them.

When Hollypaw slipped out of the den, she saw Brightheart scrambling up the rockfall to Firestar’s cave.

Thornclaw lay by the halfrock, sharing tongues with Whitewing. Spiderleg was dozing in the early morning sunshine below Highledge.

Foxkit and Icekit burst from the nursery entrance in a flurry of fur and whiskers.

“Don’t stray into the clearing,” Ferncloud’s voice called from inside the den. “I don’t want you getting under anyone’s paws!”

“We won’t,” Icekit replied.

Icekit flicked her brother’s russet-colored muzzle with her tail. Foxkit retaliated with a lunge that sent her tumbling toward Hollypaw.

Hollypaw steadied the snow-white kit with her paw.

“Hi, Hollypaw!” Icekit glanced up at her, then spun and leaped at her brother. She tumbled him over, grasped him with a paw behind each cheek, and began to pummel him enthusiastically with her hind paws.

“Tuck your head in, Foxkit, and give her a good nip!”

Hollypaw called.

Icekit squeaked and let go of her brother. “That’s not fair,” she wailed. “You’re helping him.”

“It doesn’t look like you need any help!” Hollypaw mewed.

Foxkit hurled himself at his sister.

“Duck!” Hollypaw warned the snowy kit.

Icekit rolled out of the way just in time, and Foxkit skidded past her into the frosty grass outside the apprentice’s den. He turned and, crouching low, prowled back toward Icekit.

“Not so fast,” Hollypaw advised. Icekit was waiting with her chest pressed to the ground and her tail lashing excitedly.

“Let her come to you.”

Foxkit stared at his sister, his eyes defiant. “She won’t dare come near me!”

Icekit wriggled closer, unable to resist her brother’s challenge. Foxkit waited until she was so close that her breath billowed in his face.

“Get behind her now!” Hollypaw urged.

Foxkit darted out of the grass and shot behind Icekit. By the time she had spun around he had jumped onto her back and was rolling her onto her side.

“You two are going to make great warriors!” Hollypaw purred.

A flash of ginger-and-white fur caught her eye. Brightheart was leaping down the tumble of rocks. Hollypaw felt a pang of sympathy. Jaypaw had been Brightheart’s first apprentice. She must have been eager to prove that she could make as good a mentor as any other warrior. Hollypaw hoped Jaypaw had persuaded her that his decision had nothing at all to do with the way she had been training him.

“Show us a fighting move!” Foxkit was reaching up to Hollypaw’s shoulder with his forepaws, tugging at her pelt.

Hollypaw ducked down and, twisting like a snake, rolled over onto her back.

“Wow!” Icekit breathed. “You’re really quick.” The white kit’s gaze flicked across the clearing, and she suddenly looked nervous. “Firestar’s coming,” she whispered.

“I’ve decided on your new mentor,” Firestar announced, stopping in front of Hollypaw.

“You’ve got a new mentor?” Foxkit mewed in surprise.

Firestar gazed down at the little kit. “She’s going to train as a warrior,” he explained.

“I thought she was training to be a medicine cat,” squeaked Icekit.

Hollypaw felt a prickle of unease. She still couldn’t help worrying that she had broken the warrior code.

“Hollypaw knows best what lies in her heart,” Firestar meowed.

I do , Hollypaw thought.

Cloudtail came hurrying through the camp entrance. “I’ve told him,” he called to Firestar. “He’s on his way.”

“We’ll have an apprentice ceremony later,” Firestar told Hollypaw. “But I’ve called your new mentor back from the hunting patrol. If he agrees to take you on, you might as well start right away. You’ve got plenty of training to catch up on.”

Hollypaw nodded, unable to speak because her throat seemed to have closed up with excitement.

The thorn barrier quivered.

“Firestar?” Brackenfur hurried toward the ThunderClan leader, panting. He must have run all the way back. “What is it?”

Hollypaw flicked her tail happily. Not only was Brackenfur a great fighter, but he was also clever and thoughtful; she trusted his judgment as much as his strength.

“Would you be willing to take on Hollypaw as an apprentice?” Firestar asked.

Brackenfur’s gaze shot toward Hollypaw. “What happened?”