-Sorreltail- [Shortly before the events of The Fourth Apprentice]
A dry breeze swept through camp, blowing dusty leaves into Sorreltail's face. Blegh. She shook her head the get the taste of dead leaf out her mouth. The drought had made everyone groggy and unwilling to patrol, and RiverClan's claims over the lake were ridiculous, or so Mousefur claimed. Deep down though she knew that if she was in Leopardstar's situation she would've done the same, if a bit less extreme as to claim the whole lake. But, anyway, her thoughts weren't collecting any water for the Clan so she might as well do that.
As she started to pad towards the thorn tunnel she heard someone running towards her. She sharply turned and arched her back thinking someone was about to lunge at her when she saw Leafpool skidding to a halt beside her.
"Oh Leafpool! I thought you were going to attack me." she chuckled sheepishly. "Do you need help collecting herb- water?" Nice save Sorreltail, she thought to herself. Leafpool had resigned as a Medicine Cat just a moon or two ago and others were still a bit confused accidentally asking her about her Medicine Cat duties that she no longer took care of.
"I was just about to ask you that Sorreltail... I'll collect some moss from Jayfeather." she dipped her head and walked over to the medicine den, after an awkward moment of silence, she returned with a wad of moss in her mouth.
"Here you go." Leafpool placed some moss by Sorreltail's paws and lead up the tunnel.
As they approached the shore, RiverClan cats, patrolling the lake, shot some dirty glares at the two, but especially Leafpool. When she saw the look of sorrow in Leafpool's eyes Sorreltail couldn't help but feel sorry for her friend, Leafpool had never meant for her love with Crowfeather to escalate to this, but what's done is done. Yet she knew she could cheer her up,
"Leafpool, remember when we tricked Greystripe into eating tree bark with Squirrelpaw?" She nudged Leafpool in the shoulder playfully. Leafpool immediately started laughing at the memory.
"We were practically begging him not to tell Firestar or Cinderpelt," She chuckled, "Luckily for us, Greystripe has a sense of humor. Or we'd have been cleaning the elder's den for moons." Sorreltail padded towards the lake, she was shocked at what she saw, no wonder Leopardstar's been so protective over the lake, It's practically a puddle. She looked at Leafpool who must have been thinking the same thing as she saw her dropped jaw.
"In all of StarClan, I never thought it could even get that small!" Leafpool exclaimed in awe.
"No wonder they've been warning us about the mud as well..." She pressed her paw down into the lakebed and gasped in shock as it sunk completely under. "Lets be quick before we get buried in mud."
As the two cats padded back to camp sunhigh had already passed and an afternoon breeze chilled the hollow. Leafpool had gone off to practice hunting and the rest of the clan was either on patrol or chatting with their friends under highledge. Sorreltail trotted over to Brackenfur who was sharing tongues with his littermate, Brightheart.
"Hello Brackenfur, Brightheart, what are we talking about?" Sorreltail asked tilting her head as she sat down.
"The drought, I mean what else is there really to say?" Brackenfur sighed rolling his eyes.
"How about your brother's new apprentice, Briarpaw?" Sorreltail suggested glancing at the brown apprentice who was messing around with her siblings Bumblepaw and Blossompaw.
"She's lively, and a good match for Thornclaw's... sternness and shows no real annoyance at his criticism." Brightheart noted, "She'll be a good warrior with his training." Brightheart looked at Sorreltail and her gaze betrayed a flicker of jealousy from not getting an apprentice."If I ever get another apprentice, pray to StarClan it isn't another Jaypaw." She chuckled. Sorreltail remembered the medicine cat when he was a warrior apprentice, being rude to everyone he talked to and especially Brightheart. Not that it was very different now.
"Sorreltail, want to share this rabbit I caught near the WindClan border earlier?" Brackenfur meowed padding towards the fresh-kill pile, a fox-length away. She was suddenly aware of her hunger after not eating since dawn.
"Yes please Brackenfur. Thank you" She replied as he brought the rabbit over and took a mouthful of it before passing the rest to Sorreltail. She could smell the fresh rabbit scent and bit into it, noting how much better it tasted than the finch that she had earlier.
After she had finished the prey with Brackenfur, they both went over to the warriors den as the sun began to set. and settled into their nests. Sorreltail gazed up at the rising moon which had only just started waning. As the clouds parted a warmer breeze blew through the trees making her even more drowsy as she laid her head down and drifted off to sleep.