Chapter 9

Instructions

Chapter 9 Horizon leads me to a thick bramble bush with a small gap at the bottom. She gestures for me to enter. As I scramble my way under the bush, the ground slopes down. I tumble into a small space dug out of the dirt, kicking up a small dust cloud and sneezing. “This is Ash, the apprentice that I was telling you about.” For the first time, I registered that there is another fox in the corner of the den, looking intently at a small stick. He’s a small, gray fox. Very little black on him, instead he has dark gray ears and creamy white paws and tail-tip. He’s a little smaller than me, probably a half-moon younger. “Who is this? What's going on?” Ash looks up from the stick he was bent over. “This is Aspenpaw. She is a healer apprentice from mossclan. She has come to help the clans.” A walk forward to greet him. “Hi. I have been having visions as well. I fear something is coming. Something that will harm the clans. Will you journey with me? I’m sure that if we travel together, it will be much safer.” Ash rises to his paws and looks at Horizon. Horizon nods and looks at me. “You will leave when the sun reaches a quarter of the sky. I will prepare herbs for your journey.” Horizon walks up the dirt slope and out of the den. “So. what's up with that stick?” I try to make small-talk, but I just come across as awkward. “It has been passed down through generations of forest animals. It was originally made by an ancient cat and found by a blind healer cat many many moons ago.” Ash says. He looks into my eyes for a few heartbeats before looking away. He abruptly stands up and trots up and out of the small hollow. I follow him and spot horizon talking to a vixen in the clearing. The vixen reminds me of Hollyheart, only black and gray. Horizon spots me and beckons me with her tail. “Aspenpaw. This is Tigerlily. She will escort you to your den for the night. Good evening.” Horizon trots off into a small crevice between two boulders, which I assume is her den. Tigerlily grunts and whisks around, not bothering to make sure that I'm following. She stops in front of an old tree with gnarled roots. She nods to me and then walks off. I scramble between the roots and find myself in another dug out hollow larger than the other I met Ash in. There are a few other foxes inside, looking at me with a mix of caution and curiosity. I slink over to an empty nest and curl up with my tail over my nose. Before I can finish worrying about the morning, sleep overpowers me and I'm covered in the soothing blanket of calm.