It was around sun-high when Mintpaw left the camp to collect herbs. Most of her Clanmates were in camp, resting and eating prey, before their afternoon patrols. It was the most peaceful time - that, or dawn and nighttime. 

But, both dawn and nighttime were a little too early and late for Mintpaw to be out, so she always tried to take a walk at sun-high. It was a good and easy thing to do for her to clear her mind. It was something she was now trying to do, to get in a habit of. It was nice and calm. A peaceful time to think of her dreams and real life. At that thought, her paws curled with annoyance. Although she felt pleased that StarClan trusted her, she couldn't help but feel it's unfair. I'm only 10 moons! I'm not nearly as experienced as Echoleaf might be! Why put this pressure on me?

As she bounced through the woods, feeling the greenleaf breeze ruffle her fur, she couldn't help but yet again think of Robinpaw, and how annoying the brown she-cat had been. It was only two days after the half-moon meeting, yet Robinpaw had managed to annoy Mintpaw already! The brown she-cat had come into the medicine den, asking for herbs, then casually slid in the comment that medicine cats should be the ones changing out the dens because warriors needed to help protect the camp. That comment had made Mintpaw's pelt bush up as though a thousand bees had stung her. Unfortunately, Echoleaf wasn't there, or Mintpaw was sure that her mentor would've snapped some comment that would've made the brown she-cat shut up instantly. 

Mintpaw was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts as she passed an oak tree that looked much too familiar. She was at the EarthClan borders. Again. Her pelt itched. Why do I always go here when I'm not paying attention? Every other time, she had no idea, but today, she had a guess. Ever since Cloverpaw had informed her of Leafpaw's apology, she'd wanted to see the tom again, and hang out. It seemed much too long to wait a half moon. Once again, she found herself wishing that she and her friends were in the same Clan. There was a bigger chance that she would get lost inside AirClan's territory than to have her and Leafpaw meet up at exactly the same time, especially when it was resting time for most cats.

Suddenly, the EarthClan borders rustled, and Mintpaw pricked her ears eagerly. Leafpaw? However, it was Raincloud's head that poked out, carrying a bundle of marigold. The gray tabby couldn't help the lump of disappointment that settled on her pelt. She didn't know why she felt like this. In past moons, of course, she had desperately wanted to see her friends, but it was nothing compared to now. And it didn't have to be Leafpaw that came - she would've been perfectly happy if it was Cloverpaw whose head had poked out instead of Raincloud's.

You're being selfish, she scolded herself. There's no way your friends can just drop all their duties and come talk! Stop acting like a kit, and make some friends in your own Clan! 

However, as the last thought passed through her mind, she sighed. Her old friends were already so disconnected with her, and to try and get close again... Well, it was near to impossible now that Robinpaw was here. 

"Mintpaw?" Raincloud's voice made the gray tabby glance over the border. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to collect, er-" Mintpaw's gaze swept around her surroundings quickly "-yarrow."

Suddenly, a familiar voice popped out from behind Raincloud. "Mintpaw's here?"

The gray tabby's pelt fluffed with joy as she saw Leafpaw's head poke out after Raincloud's. He, too, was carrying a jawful of herbs, and looked a little disgusted over it. 

Raincloud stepped out of the bushes as Mintpaw waved a cheerful greeting towards her friend. "You wait here, Leafpaw. I'll go collect some more. Make sure these don't get blown away." He set down his bundle, waved a quick farewell to the tabby, and disappeared back into the woods.

Leafpaw wrinkled his nose as he leaned down, grabbing all the herbs into his jaws, and carried them over to where Mintpaw stood, dropping them with a twisted look on his face. "Blech! Those are disgusting!"

The gray tabby let out a purr of amusement at her friend's actions. "I thought you were a brave warrior that could face any badger. Yet you fail at carrying herbs," she teased.

Leafpaw pretended to be upset. "Hey! Those are two very different things!"

"Ah, yes," Mintpaw agreed, turning her voice serious. "Carrying leaves are much more dangerous than fighting off a badger."

Leafpaw's whiskers twitched with amusement as he rolled his eyes good-humoredly. "Yeah, yeah," he mewed, purring. "So, how did the half-moon meeting go? Cloverpaw wouldn't tell me anything."

The gray tabby slapped his shoulder with her tail affectionately. "It's a secret, mouse-brain!" she mewed, her voice warm. "It's a medicine cat thing." She pretended to be fancy, and that Leafpaw was a peasant, using a royal-like voice. "You warriors wouldn't understand."

Leafpaw let out a noise of protest. "Oh, yeah? Well- that's just not fair! You get to go to our Gatherings!"

Mintpaw purred. "It's my Gathering, too. I just get two!"

"Yeah, that's unfair," Leafpaw mewed. "You also get to go to every single one!"

"Unless I do something wrong. Besides, you get your full warrior name before me," Mintpaw replied.

Leafpaw's eyes lit up at that thought. "Oh, yeah! I'll be a full warrior and you'll just be an apprentice!" His face was smug, as though he knew it was his turn to tease now. "If we were in the same Clan, I could order you to clean the elder's den."

"I would never do it." Mintpaw used her royal voice again. "After all, you are just a warrior." She felt slightly bad about doing that; it was what Robinpaw always seemed to do. However, Leafpaw didn't seem to be mad. His eyes were glimmering with amusement.

"That's not fair! It was my turn to tease you!" Leafpaw protested. He opened his jaws, about to say something else, before he hesitated, snapping them back together again. 

Mintpaw tilted her head. "What?"

Leafpaw glanced around the clearing, his eyes nervous. He swallowed, hard. "Um..."

"Oh, just spit it out like you dropped those herbs," the gray tabby joked, flicking his ears with her tail-tip.

Leafpaw looked a little better after that, managing a purr. Mintpaw had no idea what had gotten into him. One moment he was fine, and the next he wasn't. "Well, do you want to meet up at the borders some other time again?"

Surprise flew through the gray tabby. She hadn't been expecting him to say that. Shock grabbed hold of her. "What?"

At her answer, Leafpaw rambled on. "Well, it could be at dawn, or at this time again. You know, we just meet up, and talk. I mean, you're my friend and all, and it doesn't seem very great to just see each other only once a moon. I just think that it would be better to hang out more often. The best time would be at dawn or at night, but I guess if you prefer sun-high, that's fine, too, I mean, that is, if you want to do this, but I understand if-"

Mintpaw cut him off with an amused purr. "Why are you so nervous? Of course I want to do it!" Her paws tingled with excitement. She was going to get to see her friend more often!

Leafpaw's nervous expression melted into a relieved one. "Oh, okay, great." 

"Should we invite Cloverpaw, too?" Mintpaw wondered. "She might want to come." Is it just my imagination, or did Leafpaw's eyes just flash?

"I don't think so," the brown tom replied. "She prefers sticking to the rules."

"Well, technically, we're not breaking any rules," Mintpaw offered. 

She received a shrug in response from Leafpaw. "I guess. Still, she's pretty busy with her medicine cat stuff. Raincloud's having her collect herbs all the time. In fact, she was busy with another patch of herbs so Raincloud brought me."

Mintpaw nodded in understanding. "What about Cobrapaw, then?"

Leafpaw angled his ears. "What about him?"

"Well, isn't he our friend, too?" The gray tabby tilted her head. "Shouldn't we invite him?"

Her friend blinked at her as though she'd grown two heads. "He's in a different Clan, and you don't even share a border with him," Leafpaw mewed, his whiskers twitching with amusement at her words. "How's he supposed to come?"

Mintpaw felt her belly squirm with embarrassment. "Yeah, I guess that's flawed thinking," she joked. There was a way for them to meet with Cobrapaw - if she crossed over into EarthClan's territory - but it was way too complicated. 

"Leafpaw!" Raincloud's voice echoed through the woods.

Leafpaw glanced over his shoulder. "Mouse-dung, Raincloud's here! Meet at the borders, at dawn?"

"Sure," Mintpaw chirped. 

The brown tom snatched up the herbs, in which his face twisted, once again, into disgust, which earned another purr from the gray tabby, as he bounded towards the medicine cat's voice. With a swish of his tail, he had disappeared into the bushes, leaving Mintpaw staring at the spot where he'd left. 

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Word Count // 1570

Edited

Hi! Sorry for not posting for a couple of days (I've been busy with school). So, any thoughts on this chapter? Leafpaw's acting really... odd. That's really all I had to say, so I'll keep this author's note short. Oh, and the cat at the top is Icepaw. He had nothing to do with this chapter, but I found a picture that I thought suited him, and I needed a picture for this thing anyway, so why not? Also a new Name that Apprentice chapter is also up (it's on Icepaw XD). Right, well, have a great day! Bye!

P.S. Okay, sorry, this author's note was not short.