Free The Apprentice's Quest by Erin Hunter

to learn about herbs.”
    Alderpaw joined him and peered at the herbs piled up inlittle heaps. They looked like so many dead leaves to him, but he had the good sense not to say so.
    â€œThis is goldenrod,” Jayfeather began, sniffing at a plant with bright yellow flowers. “We use it for cleaning wounds. And this is tansy, which is good for coughs—not as good as catmint, which is this plant here.”
    â€œBut useful all the same,” Leafpool put in. She had finished giving Briarlight her massage and was helping her exercise by tossing a ball of moss for Briarlight to catch. “And it helps with back pain, too.”
    â€œThis is watermint,” Jayfeather went on, angling his ears toward a plant with hairy stems and spikes of purple flowers. “We give that for bellyache.”
    â€œLet him have a sniff,” Leafpool suggested. “So much of what we do depends on scent,” she added to Alderpaw.
    Jayfeather edged backward so that Alderpaw could reach the cleft and sniff at the various herbs. They all smell alike to me, Alderpaw thought. Sort of . . . herby.
    â€œAnd this one is yarrow,” Jayfeather continued. “It makes a cat vomit if they’ve swallowed poison, and we also make an ointment of it to heal cracked pads. Got that?” he asked, turning swiftly back to Alderpaw.
    â€œUh . . . I think so,” Alderpaw mewed. In fact his brain was whirling, and he thought he would never manage to remember all the different herbs and their uses. And this is only a small part of them!
    Jayfeather continued to point out different herbs and let Alderpaw sniff them, until Alderpaw felt he had beenconcentrating for moons. His shoulders ached and his eyes stung in the scent-laden air.
    The sun was well up when the bramble screen was pushed aside again and Sparkpaw padded into the den.
    â€œWhat do you want?” Jayfeather asked. “We’re busy here, so it had better be good.”
    â€œCherryfall sent me,” Sparkpaw replied, sounding not at all bothered by Jayfeather’s unfriendly tone. “Purdy has a bellyache, and I’ve come to get herbs for it.”
    â€œOh, poor Purdy!” Leafpool exclaimed. “I’ll come to the elders’ den and check on him.”
    Jayfeather swung around on Alderpaw. “Well? What herb should Leafpool take with her? What’s good for bellyache?”
    â€œUh . . . that would be . . .” Alderpaw knew that Jayfeather had told him. But his head was stuffed with quickly recited herb names, and he couldn’t pull out the one he wanted. Panicking, he glanced wildly around and spotted Briarlight mouthing watermint at him.
    â€œWatermint,” Alderpaw meowed, with a grateful look at Briarlight.
    He felt warmed to notice that Sparkpaw looked impressed. It’s nice to show her what I can do, for a change.
    â€œOkay,” Jayfeather mewed briskly. “Now find it in the stores.”
    Alderpaw stared at the piles of herbs. He had no idea which one was watermint. Aware of Jayfeather twitching impatiently beside him, he pulled out a stem with bright yellow flowers.
    Jayfeather sighed. “No, that’s goldenrod. Purdy had betternot eat that; we put it on wounds. This is watermint.”
    He snagged the purple-flowered plant in his claws and gave it to Leafpool, who headed out of the den with Sparkpaw following.
    â€œYou need to pay close attention,” Jayfeather told Alderpaw sharply. “Cats’ lives depend on us getting things right.”
    â€œI know . . . ,” Alderpaw sighed.
    How will I ever learn all this?

C HAPTER 5

    Alderpaw paused in front of the herb store for a moment, then confidently drew out a few leaves of tansy. “Here you are, Dovewing,” he mewed. “These should help your sore throat.”
    The pale gray she-cat dipped her head. “Thanks, Alderpaw.” She licked up the leaves and began chewing them as she left. “It feels better