Chapter one:

Bad Omen

    My name is Flamekit and my life has been hard ever since my eyes opened. I had been bullied and frowned upon by other kits and some warriors. 

    Since my mother, Acornstripe, was a medicine cat. And medicine cats aren’t allowed to have kits, well according to the warrior and medicine cat code, or that's what I was told but I didn’t really understand it as well as a kit.

     And I didn’t need to worry much, because the one friend that I ever had and needed was my sister. 

    I was on the ground, tussling with my sister whose name was also Flamekit. Flamekit looked almost the same as me, but her coat was dark orange and she had dark black stripes on her face. She also had green eyes. 

    Flamekit managed to pin me to the ground. She got up, and said,

    “I win!” 

    “Good job, Flamekit,” I said as I got up to her paws. I suddenly saw the only other kit who has been nice to me. His name was Runningkit.

    “Wow, you beat her so easily,” another kit came up and sat down. “I bet she’s weak,” they commented. 

    I flattened my ears down in anger as I opened up my mouth to say something. 

    “Be quiet, Toadkit! You don’t know what you’re talking about. She’s not weak, she’s strong!” Flamekit hissed. 

    “Is that why she survived after she was born? Her own mother didn’t make it through, well, I guess that your sister killed her mother when she was born on purpose,” Toadkit continued. 

    “How dare you say that!” I spat, trying to keep my voice nice and calm and not to break. “Did you think that I wanted Acornstripe to die?” 

    “Of course! Because you are just a heartless cat who doesn’t care about anyone else! That’s why you don’t have any friends at all. You're just a bad omen sent from StarClan!” 

    My whole body was trembling. That’s not true! Is it? Was I just sent here by StarClan as a bad omen? I sat down with my ears flattened.

    “Toadkit! Don’t say such a thing!” Runningkit said, his eyes wide with surprise. 

    I did kill Mother, didn’t I? If I wasn’t sent down here by StarClan, Mother would have still been alive, wouldn’t she? Then she and Flamekit could’ve lived a happy life without me… 

    “Flamekit, are you okay?” my sister asked, as she came up and sat next me. She licked my ear comfortably. 

    “He shouldn’t have said any of those things!” Runningkit exclaimed as he walked over and sat beside the other two. I looked up to both of them. 

    “He is right, isn’t he? I mean, I’m a bad omen, It’s my fault that Acornstripe is dead and I brought death inside of the Clan, and now

StaClan is going to punish us for it,” I whispered, my voice starting to break. 

    “That’s not true, everything he said isn't true,” Runningkit soothed softly.

    “Even the part where he said I don’t have any friends? Is that true?” I asked, looking up at my sister. Flamekit’s eyes blazed with anger, like a green fire. 

    “Of course not!  Runningkit and I are your friends!” she exclaimed. 

    “That’s right! And Flamekit and I are going to be friends forever and we’ll be there for you even if other cats aren’t,” Runningkit said, twitching his whiskers happily. 

    “Thanks, you two,” I said. 

    “You’re welcome! Now, let’s go play!” Flamekit mewed. 

    “Okay! What do you two want to play?” I asked, looking at the tom and she-cat. 

    As we were finding a game to play, I felt happy and my spirit was coming back. 

    They are right, none of that stuff is true, is it? I thought, trying to stay positive, but I still felt doubt poking me. 

Chapter two: 

The training.

    A couple of moons have passed since I have been called a bad omen by Toadkit, and since then I’ve been turned into an apprentice along with my sister and Runningkit. 

    We were now Flamepaw, Flamepaw and Runningpaw. My mentor was Mudheart, which in my opinion, I got the best mentor that I could have asked for. 

    He had very good fighting and hunting skills, and he was calm too, so I was pretty happy. Flamepaw came up and sat with me, dropping her crow as she did.

     “Did you hear that the gathering is tonight?” she asked, her eyes round. 

    “Yeah! I did!” I mewed. 

    “I’d love it if the both of us could go!” Flamepaw said happily as she waved her tail. I twitched my whiskers.

    “Flamepaw!” Mudheart called. I got up to my paws and raced over to my mentor. 

    “Yes?” 

    “We’re going hunting with Toadpaw, along with Snowpelt and Runningpaw. Then we’re going to go training,” he informed. “Could you get your sister for me?” 

    “Yes!” I quickly went back to my sister, who was just finishing her mouse. 

    “Flamepaw! We’re going hunting, then training. Come on!” 

    “Coming!”

I walked to the thorn tunnel, and sat down. When I saw Toadpaw, I flattened my ears and showed my teeth, the brown tom also did the same. I felt a growl rumbling in my throat, but decided to stop. 

    Stop it! You’re better than this, don’t let him get to you! I thought, briefly shaking my head.

    “Are we going yet?” Flamepaw asked, padding up and waving her fluffy orange tail.

    “Let’s hope so,” Runningpaw said, sitting next to her. 

We all sat in silence, until our mentors broke it by saying, 

    “Alright, everyone here? Great, let’s go then.” 

I left the camp with all three other apprentices and their mentors, including mine. 

    We had arrived at the training hollow after hunting. 

    “Since we’re here. Flamepaw, you’re going to train with Toadpaw. While your sister trains with Runningpaw,” Mudheart mewed. 

    I widened my eyes and felt my fur rising up into a bristle. I turned my head to the brown apprentice to see that he was scowling at me, I returned it back at him. I drew my lips back in a snarl when I saw that Toadpaw was looking at me with pure hatred in his eyes. 

    “But, Mudheart,” I said, looking away from the apprentice, and at my mentor. “Do I have to?” 

    “Yes, Flamepaw. You have to, I’m not going to go through this with you. I’m taking over Toadpaw’s training for now, just until his mentor is back and ready to train him. Remember, he’s got late Greencough? So, the

answer is yes, and I won’t take no for an answer,” Mudheart mewed, sounding calm, but giving her a firm look at the same time. 

    “Fine. I’ll train with stupid Toadpaw,” I growled under my breath. I saw that my sister looked back and forth between me and Toadpaw, her expression anxious. She then left once her mentor called her for training.

    “Okay, you two ready? Remember, claws ought to be sheathed,” Mudheart mewed, looking at them two. 

    “Yes, Mudheart,” I said respectfully, although I kept my stare onto Toadpaw. 

    As long as he follows the rules. . . 

    “Let’s practice what we did last time. Okay, go!” my mentor said loudly. I faced Toadpaw, waiting for him to make a move. The tom charged at me, and jumped. I waited until I felt him on my back, I then struggled to flip him over onto his back, but I failed to due to his weight. 

    I then felt something sharp digging into my shoulders. Soon after, pain shot up my body. I widened my eyes and gasped quietly as I noticed what he was doing. He’s using his claws! 

    A second later, I flipped him hard onto the ground, and started to barrel over and over. My claws extended, I started to attack him, I bit hard on his shoulder. I felt so angry that I didn’t even hear that my mentor was calling both our names to stop. 

    I could feel both my shoulders bleeding as I tried to ignore the pain. 

    “Flamepaw! Please! Stop!” I heard my sister’s desperate wail. I suddenly snapped back to reality as I realized what I was doing. 

    I got out of Toadpaw’s grasp, and got away from him. I stared around the training hollow, horrified by what I did. 

    I saw that Flamepaw and Runningpaw’s faces were filled with immense shock and concern. I saw that Mudheart also looked horrified, as Toadpaw just stared at me with both hatred and disgust as he did before. 

    I looked at both my shoulders, and saw that my fur was stained with deep dark red blood. I suddenly couldn’t hear anything except for my own heart beating, my body started to tremble a little. My ears rang, sounding like an echo.

    I attacked an apprentice. . . I broke the code…

    I shook my head, coming back to the world. 

    “Is that true, Flamepaw?” I heard Mudheart ask, his voice firm, and I noticed that he was trying hard to keep his cool. 

    “What?” I managed, sounding quiet. Mudheart’s dark cold amber eyes narrowed. 

    “I asked,” “What happened? Did you attack Toadpaw?” 

I shook my head vigorously. 

    “What? No! Of course not–!” 

    “Really? Because I felt your claws on me!” Toadpaw hissed. 

    “Be quiet, Toadpaw! You don’t get to talk, let my sister finish!” Flamepaw spat, her green eyes blazing with anger. 

    “I-I don’t know what you're talking about, though…” I said, but my voice trailed off. 

    “Flamepaw. Did you use your claws?” Mudheart asked. I stared at my mentor. 

    “Y-yes…but, that was only because he attacked me first!” I said. I saw that Mudheart looked skeptical. 

    “Please, Mudheart, you got to believe me…I would never use my claws in training!” I said, my voice sounding desperate. 

    “Yes you would! You always hated me, and this was the perfect chance to get me!” Toadpaw protested. 

    “No, no!” Runningpaw interrupted, coming up with Flamepaw and sat next to me. “Mudheart, please don’t punish Flamepaw. You know that Flamepaw here wouldn’t break the warrior code by attacking him.” 

    “Yeah, Runningpaw’s right. My sister wouldn’t hurt a single soul!” Flamepaw chipped in, sounding confident. I bent my ears in shame, staring in pleading at Mudheart. The brown senior warrior looked between me and Toadpaw. He sighed. 

    “I don’t know who to believe. . .” he said, and my heart sank into my paws when I saw him give me a look of disappointment. 

    “But, you both will receive two moons of tick duty.” 

    “Thank you so much, Mudheart,” I said, sounding relieved. I sighed in relief. 

    “Where did Snowpelt go?” Mudheart asked while looking around, only

now noticing that Flamepaw’s mentor was gone. 

    “He said he’ll be right back. I actually don’t know…” Flamepaw said, tilting her head. 

    “Huh. Well, we should probably go home. . .Flamepaw, you will need healing for your shoulders, since they are damaged. Snowpelt will know where to find us. Now, come along, you four,” Mudheart mewed, and with a flick of his tail, he left with the four apprentices trailing behind.

I made sure I was not with Toadpaw, luckily he was in the back of the group, walking alone. 

    “Flamepaw! Are you okay?” my sister asked after they had started walking.

    “Yeah, I’m okay.” 

    “Wow, that was amazing of you. I mean, you're okay, since you look like you got injured badly,” Runningpaw commented, his voice filled with admiration. 

    “Of course I’m okay. . .” I said, shaking my head. 

    “Oops, sorry,” Runningpaw said, bending his ears down a little in

embarrassment. 

    “It’s okay…you two believe me when I say that I didn’t use my claws first? It was only for self-defense,” I said. 

    “Of course It was for self-defense! And I totally believe you!” Flamepaw mewed, sounding a bit surprised. 

    “Yeah, Toadpaw got it all turned around when he said that you hated him for a long time. That’s the other way around.” 

    “Right,” I said thoughtfully. “Stupid Toadpaw, always ruining stuff. At least I didn’t get the worst thing as a punishment. I can do tick duty for a while,” I said, trying to think positive and stay happy. 

    “Yeah, and I can also help you. Whatever you need,” Flamepaw meowed, her ears perked up. 

    “Me too,” Runningpaw agreed with a nod of his head, but I did see that he was trying hard to keep his voice sounding happy.

    I sighed. “Let’s hope that this won’t affect my chances of going to the gathering.” 

    Once we all headed back to the camp, I went to the medicine cat to get

some herbs. 

    Luckily, the wounds weren’t too deep and could get healed easily. I twitched my whiskers and ears in happiness once I found out the news that I would be alright.

Chapter three: Stormpaw.

    It was the same day that my shoulders had gotten injured. And I was feeling ecstatic at the moment. I got picked to the gathering that night, along with my friends. I kneaded the ground beneath me, feeling excitement as it washed over me. 

    “Ready to go?” Flamepaw asked, sounding elated. 

    “Yeah!” I mewed. Runningpaw’s blue eyes looked calm, but he was swishing his tail in delight. 

    We had all exited the camp when it was time to go. I was happy that I wasn’t that injured, or that the attack with Toadpaw at the training hollow had affected my chances of going to the gathering. I was lucky to even be going. 

    “I predict that the gathering is going to be fun!” Flamepaw mewed, her eyes brightened with wonder as she spoke as Runningpaw laughed.

    The night sky was just as I liked it; full of stars with the moon hanging up there with them, not to mention the nice and cool air passing me. 

    I raised my ears slightly, and turned my head to look around me. I soon saw what I was looking for; Toadpaw. He was walking along some warriors, his dark eyes showing excitement. Suddenly, his words from when they were kits, had rung in her ears. 

    You're just a bad omen sent from StarClan! The words seemed to echo in her mind. She shook her head, trying to dismiss them, but they wouldn’t go. I looked away from him and instead where she was walking. I gave a quiet sigh. 

    I mean, what does he know? He doesn’t even know me or StarClan! So who’s to say that? Not Toadpaw that's who…but. . .

    I couldn't get the nagging, squirmy feeling of doubt clawing at me in my chest. I felt light-headed, and sick in my stomach.

    We had soon enough reached the island. When I crossed the bridge, I smelled ThunderClan and RiverClan, their scents crashing over me.

    “Oh, hey! Welcome to the gathering!” I heard a voice exclaim. I looked over to see a cat scampering towards us. 

    “Stormpaw! Get back here!” another cat–who sounded like a she-cat–yowled after the first cat. 

    I looked over to my two friends, and saw Runningpaw’s eyes gleaming, while Flamepaw’s face lit up with interest as she tilted her head with her ears perked up straight up. 

    The first cat who was running towards us, stopped in their tracks when they reached us, the she-cat also skidded to a halt next to them.

    “Hello! Welcome to the gathering. It’s your first time here, yes?” the first cat asked energetically. The she-cat shook her head. 

    “Excuse him, please. He’s hyper.”

    Once my eyes had adjusted, I looked at them closer. There was the she-cat. She had a beautiful mottled brown coat, with pretty hazel-brown eyes to match her fur. 

    The first cat who seemed to be hyper, was a handsome tom with a gray and white pelt, he had deep gray eyes, and one front black paw.

     I had suddenly got this feeling of shyness and as if I should run away and hide away, and I didn’t know why.

    “Am not!” the tom exclaimed. 

    “Yeah. Sure. Okay, totally,” the she-cat said sarcastically. “Anyway. Why did you come over here, huh?” 

    “Oh yeah!” the tom said, his eyes narrowed, as he turned his head to the three of us. 

    “Welcome to the gathering! We thought we should welcome you three! I’m Stormpaw!” the tom greeted happily.

    “I’m Hazelpaw,” the she-cat introduced, her voice quiet. 

    “Don’t worry. Hazelpaw is kinda shy. She’ll warm up to you soon enough. Hopefully. If she decides if she wants to,” Stormpaw said. Hazelpaw nudged him playfully with her paw, as the tom laughed. Then he asked,

    “Anyway, who are you three? What are your names, I mean?” 

    “I’m Flamepaw. This is my sister, she’s also named Flamepaw. And this is our friend, Runningpaw. Also, that’s Toadpaw,” my sister replied, pointing

over to the brown tom, who had just disappeared into the crowd of cats. 

    “I remember him from last time. So, two cats with the same name? Huh, never heard of that happening,” Stormpaw noted, tilting his head while his gray eyes rounded with interest. 

    “You from ShadowClan, right? We’re from ThunderClan. Nice to meet you all! We’ll introduce you to everyone else,” the gray and white apprentice prompted, then with the flick of his tail he left as if expecting everyone to follow him. 

    Hazelpaw stood where she was, seemed to be frozen in place, she then left, following behind her friend. 

    “Hey,” Flamepaw whispered to me. 

    “What?” I asked. 

    “You should talk to someone! Talk to Stormpaw. It’ll be nice if you could make friends with him. Imagine, a friend from a different Clan!” Flamepaw prompted. 

    “Uh–no. I’m good. I’m not talking to Stormpaw,” I denied, shaking my head. 

    “Why not. . .?” 

    “He’s weird. So. No,” I replied briefly, and as I mentioned it, my pelt started to warm up from underneath. Flamepaw sighed. 

    “Sometimes, it seems like you think everyone’s weird…okay, okay, I get it. How about Hazelpaw? She seems nice. And, not weird at all.” 

    I looked at her, and Flamepaw did the same. I sighed. 

    “Fine. She’s not going to like me, but okay,” I said. I then stalked up to Hazelpaw, who was walking behind her friend. 

    “Hi,” Hazelpaw greeted quietly, “You’re…Flamepaw, right?” she asked, her eyes squinting a little as if she was trying to remember. 

    “Yeah.” 

Hazelpaw wrinkled her nose in disgust. I flattened my ears a little. The brown mottled apprentice widened her ears. 

    “Sorry. I didn’t mean to do that…all the…scents here are a bit overwhelming,” she explained. I twitched my whiskers. 

    I’m sure you meant to do that. And do it to me…I thought miserably. 

    “So. . .” I started out awkwardly. I looked around me, for anything to

change the subject. My gaze had drifted to Stormpaw. 

    “How long have you and Stormpaw been friends?” 

    Well! That was such a mouse-brain question! They would’ve been friends forever–considering they looked around the same age–and they are from the same Clan! Why? Why? Why! 

    “Uh. I Guess since forever, since we were kits. We’ve been good friends since the beginning,” Hazelpaw replied, looking at her friend. I then noticed that something had entered her eyes–a feeling? No, couldn’t be. Whatever it was, I had never ever seen it before. 

    I gave a silent sigh yet again so she couldn’t see or hear it, then I scolded myself; of course! Of course that happened. I am such a mouse-brain. 

    We had soon reached the other apprentices–with me and Hazelpaw walking in silence–when Flamepaw had raced up next to me. 

    “Soooo….” she started. “How did it go?” 

    “It was fine, I guess,” I said, giving a shrug of my shoulders. 

    “See, told you.” 

    “Yeah, yeah,” I grumbled. 

    “You three! I would like to introduce you–” Stormpaw started out but got interrupted. 

    “Why are you acting all formal?” one apprentice asked, sitting next to a ginger and white cat. Stormpaw looked at them with narrowed eyes.

    “Well, isn’t it obvious!” the gray and white tom exclaimed. “I’m gonna be a leader one day! And I have to make sure my speech is right and as fit as a leader! I think I’m doing an overall good job!” he explained, looking very proud. 

    “Oh, yeah, sure. Leader. Did anyone tell you’re going to be a leader one day? Orrrrr, you going to earn their trust? What’s the plan, huh Stormpaw?” the ginger and white apprentice asked, mischievous glowing in his eyes. Stormpaw’s eyes glowed to, and he simply said, 

    “You’ll see. You’ll see. But anyway. Everyone, this is Brightpaw and his brother Blackpaw. They're new, you two.”  

    “Yeah, I can tell,” Blackpaw noted. 

    “Looks new, haven’t seen them around before,” Brightpaw said. 

    “Smells like ShadowClan. You three from ShadowClan?” Blackpaw asked. 

    Before any of us could answer, Hazelpaw said something first, glaring at the two toms.

    “Yes they are from ShadowClan. And you two are being rude. If you can help it. Be nicer!” she scolded them. 

    “Uh–yeah, you're right. Sorry, Mother,” Brightpaw retorted. He then said something to his brother, quiet enough so I couldn’t hear. Both Brightpaw and Blackpaw looked at the three of them with their green eyes. 

    “We’re both very sorry. Welcome to the gathering, ShadowClan cats. Glad you could have made it. We can’t wait to get to know you!” the two tom brothers said in perfect unison, but I could still see a bit of mischievous still. 

    Both Hazelpaw and Stormpaw broke out laughing with the other two, and Flamepaw, Runningpaw and I couldn’t help but do the same.

Chapter four: Fate be told

    It had been close to a half-moon since the gathering, and meeting the apprentice’s of ThunderClan. 

    The gathering had gone well, except the part where the leader of RiverClan, Smoothstar, had announced that someone named Silverheart had recently died earlier that moon. 

    I am currently very annoyed, want to know why? Okay, I’ll tell you. 

I couldn’t get this one thing out of my mind ever since the gathering! And that one little thing is; the tom Stormpaw.

     Everytime I thought about him, my heart would automatically beat very quickly for no reason, and I had no idea why. It was annoying me, to the point where I would get anxious every time I did think about him. 

    And I can’t seem to get him out of my mind. Believe me, I try, then I do seem to get him out for a second, but the very next moment, you know what happens? Poof! There he is again!

    I let out a quiet growl of irritation, as I sat with my sister and

Runningpaw. 

    “Are you okay, Flamepaw? You seem upset,” my sister asked me curiously, her face showing concern.

    “Uh–yeah–” I said, “Just having a stomach ache…I think I’ll go to the medicine cat den.” 

    “Okay. Well, hope you’ll feel better soon,” Runningpaw said, giving a twitch of his whiskers. 

    I nodded, got up to paws, and went to the medicine cat den. 

    I am feeling sick to my stomach, I thought miserably. I sighed as I reached the medicine cat den. 

    “Hello?” I asked, poking my head inside the den. I could see herbs scattered around the den as I could hear running water coming from a small stream in the corner. 

    “Oh, hi, Flamepaw!” Featherpaw greeted me. I could see the young medicine cat sitting down. And once my vision had adjusted to the dark lighting in the den, I could make out her appearance a lot better. 

    I saw a pretty white fluffy she-cat, with sparkling eyes that were a mix

of blue and gray, and she also had a very fluffy tail. 

    “Are you looking for Honeyleaf?” she asked, I just nodded. “I’ll go get him,” she mewed, she then left. 

    I walked inside the den, and sat down waiting for her to return back with the medicine cat.

     I looked around the den once more, and noticed that there were moss beds also scattered around, and a crack that must have been where they kept the herbs. 

    “Oh, hello Flamepaw,” said a voice. Out came Featherpaw with her mentor, Honeyleaf. Who was a golden speckled tom, with deep yet rich copper eyes. The old medicine cat sat down, with his tail wrapped neatly around his paws. 

    “Now, did you need anything, or did you just drop by to say hello?” the tom asked, his eyes showing warmth and kindness. 

    “Oh, yes. Umm, well, I was having a stomach ache. I was wondering if I could get anything for that?” I asked. 

    “Yes, of course. Featherpaw, will you get something for her?” 

    “Yes, Honeyleaf!” Featherpaw mewed, then dashed off, as her mentor purred. 

    I could tell that he was getting old. He has been going on less patrols on finding herbs and doing his chores, he has Featherpaw do them. And he has been sleeping a lot more, not that I knew if he did that before I was born. 

    I was surprised that he didn’t die yet and he is still living, and I am even more shocked that he is still in the medicine cat den, rather than in the elders den with all the others, enjoying the time he has left and the sunshine before his journey onto StarClan. 

    He has been here ever since I was born, it would be sad to see him join StarClan. But at least when he does go, the last thing he ever did was serve his Clan. 

    That thought had made my stomach feel a bit better and made me relax a little.

    “Now, here you go, eat this up and you’ll feel better soon after. And if you don’t, make sure to come back,” Honeyleaf said. 

    “Will do. Also, thanks for the herbs! I’ll see you later, bye now!” I said, my voice cheerful.

    “Bye. it was lovely to see you again Flamepaw,” Honeyleaf deep rumbling purr had called after her as she left the den. 

    I turned my head to see my two friends at the entrance. I raced over to them. 

    “Is this a patrol?” I asked as I approached them. 

    “Yeah! Wanna come?” Flamepaw asked. 

    “Yes!” I responded energetically, but then I stopped and asked, “Wait. Is Toadpaw coming too? Because–”

    “Don’t worry, he’s not. Too tired, or something. Forgot the specifics,” Runningpaw assured.  

    “This will be a fine trip indeed!” I said happily. Runningpaw twitched his whiskers in amusement.

    “Ooooo, I think we’re leaving now!” Flamepaw said. I shook my head a little, twitching my ear. 

    “You sometimes are too energetic, Flamepaw,” I said, my voice happy. 

    “You sometimes are too energetic, Flamepaw,” my sister repeated. She then beamed at me, her face looking joyful. “Though, it is nice to be energetic, yes?” 

    “You got that right,” Runningpaw nodded his head. 

    “You, Runningpaw, are too calm, that may be bad,” Flamepaw objected playfully. 

    “Oh, yeah, sure, so it’s okay to be energetic but not calm. I hardly say I’m calm at all!” 

    “Uh-uh, riiiight,” I said sarcastically, backing up Flamepaw. We all broke up in fits of laughter for a few minutes, then left ShadowClan camp. 

                *        *        *

    The leftover raindrops had hung on the branches of the tall trees from last night’s rain.  A couple times now, I had stepped in pockets of mud, getting my paws stuck in them, or getting mud in between my claws, which I hated the most. And now my legs were brown with leftover mud. 

    “Stupid rain and mud,” I muttered, as I stepped into mud again, and had it sink down to my leg. I tried to pull it out, and yet, it didn’t come out. 

    “Oh, come on!” I hissed loudly. I suddenly heard laughter. I looked up from the ground and mud, and saw Runningpaw sitting in front of me. 

    “Need help?” he asked through his laughter. 

    “Where are the others? Did they leave me behind, seriously?” I asked. 

    “They’re up ahead. Not too far. So. You look stuck. Need any help?” the white and gray tom repeated his question.

    “Yes, please,” I grumbled. I hated getting help, but I literally couldn’t get the paw out. Runningpaw chortled, then went behind her. 

    “I’m gonna push you, and when I do, start trying to go forward, alright?” 

    “Aright.” 

    “Okay, you ready?” he asked calmly. 

    “Yes! Can you do it already, please!” I growled impatiently. Without warning, Runningpw pushed hard from behind me, pushing me forward

so quickly that I popped from the mud and stumbled forward and fell down on my head. 

    I got up to my paws slowly, my head a bit dizzy from the fall. Runningpaw came up and helped me get up, by pushing me up–gently this time–with his black and brown muzzle. 

    “You good?” he asked. 

    “Yeah. Hurting. But, alas, I’ll live. I always do,” I said. 

    “That’s true, isn’t it?” he agreed with a chuckle, nodding his head. Runningpaw stared at me for a few moments, and as he did, I saw something in his round blue eyes, which was the same emotion in which I’ve seen in Hazelpaw’s eyes at the gathering when she looked at Stormpaw.

     I still had no idea what it was, but I’ve gotten a little tired of not understanding it. 

    “Why are you staring at me? Did I do something funny again?” I asked slowly, quickly looking around me. Runningpaw had suddenly shaken his head and narrowed his eyes. 

    “Uh–nothing, sorry,” he said as he quickly moved his gaze, and he then turned it to the patrol who were walking away. He started speaking before I could say anything. 

    “Um…we should probably catch up with the patrol. Because, you know–er–we might get left behind. Ah-ha, that’s it! Let’s go, shall we?” he said, sounding really awkward, looking at her nervously. 

    “Sure. Let’s go!” I said. 

    “Great!” Runningpaw said quickly, then left as soon as possible, leading in front. 

    Why’s he acting so weird? I thought. Well, I guess he wouldn’t be the mouse-brain I’ve always known if he wasn't a little weird, now by his side, when we reached the rest of the patrol. 

    The patrol had stopped near the scent line, and I could tell that it was the border between ShadowClan and ThunderClan. I could see two patrols of ShadowClan and ThunderClan

    “Oh, hey, you two,” Flamepaw said happily. “Where did you go?” she asked. My sister had looked between me and Runningpaw when we

didn’t answer.

     Runningpaw ignored her and kept his gaze in front of him, but I noticed that he bent his ear slightly in a sign of anxiety. I flicked my ear and instead answered my sister’s question. 

    “Got stuck in the mud again. Runningpaw helped me get out. Nothing really. So, now, explain,” I demanded, flicking my fluffy tail towards the ThunderClan patrol. 

    “Caught some apprentice’s crossing by accident. What are their names? Darkpaw and Brightpaw, that’s it. I think everything’s good here though, now. You know you’re lucky to not be seen by the others that you’ve disappeared, you could have caused a panic throughout the others.”

    “Oh…” I trailed off, as I looked at the ground. 

    So, I still haven’t been noticed by all the others? I am not as important as the other two or anyone on this patrol, and I would not have caused a panic as easily as Runningpaw and Flamepaw might have if they had gone missing? I thought bitterly. 

    I bit back any more bitter thoughts just by covering them with

sorrowful ones; I guess not I’m not as important. I mean nobody would have noticed if I'd gone missing. I mean, nobody cares for me.

    I lifted my head to look away from the ground, and I saw something–for some strange reason–that made me catch my breath. I saw Stormpaw among the ThunderClan border. 

    A few minutes later, the white and gray tom had caught my eye, and I realized that I was staring. 

    He gave a slight nod as if in greeting and a twitch of his whiskers, I did the same. He then looked away and instead at the rest of the patrol, now paying attention. I did the same a moment later. 

                *        *        *

    I had awoken in a dream that night. I had appeared in a very green forest. The smell and sound of water barreled over me. I followed the sound slowly. 

    When I had reached my destination, I gave a quiet gasp of amazement.

     I was greeted by a big waterfall. It was a giant waterfall cascading down a cliff into a pool of water–no doubt there was a river upon those cliffs–and there were rocks which were sealing in the pool. 

    Sunshine was shining down from the bright blue skies, and onto the waters, reflecting and having sunlight bouncing off of it. 

    “It’s so beautiful here!” I couldn’t help but out loud, my voice sounding absolutely amazed. Sure, this is a dream, I could easily imagine this; but this is pretty nice, even for me. 

    “Yes. It is quite lovely, isn’t it?” a soft voice agreed. I quickly whipped behind me. 

    “Who’s there?” I asked sharply, my ears instantly perked up and my claws already extended. 

    Instead of the mysterious voice answering, a cat came out of the trees. 

    I gave a silent gasp. I couldn’t believe it. Not one bit. No, no! I thought. I took a step back, shocked at what I saw. Too shocked to even speak. 

    What I saw was a she-cat–and she was exactly how I remembered her looking; she had the most beautiful coat I have ever seen, the coat being

a mix of light and dark brown. Her ear tips were dark brown, almost black. 

    I had finally found my voice.

    “...M-Mother…?” I stammered. Even when she died shortly after she had me when I was still a kit, I still remembered every little detail about her. Her scent even. 

    “Hello, dear Flamepaw,” my mother had said in a soft voice. 

    “W-what a-are you doing here? You’re supposed to be dead! In StarClan!” I exclaimed. 

    “Oh, but I am in StarClan.” 

    “So, you mean that I am in StarClan. Right now?” I asked. My mother nodded.

    “Acornstripe, What are you doing here though?”

    “To deliver a message, of course,” Acornstripe said softly.

    “What message?” I asked. The wind had started to pick up, and the trees had started to sway as it passed them, it whistled past my ears.

    Suddenly, Acornstripe’s blue eyes rounded as she spoke. As she was

speaking, her voice hadn’t changed. 

    “The flower had once burned with power. It grew stronger by the minute, rushing through the forests and burning them down. But with a power–stronger than itself–it burned out, and the flower ceased to exist,” Acornstripe said, her voice gentle. My jaw had hung open a little. When she had finished speaking, I had said, 

    “Is this a prophecy? A prophecy to me? Why are you giving a prophecy to me?” 

    “It’s not a prophecy, my dear Flamepaw. I’m giving you…your fate,” she explained. I widened my eyes in more shock. 

    “M-my fate? W-what do you mean?”

    “You’ll find out soon enough, Flamepaw,” my mother had denied. “Oh, how much I’ve missed you, my little kit. But I sadly have to go. . .I’ll hopefully see you next time,” Acornstripe said, her eyes glistening with sadness. 

    “B-but–” I stuttered. 

    “Goodbye, now, Flamepaw,” my mother had dipped her head, then she

slowly faded away, and I was left alone in the forest. 

    My fate…what in StarClan could she have meant…? I thought. 

Chapter five: Feeling Distanced. 

    I was listening as my two friends were talking, my mind drifting off to deeper thoughts. I was staring at the ground, stuck in concentration, thinking of what happened a few nights ago. My mother’s words were still ringing inside my ears. 

    My thoughts suddenly got interrupted when I noticed out of the corner of my eye that my sister and Runningpaw were looking at me, both of their eyes glazed with concern. 

    “What?” I asked, lifting my head and looking at them. 

    “Something wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked, starting to feel a little defensive as I flattened my ears a bit. 

    “No reason,” Runningpaw replied swiftly, as he changed his expression, but I could still see anxiety on his face. 

    Flamepaw nodded quickly and said, “Yeah. What he said.” 

I sighed. I can tell you’re lying. But, whatever. Just what I needed. 

    “We were just asking you a question. Did you hear it at all?” Flamepaw

asked. 

    “No. What was your question again?” 

    “Okay. So we had this great idea, right?” Runningpaw started to explain.

     “We were thinking that we should go practice, you know? Just me, you, and Flamepaw. 

    Then, if we get better, our mentors can see sooner! So, we were asking you if you wanted to come out into the forest, then we could practice all together.” 

    I thought for a moment, then replied, “Sure.” 

    “Great! Let’s go then!” Flamepaw said. All of us apprentice’s got up and headed towards the exit of camp. 

    “Where are you going, Runningpaw?” Toadpaw’s voice asked. Runningpaw’s brother came racing up, and trotted along his side. 

    “It’s none of your business, Toadpaw!” I said, looking at the light brown tom. 

    “I didn't ask you, Flamepaw!” Toadpaw hissed, shooting me an irritated look. Runningpaw slowed down to a stop, that made me and my sister do

the same. 

    “Umm…just out into the forest,” Runningpaw replied to his brother’s question. “You know. For a walk, or something like that.” 

    As he was talking, I noticed that his ears bent just a little. I wondered why he did that. I mean, he was just talking to Toadpaw, which was normal for him, so why is he so nervous?

    “But, I have something important to talk to you about! Something that is meant to not be heard by prying ears,” Toadpaw mewed, his green flecked gaze quickly trailed to Flamepaw and me then back.

    Runningpaw gave a long sigh and he sat down and wrapped his tail neatly around his paws. He turned towards Flamepaw and me. 

    “You two go ahead. I’ll catch up soon as soon as I’m done,” he said, now flicking his tail tip up and down. 

    “Okay, well, see you soon. Come on, Flamepaw,” my sister said, as she started to walk towards the entrance. 

    I stared at Runningpaw right in his blue gaze and squinted my own eyes slightly, then nodded ever so slightly, he saw and did the same.

     I looked at Toadpaw for a moment, then turned around and padded to the entrance of the camp. 

    I noticed that Runningpaw’s shoulders had tensed up a bit as I was leaving.

    I saw that Flamepaw had just left, seeing her tail tip just disappearing. I turned my head, and saw the two brothers in the clearing. Talking with each other. 

    I saw that Runningpaw’s gray, white, and brown coat seemed to have sparkled in the leftover sunlight of the day. I saw his ears flicking as he was listening to Toadpaw talk.

     When I was watching my friend, I felt something strange in my throat. And then I realized that a purr had been making its way up, rumbling a little in my chest. 

    I shook my head, shoving it hard back down, then realizing that I was just standing there, I padded through the entrance and out of camp. 

    I saw my sister ways ahead. 

    “Wait, Flamepaw! I’m coming!” I yowled, skittering over to her. When I

reached her, my sister’s green eyes had narrowed. 

    “What took you so long?” she asked. 

    “Umm…nothing important,” I said. Flamepaw looked skeptical, but didn’t say anything and instead gave a shrug of her shoulders. 

    “Okay,” she mewed. “But, come on,” she beckoned her tail as a sign to follow her. I just decided to follow her. 

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *      *

    We had soon reached the training area, where Flamepaw and I started to train with each other. And then again, soon after that, we got tired and warm and then decided to take a break.

    “Where’s Runningpaw?” I asked, looking at my surroundings. 

    “I do not know…but he is taking awfully a long time,” Flamepaw noted, nodding her head.  

    That’s when we suddenly heard the bushes and bracken rustle. Flamepaw and I jumped to our paws, and stood stiff still. My ears perked

up, and my claws slowly came out. 

    I strained to hear anymore sounds as Flamepaw’s fur stood on end. Runningpaw came out of the bushes, looking around. His face had brightened a little when he saw us. 

    “Glad I could find you two. I thought you left. I was worried,” he said, walking up to us. 

    “Do not do that again!” I hissed. Runningpaw tilted his head, his eyes became big. 

    “You scared us half to death, you mouse-brain!” Flamepaw backed me up. 

    “Sorry.” 

    “At least, please, I’m begging you, Runningpaw. Please, please make a sound before you decide to kill us. You’re so silent,” I growled softly. 

    “Sorry, again,” Runningpaw apologized. I tried to calm my heart down as Flamepaw batted the tom on the head playfully. Flamepaw sighed. 

    “Okay. Well. Since you’re here, Runningpaw, I can go hunt for the three of us. You practice with Flamepaw. Be right back,” my sister said, and she

swiftly disappeared behind the trees, leaving me alone with Runningpaw. 

    I noticed that the tom’s shoulder’s were still tensed from earlier, and his expression was. . .pained? Was I seeing that correctly?

    “So. How did your talk with Toadpaw go?” I asked, trying to keep my voice sounding nice when I mentioned his name. 

    I do not like Toadpaw. In fact, I hated him. Despised him. But, he was my friend's brother, so I tried to stay nice and calm when I spoke about him with Runningpaw. 

    “It went okay. I suppose.”

    “Oh, okay. That’s good. Don’t want him to get hurt, or anything.” 

I sat down again, licked my paw and rasped it over my ear. I remembered Acornstripe’s words. My fate.

    The flower had once burned with power. It grew stronger by the minute, rushing through the forests and burning them down. But with a power–stronger than itself–it burned out, and the flower ceased to exist…

    I did not know what it meant at all, but one thing was clear to me; it deeply troubled me. I noticed my friend was looking at me, yet again. 

    “Okay, okay. Is there seriously something wrong?” I blurted out. Ugh, I’m tired of asking this question… 

    Runningpaw pricked his ears up, then slightly lowered them. 

    “W-what exactly do you mean?” he asked. 

    I could see pain had entered his eyes, and it worried me to see that in my friend. Especially if it’s about themselves, or me, because I did not like the idea of being fretted over. 

    “Don’t ask that, Runningpaw. I can see you're struggling with something. Both you and Flamepaw. So? What is it? What’s the matter?” I returned the question, my voice firm. 

    “N-nothing! For one, I have no idea what you're talking about,” Runningpaw said. I flattened my ears a little. 

    “Oh, please, Runningpaw! Tell me! It’s bothering me to see you looking disturbed. I’m your friend–” I was speaking and my voice sounded desperate, but abruptly stopped. My face dropped. 

    I figured it out. I figured out why both he and Flamepaw were acting like this for days…I thought suddenly. 

    For some reason, I started to laugh a little. 

    “Why are you laughing…?” Runningpaw asked, anxiety in his voice. 

    “Because. I figured it out. Why both you and Flamepaw had been distant with me. Asking me all these questions; ‘are you alright, Flamepaw?’ I finally figured it out,” I explained, chuckling after. 

    Runningpaw opened his mouth as if to say something, but I heard no sound come out. 

    “Oh? You want to know what I’ve found out?” I asked, but before the tom could say anything, I started to speak again, but this time I sounded sad. 

    “Okay. I found out. That you and Flamepaw don’t want to be my friends anymore,” I said, my voice already breaking. 

    “You’d rather go by yourselves, and leave me behind? Not to be friends anymore? You just spent all these days trying to find a way of breaking the news to me, huh–” I stopped, and despite my voice straining with sadness, I continued;

    “Well, I’d understand. You can go tell Flamepaw now that I know, go be

the friends like you wanted all this time. To be honest, I have been expecting it. Nobody wants to be my friend, just ask your brother. I’m the bad omen that was sent here by StarClan–” I wailed. As I was talking, Runningpaw’s blue eyes widened in shock. 

    “Flamepaw! Stop!” he said loudly over me talking. I quieted down as he got to his paws and walked over to me. 

    “Hey, hey. It's okay. Nobody’s leaving you,” he soothed in a soft voice. 

    “You aren’t?” I whimpered sadly. 

    “No! I don’t know who told you that, but it’s definitely not true. We were just worried about you, because you’ve gone quiet for a couple of days now, but I see that you’re alright,” Runningpaw said. 

    “Remember when we were kits? And then Flamepaw and I said that we would stay friends forever?” he asked. 

    “Yes…” I replied slowly. 

    “Well. You’d be surprised that we actually meant it. We’re going to stay with you until we part ways to StarClan. And even then we’ll be best friends…” he continued, putting his tail on my shoulder in comfort. 

    “And you know what? I bet everyone likes you. You’re awesome, sweet and funny, cat’s of ShadowClan can’t just ignore that,” the tom purred. 

    “I guess that’s true,” I said, now calming down. 

    “Are you feeling any better?” he asked. 

    “Yes, a little. Thanks Runningpaw,” I mewed. I could see that the anxiety had cleared from my friend’s expression, and the tension, but had been replaced by care. I purred a little. 

    “Alright. Are you up to training a little before your sister gets back?” 

    “I am. Oh, and Runningpaw?” 

The tom looked at me, his head tilted.

    “Please. Do not tell Flamepaw about all this.” 

    “I won’t, you won’t have to worry. Your secret is safe with me,” he purred. 

    “Now, come on!” he said. 

    I got up to my paws, and followed him. 

Chapter six: Tempted

    The sound of skittering mice in the bracken had filled my ears as I was crouched down, trying to hunt them down and kill them. 

    Once I did catch them, I headed back to ShadowClan camp, and dropped them off on the fresh-kill pile. 

    I looked around and saw Runningpaw talking with his brother. It has been a few days since my whole crash in front of Runningpaw. 

    After having my whole nervous breakdown in front of my friend, had made me feel pretty embarrassed.

    Especially if it was in front of Runningpaw, and I had told him to keep it a secret from my sister. 

    Now, I’m not saying that I don’t trust the tom, I do, but now that I had it and he saw it, he might think I'm weak and pity me. 

    Me, being taken over by my own feelings. Of course, he possibly wouldn’t be thinking that, but I mean, he could have because anyone could have thought that after seeing me wailing like a kit. 

    That would be one of my worst fears if he started to be my friend, feeling like he had to just because he felt bad for me. 

    I sighed. 

    Of course he is doubting your strength! I mean, who wouldn’t, after seeing that whole mouse-brain act? You had to mess this whole thing up, just because you let your fears and feelings get the better of you! You stupid Mouse-brain! I scolded myself silently. 

    Please, help me StarClan! I begged, looking at the sky. I then went to a sunny patch and laid down, and slowly dozed off.

    I awoke in ShadowClan territory, which was strange because I thought that I fell asleep in the camp. Then shortly after, I realized that this was a dream. 

    I had thought about my dream with Acornstripe, and I wondered if she would show up again. I did hope so, I missed her. 

    I saw Runningpaw up ahead. At least, I thought it was Runningpaw. The tom saw me, stared at me, then hopped away like a rabbit would.

     I tilted my head, and raced after him, keeping my pawsteps silent but swift. 

    I followed Runningpaw–or who I thought it was–through the forest. I would lose him occasionally, but I would easily find him a few minutes after. 

    I had found out that we had reached our destination, because Runningpaw had stopped in his tracks, I quickly skidded to a halt.

    “Runningpaw?” I called out slowly and cautiously. The cat turned around, and instead of Runningpaw, he was Stormpaw. 

    Stormpaw stared at me for a few moments, his gray eyes rounded, looking dumb-founded. He gave a sharp nod a moment later, and then disappeared as sudden mist rolled into the place around me. 

    The trees were replaced with dead ones, the bright baby blue sky darkened to a deep red color of blood. There were rivers around me that rippled, their waters dark and murky looking, with no stones to step on, to get to the other side. The grass was dead. 

    And I soon found myself on a tiny island, with a giant stone, and I froze

when I saw a young tom on top. 

    The cat was a young handsome gray tom, with bright and vivid green eyes. Around him, some cats surrounded him, and I saw that most of them had almost faded away. 

    “W-who are you?” I managed to breath out. 

    “Why, Flamepaw, I am Silverheart,” the young tom greeted. I swallowed nervously. 

    “And. How do you know my name?” I asked. 

    “We’ve known about you for quite some time now,” Silverheart mewed. 

    “Okay…am I in StarClan?” I had the nerve to ask. 

    “StarClan? StarClan! Why would she guess such a horrid place as StarClan?” the other cats talked to each other, their whispers and mutters seemed to fill the entire island. 

    “Quiet!” Silverheart commanded, and at that, the others fell silent. He looked at me, and said, 

    “No, this is not StarClan, Flamepaw. No, no,” he spoke, his voice cold, chuckling a little, “this is the Dark Forest.” 

    I widened my eyes a little. I’ve heard of the Dark Forest once from old Elders’ tales…I thought. They come to claim the cats from the outside world, influence them to come join them. 

    “W-well, what do you want from me?” I breathed out. A glint appeared in Silverhearts eyes as he began speaking again. 

    “Isn’t it obvious?” he asked me, keeping his voice cold and high, “to have you join the Dark Forest, of course.” 

    I thought for a moment. I then flicked my ear, and asked, “A-and, if I don’t want to?” 

    Silverheart held my stare, then blinked. 

    “Then you don’t have to. You can go. As easy as that,” he said, his voice soft but icy. 

    “No!” the faded cats yowled. Silverheart flicked his tail sharply, and the cats once again quieted down. 

    “But, just think for a moment, Flamepaw. Think of the reasons why you would want to join us. 

    Just think, in your entire life, you’d been treated like dirt. Called a bad

omen, eh? Afraid that nobody wants to be your friend? 

    You're beat down in life, build yourself up again, just to be knocked down and hated by cats who think they are better than you, just because your mother’s a medicine cat? 

    Well, we could all change that, if you say yes to our offer,” Silverheart cooed, and I could tell that he was trying to sound convincing. 

    And the truth was, that I was being convinced. My heart started to thump hard inside my chest. I waited for a few moments before responding. 

    “C-could I think about this offer?” I asked. 

    “Why, of course,” Silverheart nodded. He dipped his head, and said, “I hope that we’ll hear your response soon enough.” 

    With that, everything had started to fade away. I was whisked away and was plunged into a pool of darkness, the last thing I heard was the wails of cats, their cries full of both agony and despair.

Chapter Seven: Looming decisions

    Heavy thoughts had entered my mind as I was helping the elders. I was changing their beds, with new, clean and fresh moss. I was at the moment rubbing mouse-bile on them so the ticks would fall off. 

    “Thanks again for doing this again, Flamepaw. I don’t mean to be a bother…” the old she-cat said. 

    “You're not being a bother, Bloomfall,” I replied kindly. 

    “It does feel nice to not have any more ticks, though. . .” Sharpblaze purred. 

    “Okay, there we go. You should be almost all the way done,” I reported to her. As I was rubbing the mouse-bile into her fur, I was deep in concentration. 

    “Hey…I have a question for you both…” I started to ask, sounding a little awkward. 

    “And what was that, dear?” Bloomfall asked.

     I stayed silent for a few minutes before continuing, and when I spoke, I

kept my eyes on Bloomfall’s shoulders, of which I was now rubbing. 

    “Umm…s-so, let’s say–t…” I trailed off uncomfortably. 

    “Get on with it, will you?” Sharpblaze prompted, sounding impatient. 

    “Okay, okay, sorry. But if either of you were–well, I don’t know–to wake up in the dark forest while you were sleeping, and they tried to get you to join. . .would you?” I asked nervously. 

    “StarClan no!” Bloomfall said. “Those cat’s would only want me to join their side for evil purposes, and evil purposes only.”

    “And, plus, why would we want to? That would just be so absurd! Absolutely Ludicrous!” Sharpblaze snorted.

    “Hush, now, Sharpblaze. You’ll maybe scare her.” 

    “What? I’m not doing anything! I’m just telling the honest truth, that’s all. So you want me to lie, and say that I would join? You're very foolish to think that!” the old tom snapped. 

    “And yet, no matter how many times I had heard that before, you still are my mate, and you always have been,” Bloomfall interjected with a soft tone.

    “And, yet, It’s true. Though it’s still annoying when you do that–”

    “Oh. O-okay. Well, thanks anyway for the information, it’s good to know,” I interrupted the possibility of bickering between the two cats, trying to keep my voice calm and not high and squeaky. Before they could say anymore, I said, 

    “Alright, you two should be done now.” 

    “Thank you, again, Flamepaw,” Bloomfall purred. 

    “Yeah, thanks,” Sharpblaze grumbled.

    “You're welcome.”

I had left the elders' den, saying farewell to them, and I left the two mates alone. 

    The smell of mouse-bile had soon overwhelmed me, as I noticed it was still on my paws. I went to the medicine cat den, and washed my paws in the stream of water. 

    I then exited the medicine cat den, and left the camp in a trot. I had made my way into the forest, and trekked to the training place. I soon saw my two friends. 

    “There you are!” Flamepaw exclaimed. “What took you so long?” 

    “Duties with the elders’. Sorry that I was late,” I mewed. 

    “No worries. You're here, and you didn’t forget to come,” Runningpaw said. 

    “Oh, we have something important to tell you, Flamepaw,” my sister said. I tilted my head to the side a little, as I was sitting down. 

    “Hmm?” 

    “U-umm. Okay, so we know you won’t like it…but. I-it’s better if you see,” Runningpaw said nervously. “You can come out now!” 

    I gazed at where the two were staring at, and I saw a cat come from behind the bushes. I flattened my ears all the way when I saw Toadpaw. 

    “What is he doing here!” I exclaimed angrily. 

    “W-well. We didn’t want to upset you. But we thought that he could practice with us. You know? We thought it would be a good idea,” Flamepaw replied, her eyes a bit wide. 

    “B-but you said that it was just going to be the three of us! Nothing about Toadpaw! He attacked me and intentionally hurt me the last time

we practiced together,” I hissed. 

    “I know that. But I think he’s sorry. Right, Toadpaw?” Runningpaw looked at his brother. 

    Toadpaw just stayed silent and gave a nod, but I could see his eyes glowered with a darkened gleam. 

    “I’m sorry. But I do not trust him,” I snarled. 

    “That’s fine if you don’t trust him. If you don’t want to practice with him, then one of us will help you. Just…give him a chance? Please?” Runningpaw asked, now looking at me, hopefulness on his face. 

    I hesitated at first, but I looked inside his eyes for a few moments. 

    “Fine.” I said through gritted teeth. 

    “Yay! This’ll be so much fun!” Flamepaw said, bouncing up and down. 

    “But if he hurts you two in any way, the deal’s off,” I added quickly as I saw Flamepaw jumping up and down. 

    “I promise,” Runningpaw purred, his eyes and face showing kindness. 

    “Then in this case. I can practice with Toadpaw!” Flamepaw suggested eagerly. 

    “Okay. I can then I’ll take you,” Runningpaw meowed, giving me a nice look. I returned it, raising my ears back up slightly. 

    A strange sense of relief and joy filled me at the thought of me not training with Toadpaw, but his brother instead.

    I flicked my ear in happiness. 

    “Are you okay to train, though?” Runningpaw asked, his voice sounding nervous, as we walked to our spot where we were going to train. 

    “What do you mean?” I asked, sounding confused. 

    “I mean. . . you’re shoulders? Are they okay?” he asked. 

I looked behind me, and at my shoulders. I had completely forgotten how they got damaged. 

    “Oh…yeah…forgot about that. I’ll be fine, I mean, I did survive the last time we practiced. Right?” I asked. 

    “Right. . .” Runningpaw agreed with me, now looking thoughtful. “But can I at least–” 

    “Do not say that you want to go easy on me, just because I’m a little hurt. I can deal with that, that is my own problem,” I growled. “Somebody

told me once that if you get damaged in a real battle, they won’t go easy on you,” I reminded him. Runningpaw’s eyes grew a little. 

    “Yes, I guess you’re right…but, who told you that? Was that Mudheart?” the apprentice asked with his head tipped to the side.

    My stomach had felt like it was starting to roll over, as my head seemed to get dizzy with anxiety.

    I can’t just tell him that the dark forest told me that! He would then know my secret! I thought worriedly. 

    “Umm…y-yeah! Mudheart told me. Yeah, that’s it. Sorry, took a moment to remember,” I lied, trying to keep my voice from sounding like I was lying. 

    “Okay then! Come on!” Runningpaw flicked his tail.

As we were practicing, I thought about Runningpaw’s question. I then felt shame wash through me like a stream of water. 

    The same question returned back in my head; do I want to accept Silverheart’s offer? Do I want to join the dark forest? I thought, as I felt as if the question was looming high and over me. 

Chapter Eight: Decided. 

    “Instead of you going, can I go catch prey?” I asked Flamepaw. 

    “Sure, go ahead.”

    “Just, uh, be safe,” Runningpaw added quickly. I nodded.     

    I left the training area, and when I was out of sight of the others, I gave a deep stretch. I stretched my limbs inside of my shoulders, and afterwards I felt good.

    I continued to walk through the forest, my ears perked up with alert for any sound. After a while of searching, I found nothing. 

    Why must I have bad luck…? 

    I stopped in my tracks, and I looked around. I had soon realized that I was close to the border between both ShadowClan and ThunderClan. 

    The soothing sound of wind blew past me, as I could smell it. I thought; It’s strange to think that Leaf-bare is soon… 

    Out of nowhere–and so suddenly too–I was engulfed into shadows. I stared around at my surroundings, and I saw nothing except for

darkness. 

    I started to panic as I saw no escape. I looked stuck. I squinted my eyes up ahead, and I could see a cat. The strange cat was padding up to me. 

    Who…who is that…? I thought. I also noticed there were no sounds, and I strained my ears to hear any, but there was nothing.

     Once the cat had finally approached me, I could see them more clearly.

    A silvered young tom, with bright, vivid and flashing green eyes. Once I saw them, I got more calm, knowing what was happening.  

    “Hello, Silverheart,” I greeted, sounding a little rude. 

    “Why, it is lovely to see you here,” Silverheart mewed.

    “Yeah. And I can imagine why,” I said, sounding a little annoyed. “You’ve been doing this often enough, now. What exactly do you need this time?” 

    Silverheart just stared at me knowingly, then said, “If I’ve been this often enough, what exactly do I need? What do you think?” 

    I sighed. “You come here, again, to convince me to come join you and everyone else?” 

    “Why, of course. This would be the most convenient way to do it. And

there’s no need to be so rude, Flamepaw! I am merely the messenger,” Silverheart noted smoothly and calmly. 

    “Yeah, I’ve heard that before. Not to mention that you’ve already done this every other five times you did this, saying you're ‘merely the messenger’ or whatever that is supposed to mean,” I growled softly. 

    “But, of course! I wouldn’t lie to you now. Would I? I mean, you said to that friend of yours, not to go easy on you, because of what I said to you last time I talked to you. Just because I was told to, you got that information.” 

    “So you’re tracking my every move now?” I retorted. 

    “Doesn’t matter. The point is that you did say it to your friend, right?” 

    “Yes…” I replied hesitantly. 

    “And where did you get that from?” 

    “You,” I grumbled. 

    “So, it must be true, because you believed it. It must be because you trust me, therefore, I don’t lie,” he pointed out smoothly. I bent my ears just a bit. 

    “Look. I haven’t made my decision yet, so can I get back to you later?” I asked, trying to keep myself in check. 

    “Of course! I cannot wait for your answer, in that case!” Silverheart mewed. He dipped head quickly, then he faded away, along with the darkness. 

    My surroundings had returned back to the forest. The sudden smell of ThunderClan scent had crossed my nose. 

    I’m in ThunderClan territory! I thought, as I looked around, my eyes wide. How in StarClan did I get here? 

    I had decided to get back to ShadowClan territory before I had got caught, when I heard a surprised voice. 

    “Is that you, Flamepaw?” it asked, and I flickered my ear as I heard the familiar voice, the one that I could never seem to get out of my mind. 

    I whirled my head around, and saw Stormpaw. 

    “H-hey,” I replied sheepishly. “How did I get here?” 

    Stormpaw looked at me with his round gray eyes. “What do you mean?” 

    “Exactly how it sounds. How did I get here?”

    “You don’t remember?” 

    “No. I was in ShadowClan territory, the next thing, I’m here with you!” I meowed. 

    “Huh. Well, don’t ask me. It just looks like you walked here.” 

    “Umm…okay…do you–um–know where ShadowClan territory is?” 

    “Ohh, yes, I actually do know the answer to that one!” Stormpaw said happily. “It's–actually…you know what? Here, I’ll just take you there myself!” he said, as he walked towards me. 

    My fur fluffed up. “Erm–no, it’s okay. Just point me the way, and I’ll go there myself–” 

    “No, it’s fine, I really don’t mind, it’s a short trip! Come on,” Stormpaw prompted, now next to me. 

    “O-okay, if you insist. I’ll just follow you,” I said, sounding shy, which surprised me, because I am barely shy. 

    “Great. Let’s go!” Stormpaw said excitedly, as he took the lead and beckond his tail to follow. 

    I quickly went to his side, and I then matched his pawstep walking pattern. 

    As I was walking by Stormpaw, I stared at the ground deep in thought. Silverhearts voice had made its way in, talking in a hiss. 

    I shook my head, now laying my fur down, which was for some reason standing on end. 

    “So…how is ShadowClan?” Stormpaw asked, seeming to look for a subject. 

    “It’s fine,” I replied. 

    “Okay. . . how are you doing then?” he tried asking again. I looked sideways and at him, who was gazing at me intently.

    “Umm…I’m doing fine, I guess. Why?” 

    “You're lying,” Stormpaw said suddenly, squinting his eyes at me. I had perked up my ears a little.

    "What in StarClan do you mean?” I asked, a little surprised. 

    “You’re not telling the truth. So? What’s on your mind?” he asked, staring at me closely. 

    “You sure you want me to tell you?” I asked. 

    “Of course! We’re friends, after all!” Stormpaw chirped, his voice light with happiness. I suddenly stopped in my tracks. Stormpaw looked back at me, a little worry had made its way into his face. 

    “W-we’re friends?” I asked, sounding shocked. 

    “Well, yeah! I mean. . .  Did I say anything wrong?” he asked. I stared at him with wide eyes. I shook my head quickly, clearing it. 

    “No.” 

    “So, you still have some explaining to do. I can maybe help you with it,” he said. 

    I got to my paws, then we started walking again. I opened my mouth to say something, but no sound came out. I hesitated but then spoke. 

    “The truth is…at ShadowClan, I have to make this really hard decision. I don’t know what to do about it, though,” I explained. 

    “The answer to your problem sounds easy,” Stormpaw said. I looked sideways, and saw him now looking at the ground, his face busy with concentration, but before I could reply he continued. 

    “My advice is that with whatever issue that you are having at your camp, you just have to follow your heart.” 

    “What do you mean?” 

    “Well, every hard difficulty I’m having, I just listen to my heart…well, first I think about it first, then I do that. But in the end, I just know what to do. And I’m sure that it’ll work out for you too,” the tom purred. 

    “I hope so–thanks.” 

    “Your welcome,” Stormpaw gave a twitch of his whiskers. He straightened his ears up. 

    “Oh, we’re here!” he said, as he slowed down to a stop. I saw that we were next to ShadowClan territory. 

    “This now concludes our journey, my friend,” Stormpaw mewed, mischievous gleaming on his face. 

    I walked over to the ShadowClan territory. I turned back towards the tom. 

    “May StarClan light your path back to ShadowClan camp. Hope you get there safely.” 

    “Now,” he said, “I must be going. I really shouldn’t be talking to you. Let alone, shouldn’t be here. I’m technically supposed to be on a hunting patrol with Hazelpaw and all the others,” he clarified. Just then, I heard a voice calling from a distance. 

    “Stormpaw!” 

    “Oh, yup, that’s Hazelpaw,” the apprentice said, as he turned his head towards the voice. When he had turned to leave, I quickly said something. 

    “Wait!” 

My friend turned his head over his shoulder, and looked at me curiously. 

    “Again, thank you for the advice. Really. I’ll be sure to use it. Also, for bringing me home–” 

    “You’re welcome,” Stormpaw interrupted with a purr, seeming to already know what I was going to say. “But I’ve got to go. I’ll see you later, Flamepaw!” 

    Giving me one last look of kindness, the gray tom scrambled off. I caught a purr rising up in my throat as I turned around, making my way

back to Runningpaw and the others. 

                    *    *    *

    I had woken up inside a dream. Once I took one look around, I noticed where I was immediately. I was once again, in the dark forest. I realized which part I was in, so I walked to where I thought Silverheart would be waiting. 

    I had soon reached a small island surrounded by rivers, and in one big leap I jumped onto it. I then saw that I was correct, and saw Silverheart waiting where he sat, having his usual patient and calm expression on.

    Though, when the silvered tom saw me, he looked startled. 

    “Flamepaw! I did not expect to see you so soon! It’s so nice to see you here!” he said, taking a few pawsteps toward me. I tilted my head. 

    “You didn’t summon me?” I asked, sounding confused. Silverheart shook his head. 

    “No. Does this mean you made your decision?” he asked, sitting

straight now. 

    “Umm…I’m not sure why I’m here if you hadn’t sent me…but I’m not too sure–” I started, but got interrupted by a voice that made my ears seethe with anger and disgust. I flattened my ears as I heard the mocking voice. 

    “Are you really sure you want to say that again, Flamepaw?” 

    “Oh, yes! I assume you two know each other?” Silverheart said, as a brown tom walked from behind him. 

    “Toadpaw!” I hissed angrily, eyeing the new cat. “What are you doing here?” 

    “Well, isn’t it obvious?” the ShadowClan apprentice asked. “I’m part of the dark forest. The thing of which you should be a part of,” he hissed. 

    My insides felt like they were boiling with rage. 

    “What? What you're going to say is that you don’t want to be part of this? The thing that can actually make you better than you are right now? Well, I guess that would make sense for a weak and pitiful cat like yourself!” Toadpaw taunted with a snarl. 

    I bared my teeth as my fur stood on end, bristling. “I am not weak or

pitiful!” I spat with outrage. Toadpaw gave a smug expression. 

    “Then prove it,” he provoked. I whirled around to Silverheart, my whole body trembling a bit in anger. 

    “I want to join the dark forest,” I said in a rapid hiss, and as I did, the silvered tom’s expression brightened. 

    “Excellent! I knew you would make the right choice,” his voice cold.

    Silverheart was talking, but I had no idea what he was saying, it sounded like mumbling to me. 

    All I could do was stare at Runningpaw’s brother in hatred. 

    Had I really made the right choice by joining? Or was it a mistake? I thought as I gazed intently on my enemy. I had suddenly heard Stormpaw’s words ringing inside my ears. 

    You just have to follow your heart. In the end I know what to do, I’m sure It’ll work for you too. 

    Am I really following my heart though? I thought. I gave Toadpaw one look, and had one more belief run through my mind; I am definitely making the right choice. 

Chapter nine:

Questions

    “Okay. Okay. Want to take a break?” Runningpaw asked me. I took a breath, and noticed how tired my body was. 

    “No. I can keep going, if you want,” I replied. My friend gave me a skeptical look. 

    “Fine,” I gave in. Runningpaw and I padded to underneath the shadows of the trees, the cold wind brushed past my face. We sat down under the protection of the hot sun. 

    My body felt weary with tiredness, but it felt good. I looked up at the tree we were sitting under. 

    “Hey, Runningpaw. Want to climb this tree?” I asked. He looked at me. 

    “Is there any special occasion?” 

    “Umm…no. Just for fun.”

    “We could see who can climb the highest,” I suggested. To be honest, I can’t sit still lately. I’ve been very restless all of the sudden. Eager to take

any training moment I could, always moving around. It had all started from when I joined the dark forest. I guess I’ve just been itching to prove myself there. 

    “Sure,” Runningpaw agreed. We both got to our paws. Runningpaw stared up the tree, then at me. 

    “Umm, actually, you go first.” 

    “Why? Because you're scared of heights, or are you scared of the tree?” I teased. Embarrassment showed on the white and gray tom’s face, although he did try to hide it. But he didn’t do a very good job. 

    I twitched my whiskers slightly in amusement.

    “I am not!” he exclaimed.

    “Then. Prove it,” I pressed playfully. Runningpaw stared at me, looking very sheepish. He then jumped on the lowest branch. 

    “There we go, keep going,” I encouraged. A few moments after climbing, he looked down at me. 

    “Who’s scared now?” He challenged me as his chest was puffed out proudly, although his blue eyes were a little wide with fright. “You

coming?” 

    “I guess that I’m the one who’s scared,” I said, as I jumped up the branches after the tom. We had soon reached the top of the tree where there was no more to climb. I looked at my surroundings, and saw that it was sunset. The clouds streaked the sky which was a mix of blue, orange, purple, and pink. 

    My jaw fell open a little as I saw the beautiful sight. The wind had seemed to pick up a little as it blew past me, ruffling my fur. I noticed Runningpaw squinting at me. 

    “Need something?” I asked, squinting back at him. 

    “Sorry. Sorry. But, is the wound new? Or from a while back?” he asked, pointing his paw to my shoulder, which revealed a little scar. 

    In fact, this one was not from a little back ago. I had just received it a couple nights ago while training with Silverheart. Apparently whatever wounds you gain in there, come back with you into the waking world. 

    “Old,” I replied swiftly. My brain suddenly went into thought. Well, until I got pulled out and got put back in reality again.

    “I know that face that you’re making. What are you thinking about?” Runningpaw interrupted my train of thought. 

    “What face?” I asked, dumbfounded sounding. 

    “Come on, Flamepaw. You know. The face you make when you're thinking about something. I’ve known you for a while to know when you are thinking about something. You are making it now. So. What is it?” he pressed gently. 

    “I-I’m not sure if I should tell you. . .” I admitted uncomfortably, dropping my gaze and avoiding his.

    “Flamepaw. I’m your friend. Which means that you can tell me whatever you like, and you don’t have to be afraid,” Runningpaw mewed.        I looked up at him, and said. “Fine. I’ll tell you.”

Before I spoke, I turned my head and surveyed the sunset, trying to ignore the tom’s gaze that literally felt like it was burning into my pelt. My fur had started to heat up in embarrassment as I was talking. 

    “Do…do you remember when…that crazy assumption that I made about you and Flamepaw not wanting to be my friends? And how I felt

alone?” I asked, sounding uncomfortable, my eyes still on the sunset. 

    “Yes…” Runningpaw responded in a hushed voice.

    “Do you...umm…d-do you think any less of me? I mean, do I seem weak or pitiful to you, after having that outburst and break down?” I stammered, feeling very awkward while my voice sounded a little hollow. 

    I turned my head back around, feeling good that I got that lingering question that I have been longing to get out and ask. Runningpaw shook his head vigorously, his eyes widened, and they seemed to glint from the remaining light. 

    “StarCan no, Flamepaw!” he exclaimed. “Why would you assume I would think something like that?” he asked with his head slightly tilted to the side in curiosity, twitching his whiskers in shock.

    I swallowed nervously, my heart thumping in my chest as I answered his question. I shook my head instead and said “Nothing. It doesn’t matter really. . . forget about it.” 

    Runningpaw stared at me intently, his gaze looked light with worry. He was clearly anxious about what I meant, but he knew better than to ask

about it, so he said kindly, “Okay, then. You don’t have to say it if you don’t want to.” 

    I started to have deep thoughts pour into my head; 

    I wanted to tell him my fears of being unloved, left behind, abandoned and neglected, and have someone to share all my thoughts and feelings with. I truly did. But I can’t, not with him, or my sister, not with anyone…at least not right now. 

    And I hated myself that I couldn’t tell Runningpaw about all my worries, because I knew completely that he wouldn’t judge me for it and he would understand, and be there for me all the way.

     All the time I wish that–all this time on being kind to me, and actually making an effort on trying to be a friend who is honest and sweet like him–that I could actually sometimes return it back to him. But I can’t seem to do it. I can’t seem to share my affection like that as easily as he could do it to me. 

    Why must I be a terrible cat to him? And yet he still is there for me, and seems to actually like me for me. 

    I shook my head, getting myself out of my deep thoughts. My body still felt awkward and really uncomfortable, but I dealt with it nonetheless. 

    “Flamepaw. Now. I have a question for you,” Runningpaw mewed. I looked at him curiously.

    “Hmm?”

Runningpaw’s face softened but looked serious at the same time. 

    “Umm. Flamepaw…” he trailed off for a second. He opened his mouth a few minutes after to say something, but a voice in the distance interrupted it. 

    “FLAMEPAW AND RUNNINGPAW!” I heard the voice from underneath us, and I noticed it was my sister's voice. I went and looked on the edge of the tree. I saw Flamepaw sitting on the bottom of the tee, her eyes bouncing with delight and energy. Toadpaw was beside her, who seemed to flatten his ears from the yowling. 

    “You do not have to yell!” I heard him hiss to Flamepaw. Flamepaw gave him a mischievous look, and looked back at me. 

    “WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE!?” I heard her shout, which caused

Toadpaw to look extremely irritated. I can almost guarantee that she did that just to spite the tom. 

    “Umm. Just up here, hanging out while you two were training!” I answered. 

    “WHERE IS RUNNINGPAW?” she asked loudly. 

    “I’m here!” Runningpaw replied quickly, coming next to me, our fur brushing up against each other because of how tight the space is. 

    “Will you please stop!” Toadpaw spat over to Flamepaw. Flamepaw laughed a little. 

    “Come on, Toadpaw. If you can’t handle a little noise, you shouldn’t be next to her, you know that!” Runningpaw noted, laughter in his voice. 

    Toadpaw just sat down, glaring at his brother. I pawed at his brother playfully. 

    “WE’RE DONE. COME DOWN, WE’RE HEADING BACK TO CAMP!” Flamepaw exclaimed. 

    “Okay!” I said. I quickly made my way down to the others, Runningpaw jumping behind me. 

    “How is your throat?” I asked Flamepaw. She simply looked really amused, and said, “Strained. But it was worth it, especially to see the look on Toadpaw’s face. He’s funny.” 

    I hid my scowl, but I was glad that they were getting along so well. 

    We started to head back to camp. I was beside my sister, as the two brothers walked together. I suddenly remembered something. 

    “Oh, I’ll be right back,” I said, and I slipped away by her side. I went by Runningpaw. 

    “Hi,” he greeted. 

    “Hello. Now, when we were up on the tree, you said you had a question, but you got interrupted. So, what was it?” I asked. Runningpaw looked a little worried.

    “Honestly. I forgot. It probably doesn’t matter anyways. It was most likely a stupid question,” he said. 

    “Okay then,” I said, nodding my head, now wondering what in StarClan the question could be. 

He gave me a nice look, then I left and walked by Flamepaw’s side again.

    “So…what were you and Runningpaw doing up in that tree, anyway?” Flamepaw asked. 

    “Just as I said. Hanging out while you were still training. We got tired.” 

    “So. . .” Flamepaw trailed off as she was thinking. “You were just hanging out?” 

    “Yup.” 

    “Alone?” she asked, her voice sounding a bit high and squeaky, her eyes lighting up just a bit.

 I gave her a look as if I was meeting her for the first time, and I thought she was completely weird.  

    “Of course, Flamepaw. As I said. You were busy training, you mouse-brain,” I said in a voice as if she were stupid.

    “What were you two talking about…?” she questioned. My fur had risen just a little at the question. 

    “Why would you need to know that?” 

    “I was just wondering.” 

    “If you don’t have a good reason, then I’m not telling you,” I said. 

    “What if I said–” she started. 

    “No,” I interrupted flatly. Flamepaw stared at me, and said, “You didn’t even let me finish!” 

    “I know exactly what you're going to say. Excuses. No.” 

    “But, come on, Flamepaw! Tell me!” my sister said. I shook my head. Flamepaw pouted. 

    “Okay, then. Suit yourself. Can I ask you one question, though?” 

    “Fine. one,” I answered quickly. 

    “Do you and Runningpaw like each other?” she asked, sounding innocent. I thought about this question. 

    “Of course we like each other. If we don’t then why are we even friends in the first place? If you and I hate each other, we wouldn’t be friends,” I pointed out. Flamepaw shook her head swiftly. 

    “No. Not that way!” she said. 

    “Okay. In which way do you mean, then?” I asked. 

    “You are seriously too upright sometimes,” Flamepaw complained, and I scowled. 

    “In which way do you mean then? Tell me!” I demanded. She stared at me. 

    “I meant ‘like’, such as,  ‘mate like’. Exactly how it sounds.” 

    “I still don’t get it,” I meowed, dumbfounded. Flamepaw sighed. 

    “I meant. Do you like Runningpaw? Are you going to become mates with him later?” she said slowly. I thought about it. 

    “No,” I shook my head. 

    “Aww, why not?” she asked, disappointment on her face. 

    “Because. First, I do not like him. Or whatever the way you meant it. I do not wish to be with him, nor to have a mate. Never. And when I mean never, I mean it. Same goes with kits, also. Plus, Runningpaw is weird,” I explained. 

    “What do you mean, he’s perfect for you! He already is your friend, yeah? And he is generous and kind. And don’t go on about weird stuff, again!” she said. 

    “Eh,” I shrugged. 

    “I think he already likes you, anyway. I mean, by the way he acts around

you,” Flamepaw noted, quickly looking at Runningpaw, who was in a conversation with his brother. 

    I scoffed. “No way. He just sees me as a friend, like how I see him as a friend. He would be ‘perfect’, I guess, for a different cat.” 

    “I still have my beliefs, but whatever. I think you two would be perfect together, but you don’t have to believe it. I can’t make you. But, promise to  just think about it, will you?” 

    I stared at her like she had done something crazy, my jaw opened in a slight gape. 

    “Fine. I will ‘think’ about it. Can we please stop talking about this now?” I promised, although I thought that I probably will not think about it. 

    “Yes.” 

    “Thank you…” I sighed. I gave a quick glance at Runningpaw, without my sister noticing. Runningpaw’s fur was lit up by the remaining sunshine. I felt a little purr as it rose in my throat. I pushed it away, but it came back. I decided to ignore it, and let it stay. I looked away from the tom, and for the rest of the trip, I got lost in my thoughts once again.

Chapter ten:

Warriors at last.

    “Come on! You fight like a kit! Come get me like a real dark forest warrior would!” Toadpaw taunted. I scowled as I charged again, my breath heavy with fatigue. My body had felt like it would give in at any moment.

    I charged forward. I dove and slid underneath him, slashing his underbelly with my claws as I crossed. 

    Once I reached the other side, I quickly scrambled up to my paws and whirled around, just in time to see Toadpaw jump on my back, extend his sharp claws, and he clawed my back. I hissed out of frustration and pain as I quickly flipped him on his back and I attacked him. 

     “Enough!” a loud voice sounded over our spitting at each other in rage. I felt Toadpaw’s weight being lifted off of me. 

    “How’s that for a dark forest warrior?” I challenged him coldly, as I stared at Toadpaw. 

    He glowered but stayed silent. I puffed out my chest in pride. Well, until he said, “you call yourself as good as a dark forest warrior. But you still don’t have the guts to actually beat me.” 

    “I can too! I can beat you! How dare you say that!” I exclaimed, sounding extremely offended. 

    “I can beat you!” Toadpaw mimicked, trying to match my voice and tone. “Haha, right. Sure. Go ahead. Kill me if you want to. Kill me now. If you can, that is,” he mocked. 

    My legs started to tremble in–not fear–but in anger. I opened my mouth to retort, but the same voice from earlier interrupted. 

    “Now, now,” Silverheart mewed. “Tsk, tsk, Toadpaw. Flamepaw did just fine, and you know it. She can kill you, and she will, if you don’t keep quiet,” the older warrior threatened, but sounding smooth and calm as he said it. 

    Toadpaw’s eyes glinted as he fell silent. He stood up straighter, as he sat. 

    “Yes, of course…” he mewed, “...I apologize.” I could almost see–what

did I see in his eyes? To be honest–and I’m not kidding at all when I’m saying this, you’ll just think I’m being completely ludicrous–but I thought I saw a flash of fear that sparked in Toadpaw’s face and eyes. 

    Is Toadpaw…afraid of Silverheart? I thought as I glanced between the two toms. Is he actually scared, or am I just imagining it…? I stared at Toadpaw, and swallowed nervously. I shook my head, getting those ridiculous thoughts out of my head. 

    Toadpaw couldn't know the first thing about fear! I laughed at my own silly beliefs.

    Silverheart turned to me, and mewed, “You did exceptionally well, today. Although, you want to be quicker to get up to your paws next time,” he advised, his tone sounding firm. 

    “Yes, Silverheart,” I gave a brief and sharp nod, holding my head higher. Toadpaw gave a sharp flick of his tail.

    “Anyway. That is enough training for today. We’ll train later,” Silverheart twitched his tail as a sign of dismissal. 

    I woke up in my nest. As I opened my eyes, my fresh new wounds that I knew I’ve gotten started to hurt. I looked on my shoulders where Toadpaw had raked it, and I was glad to see it wasn’t too bloody. At least, not too much so I’ll have to come up with a good lie on how I got this wound. 

    I yawned and got to my paws. 

    Quicker on paws, eh? I thought as I made my way out of the apprentice’s den. Excitement filled me the next moment. But other than that, Silverhart said I was exceptional! 

    “Hi, Flamepaw! Why are you so happy?” my sister said, as she bounced up to me. 

    “Umm…” I tailed off for a moment. “Nothing. Just had a really good dream,” I lied. Well, if you think about it, I was in a dream, so it’s a half-truth, I guess. But it would depend on how you’ll think about it. 

    “Cool! Well, come sit with Toadpaw, Runningpaw and I,” Flamepaw invited. I nodded, and followed behind her. 

    We had soon reached the others, and I sat down next to Flamepaw. I

glared at the brown tom sitting across from me, as Toadpaw just twitched his ear. 

    “Something the matter, Flamepaw?” Runningpaw asked, looking at me, his eyes bright. 

    “Yeah, something wrong, Flamepaw?” Toadpaw echoed his brother's words. I shook my head and said, “No. Sorry. Tired.” 

    At this, Toadpaw snorted. He laughed. 

    “You got a problem with that, Toadpaw?” I asked firmly. 

    “Nope. Just funny, that’s all.” 

    “What’s so funny about that?” my voice was sharp as I saw a suspicious gleam in his eyes. 

    “I’m not telling you,” he said coldly. I huffed and flattened my ears. I looked away. 

    “Okay. . .so…” Runningpaw said, I saw him look around as if trying to find a subject so he could change it. His eyes washed with excitement a moment later. 

    “Flamepaw, did you hear–” Runningpaw started. 

    “Did you hear that we’re having our warrior ceremony later tonight!” Flamepaw interrupted the tom. Runningpaw gave her a scolding look, and the she-cat bent her ears in embarrassment. 

    “Flamepaw!” he exclaimed. 

    “Sorry,” she whispered. “I was just very excited to tell her. I couldn’t wait for you to finish. And It’s not my fault, you were going too slow!” she raised her voice. 

    Runningpaw pawed her ears, and pushed her shoulder playfully. “But yeah, we’re having it later!” 

    I opened my mouth to a little gape as I perked my ears straight up. “Really! That's so exciting!” I exclaimed, as my paws seemed to already get numb. 

    I’ve been waiting for my warrior name forever. And finally, I’m going to get it. And I can show everyone else in ShadowClan that I’m just as good as they are. 

    I was also really excited to get my place in the dark forest. Which I’m hoping will be soon. I’m training every night, everyday.

    And then I can finally both beat and show him, I thought as I stared off to Toadpaw, who was looking at his brother and my sister in interest, as they were both talking. And as they were, I thought about more stuff. 

    Is Toadpaw right about me not being able to have the heart to beat him in a battle in the dark forest? Or was that said intentionally to make me mad? 

    I mean. I guess he’s right. I mean, maybe I can’t attack him because he’s the brother of Runningpaw? Or is it something else? Attacking him should be as easy as hunting a mouse, because I hate him and he is my worst enemy. But I can’t seem to make myself do it. 

    Is it because I am afraid of him? No, I don’t fear him at all…is it because I am afraid he’ll tell me? No, because he would’ve done it at the start, I’m sure of it.

     Is it because I’m afraid to see the hurt on Runningpaw’s and the rest of his family’s faces if I do kill him, or injure him severely, considering they find out that it was actually me who did it.

    Why? Why can’t I bring myself to beat him in battle? It makes no sense!

No sense at all I say!

    I surveyed him closely and saw the little scars that no other cat could see easily, as they covered his whole body. It must be because of Runningpaw, isn’t it? Oh no, it is true! I’m going soft on him, just all because he’s the brother of Runningpaw! I thought angrily.

    If he wasn’t his brother, then I would tear him apart…the dark thoughts started to fog up my brain. I watched as Toadpaw’s brown fur shone from the warm sunshine. His dark eyes focused. 

    He seemed to catch my eye, but he stayed quiet. He gave a silent and small scowl to me as I tried to hold in my feelings of wanting to burst out in anger. The other two did not seem to notice. 

    “So. Do you three want to take a walk in the forest?” Flamepaw suggested, as she looked around at us.

    “Sure. I’ll go,” I nodded my head. And with that, the other two agreed to go, and we all headed out of camp. 

                    *     *    *

    I walked inside of the camp at sunset. I had spent the day out in the forest with Runningpaw and my sister. I was very happy. Well, Runningpaw’s brother was also there, but I didn’t care for his existence. 

    When we walked inside the camp, I heard the leader call a meeting. 

    “Ohh, that’s us!” Flamepaw said happily. I swished my tail happily. “Come on!” she said, pushing Toadpaw forcefully from his back up to the front, him protesting but going anyway.  

    Runningpaw looked at me and said, “Let’s go become warriors, shall we? You ready?” 

    “Yup,” I answered confidently. “Let’s shall. I have been waiting for this since I was a kitten, I’ll let you know.” 

    Runningpaw chuckled as we both made our way up to the leader. 

Long story short the whole warrior ceremony went well. 

    My sister had become; Flameleap. Toadpaw became; Toadclaw. And lastly, we have Runningpaw, who became; Runningmist. 

    Now, you really must be wondering what had happened to me. I have

indeed gotten my name, but it’s happening at the moment. I’ll just let you read it;

    I had sat by the leader, staring down at my clanmates with my chin held high with confidence. The sunshine was lying lazily over camp, and filled it with warmth. With a high voice, the leader said: 

    “I, Fawnstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn,” she meowed. The ShadowClan leader looked at me, then asked, 

     “Flamepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?”

    “I do,” I replied, my paws seemed to be shaking a little.

    “Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Flamepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Flamepetal. StarClan honors your confidence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan,” Fawnstar said nicely and clearly. 

    The leader rested her muzzle on top of my head, I licked Fawnstar’s shoulder in return. After this, every cat in the place cheered. 

    “Flamepetal, Flamepetal!” They cheered loudly, but I heard Runningmist’s and Flameleap’s voices the most, as they both cheered the loudest. 

    I got off of the stump that I was standing on, and I went to sit with my friends. The warriors started to crowd us all, giving their congratulations. 

    The next moment, something caught my eye. I noticed Toadpaw–no, sorry, Toadclaw, coming up to me. He was padding through the crowd, careful not to bump into anyone. 

    He came next to me. He stared me in the eye. I saw his shoulders bristling a little as well as his ears bent a bit. I felt my own fur rising to a bristle. 

    “Congratulations, Flamepetal,” he congratulated through gritted teeth. 

    “You too,” I said. He continued to walk, but before he passed me, he stopped right beside me. 

    “You’re not a warrior of ShadowClan. You're nothing and you’ll stay like

that. I know who you truly are. A traitor, that’s what. So it’s no use trying to hide it from me. You better remember that,” his cold hiss whispered in my ear. I shuddered. Toadclaw passed me a second later. 

    I shivered, as I looked around the happy cats. I saw my friends, who were purring and very happy also. A thought went to my mind;

    Am I a traitor?

Chapter eleven:

Nursery.

    I pounced upward, landing soon after, catching the skittering mouse underneath my paws. I killed it the next moment with a swift bite to the neck. Its sharp squealing had told me that it died. 

    I got up from the ground with the prey inside my mouth, and I gave a deep stretch. I then went over and buried in a hole in which I dug up next to a tree. 

    I had eventually dug it back up, and started to head back to camp along with the rest of my hunting patrol. 

    “We bought a good haul! A good haul!” Flameleap said in a sing-song voice. 

    Runningmist looked at her, and said in a voice full of wonderment, “Nothing can get you down, could it?” 

    “Nope!” she replied, and continued her happy purring, I soon joined in with her, I too, feeling happy. 

    We had made it back to camp when it had started to rain. The rain had grown and fell on the ground, the thunder had made my fur bristle. 

    It had been a moon since we had become warriors, almost two, and it was now Leaf-fall, and almost leaf-bare, and it had been raining more. I hated it to be honest. 

    The booms of thunder in the distance had made me jump out of my fur each time.

    After we had set down the prey in the pile I had taken a wet mouse for myself. I then padded over the warriors den and dropped the prey where Runningmist was sitting. I sat next to him. 

    “Where is Flameleap?” I asked, looking around for any sign of the orange she-cat. 

    “Uh–I think she is with Toadclaw–” Runningmist responded, but broke off once he saw that my fur had immediately risen to a bristle from just hearing his name, then he quickly added, “they'll be back soon! Flameleap insisted he do something. Can’t quite remember. Sorry.” 

    I looked over to see that the tom’s eyes were glazed over with worry as

his head had shrunk back a bit. 

    “No, no,” I said, forcing my fur to lay flat to look calm, “It’s okay,” I said. As long as he doesn’t hurt my sister…I thought. 

    “Look, I can see that you're worried that he’ll do something to your sister. But you don’t need to worry. I’ve known my brother from the start since we were little, and he won’t hurt her. He won’t hurt anyone in ShadowClan,” Runningmist reassured. 

    Listening to him talk, I gave him a doubtful and skeptical look as I flattened my ears a little. 

    Well. Except for me. That's the part you don’t get. If he can hurt me, what if he goes after Flameleap because we’re sisters? I thought worriedly as anxiety welled in my chest. 

    “If you say so,” I sighed. I saw that the tom tried to give me a reassuring look, but I didn’t want to see it so I turned my head slightly away. 

    “You know what might make you feel better? Because I’m pretty sure I do,” Runningmist spoke in the next few minutes of silence. I looked at

him.

    “What?” 

    “Perhaps if you see Flameleap with Toadclaw, it maybe will make you feel better. Want to go see them both?” he asked. 

    “Yes, please,” I mewed, nodding my head. 

    “Okay. Come on then,” Runningmist said as he got up to his paws. I got to my paws to–well, more like I jumped up, but you get it. 

    As we left our shelter the rain was falling onto me once again. I felt cold but I tried to ignore it.

    I followed Runningmist to the Queens den, and he moved aside so I could see. 

    I peered through, now under the shelter of the den, and I saw my sister inside with Toadclaw, the queens and their kits. 

    “See?” Runningmist asked, looking in too while standing next to me, “not hurting her.” 

    I swallowed as I watched his brother next to Flameleap, trying to get the instinct on wanting to growl or make a comment quiet, by shoving it

hard down my throat. 

    “I guess you're right. As long as she’s safe, I just want her to be, you know?” I asked, still watching her. 

    “Yeah, I understand completely, don’t worry,” Runningmist explained distantly. I turned my head to look at him and saw him now staring at his brother. 

    He in return gave me a kind look and just twitched his whiskers. 

    “Hey you two! Didn’t see you there!” Flameleap’s voice interrupted my deep thoughts.

    “Want to stay here until we’re done with our duties?”

    “Sure. But…one question,” Runningmist asked. 

    “Hm?” Flameleap tilted her head curiously, the inside of his eyes seemed to be dancing with energy. 

    “Why are you doing the apprentice's duties?” he asked with laughter in his voice. 

Toadclaw finished with his nest that he was cleaning out, and he looked at his brother. 

    “Remember? No apprentices to do it. Got signed to do it by Fawnstar…” he replied to his brother's question, as the tom broke out laughing Toadclaw gave him a hard stare then said in a hiss, “It’s not funny, Runningmist!” 

    “Sorry. Sorry. Ahem,” Runningmist tried to calm down, but he gave Toadclaw one more look and continued to chuckle, “I know it’s not funny, and I’m sorry for laughing. But just seeing you…in here. It’s just funny, that’s all. Sorry, I really am,” he apologized, sitting down with his paws tucked. 

    I sat next to him, laughing too. Toadclaw’s expression had the look of disbelief as he whipped around, ignoring us all as he continued his duties with his ears flattened down. 

    This made Flameleap laugh a little too along with purring as she continued doing her work, pretending that she was being all quiet. 

    I watched as the kits of the nursery were bouncing and tried to climb over my sister and the tom, and I thought they were really cute. Well, they were kittens after all, of course they were cute. 

    I felt a little purr go through me as I watched them, listening to my sister talking happily. 

    Thunder had sounded close by which made me jump, shivering at the same time. I hissed while looking at my surroundings. I sat back down swiftly. 

    “I hate the thunder…” I said quietly, looking outside. 

    “It’s not too bad, if you think of it the right way,” Runningmist observed. 

    “You are a mouse-brain, then,” I joked. 

    “Am not,” he protested. 

    “Whatever,” I said back. I moved closer to him to the point where our fur were brushing up against each other, and when I saw him open his mouth to say something like a protest I said, 

    “Yeah, suppose it’s not too bad. Except when it gets cold. Leaf-bare is on its way,” I observed.

    “Time to stock up prey and pray to StarClan that we don’t die,” Flmaeleap said in a sing-song voice. She looked at us, saw us together,

and she flashed me a questioning and understanding look, which I responded with flattened ears, she quickly turned back to the nest.

    Flameleap, you always have a creative crazy imagination, don’t you? Even when we were kits. 

    Kits in mind, my eyes went back on them. Sunnykit, Shrewkit, Mosskit, and Snowkit, I named each and every one of them. Perhaps I could even get one as an apprentice.

    Runningmist followed my gaze and asked, “Do you want one?” 

    “No, not really,” I replied. 

    “Why not?” 

    “Well, they don’t seem right for me. You know, me being in the nursery all the time as a mother, and never in the forest where I am…free, I guess.” 

    “What do you mean? You can go into the forest,” Runningmist objected. 

    “Well, that’ll be a little hard since I would have a kit in the nursery in need of some care, food, warmth,” I pointed out. 

    “Do you think you’ll ever get one?” he asked, which made me look at him in surprise. 

    “Umm. Not really. I’ll have to find someone, and that’ll be a little hard as it is,” I answered. 

    “Well, I’m sure you’ll find someone perfect for you in no time, who will love and appreciate you for who you are,” Runningmist said, seeming to understand what I was saying. “There is someone out there for you, you don’t need to worry. And when that happens, I’m sure you’ll turn out to be a great mother.” 

    “Okay, something seriously went on with your brain, because that’ll never happen, and you know that,” I said, pushing him with my paw playfully. 

    “Oh, come on, I’m just saying,” he objected again with a purr. 

    “Well you're just crazy. Crazy as your brother and as stupid as a mouse being hunted,” I said. 

    “Call me crazy, but I am believing in you.” 

    “Well, thanks, means a lot,” I purred. 

    “You’re welcome,” he said, purring. I then looked at the others doing their chores, feeling pretty happy.

Chapter Twelve:

Fights and Jesouly. 

    Hello, I’m Runningmist, and I am a warrior of ShadowClan. My mother is Lilyfoot and my father had died when I was just a kit, sadly, and the only littermate I have is my brother Toadclaw. My two best friends are Flamepetal and Flameleap, they are sisters and they love each other as much as I love my brother. 

    What you want to know is that everyone does not like Flamepetal because of who her mother was, including Toadclaw, who hates her and the same thing goes with her. They have had this rivalry thing going on since we were all kits. Which is sad to me, but I try to put that aside. 

    Flameleap and Flamepetal are very protective of each other, Flameleap seems to be more free as her sister doesn’t look like it, but I love them both very much. Toadclaw is just–well, I don’t know how to exactly explain him, he is confusing at times. He’s weird. Then we have me who is just

calm all the time I guess you could say. 

    Anyway, yeah, that's who I am and who all my friends are. 

    “Runningmist!” someone said my voice very loudly, interrupting my thoughts. 

    My reality suddenly got to me as my vision seemed to clear for the first time, as I saw Flameleap in front of me. 

    “I asked you a question,” she said, her eyes rounding. 

    “Oh, yeah, what was it again?” I asked. 

    “That's alright. I was asking who had the floofiest tail. Me or Flamepetal?” the orange she-cat asked. 

    “Floofiest?” I echoed. 

    “Yeah, you know. Might use the word fluffiest too many times, just as a placeholder. Anyway, which one?” she asked.

    “Flamepetal,” I answered. 

    “Aww, come on!” Flameleap complained, as her sister held her head high. 

    “See? Told you,” Flamepetal said proudly. 

    “Fine. You win.” 

    “Don’t worry, let’s just say that you have the…hm…you have more happiness than her,” I told her, putting my tail on her shoulder trying to make sense of what I just said. 

    “Really?” 

    “Yeah,” I answered, my head starting to hurt.

    “Yay!” she mewed, jumping up and down. 

I had always thought Flameleap as my own littermate at times, the way she could easily get excited about stuff like a kit. 

    “I’m going to go tell Toadclaw, be right back!” she mewed. I watched as she ran, as Flamepetal came towards me and sat down. 

    “Off she goes,” I said. 

    “Yep,” the she-cat agreed calmly. Flamepetal then wrapped her tail around mine, as mine automatically entwined with hers, me purring while doing so. 

    “Love you,” she purred. 

    “I love you too, Flamepetal,” I purred back.

____________________________________________________________

    I had opened my eyes to find myself in my nest. My muscles inside my body had tensed. 

    Not again! No, no, I thought. I can’t believe I thought it was real, again. . . if only it was. 

    As I was trying to fall asleep again, I heard sudden movement in the nest next to me. I lifted my head to see Flamepetal’s outline in her nest sleeping. 

    “Must be having a bad dream…” I muttered quietly to myself. I saw her sister next to her, her fluffy tail wrapped around her as she snuggled close to it. I purred a little as I laid back down. 

    I could hear Toadclaw on my right, mumbling in his sleep. I have also been hearing both Flamepetal and her sister muttering in their sleep. 

    “I’m…I’m going to catch you, come here…” Flameleap have been saying dreamily. 

    “Come here!” Flamepetal hissed lightly. 

    “You’d think you can come in here an–...” Toadclaw said rudely but

broke off. 

They must have their dreams…I thought. I listened to the soft snoring of the cats in the warriors den. Eventually, getting tired, I closed my eyes and fell asleep. 

____________________________________________________________

    I had again awoken in my nest by the early morning light seeping into the den. I tried to go back to sleep, thinking that I could get more sleep before my friends woke up, but there was a sharp wail that woke me up. 

    I put my head up and looked around, feeling alarmed. I saw Flamepetal had woken up, looking around the warriors den with her wide blue eyes that looked frightened. 

    “Sorry,” she said quietly as she spotted me, her eyes now narrowing, “did I wake you?”

    “Nope. Was already awake. You okay?” I asked, sounding a little worried. 

    “Just fine…just a dream…” she yawned. I looked over and saw Toadclaw had woken up too. He was looking at the orange she-cat. 

    “Okay…then why are you bleeding?” the tom questioned. 

    “No I’m not,” Flamepetal protested. 

    “Yes you are. Right there, on your shoulder,” Toadclaw snapped. I quickly looked and saw that Flamepetal’s shoulder was indeed bleeding. 

    “Hey, look at that. It’s probably just an old one.” 

    “Doesn’t look old,” Toadclaw pointed out skeptically. 

    “Okay, fine. Why are you so curious on weather this wound is old or new, Toadclaw?” she shot back in a growl, her ears flattening. 

    “No reason you wouldn’t understand,” Toadclaw replied as he got up, leaving the den and having the both of us watch him as he left. 

    “Are you actually okay?” I asked her. 

    “Yeah, of course, I’ve already said, you don’t need to ask again, Runningmist,” Flamepetal answered sharply, as she got up and stretched. 

    “But–” he started.

    “Will you just leave it? I’ve already said. I’m fine,” she interrupted me with a quick hiss.

     “Now, come on,” she said as she left the den. 

    “You don’t look fine,” I muttered, feeling a little bit worried, but I nonetheless got up and out of the den too. 

    Once I could see the outside, I could see that it was nice and sunny, which was a lot better than yesterday when it had been raining the entire time. 

    “Morning,” Flameleap’s voice said and the next moment, she had walked past me. 

    “Hmm-mm,” I acknowledged quietly, and I followed behind her. I picked up a raven from the fresh-kill pile and sat down with the others. 

    As I ate, I stared closely at Flamepetal, my mind swirling with questions. Although, trying not to stare, I looked away, because I tend to do that. 

    “Soooo…” he started, trying to think of a subject. “What are all y’all plans for today?”

    “I don’t know–oooo,” Flameleap’s eyes had widened. “I got a great idea that we could all do!” she exclaimed. 

    “What is it?” Flamepetal asked. 

    “We could go to that old training place we used in the forest. Remember? Yeah. To, like, I don’t know, sharpen our battle skills or hunting…or whatever we need to practice at!” she suggested excitedly. 

    “That……that is not actually a bad idea. You up for it, Toadclaw?” I asked, looking at my brother. 

    “Sure. Maybe. If you're going.” 

    “Right. You going, Flamepetal?” I asked hopefully, looking at the she-cat. 

Her eyes glowed as her tail fluffed up a bit. 

    “That sounds. . . fun. Sure. I’ll go,” she agreed. 

    “Yay!” Flameleap’s eyes danced with happiness. She got to her paws. “Let’s go right now!” 

    I got to my paws and followed the others outside of camp. I smelled the air as it ran past my face. I could still see raindrops falling off the leaves of the trees. My ears had perked up a little when I heard noises of prey moving around. 

    “Prey are up and about,” I commented to Flamepetal. She just nodded, staying silent. I quickly gave her a worried and anxious glance, 

    As we neared our old training place in the forest, a distant smell of ThunderClan washed over me. It did indeed smell different than what I was used to. 

    “Does anybody hear a noise?” Flamepetal asked suddenly as she swiftly looked around. 

    “Yeah…thought it was just me…” Flameleap agreed. Now that they mentioned it, I was picking up a sound. 

    “Hi everybody!” a voice said from a distance. We all looked toward who was talking, and I saw someone on the ThunderClan border. 

    “Who is that?” I asked, squinting my eyes while thinking it’ll help me see better. It didn’t help. 

    “Oh!” Flamepetal’s eyes widened as her tail fluffed up, “That’s Stormpaw!” 

    “Oh yeah!” her sister exclaimed. 

    “Come over here!” he was saying loudly. Flameleap looked at us. 

    “Wanna go over there?” she asked. 

    “Sure, why not?” her sister agreed the next moment, nodding her head. I just shrugged my shoulders, while Toadclaw didn’t care. 

    I walked beside Flamepetal as we were walking toward the border. 

    “I wonder what he needs…” she wondered aloud. 

    “I have no idea,” I said. “And should we really ask what he needs?” I asked, looking at the ground thoughtfully. 

    “What do you mean?” 

    “Well, I mean, he’s from a different Clan and all.” 

    “What does being from a different Clan have to do with it?” 

    “Well. Their our enemy’s technically, if they have a problem, then they should be able to deal with it themselves,” I said, now looking over to her. “You do understand that, right?” 

    “Okay, so what you're saying is that just because a cat is from another Clan it is okay for you not to help them?” 

    “No–” I started.

    “Then is it because they're different?” she asked in a growl, her fur

beginning to bristle. 

    “No, that's not what–!” 

    “Is it because they're from a different Clan, and because we’re all different from each other?” she questioned in a hiss. 

    “Flamepetal–!” I tried to get in a word but she continued. 

    “Because If you're saying that, then you're basically saying that if I were in trouble, then you wouldn’t help and just throw me to the side, like I’m your enemy, just because I’m different from all of you because where I had come from?” she demanded, and I could tell she was trying hard for her voice to not break, and I knew what she meant about being different from everyone else and where she had come from. 

    “Then, Runningmist. Fine. Be that way. I don’t need your explanation anyway. I think I already know your answer,” the she-cat snarled, then the next moment stalked ahead and next to her sister instead, and in return my brother had come to my side. 

    I was stunned by what just happened. He flattened his ears. 

    “Don’t say anything, Toadclaw, I know what your going to say…” I

meowed quickly as I saw him open his mouth, and he stayed silent. 

    We had soon reached the border, and I saw Stormpaw. Flamepetal sat at the edge of the border along with her sister. 

    I sat next to Flamepetal,  but I tried to keep my distance. 

    “Hey Stormpaw,” she greeted. 

    “Oh, it’s not Stormpaw anymore. It’s now Stormtail,” he said proudly. 

    “Ohhh, congratulations!” Flamepetal congratulated excitedly, along with her sister. 

    I felt a twinge of jealousy enter me as I saw Flamepetal laughing with Stormtail, but I quickly swallowed it down, and shook my head a little trying to make it go away. 

    Why am I getting jealous…? There's no reason to be, a reassuring voice said in my head. But you do know why, Flamepetal…w-well she might like him better than you, and you're afraid of that, another voice said. 

    “Anyways. What did you call us over here?” Flamepetal answered, my head started to hurt, trying to tell myself not to worry. I thought it was a little stupid that I was worrying in the first place, but I couldn’t seem to

stop it. 

    “Oh yes. Umm, so,” Stormtail’s fur had risen a little as his eyes stretched out wide, with his voice filled with a little fear, he said, “ThunderClan has flooded with water…”

Chapter Thirteen:

The destroyed Clan.

    “What do you mean that ThunderClan flooded?” my sister questioned as her eyes were stretched out wide. 

    “Well, it got flooded with water,” Stormtail replied simply. 

    “Is it bad?” I asked. Stormtail turned his head over to me, his gray eyes dark with worry, he looked more serious than I had ever seen him. 

    “Very. Apparently, they haven’t seen a flood this bad since many moons ago. Everything’s destroyed, Elders and kits died along with a bunch of warriors. It wiped out half of the camp, we’re lucky that we even got survivors,” he explained, his voice grave. 

    “So I have come to ask for help. . .” he trailed off for a moment then continued. “We have thought about asking the other Clans but thought they wouldn’t help.” 

    “Why would you think differently about us?” Runningmist asked, which

sent a poke of anger its way to me when he said that. 

    “Well, we thought since our leader has a pretty good alliance with yours…that maybe you could help us?” Stormtail said.

    “Please, you gotta help us! We have a little shelter but it’s so cold that some of the cats are freezing to death, and we’re all hungry because that flood also scared all the prey away! We’ve been searching and searching everywhere but couldn’t find anything, and now cats are also starving,” the gray tom pleaded with a desperate voice, his eyes wide with fear and distress. 

    Now that he mentioned it, I did notice that Stormtail looked a little skinny.

    “Well, what do you mean, help you?” Runningmist asked again, which made me look at him, my anger now growing towards him. 

    “He means, how can we help?” I said quickly, which made Runningmist shoot me a look, I ignored him. 

    “Well, I’ve been asked to ask if you would spare some of your food with us,” he replied. 

    “Sure we can! In any way we can help!” Flameleap answered. I covered Runningmist’s mouth with my tail quickly before he could protest. 

    “How long do we need to share the food?” Toadclaw asked. Ugh, I forgot he was there, I thought. 

    “Just until we can find some for ourselves.”

    “Sure we can. Can’t we, Toadclaw and Runningmist?” I said, eyeing them both. Runningmist gave a slight nod because I tail was still covering his mouth, as Toadclaw looked hesitant. 

    “Toadclaw. Run back to camp, warn the leader about their problem,” Flameleap order. 

    “Hey, who made you the boss of me?” 

    “Me. Go,” she ordered, giving the tom a deadly look. He rolled his eyes then left in a sprint. 

    “Can I talk now?” Runningmist asked, spitting out my tail.

    “What is it?” Flameleap and I asked at the same time, eying him. 

    “Could we see this so-called ruined camp, please?” Runningmist asked, looking at Stormtail. 

    “Ah. Um. Sure, follow me,” the gray striped tom mewed, his eyes rounding with anxiety. 

    “Hold on,” I said, interrupting as Stormtail turned around. “Why do you need to see it, Runningmist asked?” 

    “Well, Flamepetal, I simply do not trust him,” the tom answered, his voice still calm. 

    “Serves him right. I would be suspicious too, he could be thinking that its a trick or something. Come, follow me,” Stormtail said, as he beckond his tail. 

    I looked at Runningmist as he did the same to me, and I could tell that we were in an agreement that we were in an argument. 

    I just followed Flameleap, leaving the tom behind to catch up. Eventually he did. 

    I stepped onto the ThunderClan border, their smell crashing over me as I left my familiar scented territory and home. 

    “Um. Flamepetal?” my sister asked. 

    “Yeah?” 

    “Is Runningmist okay?” she asked, turning her head and giving a swift glance at the tom. “Are you angry at each other?” 

    “I am. He’s annoying,” I growled, keeping my eyes on the trail ahead. 

    “Aww. Okay. Well, I’m going to go check on him,” she said. 

    “Okay. do whatever you’d like, I won’t stop you,” I said. Flameleap left my side. 

    I shook my head slightly. After a while, I had turned my head to see Stormtail now by me, matching my walking speed. 

    “Hey you,” he mewed. 

    “Hi.” 

    “So, how are you doing?” he asked. 

    “Oh, you know, doing okay.” I replied, looking at him. Stormtail perked up his ears, with his eyes glowing he asked, 

    “So how did that problem go for you?” 

    “What problem?” 

    “Remember? You said you had a problem in your Clan when you were on ThunderClan territory. Did you follow my advice? Did it get resolved?” 

    “Ah, yes, that…yes it did,” I nodded my head. 

    Yet another problem has appeared, like usual…hmm, follow your heart, I echoed the words in my head. 

    “That's good,” he purred. I stared up at the sky to see it dark with storm clouds and they were rumbling angrily. Seeing them made me nervous. 

    “Oh look! We’re here!” Stormtail said as he picked up his pace. I could already smell the overwhelming scent of water. 

    I quickened my pace to keep up to him. We all followed the tom until he stopped. 

    My whole body went numb as I saw their camp–or at least…what was left of it. I wanted to turn my eyes away as I saw the sight. 

    What I saw in their stone hollow was cats laying dead, with blood smeared everywhere, the cats eyes were open as they stared endlessly into the sky. Trees were knocked over.

    “This was caused by a flood?” I asked. I looked over to see Stormtail nodding sadly. Now it made sense why he looked so frightened earlier when he had called us over. I noticed that both Flameleap and

Runningmist were silent, their eyes wide with jaws hung open, probably too stunned to say anything. 

    “So, where are you staying now?”

    “That's where we’re headed next,” the tom replied as he slowly turned around. 

    We followed him again–this time the trip was filled with silence as we were all shocked to even say anything. I trekked through the forest, hearing the rumbling of the skies as it continued to rain harder. 

    I can’t believe that happened to their camp…I thought. 

We had soon reached a small area, which was close to ShadowClan border, and I could see a bit of shelter. I saw cats coming out with prying and suspicious eyes.

    “I’m back!” Stormtail mewed. “Where's Dovestar?” he questioned as he looked around, as a young tom came up. 

    “Went out searching for food,” the skinny white tom with green eyes answered, his voice sounding weak. 

    “Okay. Yarrowpaw, how is everyone doing here?” Stormtail’s eyes

looked around the place. 

    “Well, cats are healing, but it doesn’t look too good. Especially with all this rain,” Yarrowpaw answered. 

    He must be the medicine cat apprentice, I thought as I could smell the scent of herbs on him. And he is skinnier than he is supposed to be, I observed worriedly. 

    I watched as cats came out of their shelters, the queens had their tails around their kits protectively as the others flattened their ears. I gazed at them as I saw the desperation, hopelessness and hunger glowing in each and every one of their eyes.

    They must be very hungry, Stormtail was telling the truth, the thought rippled through my mind as I realized I could see all their ribs showing through their pelts. This is worse than I thought it would be… 

    “Who are they?” a she-cat asked, coming into the rain, pointing her tail to Flameleap, Runningmist and I. 

    “Oh, they're from ShadowClan. They agreed to help,” Stormtail mewed. The she-cat turned her head towards us, and that was when I realized

that who I was looking at was Hazlepaw. 

    “Oh, right. You’re Flameleap, Runningmist and Flamzepetal, now I remember,” she mewed. “Have you actually come to help us?” she asked. 

    “Of course we have,” I answered. 

    “Yeah, no way we would let you and everyone in ThunderClan starve,” Flameleap said. 

    “Stormtail has shown us your camp…and we’re really sorry, that must have been hard,” I said. 

    “At least some of us survived. . .” Hazlepaw said. 

    Suddenly, I heard something in the distance and immediately my ears perked up. 

    When I recognized it I swiftly looked over to my sister and friend, my whole body bristling in alarm as I heard the wails and shrieks of cats of ShadowClan, all the voices filled with agony and dismay.

Chapter Fourteen:

Separated. 

    My body had instantly filled up with panic when I heard the horrible wails that were overfilled with fear. With my fur still bristling I gave my Clanmates a nod, they nodded back knowingly. 

    I dashed away from the ThunderClan cats, followed by both Flameleap and Runningmist. I could feel the adrenaline flow in my body as I ran through the woods. 

    I was careful not to trip on branches that were on the ground, but I kept my pace swift. I could hear lightning striking down and thunder booming in the distance. 

    I was soon out of breath, feeling as though as if my heart could burst out of my chest. We had shot over ThunderClan territory to ShadowClan. 

    As I was racing past, I could see the trees had fallen down, and I guessed that it must have been from the lighting that I had heard earlier. 

    “Almost there,” I said to myself, trying to calm my shakiness. I soon saw

smoke nearby and floating into the air. 

    “Stop!” Flameleap said. I slowed down to a stop, Runningmist doing the same. 

    “What is it?” the tom asked, sounding out of breath. 

    “Okay. Before we get to camp. Flamepetal–” my sister looked at me, “Make sure to stay close to Runningmist, okay?” she said. 

    I looked into her green eyes. 

    “Please–?” She took a pause. “You’ll just stay safer, okay? Whatever it is out there, he can protect you.” 

    “But, what about you?” I asked. 

    “I’ll be fine.” 

    “But–” I started. 

    “I’ll be fine, I promise. J-just do it. Don’t worry about me. Whatever is happening, I just want to keep you safe, okay?” she asked. 

    “B-but what if you get hurt? I mean, whatever is happening, and you get hurt, I-I can’t just leave you behind,” I questioned as I heard the nearby screams in the distance. 

    “Yes, you can. Promise me, whatever happens, just leave me and stay close to Runningmist. Don’t leave his side…” she said, looking at me, and I could tell that she was serious by hearing the desperation in her voice. 

    “B–” 

    “Promise.” she pressed, sounding stern.

    “Okay I promise,” I gave in, nodding. 

    “Good,” Flameleap came over to me and licked me on the ear comfortably. She looked at Runningmist. 

    “Okay. Runningmist. Make sure–whatever is happening, that'll do whatever you can to protect Flamepetal from getting hurt. Promise?” Flameleap said, now looking over at the gray tom. 

    “Of course,” Runningmist said, “I’ll do anything to be sure that your sister won’t be harmed. I promise. I’ll protect her with my life, and I’ll make sure that happens.” 

    “Good,” Flameleap had a look of relief wash over her. She licked my ear one more time and said, “stick by his side, he’ll protect you, please.” 

    We ran off the next moment, I was sticking by Runningmist’s side as

promised. I saw that my friend was looking back as if to see if I was keeping up with him a couple times. I tried to speed up. 

    Once we were in view of the camp, my eyes stretched wide as I saw the chaos. 

    Cats of the whole Clan were streaming out of camp, all were howling in absolute terror that it made my ears ring. I heard the leader of ShadowClan yelling. I saw little fires around camp illuminating her fur and her eyes to show that she was scared. 

    “The flood will be here soon! Hurry! Hurry!” She hissed loudly over everyone. 

    Flood? I thought. Why must there be a flood? Of course there is one! I sneered to myself.

    We continued to run for the others and towards the stream. Once we were in the crowd of cats, I tried hard to keep Runningmist in my vision, my sister's words echoing in my mind. 

    Stay close to Runningmist…he can protect you…

    I shook my head, trying to get the feeling of sadness away from me. I

looked around and realized that I have lost my sister in the blend of different colored pelts. 

    The feeling of hopelessness started to crawl up my pelt when I soon realized I lost Runningmist. 

    “Runningmist!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, but I couldn’t even hear myself over the loud sounds and the blend of thunder and the cats yowling along with the leader. 

    “Runningmist!” I yelled, desperation coming into my voice followed by sadness, “Where are you?” 

    I tried to get out of cats way as they tried to run past me, trying to get away as fast as they could from the incoming flood. I could smell the flood incoming, and it was soon. 

    I couldn’t even see anymore, the area had turned dark. 

    “Runningmist!” I yelled again. “Please, let me know where you are!” my throat felt strained from all the yelling. 

    I had quickly scanned through the area and I felt panic sharply ripple through me. 

    “Runningmist?” I whispered. “Flameleap? Are you here?”

    I felt hopeless at this point and as though I wanted to curl up to the ground and give up. 

    Someone tripped me as I was passing them and I tumbled to the ground. I tried to get up, but my body felt as though it was failing me as black dots were now covering my vision. I blacked out the next moment. 

    I had woken up and pain shot through my body as soon as I opened my eyes up. My head was hurting so bad. 

    Remembering what was happening, I quickly shot up. I quickly scented the area, and relief had flown over me when I scented that everyone had gotten out of camp. 

    I got up to my paws, feeling very shaky and unstable. The flood is going to come soon, I thought as I heard it. It’s just seconds away and I’m going to die here, aren’t I? 

    I sighed, hoping that Flameleap had gotten out safely. My vision was blurry but I could’ve thought that I saw something next to the camp wall. 

    I walked up to it slowly, every movement that I took, my head was hurting. 

    What I saw was blood splattered on the ground and the wall of camp. I gasped, my paws trembling as my head felt nauseous, as I recognized it as Runningmist’s blood. 

    Did he die? Or did he get out with everyone else? 

    The smell of water crashed over me as I heard the water come closer. My head was hurting and getting worse.

    I just layed on the ground, waiting for the flood to come and claim me and send me to StarClan so I could finally be with my mother. 

    At least I get to be with my Mother at last, right? I thought. After a few minutes, I saw water making its way over to me. 

    The next moment, water engulfed my vision, I closed my eyes for the final time…

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Runningmist’s eyes opened slowly, his side burning with so much pain that it was blinding.

    He shot up to his paws and the next moment he felt like he could collapse. Runningmist looked around and saw that he was in a soft moss nest that was lined up with feathers. He could smell the overwhelming scent of herbs as it washed over him, as he noticed that he was in a small cave.

    Panic started to rip its way into his chest as he remembered what happened. 

    The flood! He thought. Flamepetal! 

    He immediately went for the exit of the dimmed cave. He was introduced by a strange forest clearing that just smelled of trees. 

    Runningmist saw that every cat in the clearing had quieted down and looked at him. He quickly looked around. 

    “Flameleap!” he meowed quickly as he spotted the orange she-cat. He quickly padded to her, and realized that she was talking to his brother, already forgetting that everyone’s eyes were on him. 

    He took a little sigh of relief to see Toadclaw alive. 

    “Flameleap,” he said, as she got up. “W-what happened?” he asked, his

ears perked up in alarm. 

    “Well, the flood came, all the cats came out safely. So don’t worry about that,” she said, reassurance in her voice. 

    Runningmist looked around at the cats and saw that they had settled around a clearing, his gaze shot up at Flameleap. 

    “And Flamepetal?” he asked. “W-where is she?” 

    “W-well–” Flameleap started but she broke off, her voice breaking. 

    “Flameleap, where is she? Is she here? Is she safe?” Runningmist demanded, his brother getting up as he spoke. 

    “Well, you see. About that. After you…” she trailed off. 

    “Runningmist…we’re sure that she didn’t make it…” Toadclaw explained uncomfortably. Runningmist shook his head vigorously. 

    “No. No. No!” he said loudly, “she can’t be dead!” 

    “But she is,” Toadclaw said. 

    “Listen. We saw you were unconscious and we had to get out of there quickly. We couldn’t find her anywhere. We tried to find her but we couldn’t,” Flameleap said. “So we assumed she was dead and we had to

get you out of there. We tried…” she said softly, her green eyes glistening with sadness. 

    “No! I will not accept this!” Runningmist argued, looking at Flameleap. “Listen. I promised you that I would protect her, make sure nothing would harm her. I refuse to believe that she is gone. I’ll go check ShadowClan camp to see if she’s still there!” he protested, his voice desperate. 

    Runningmist turned around but got stopped as Toadclaw got in front of me. He stared at him. 

    “Toadclaw,” Runningmist said, “get out of my way.” 

    “Listen. I would, but you're not fit to go out by yourself. We’re telling you, she’s gone and there is nothing you can do about it. We looked after the flood was gone. Nothing. Accept it, please. She is gone,” Toadclaw said, and he could see that his eyes glowed with worry. 

    “I made a promise to protect her with my life, Toadclaw–” Runningmist said, his voice breaking. “She can’t be dead. She can’t. Because I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I wouldn’t be able to handle it because I love her,” Runningmist spoke slowly. 

    Toadclaw’s eyes widened a little as he stared at him, silence then hung in the air. 

    The next moment he felt a tail rest on his shoulders. He noticed it was Flameleap’s fluffy tail. 

    “Please. Look, you’re bleeding,” she said gently, and Runningmist looked down to see that his side was bleeding and it was falling down to his paws turning them bloody.

    “Fine,” he sighed. He got led to his nest that he was in earlier to rest, his heart welling in bitterness and felt as though it was heartbroken and would be forever…

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I opened my eyes to find myself lying on the ground, my head and side searing with pain. I found myself in a forest. 

    My heart started to beat hard to realize that I was still alive. 

Am I still alive? The flood? What happened? 

    It took me a while, but eventually I had gotten up to my paws–slowly but surely. I felt stunned that I hadn't died from the flood, because I

thought that I was sure dead. 

    Why am I not dead? I thought, I should be dead…

    I searched the place, trying to grasp the idea that I was alive but I couldn’t keep hold of it. 

    “You’re awake! Finally!” a soft voice spoke which I had instantly recognized. 

    “Acornstripe?” I asked, looking around. The next moment, my mother came out from behind the tree. 

    “How are you feeling?” she asked gently, coming close to me, her pelt glowing. 

    “H-h–how am I alive? Am I in StarClan?” I demanded. 

    “No,” my Mother shook her head, “You're alive. I–uh–saved you during the flood,” she explained. 

    “How?” 

    “That is a bit hard to explain, right now, my dear Flamepetal,” Acornstripe said, looking at me with love in her brown eyes. My own eyes stretched out wide. 

    “Is everyone else alive?” I asked. 

    “Yes.” 

    “Flameleap?” I asked with my head tilted, as anxiety filled me.

    “She’s alive, don’t worry.” 

    “How about. . . Runningmist?” I asked nervously. Stillness filled the area and I could barely handle it.

    “Yes…he is alive,” she said hesitantly as relief came into me. 

    My heart sank into my paws when Acornstripe said, “but he is in agony, once he had gotten the news that everyone thought you were dead.” 

    “He is? Everyone thinks I'm dead?” I asked in disbelief. 

    “Yes, and he is probably suffering worse than he ever has,” my Mother said, and I then felt horrible. 

    “If only I hadn't left his side like Flameleap told me too. Then he wouldn’t be suffering and everyone wouldn’t think I’ve died!” I snarled, angry at myself, thinking about how badly Runningmist must have been suffering for real, and the thought had made me feel so bad. 

    “I’ll go find them! Do you know where they are?” I asked, looking at my

mother hopefully. She shook her head and my ears went slightly down. 

    “That, I do not know, and I’m sorry,” she mewed, while dipping her head. 

    “I’m going to find them and make everything better,” I said, starting to feel shaky again. 

    “Well, I wish you luck, Flamepetal. But I must go now, I wish you luck. Please, rest before you go out and find your Clanmates,” Acornstripe said, then came up to me and licked my ear gently. She disappeared the next moment, and I was alone. 

    I stared out into the forest, my head still hurting while the cold air brushed past me. 

    Runningmist, where are you…? I wailed silently. 

Chapter Fifteen:

Saved. 

    Now I am really wishing that I was back home with Flameleap and Runningmist. It had been a couple sunrises since I had survived the giant flood that took over ShadowClan camp. 

    As soon as I woke up and found myself alive, I immediately went out to search for ShadowClan cats, and that was a couple days ago. 

    Right now, my side was bleeding because my wound was still open but I didn’t care, I was desperate to find everybody, especially Flameleap and Runninmist. 

    Keep going. You can keep going, I urged myself. You’re not weak, you're strong, you can make it. As long as you have life inside you, you won’t give up and keep trying, then you can get back to Flameleap and…

    I sighed. I wasn’t even sure if I could make it back to camp, the way I was traveling, with a badly damaged side and with no resting, but I at least had to try.

    I yet again heaved another sigh, as it seemed like all the breath of my body was getting sucked out of me. I wanted another rest but I shook my head denying my own request. 

    I looked up to see that it was sundown and getting late. I saw the purple and blue mixed sky. A memory popped up in my head. 

    I was sitting in a tree with Runningmist–but we were apprentices at the time, it was also sundown. I remember Flameleap being there too, along with Toadclaw. I remember laughing with Runningmist because Flameleap did something funny…

    I then wondered how Runningmist was doing. Last I heard he wasn’t doing so great. Suffering and all, saddened by my supposed death, which I blame myself for him feeling that way to be honest. 

    Why did I have to lose him in the crowd? If I hadn’t then none of this wouldn’t have happened at all…I thought sadly. I broke my promise to Flameleap, I didn’t stay by him and now chaos broke loose…

    Come on, you're not tired yet? Are you? I thought sternly as my side started burning with pain but I ignored it and kept going. My breath

started to get heavier. My stomach growled with hunger because I haven’t eaten anything in days. 

    “Come on, body, don’t fail me now. You gotta get back home to Flameleap and Runningmist!” I hissed to myself, feeling my body getting weaker and weaker by the minute. 

    As the sun went down further beyond the trees, the injury on my side hurt so bad that it was like someone was ripping through me, blood dripping down my wound and onto the ground my vision was starting to get blurry. 

    At this point I knew I was going to black out, my vision started to get too blurry to the point where I could barely see anything. 

    Before I did, I saw something enter my eyesight, but before I could tell what it was, I collapsed on the ground blacking out while doing so. 

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I had woken up and opened my eyes to see a cat in front of me in which I soon recognized it as Silverheart. 

    “Finally! You’ve made it!” he exclaimed, sounding a bit harsh. 

    “What do you mean?” I asked. 

    “Well, nothing really, can’t really say, sorry,” he answered, which made me growl a bit. 

    “I see that you’ve survived the flood all by yourself,” he mewed. 

    “Yeah, something like that,” I agreed, nodding my head. He walked up to me, circling me the next moment. 

    “I mean, if you’ve gotten stuck then you must have gotten out by yourself with no help, yes?” he questioned, “nobody helped you? Oh dear, it must have been terrifying!” he said with a tinge of sarcasm in his voice. 

    I stared at him as he was slowly circling me. Does he know that Acornstripe saved me…? I thought. 

    “And to watch ShadowClan go down as the flood came, to watch cats run out of the camp for their lives, that was priceless to see,” Silverheart mewed, finally sitting down as he wrapped his tail around his paws neatly. 

    “And to see your sister and friend worrying about you. Especially with your friend suffering in agony. That was wonderful,” he mewed as his

green eyes seemed to glow brightly with enjoyment.

    “That's not funny. And his name is Runningmist,” I snapped. 

    “Whatever, I’ll call him what I want,” Silverheart said in sigh, rolling his eyes while sounding careless. I flattened my ears, staring at him. 

    “No, you will not, his name is Runningmist, call him by his name next time!” I hissed defensively. 

    “Oh, I’m sorry, did I say or do anything to offend you?” Silverheart asked while his eyes narrowed. “Because the way that I see it, is that you will not tell me what to do, because you are severely injured. You’re lucky that you survived that flood and you might even survive this wound. So be quiet, okay? Great,” the tom said, sounding all smooth and sleek. 

    I bared my teeth at him, a growl coming up in my throat. 

    “That is my friend you're talking about, don’t you dare talk ill of him,” I growled, annoyance in my voice as I stared at him. “It’s not my fault that he’s suffering or in a sad moment.” 

    “Actually. If you think about it, it is kinda your fault,”  

    “What do you mean by that?” I asked, both sounding and feeling

irritated. 

    “I’m not going to talk to you if you're upset, what I was going to tell you might make you even more upset and we wouldn’t like that, now, would we?” he asked. 

    Is he taunting me? I asked, feeling furious as my anger continued to boil. I tried to keep calm but I couldn’t do that very easily. 

    “Fine, then, don’t tell me. I’m leaving,” I stated. 

    “But I’ve got some information for you, don’t go,” the tom taunted. I stared at him angrily then whipped around and marched away from him, too mad at him to listen anymore. 

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I opened my eyes once again to see that night had fallen, and I found myself in a hollowed out tree. I lifted my head and noticed that I was in a moss bed, my wound stitched up with medicine. 

    I swiftly looked around wondering how I got here. 

    “So, I see you’re awake. And I suppose cats unestimated you, seeing clearly that you’re alive,” a voice spoke which made me look towards the

voice. Once my eyes adjusted to the dark I saw that the cat was. . . wait how is that possible, how did he find me all the way out here? 

    “Toadclaw!” I screeched in surprise after seeing the recognizable brown pelt with the unforgettable glowing amber eyes. 

    “Yes, it’s very good to see you too, Flamepetal,” the tom said sarcastically. 

    “You found me!” I exclaimed in astonishment. 

    “Of course I found you. It was easy,” he said cockly. I looked at him suspiciously with squinted eyes. 

    “Why are you here…?” 

    “Well, I had to find you.” 

    “Did anyone else come with you? Why is it just you?” I asked, suspicious of why he was here. 

    “Well, because I left everyone else without letting them know,” Toadclaw answered. 

    “Why did you come?” I demanded, sounding cautious. Toadclaw gave me a cold look while staying silent. 

    “Okay, that's enough questions now,” he mewed. 

    “No, answer me,” I snapped. 

    “I don’t have to answer you,” the tom growled defensively, flattening his ears. “Here. Have this,” he said, tossing over a rabbit to me. 

    I looked down at the rabbit, and saw that it was big. I looked back up and gazed at him. 

    “Are you going to eat the rabbit or what?” Toadclaw asked in a hiss, sounding harsh. 

    “I don’t trust it, so, no thanks,” I replied. Toadclaw gave me a hard look. 

    “You need to eat it, by the looks of it you haven’t eaten in days. Eat it. It’s not poisonous, if that's what you're wondering,” he pressed. My ears bent down. 

    I pushed the rabbit away and said, “No way.” 

    “I’m not leaving until I see you eat it, I can’t have you starving to death,” Toadclaw persisted, shoving it back hard with his paw. 

    I sighed, then slowly, I took one small bite of the rabbit after I smelled it. It tasted good, so I continued to eat it, realizing how hungry I actually

was. I almost finished it in a series of famished gulps. 

    “So, what’s your plan?” I asked, gazing at Toadclaw. 

    “What do you mean?” he asked. 

    “I mean, you already got me here–injured, not to mention–you could have let me starve but you didn’t, you could have left me out there by myself to freeze and die by myself–but you didn’t. What are you going to do now? Kill me?” I asked.

    “I’m taking you back to ShadowClan cats,” Toadclaw answered. I felt a snarl coming up my throat but I kept my cool. 

    “You're just taking me back?” 

    “Yes?” 

    “Why?” 

    “Stop asking questions, you're really starting to annoy me.” 

    “Why? Just answer them and I’ll be quiet,” I said. “Because the way I thought was that you’ve hated me since we were kits.”

    “I do.” 

    “Theeeen you put me here to kill me?” I questioned. 

    “Believe me, I would love nothing more but to kill you, but I can’t,” Toadclaw snarled, his voice raising, his eyes glowing in the darkness. 

    “Why can’t you?” I asked, my voice raising too.

    “At least you're not worrying over your sister!” he snapped angrily, all his fur bristling as he shot up to his paws.

    “What do you mean by that?”

    Toadclaw’s fur was bristling as he glared at me, I could see many emotions running through his eyes; sadness, resentment, anger, and I thought that I could spot hurt in there as well as empathy, but that last one might just be me.  

    Toadclaw looked at the ground.

    “Ever since you didn’t make it back to camp, Runningmist hasn’t been the same. He’s depressed, he won’t talk to anyone, not even me, he keeps dismissing medicine and treatments…he’s been injured and he won’t accept any help, he barely eats ever. He’s been talking in his sleep. He’s not good,” Toadclaw hissed, still not looking at me. “And it’s all your fault!” his gaze returned to mine. 

    “If you hadn’t disappeared, then he wouldn’t be like this! He hasn’t been the same since you’ve disappeared, he thinks you’re dead and now he is heartbroken, so if you return back to camp, he can eat and accept help so he doesn’t die, so that's why I need you back at camp and I can’t let you die, otherwise my brother will be lost forever,” he screeched, his eyes now showing desperation.  

    “And if he dies…” he mewed but trailed off, unable to say any more by the looks of it. 

    I stared at him in full disbelief, my jaw hung open a little in shock. Toadclaw shook his head when I didn’t answer and said,

    “Oh, what am I telling you for? You wouldn’t understand at all, you heartles cat,” he said, his eyes showing anger again, but I could see a tinge of sadness too. 

    “Rest. We leave in the morning,” he said stiffly, then he left the tree. 

    I just watched him stalk out, my mind swirling with so many questions that it started to hurt.

    It’s worse than I thought! He’s gonna die…? Refusal for treatments and

medicine to make himself better…I thought sadly. 

    Then the answer is easy, just head back to the others…with Toadclaw…if he doesn’t kill me first of all, I thought darkly as I watched where he had exited. 

    If I want to leave, I better rest…I laid my head down on the nest and wrapped my tail over my nose, and in seconds I had fallen asleep. 

Chapter Sixteen:

Loved.

    “Okay, I need to rest,” I panted tiredly as I could feel my body already giving out. Toadclaw sighed as he rolled his eyes dramatically. 

    “We’re never going to get back home, are we?” he asked. 

    “Yes, we are,” I mewed back. He flattened his ears as he just stayed silent, glaring at me. 

    I’m going to die out here with him, aren’t I? I asked myself silently. I sat by a little pool of water, and while I did, I took a few laps of it, my parched tongue and mouth feeling better. 

    “Can we go, yet?” the tom asked after a while. 

    “No,” I retorted. 

    “Why? You’ve rested enough. It took you less time before to get back on your paws, why not now?” 

    “Look, you don’t want me to die, right?” I asked, “better to not black out

or anything from overextending myself. You’re fine, just a bit more time, okay?” 

    “Fine,” he growled as he padded back and forth impatiently, as I watched him I could scent his nervous energy around him. 

    “Okay, we can go,” I said after a second as I slowly got to my paws. 

    “Finally,” I heard him mutter under his breath, which made me roll my eyes without him noticing as he walked past me to walk up in front.

    I looked up to see the sun rising slowly above the trees. 

Finally, the sun rose. I was tired of looking at the dark for so long… I thought as the cold air flowed past my face.    

    “Are we almost to camp?” I asked tiredly, “my paws are aching!” 

    “Well, I don’t care, so stop your bellyaching,” Toadclaw said coldly as he looked behind his shoulder with a scowl on his face, “and yes, we should be almost there,” he replied to my question as he turned to the trail again. 

    We traveled until sundown and that's when the smell of ThunderClan

came over me. 

    “Well, are you sure you’re not lost, Toadclaw?” I asked curiously. 

    “Nope. Almost there. . .just somehow got to ThunderClan territory instead. Hopefully no one spots us–” Toadclaw was saying but broke off. 

    “HEY!” a voice interrupted, which made my ears go straight up. I whipped my head all over the place. 

    “FLAMEPETAL!” the voice said again from a distance. I looked over and saw a face which I haven’t seen in a while. Once the cat skidded to a halt next to me, I exclaimed, 

    “Stormtail!” 

    “The one and only,” the tom said, his voice in amusement. Once his eyes landed on me, his gaze cleared with happiness. 

    “Oh, you’re alive!” he exclaimed. “You’re alive! Once we heard the news…I was a bit worried, to be honest, but you’re alive!” 

    “Yeah, yeah, she’s alive. Stop saying that, it’s getting irritating,” Toadclaw said. Stormtail twitched his whiskers in amusement. 

    “The Clans won’t believe this! Especially ShadowClan, they sure thought

you were dead after that nasty flood that hit your camp. Just wait until they see.” 

    “Are you okay?” he asked, taking a paw step towards me. I nodded, and said, 

    “Yeah, just fine, except for my side.” 

    “Oh no, are you okay?” he asked, walking towards me now, his voice filled with concern. Before he got too close, Toadclaw stopped him by getting in the way. 

    “Yeah, she’s just fine, Mouse-brain. It’s healing. Don’t get too close. Okay?” 

    “I’m fine, Toadclaw. Stop, he’s not going to hurt me,” I growled. Stormtail widened his gray eyes big. 

    “Oh, never. I’d never dream of hurting her, don’t worry,” he mewed. “But suggestion, what about you coming back to ThunderClan for a bit? Rest before you make your trip? You look so tired,”  

    “Won’t hurt her, that's funny,” Toadclaw snorted, rolling his eyes, “and we’re not going there.” 

    “Why not?” 

    “Uh, let me think, because it might be a trap, you mouse-brain,” he answered. 

    “You and your brother are the same,” I remarked with a tired sigh, as I remembered how Runningmist got defensive with Stormtail before the flood happened. 

    “And no it won’t. He’s offering. If you're not going, then I’m going. Just imagine you going back home without me,” I threatened. Toadclaw’s fur bristled. 

    “Fine, let’s go,” he said slowly through gritted teeth. 

    “Follow me!” Stormtail said. “Hazelefern is waiting for us, too,” he added quickly, then he beckond his tail to follow him. 

    Toadclaw and I followed the gray tom, along with Hazelfern, back to their camp–or their camp until they can get their old spot back. 

    Once we got inside of the camp, Hazelfern rushed forward somewhere, and minutes later, she returned with the deputy of ThunderClan whose name was Dovetail. 

    “Greetings, you two,” she greeted formally after sitting on a branch, looking down at Toadclaw and I. “The leader isn’t available at this time right now…he’s resting right now.” 

    I looked at Dovetail’s eyes and could tell that she was a little old. I dipped my head to the senior warrior. 

    “Greetings, Dovetail,” I mewed, “looks like everyone is better, last I saw,” I commented, looking at the cats who were coming out of their dens to see what was happening. 

    “Yes……Now, I would have to say,” Dovetail said, flicking her tail, “last I heard, was that you died from the flood at your Clan? How did you survive?” 

    “It wasn’t up to me, Dovetail, StarClan saved me and showed me mercy,” I said, trying to be and sound respectful. 

    “StarClan is a savior to us all. Well, you look a bit injured and tired, you can stay here until tomorrow’s sundown,” Dovetail said.

    “Thank you, and I want to say thank you for your hospitality for letting us stay here…” I meowed. 

    “Of course, you’re in trouble and ShadowClan territory is such a long journey from here,” she said. She dipped her head one more time and left the branch. 

    “There's prey over here, if you two want anything,” Stormtail offered kindly, pointing his paw to the Fresh-kill pile. 

    “No thank you,” Toadclaw said, shaking his head. 

    “Flamepetal, I got your nest ready, come rest over here,” I heard Hazelfern say. I looked and saw her by a nest with feathers aligned it. 

    I walked over slowly and sat in it. 

    “Thank you,” I said. 

    “No problem. You know,” Hazelfern meowed, flicking her tail over to Stormtail who was padding over, “it was Stormtail’s idea to bring you over, once he saw you.” 

    “Really?” I asked.

    “Yeah, he’s nice like that, aren’t you, Stormtail?” Hazelfern asked, eyeing the tom, as he sat next to her. 

    “Well, yeah, I didn't want them in a territory they didn’t know with all

the dangers out there,” he said. 

    “You big softie. I remember when he said he wanted to be, like, the toughest warrior in the Clan. But he’s not,” Hazelfern said, pushing Stormtail playfully with her paw. 

    “I still am,” he objected. I watched as they were laughing together, and I felt a twinge of jealousy in me. I forced it to go away, but it seemed like I couldn’t. 

    “Well, we should probably let Flamepetal rest,” Hazelfern mewed. 

    “Good idea,” Stormtail gave a nod of agreement. He then turned around, so did Hazelfern. Before the tom left, he looked over his shoulder at me. 

    “Bye, Flamepetal, happy resting!” he then left, and as he did I felt as my fur got warm underneath and a strange feeling entered me. I shook my head quickly, shoving it back wherever it came from, and it seemed to do the trick. 

    I laid my head down on the nest and automatically, my eyes closed sleepily.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I opened my eyes, still a little sleepy, but I still did. I saw that it had gotten darker, and cats were still out. My vision cleared more and I saw Stormtail standing next to my nest. 

    I lifted my head. He noticed me and said, 

    “Oops, sorry, did I wake you?” 

    “No, it was hard to sleep,” I yawned. 

    “That’s good,” he sighed. 

    “Where's Toadclaw?” I asked, looking around, realizing that I couldn’t find my Clanmate. 

    “Getting annoyed by the kits,” Stormtail said, pointing his paw. I looked where he was pointing and saw Toadclaw sitting in the clearing, with kits surrounding him. Hazelfern was also over there. I was within earshot, so I listened to what they were saying.

    “Toadclaw, you smell like ShadowClan,” one spotted kit said, wrinkling his nose. 

    “Yes, I know, you pointed that out earlier, kit,” Toadclaw responded. 

    “Why are you in ThunderClan if you're supposed to be in ShadowClan?” a little kit asked. 

    “I’ve already told you,” he mewed, starting to sound annoyed. 

    “Tell us a story!” a gray little kit meowed excitedly. 

    “No,” Toadclaw said flatly. 

    “You’re funny, Toadclaw,” a black and white kit said, their eyes sparkling. 

    “I don’t try to be. You’re very annoying,” Toadclaw said, and all the kits laughed. 

    “Let’s play leader! We’ll attack him!” one kit exclaimed. 

    “Yeah!” all the others agreed. 

    “Let’s not play that,” Toadclaw mewed, flattening his ears. All the kits jumped on him, and he ran away after getting them off of him. 

    I laughed as I watched him. 

    “All the kits seem to like him,” Stormtail chuckled.

    “Flamepetal!” A voice said, and then another one said, “you’re finally awake!”

    I looked over, feeling startled, and saw two toms who looked familiar. They skidded to a halt next to Stormtail, and they both stared at me. 

    “You don’t remember us, do you?” one of the toms asked.

    “No, sorry,” I said. 

    “Remember?” the other tom said, “You would remember us as Brightpaw and Blackpaw. But we’re warriors now,” he purred. 

    “Oh yes. Now I remember. You crossed my territory one time,” I said. 

The two brothers gawked at me. 

    “Not on purpose!” one of them said. 

    “Yeah, we just saw a mouse. It got away from us. Anyway, please call us Brightflame and Blacktail.” 

    “Okay, so which one is which again?” 

    “This one is Brightflame,” Stormtail said as he pointed his tail over to the ginger and white tom, with white paws and tail-tip. 

    “And that one is Blacktail,” he added, pointing at the pure black tom with bright green eyes. 

    Blacktail rolled his eyes, “obviously.” 

    “Wow,” Brightflame’s eyes widened. “Looks like the kits are going crazy with the newcomer.” 

    “We’ve got to go investigate,” Blacktail said nonchalantly. They both looked at me, and said at the same time, “goodbye, Flamepetal!” 

    I watched as they left together. I thought that the two brothers were a little creepy, with the talking at the same time and doing the same stuff at the same time, but I thought it was also really funny. 

    I turned my gaze over to Stormtail, who was still standing there. 

    “Did you need anything…? Or…?” I asked. 

    “Oh, yes, I just wanted to talk for a little while, you know, Hazelfern pulled me away too soon I felt like,” Stormtail said as he sat close to my nest. 

    “How’s your wound doing? Better?” he asked, and I could tell on his face that he was concerned.

     Like, I could see concern clearly on his face, which surprised me. 

    “Still hurts, but I'm getting better,” I replied. Relief came over Stormtail’s face. 

    “Okay, that's good.” 

    “Why. . .?” I asked curiously. You know, don’t judge me, I’m not really used to cats asking how I feel in my Clan, except for my sister and Runningmist. 

    “Well, you know. You almost died, I was worried, but I see that you're fine now,” he answered. I now felt a bit awkward as I could feel my insides getting jumpy and squirmy. 

    “You know,” he started, now looking up at the sky which now was dark and had stars up there. I could see the moonlight illuminating his gray eyes. 

    “I’m glad you didn’t die from that flood. Now I get to know you better like I’ve wanted to for a while, so I’m glad you didn’t die.”

    “I’m glad I didn't, too,” I said without thinking, gazing up at him. 

    Why did I say that? That was a stupid, stupid, mouse-brained thing to say! I hissed to myself silently, bending my ears down slightly. 

    Stormtail laughed after I said it, which made them raise a little again. 

    We had just watched the clear night sky together and the stars, and I

had eventually fallen asleep again. 

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I had opened my eyes to the morning sunlight. I must have fallen asleep last night without meaning to…

    I looked over and saw Stormtail next to my nest and on the ground, asleep. I watched as he slept peacefully. He must have fallen asleep too…

    “Finally, you’re awake,” Toadclaw mewed grumply. 

    “What’s happening?” Stormtail said groggily as he lifted his head. “Oh, hi, Toadclaw,” he greeted happily. 

    “We’re leaving,” Toadclaw announced, looking at me while ignoring the gray tom. 

    “So soon?” I asked. 

    “Well, yes. If we leave by Sundown, we’re going to get to camp by midnight,” he explained harshly. I growled, flattening my ears. 

    “Fine,” I said. Stormtail helped me get up, then I made my way to their exit. 

    “Stormtail!” Hazelfern exclaimed. Stormtail looked sideways, and I saw

the she-cat padding up. 

    “Where were you last night? I couldn’t find you anywhere.” 

    “Uhh…I forgot,” Stormtail answered. Hazelfern looked suspicious, then her expression lit up a bit. 

    “You big mouse-brain. Anyway, Dovetail wanted us both to take these two to ShadowClan border, as an escort,” she meowed, pointing her paw to Toadclaw and I. Stormtail nodded and said, “okay.”

    We had left their makeshift camp, and we set off. We had gotten to the ShadowClan border around sun-high. When we got there, I could smell the familiar scent of ShadowClan, and it felt like home to me. 

    “Okay, well, I guess this is goodbye,” Hazelfern said. I dipped my head down in gratitude. 

    “Thank you again, for letting us stay at your Clan for the night,” I said. 

    “It was no problem. Really,” Stormtail meowed. 

    “Bye Hazelfern,” I said. She nodded in farewell. I looked at Stormtail, then said, “Bye, Stormtail.” 

    “Farewell, Flamepetal, may StarClan light your path back home.” 

I twitched my whiskers in happiness, but I saw a little sadness in the tom’s eyes. I then turned around. I saw that Toadclaw had left me behind. 

    I quickly padded up to him as fast as I could. 

    “Hey! You left me behind,” I said, walking beside him, matching his walking speed. 

    “Well you were taking too long,” Toadclaw complained. “Plus, I wasn’t going to stand there while Stormtail had moon eyes for you.” 

    “You know, you’re delusional if you actually think Stormtail likes me,” I hissed. 

    “I’m not, though. It’s true. He clearly likes you, even if he wasn’t trying to show it.” 

    I scoffed, shaking my head. “Mouse-brain,” I whispered. 

    “I heard that,” he mewed. 

    “So, why did you want to leave early?” I changed the subject. 

    “Why didn't you want to leave early?” he shot the question back. 

    “I asked you first.” 

    “Did you forget? Did you seriously forget about Runningmist? You probably did, I guess he’s not that important to you,” Toadclaw hissed coldly, walking past me. 

    I let my jaw fall open. That's what I was forgetting. Runningmist. 

    How could I forget my very best friend! I was so hung up on Stormtail and the others that he completely slipped my mind! I wonder how he’s doing, I thought worriedly.

    The rest of the trip was filled with silence as my chest felt like it was enclosed with anxiety. It felt like I couldn’t breathe easily. 

    “Okay, we’re here,” Toadclaw said, “Just beyond this wall, is everyone.” 

    “Yep,” I nodded, as I swallowed nervously. Toadclaw walked inside of the makeshift camp, as I followed behind him, my heart thumping inside my chest, just thinking of how everybody would react. 

    “Everyone!” Toadclaw said in front of me, which caused every ShadowClan cat to look at him. I saw every cat, including my sister, even if none of them could see me. 

    “I’ve brought home Flamepetal,” he announced as he moved aside so I

could be in view. 

    Every single cat stayed silent in shock as they saw me. There was no movement, not even a single sound made. I searched the crowd, looking for two cats. 

    I didn’t see Runningmist, but I did see my sister. 

    Flameleap stood in the middle of the circle, her green eyes wide with shock. Her gaze got cloudy with sadness, and then with her voice breaking she asked, 

    “Flamepetal? Is that you?” 

I nodded. Flameleap ran towards me, and crashed into me, knocking us both on the ground. 

    “Flamepetal, you’re alive!” she exclaimed, her voice breaking down with sadness and overjoyment, “I thought I lost you forever!” 

    “Of course you didn’t. You didn’t think I would go down that easily, would you?” I asked. We had both gotten up to our paws. Flameleap’s eyes got wide with happiness as she beamed at me. 

    “Toadclaw! Is this where you said you going? To get Flamepetal?” 

    “Yes,” the tom answered. 

    “Thank you for bringing her back!” she mewed. 

    “No, problem, it was my pleasure,” Toadclaw said. I thought he was a total liar, but I didn’t care about that right now. 

    “Thank, StarClan,” she mewed. After a second, everybody else came up and said that they were surprised that I was alive. 

    Afterwards, I looked at Flameleap seriously. 

    “Flameleap,” I said, “where is Runningmist? I need to talk to him,” I said. 

    “Oh,” he expression dimmed a little, “he’s in there. He’s resting. He got wounded, I'm not even sure if you should see him right now,” my sister replied. 

    I ignored her, and went to the cave she pointed at. Inside, It was very dark. I could see nests dotted around as I could smell the scent of herbs overpowering the cave.

    “Go away, Toadclaw and Flameleap, I’ve told you, I don’t want to talk,” said a voice which I never thought I would hear again yet was so familiar

to me. 

    I saw Runningmist in a nest in the back of the cave, not facing me, laid down like he was sleeping. 

    “Sorry, I’m not Toadclaw or Flameleap. Sorry to disappoint you,” I said. I watched as Runningmist’s ears perked up as he listened to me. He lifted his head, and turned it around to face me. Once he saw me, his glowing blue eyes widened. 

    “F-Flamepetal?” he stuttered. “Is that really you?”

    “Yes,” I said, as I was walking towards him. 

    “You’re alive,” he breathed out. When I reached him, I could tell that he was very very weak, he had gotten skinny from the last time I saw him. 

    “Of course I am, you mouse-brain,” I said gently. 

    “I’m very happy that you are,” he gave a weak purr, which made me feel sad. If I didn’t come home sooner, he would have died, I thought as I spotted the injury on his leg. 

    “Toadclaw told me everything, and how you didn’t want to eat or take any medicine after you found out that I was gone…” I said softly, trying

not to be too loud. 

    “I didn’t,” Runningmist said. 

    “But why?” I questioned as I tilted my head. “Runningmist, if you didn’t eat or heal your injury, you could have died.”

    Runningmist coughed a few times, and wheezed. He then replied.

    “Because when you were gone, I blamed myself for letting you die. I promised your sister that I would protect you with my life. And I didn’t. And if you died on my watch then I would have taken my life too, because I didn’t deserve to live, then go join you in StarClan.” 

    My heart welled in sadness as I felt my gaze getting cloudy and hazy. 

    “But I didn’t want you to die.” 

    “Well, at least I would’ve been in StarClan with you, and had a happy life up there with you.” 

    “But. . .” I trailed off. Then I had the nerve to ask. “Why? Why would you do that mouse-brained move for me?” 

    Runnigmist had fits of coughs before he answered. He looked like he would pass out. 

    “Because……I love you, Flamepetal,” he confessed. 

    My heart thumped as I just stood there, my paws went numb. My blood stream seemed to stop. Ringing started to happen in my ears.

    Is that what I have been seeing on his face this entire time? Love? How do I respond!? I thought, freaking out. 

    “H-how long?” I stammered. 

    “For as long as I can remember…” he trailed off as he coughed again. Then he said,  “I had always loved you first and since then.” 

    Again, I asked myself again; How in StarClan do I respond? Do I love him back? I thought as I stared at the tom. 

    Do I? Do I? I wanted to run out of the den and go hide somewhere, but I couldn’t leave him now, seeing him in pain and…no, I’m not going to leave. 

    I thought of all the memories we shared together since we were little kits. The time where we trained together, to where I shared emotional moments…to where he had promised we would be friends forever and to the end. 

    “I . . . I love you too, Runningmist,” I admitted.

     For a moment, Runningmist looked at me with pure overjoyment in his cloudy gaze, and then he slowly closed his eyes and fell asleep. But before he did, he wrapped his tail around mine. 

    After he passed out, I kept a hold of his tail a bit longer, watching him sleep peacefully, my heart feeling as though it would burst out of my chest. I put his tail on the nest.

    “Goodnight, love you Runningmist,” I whispered softly, and I then left the den. 

Chapter Seventeen:

Shrewpaw.

    “What?” Flameleap asked, sounding completely shocked. “What did he tell you?” 

    “Well, he told me he loved me, like I said,'' I mewed. Flameleap’s eyes got big with happiness. 

    “I knew it! I knew he loved you, you didn’t believe me though! And you really said–?” 

    “Yep,” I replied, already knowing what she was going to ask. 

    “Are you going to become his mate?” Flameleap questioned, her fur bristling a little in excitement. 

    “I don’t know,” I answered. 

    “Are you going to have kits with him?” she asked excitedly, I bent down my ears a bit in embarrassment. 

    “I really don’t know, Flameleap. I-I haven’t really had the chance to talk with him since the last time I saw him, since he fell asleep and resting…” I

explained.

    “Well, just to know. I’m happy for you, and whatever’s going to happen, I wish the best for you, and I want to let you know that I’m proud of you,” Flameleap purred. 

    “Thanks. I’m proud of you also,” I also purred. I gave a glance at the makeshift medicine cat den. 

    It has been a day since the conversation with Runningmist and getting back to ShadowClan. Since then, Fawnstar had called a meeting about me getting back.

     All the warriors seemed to be surprised that I’m actually alive, because It was almost like they wanted me gone in the first place. 

    Runningmist has been sleeping ever since I’ve been back, which I was glad for, because I’ve heard that he was barely sleeping back then.

     He has been awake once I’ve heard and he actually accepted some medicine and herbs for his injury. But on the other hand, I really needed to talk to him, but every time I went to see him, I didn’t want to bother him. 

    I sighed, thinking about all what has happened over the past few days.  

I watched the sun at its highest. 

    "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the branch for a meeting!" I heard. I looked over and saw that it had come over from the leader of ShadowClan, whose name was Fawnstar.

    Flameleap and I looked at each other with curiosity, both of us wondering what the meeting would be about, asking each other silently.

    We both got to our paws, and then sat at the edge of the circle of cats, who were gathering beneath the branch, staring up at the leader.

    When everyone had gathered, the leader spoke. 

    “Now, I know a few things had happened over the couple of days, with Flamepetal coming back, the flood destroying our entire camp……” Fawnstar started, she then continued. “But I’ve got pretty exciting news that I think will brighten all your spirits.” 

    “We’ve all gathered here today to experience the apprentice ceremony of Shrewkit, Mosskit, Snowkit and Sunnykit,” she said in a clear voice. 

    I flicked my tail up and down, looking at my sister as she gazed at me with clear happy eyes. Fawnstar twitched her ear, then said happily, “Sunnykit and Snowkit, come up here, please?” 

    I watched as the little kit jumped up on the branch next to the leader, beaming down at the Clan, her yellow eyes wide with excitement. Sunnykit’s brother, Snowkit jumped along with her, sitting next to his sister, the white tom’s tail dangling down. 

    “Sunnykit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Sunnypaw,” Fawnstar said. She continued. 

    “Snowkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Snowpaw,” she said. Her gaze then swept the crowd. 

    “Sunnykit, your mentor will be Toadclaw. I hope Toadclaw will pass down all he knows on to you,” she spoke. She then added,

     “and, Snowkit, your mentor is Runningmist. . . but he is unable to

mentor you at the moment, so Toadclaw will be in charge of your teaching until your mentor is well enough.” 

    “Toadclaw, can you come up here?” she asked. 

    I let my jaw fall open in complete shock as I watched the brown tom jump to the branch. I am completely stunned. I mean, sure, I wasn’t expecting an apprentice or anything, but him? Why would he get an apprentice? 

    I was not even listening at all when everyone was calling out the new apprentice names. 

    “Now. Shrewkit, Mosskit, come up, will you?” the leader of ShadowClan asked again. I watched as Toadclaw jumped down from the branch with the smug expression on his face, while I felt my fur rising to a bristle. 

    I felt a pit in my stomach as I heard the leader speak the ancient words. I saw Toadclaw walk to the back of the group, and as he sat down, he looked at me, I felt as if it was all in slow motion. 

    Don’t get ahead of yourself now, Flamepetal! He is only taunting you to make you mad, he did save you from almost dying, you have to give him

that, I thought desperately trying to calm my beating heart. But I could just kill him for all the things he’d done to me! 

    I came back to my reality as I felt a tail touch me. I twitched my ear, startled, to look to see Flameleap gazing at me. 

    Fawnstar said we’re mentors to Shrewkit and Mosskit, go up there, she mouthed silently to me. I realized everyone’s eyes on me, wondering if I would join the others on the branch. 

    I walked up to the branch and jumped up along with my sister, feeling embarrassment flood over me. 

    I can’t believe it! I’m a mentor, and I can’t believe I missed the calling! I thought. 

    I decided to ignore my feelings as I put my attention on the leader. After Fawnstar was done talking to Flameleap, she turned her light brown eyes on me. 

    “Flamepetal, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You are an excellent warrior, and you have shown yourself to be good at fighting and brave for your Clan. You will be the mentor of Shrewpaw, and I expect

you to pass on all you know to Shrewpaw,” she announced. I touched my nose with my new apprentice. 

    “Meeting dismissed.” 

I jumped off of the branch with Flameleap. We sat out of the group as cats were flooding in to congratulate the newly apprenticed cats. 

    “Can you believe it?” Flameleap asked, her eyes big, “We’re all mentors! Toadclaw, Runningmist, you and me!” 

    “Yeah. It’s going to be great,” I said, not really paying attention. I was trying to keep my eye on Toadclaw, when I spotted a suspicious gleam in his eyes. I did not trust him at all. 

    “Flamepetal! Are you even listening to me?” my sister asked, which my attention snapped back to her. 

    “What were you looking at?” she asked, trying to follow my gaze, but I broke it off the tom before she could catch on. 

    “Uh–nothing, sorry,” I said quickly. 

    “Huh, okay,” Flameleap shrugged her shoulders. Soon after, our new apprentices came up. 

    “You’re sisters, right?” Shrewpaw asked. 

    “Of course, they are, Shrewpaw! Don’t be such a mouse-brain!” his sister, Mosspaw said, rolling her green eyes. 

    “Well sorry. I was just wondering,” he said. Mosspaw was a gray she-cat with a lot of brown stripes on her. Her brother–and my new apprentice, was a sandy colored tom with brown eyes. 

    Shrewpaw looked up at me.

    “So. What are we doing for training?” he questioned, his voice filled with excitement. 

    “Well–um. Later, I’ll take you out to teach you how to hunt,” I said, stuttering a little. Shrewpaw’s eyes shined as he nodded swiftly, he said, 

    “Can’t wait!” 

He scuttered off with his sister, and I purred. 

    I still couldn’t believe, I, Flamepetal, am a mentor. I am going to try to be the best mentor that I could possibly be.

    “Oh, yeah. That's what I was going to ask earlier. How’s your wound doing?” Flamepetal asked, looking at the healing injury. 

    “Better. It’s going to leave a scar most likely. But It’ll be cool at least…” I said. 

    “Hm-mm.” 

    “You want to talk about us being mentors, don’t you?” I asked. 

    “You know me so well, sister. Of course I do!” she meowed, beaming at me. I shook my head but twitched my whiskers happily. 

Chapter Eighteen:

The Unexpected Death.

    “Put your hindquarters a little more up, tail more stiff,” I instructed Shrewpaw. The sandy colored tom tried his best. 

    “Better, but not quite. I guess it's good enough. We can stop training for today, you look tired,” I commented. 

    “Sure am. I can’t wait to get back to camp and lay in the sunshine,” he said, bouncing up.

    It’s not ShadowClan camp though…I thought. Sometimes, I even thought that the storm and flood was caused by me, like it was StarClan’s way of telling me to go away. I showed them. 

    “Let’s head back to camp, then,” I mewed. 

    “Alright.” 

    As I trekked through the forest with my new apprentice, I felt the cold air rush past me. 

    When we got to the makeshift camp, Flameleap came up to me and

said, “Flamepetal!” 

    “Hm?” 

    “Runningmist is awake,” she mewed. My heartbeat slowed down. “They said you could visit him for a few minutes, just a few, then he has to rest again. But you should go talk to him.” 

    I stiffened for a split second, then said, “okay. Thanks for letting me know, but I’m a little busy,” I rejected. 

    “With what? What is more important than talking to Runningmist?” she asked, sounding a little suspicious. 

    “Uhh–” I looked around quickly. I saw the morning patrol. “I was going to go on the border patrol,” I explained. 

    “Oh, okay. I’ll tell him that you're a little busy, he’ll be disappointed because he wanted to speak to you.” 

    I thought for a moment of going back and talking to the tom, but my anxiety about it stopped me. 

    “Wait…” Flameleap said. “What patrol are you going on…?” 

    “Why do you want to know…?” I asked slowly also. 

    “Just answer,” she meowed. My insides were feeling squirming as I kept thinking she caught me.

    “Uhhhh,” I stammered, my head racing with ideas. I was speechless. Right when I was about to answer, someone had called my name. 

    “Flamepetal!” 

I swiftly whirled around. I saw Toadclaw. 

    “What is it, Toadclaw?” I asked. He rolled his eyes. 

    “The others wanted me to get you…we're going to go see if ShadowClan camp is done flooding,” he mewed. My ears raised a little. 

    “Okay. Well, sorry, Flameleap. I gotta go,” I said. 

    “Huh. Well, alright. Touche. see you later,” my sister meowed, then left. I sighed, then turned around. 

    I looked around the camp and spotted on what I was trying to find. “Shrewpaw!” 

    The sandy and tan cat looked at me, his amber eyes round. “Yes, Flamepetal?” 

    “Turns out we’re going on a patrol, come on.” 

    “But didn’ you say we’re going on a break for the day?” the apprentice complained as he padded up to me. 

    “Stope your complaining, your coming with me, okay? It’s not like you have to train or anything, mouse-brain, you just have to check the old camp with us,” I mewed, trying to say it nicely. I did not want my tone of voice taken the wrong way.

    “Okay. Ready,” he sighed, but I noticed that excitement overtook his voice. He went to the entrance. 

    I turned around and followed my apprentice, and as I did, I hissed to myself silently, thinking why in StarClan I lied to my sister. The only times I did it was to protect her. . .this one was to not. It was only for my own protection. 

    You don’t want to see Runnimgmist, that's why…because if I do, then I’ll have to…my mind trailed off, too nervous to think anymore. 

    Feeling guilty, I left the camp with the others. I roamed the forest with my patrol, smells of prey overwhelming my nose. 

    I tried to calm my brain down because it was now racing with guilt and

shame. 

    “Flamepetal!” 

I came back to my senses as I looked to my side swiftly. I didn’t even notice Toadclaw walking beside me. 

    “What do you want now, Toadclaw? Haven’t you bothered me enough for today?” I asked sharply.

    “Calm down, you mouse-brain,” he hissed. “Hear out what I have to say, alright?” I flattened my ears straight down on my head. 

    “Look, all I wanted to do was to thank you for coming back to the Clan,” he mewed. 

    Thank me? I echoed silently. 

    “Runningmist has finally taken his medicine. So thanks.” 

He actually thanked me? Thanked me!? I thought angrily as my fur rose to a bristle. I can’t believe it! Did he think I wouldn’t actually come back? I was furious. He’s a fox-hearted cat! I didn’t just come back for his pleading, why would he think that! He hates me and the same for me! How dare he!

    “Yeah, so…?” I growled through gritted teeth, my fur stuck up. 

    “Because if you wouldn’t have come back, I would have killed you with no problem, like I’ve dreamed about since we were kits,” he hissed slowly and quietly so nobody else would hear him. 

    My paws started shaking as I watched him shove me to the side as he marched past me. 

    I started thinking of how in StarClan I put up with all the insults he kept throwing at me and how I did not manage to kill him for this long. 

    After a while, the old cozy familiar scent of ShadowClan came over me, and I gave myself a small purr. The scent was very faint as I smelled water, but it was still there.

    I could see how the flood destroyed this part of the forest. I saw trunks fallen down, leaves all around, piled on the ground. We had soon reached ShadowClan camp. 

    The patrol and I walked through the entrance and relief ran through me. I saw that the camp was destroyed, but better than I thought. 

    At least it's not too bad, I thought. 

    “The damage can be repaired, that’s good. Might take some work, though,” my old mentor, Mudheart, observed. 

    “We should continue looking around before we report back to Fawnstar, though,” Snowpelt suggested, his blue eyes darting around the place. 

    “Yes, of course. Toadclaw, check over there. Flamepetal, you over there,” Mudheart mewed, pointing his paw over to one area of the ruined camp. 

    I nodded slightly, and padded to the part where I was told to go.

     After a few minutes, I felt the wind picking up. It whistled in my ears as it passed me. I closed my eyes, trying to imagine that everything would be alright. 

    That everything was different for once. That I wasn’t me. I was someone else, someone else that everybody appreciated for once instead of hated. 

    I opened my eyes the next moment, shaking my head briefly, thinking that would never happen. That I’m here, and I felt stuck.

    I sighed, looking up at the sky. For a moment I thought that I could smell water. Then I thought if the flood would come back, and as I did, my anxiety came back. 

    “Flamepetal, you’re better than this. Stop. You’re just worrying yourself,” I hissed to myself. I tried to shove the horrible feeling of being drowned back down my throat. 

    I perked up my ears slightly as I swore I heard a voice talking to me. No, I wasn’t making it up, somebody was calling my name in a whisper. I whipped my head around to where I heard it, and saw it coming from the otherside of the bush I was staring at. 

    Without thinking of it, my paws started to automatically walk over to the source of the talking. 

    I reached the other side and to my shock, there was nothing or no one there, but the crazy idea was that l still heard sounds. 

    Am I going insane? Am I actually becoming deranged? I thought. Where is it coming from!? I thought frantically as I looked all around me, my heart rate beating so fast that I thought it would jump

out. 

    I started to breathe rapidly and heavily as my head was spinning and hurting, and I guess that it was probably from all the adrenaline that was darting in.

    I heard voices all around me now. I strained my ears so I could make out what it was saying. Finally I heard the words. I recognized it as my mothers words. I widened my eyes as I remembered the familiar words. 

    The flower had once burned with power. It grew stronger by the minute, rushing through the forests and burning them down. But with a power–stronger than itself–it burned out, and the flower ceased to exist. 

    That was long ago. I honestly forgot it existed…it was my fate. 

    I swallowed nervously as my mother said the next part. 

    That’ll be soon. Very soon, Flamepetal. Whatever happens, do not deny your fate, you cannot make it go away……she said, and it echoed. 

    “What do you mean by my fate though?” I asked. 

    “Mother, please tell me!” I pleaded desperately. There were no more words as silence cleared the area.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I returned back to the makeshift camp of ShadowClan, now sundown, and I was feeling distraught and worrisome about the words.

     Weird senses filled me when I entered. It was like I could still hear the echoes, but alas, they weren’t there at all. 

    as I sighed. What is happening with my life? 

    It was when I looked up when I saw him. He seemed to spot me as we made eye contact with each other. My breathing slowed down a little as I gazed. 

    “Runningmist!” I exclaimed, breaking into a run as I went over to the tom. I skidded to a halt next to him. 

    “You’re out of the den!” I exclaimed, sounding happy. “When did you come out?” 

    “Just before you came inside camp,” he responded. 

    “Did Honeyleaf give you permission?” I asked, spotting some concern in my own voice. 

    “Yes, don’t worry…” he purred. He sounded and looked very weak, but

at least he was up and walking around. “He just said not to do hard jobs.” 

    “You better do what he says,” I said. “You know…just don’t want you back in the medicine cat den. All the others have been worried for you,” I added quickly as I looked down at my paws nervously. 

    Runningmist just gave me a warm look and didn’t say anything. 

    “Runningmist!” I heard Flameleap say. I saw Flameleap race over by my side, Toadclaw beside her. 

    “You made it out!” she mewed, her voice filled with joy. 

    “Of course he did, you mouse-brain. Did you not think he’ll make it out?” Toadclaw protested. 

    “Well, I at least thought he would come out, like, tomorrow. Or something…” she said. She looked up. 

    “Anyway. How are you feeling?” she changed the subject. 

    “Much better. Not exactly, but almost there,” Runningmist replied. 

    “Oh, thats good.” 

    “So, Flameleap told me,” Flameleap said, eyeing the tom. I glared at her, already knowing what she was going to say. 

    “Told you what?” 

I eyed her, shaking my head, mouthing the word no please silently. She seemed to get the message, and she stuttered. 

    “Uh…um…oh yeah……oh she just told me that she caught a big rabbit earlier today…that’s all,” she stammered. Runningmist looked confused. 

    “Okay then,” he said, sounding very confused as he cocked his head to the side. 

    I sighed. I thanked StarClan for changing what she was going to say. I did not want to have the whole conversation with Runningmist on what he said in the den and how I replied. At least…not right now.

    I noticed Toadclaw looking at me. I stared back. He squinted his eyes a little as they showed suspicion. 

    Stay away from my brother, you useless heartless excuse for a cat, he seemed to mouth at me when the others were not paying any attention. I showed my teeth for a second as I flattened my eyes down slightly.

    “Anyway. Oh, yeah, how did the patrol go?” Flameleap asked quickly, turning to look at me. I could see that she was panicking from just

looking in her eyes. 

    “Went good. Seems like we can go back soon,” I replied. 

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I woke up from hearing the wind howling from the outside and after seeing Silverheart for training. I lifted my head and saw that it was well past midnight. 

    I closed my eyes trying to get back to sleep but it seemed like I couldn’t. 

    A minute later, I got up to my paws slowly. I then exited the den. I saw the glowing moon above me. 

    I padded outside, telling the guard, who was Mudheart, that I was taking a walk. He let me pass, having me promise that I would come back soon. 

    Okay, I’ll tell you why I’m out here. I didn’t want to do it just because I was trying to get tired. It was because Silverheart sent me, told me to come out here…

    I listened as prey walked past, skittering on the ground as if not trying

to be caught. I sighed.

    I wandered the forest for a bit, when I had decided to climb a tree. When I had reached the branch, I looked around. 

    I saw a river with the moonlight reflecting off it. The trees swayed as the wind blew past. 

    That's when I saw it. 

    Something by the water. 

    I squinted my eyes to see it closer. 

    It was a shadow. 

    Wait, no, a silhouette. 

    No, a cat! 

    I almost slipped and stumbled off the tree, surprised to see someone out here. Who was it though? I couldn’t smell anything because the scent of water was overwhelming as the sound overfilled my ears. 

    The cat turned their head, looked up to see me, their amber eyes glowering. That's when a thought ran through me. 

    Toadclaw. 

    Chills ran up my back as I jumped down the tree branch. I stared deep inside his amber eyes. Getting lost in them, my head was in pain.   

    “What are you doing out here?” I asked coldly. 

    “Waiting for you.”

    “How did you know I would come?” I asked slowly. 

    “Oh, you know…had Silverheart send you out,” he replied. My mouth hung open in a small little gape, letting the air get inside. My eyes widened out. 

    Silverheart sent me out. . . I had suddenly realized why Toadclaw wanted to send me out. The look on his face. The gleam in his eyes. 

    “By the way you look, I can tell you found out why I had Silverheart out here,” he said. “That's right, I’m gonna do the thing I’ve dreamed of doing when we were kits. Kill you…” 

    I swallowed, my heart skipping a beat. I said,“Not if I kill you first.” 

    Toadclaw started to circle me. I did the same. We circled around, I was waiting until he made a move. 

    To be really honest…? I was going to kill him tonight without anyone

noticing…I guess that was a mouse-dung of an idea. I can’t believe he caught onto me.

    “You see, I told you to stay away from my brother. Alas, you never did,” Toadclaw said. 

    “Yet you wanted me to come back?” I asked, thinking that this was unbelievable.

    “I didn’t want him to die, you know that,” he suddenly growled. 

    “Now prepare to die. Go to Dark Forest, and live with all the other heartless cats there that were sent down as bad omens to the Clans.”

    “You must have got it turned around.” 

    “Hah! You’ve forgotten. I’ve been trained by Silverheart, the best fighter and trainer of the Darkforest!” Toadclaw said cockly. 

    “You forget. I was also trained by Silverheart,” I mewed darkly, and then without warning I dashed forward and slid under Toadclaw’s stomach, clawing it as I did. I got to the other side as Toadclaw yowled in pain. 

    Toadclaw whipped around and tried to attack me. I dodged but he quickly jumped onto my back. He raked his claws as he slid off, but I

flipped him on his back. He flipped me back, stood on. I used my back legs and shot him upwards. 

    Toadclaw looked at me, I could see his stomach bleeding. I rushed forward and slashed his front, opening a new wound so his chest was bleeding. In return he slashed me on the ears.

    As we stood apart from each other. I started to breathe heavily, fatigued. With his chest bleeding, his blood dripping on the ground, he said,                        

    “You know. Cats have really underestimated you. You are weaker than they say.” 

    “Then I’ll show you how strong I really am,” I said. I then rushed as fast as I could, and I bashed into him, pinning him to the ground. 

    He tried to struggle out of my grip but I didn’t let him go. Now that I was standing above him, I stared at him, savoring this moment. Oh, how long I’ve waited for this moment. I was finally about to get rid of him once and for all.

    Eventually, Toadclaw’s grip loosened. His muscles relaxed–not all the

way–but a little. 

    “I guess you’ve won. You’ve got me,” he said. 

    “Any last words?” I asked. 

    “Don’t go after my brother,” he said slowly. I stared Toadclaw in the eyes. I then bit his throat, killing him the next moment. 

    Toadclaw was officially dead. I got off him. I saw his eyes staring into the sky endlessly. I then grabbed his scarf and put him in the rushing river. 

    My paws covered and now stained with his blood, I started to head back home.

Chapter nineteen:

News and fight.

    Murmurs filled the clearing and rang out into the woods. Countless eyes were staring at me as I was sitting on the branch, all of them filled with absolute horror.

    Runningmist’s blue shining eyes showed the most dread out of them all. 

    I just told them about Toadclaw’s death. I told them that a badger took his life late last night. I replayed the memory in my head, watching the rising sun while doing so. 

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I was heading back to camp, my blood dripping down my back as I triumphed over killing Toadclaw. I did not feel bad at all. 

    I soon found a river soon before I reached camp, and I swiftly washed Toadclaw’s dark blood off my paws. As I did, I finally felt free, getting rid of the tom who had ruined my life. 

    When I was almost finished washing my paws off in the cool water, I heard bushes rustling. 

    On instinct I whipped around. 

    “Who’s there?” I asked, sounding cautious. Better not be Silverheart or a badger…I thought. 

    “Flamepetal?” a cat responded, coming out of the bushes. I saw Runningmist, with his unforgettable blue eyes, his scar on the side of his body. 

    The mist in my head seemed to clear a little as I saw him come out from behind the bushes. 

    “Oh, Runningmist, you scared me,” I said. I tilted my head, and I said with trying not to have the fear show in my voice. “What are you doing out here?” 

    “Couldn’t sleep. How about you?” he returned the question. I watched as his pelt glowed in the moonlight, unable to say anything of the sort. I tried to speak but my voice wouldn’t let me.

    Runningmist’s eyes lit up with concern then darkened a little. 

    “Flamepetal, what’s wrong? You look scared,” he said softly. I turned my head to the water and I could see my reflection and my eyes staring back up to me, I could see they looked terrified and I could feel my body trembling. 

    I looked back at Runningmist. 

    “Come on, you can tell me,” he said gently as he padded up to me. He stood close to me at the point where our fur was brushing up against each other. 

    “Oh, Runningmist, it was terrible,” I managed to breathe out, my voice sounding hollow. I made my body tremble on command. 

    “What was it?” he asked. 

    “I-I can’t tell you. You won’t forgive me, ever. I’m a terrible, terrible cat. If I was just there a few moments before, then I could have…” I stopped talking as I got caught on my words. 

    “Come on, tell me. There is nothing in this world to not forgive you or stop being friends with you. You have to stop thinking like that, Flamepetal, because it’s not true,” Runningmist said lightly, his voice

soothing. 

    I wait for a few moments, then said in a trembling voice,

    “I was walking here and a little further away, I-I saw a badger. . . a-and it killed your brother. Runningmist, Toadclaw is dead.” 

    I felt as Runningmist started to shake a little.

    “I tried to get him, but I-I was too late. The badger got him before I did. I’m so sorry. If I got to him before the badger had him, I would have saved him,” I lied. 

    I looked up at Runningmist as he stayed silent.

    “Don’t worry, Flamepetal…I know you would have,” he said, sounding a little empty and hollow.

     His eyes lit up as his ears perked up, he looked happy but I could tell that it was forced.

    “Well, come back to camp with me. It’s cold, and you feel freezing,” he offered, “we’ll tell everyone the next morning.” 

    I nodded, and he led me home with him still right next to me, his warmth beginning to reach me. 

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    And now, here I am. Announcing the death of Toadclaw who had supposedly died from a badger.

     And I… I was the only one who ever knew the real truth. 

    I jumped down from the branch as Fawnstar came up and took my spot. I tried to ignore one of many of the set of eyes following me.

    “I’ve got happy news that ought to cheer all of us up, after that gruesome announcement,” the she-cat said loudly. 

    “The ShadowClan camp is ready to return back to. . . we will be taking a travel group there soon. Speaking of which, soon as in when Featherpaw and Honeyleaf finish up gathering all the herbs for us,” she mewed. 

    “It’s almost done! Just need a few more herbs!” I heard the medicine apprentice from the group. 

    Talking actually started to go through the crowd, one half was happy and the other half sounded scared as if they were still terrified of the news I gave them. 

    Which was what I wanted. Every cat to tremble. 

    After everyone had gone, I walked up to my two friends. Flameleap, who had seemed deep in thought flicked her ears, knowing that I was approaching. She looked up to me, her eyes filled with pain and sadness. 

    “I-I can’t believe he’s dead,” she said, lowering her ears. 

    “Me neither…but, Flameleap, you’ve got to get past this, okay?” I said. 

    “R-right…he’s–” Runningmist choked on his words, which made my paws go cold a little. He shook his head as if trying to clear it. 

    “Toadclaw is gone but at least he is in StarClan with the rest of our ancestors,” Runningmist said, resting his tail on my sisters shoulder.

    I looked closely at his face and could tell that he was struggling with his brother's death, even if he wasn’t trying to show it. 

    I could see his agony. 

    Pain. 

    Lonisness. 

    I felt a little bad for him. I mean, I did just kill his brother. His littermate who has been there since he was born.

    On the other side, Toadclaw did deserve it, another voice said, trying to

sound convincing. 

    “I suppose you're correct. We’ll join him sooner or later,” Flameleap agreed, nodding her head. 

    “If you look on the bright side of things, we will be able to return to ShadowClan later today,” I said, trying to make her feel better. 

    Flameleap’s eyes lit up with excitement, “I guess that's true, huh?”

    “Come on, let's go hunt. I know that’ll make you feel better,” I suggested. 

    “Okay. You coming, Runningmist?” Flameleap asked the tom. Runningmist nodded, perking up his ears, although I still spotted pain in his eyes. I decided to ignore it. 

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As I padded along the group of cats, I was freezing as chills ran up my spine. I shivered. 

    I could feel the mixed feelings of excitement and joy but at the same time, sadness and worry had flown out of the cats. 

    I swallowed, knowing that everything was alright and everything would

get better now that Toadclaw was gone. Better in everyone’s life. In my life.

    But will it?

    I sighed, shaking my head to clear it. I hissed to myself. 

    Mouse-brain excuse for a cat! Maybe StarClan was right. Maybe Toadclaw was right after all about being a bad heartless cat! I cried inside my head. I shook it vigorously. 

    I felt lost. 

    Suddenly a voice entered my head. 

    I see you killed Toadclaw…the chilling voice hissed inside my ear. In an instant I recognized it. 

    How did it feel? To have him between your claws? His life, your decision to give him mercy or death…? Silverheart continued to ask. 

    It felt great…but I am not sure how I feel about the results. . .I answered. 

    I mean, Runningmist–he’s hurting, I said silently. 

    Who cares? All that matters is that you got rid of your enemy for once

and for all. 

    As I imagined talking to Silverheart face to face, I imagined his vivid glowing green eyes to shine with resentment, as they always seem to do. Glow with the hatred towards StarClan, cats and even life itself. 

    I wondered what had happened in Silverheart’s life to make him like this. To send him to the Dark Forest. Then I wondered if he was just like me. An outcast in all Clans and the world. 

    I suppose that did feel good, I agreed with the silvered tom, feeling better. 

    There was no answer as he seemed to leave my consciousness. I looked over the crowd and saw Runningmist. I padded over to him. 

    “Hey,” I said, keeping my voice soft and gentle. 

    “Hi,” he responded gloomy. I flattened my ears a little. 

    “You’re still not sad, are you? Cheer up!” I said, trying to sound happy. Runningmist looked over to me, his eyes glowed. 

    “Huh?” 

    “I said. Cheer up! Listen, you're going to have to get over this death

sooner or later, so why not now? Save yourself the trouble?” I asked, inching towards him so I was touching his fur. 

    “Well, let’s see, my camp got overflooded, my brother just died. Now I have to get over it? Just like that?” he asked defensively. 

    “Look, I don’t think you understood me, Runningmist,” I said, trying to keep calm. 

    “I think I do understand what you're saying. I can’t get over my brother’s death–the one who has been with me since I was born–that easily. You're saying to get over it. I can’t. It seems like you don’t understand, Flamepetal!” he gave a low hiss, moving away from me, almost as if he pushed me away from him. 

    “What is wrong with you?” I asked, sounding hurt. 

    “What do you mean?” 

    “You're acting defensive. This isn’t like you,” I said, my fur rising to a bristling. 

    “I’m acting like myself. It’s just like I don’t like how you're saying ‘get over it’, without knowing how hard it is to lose someone in your life. This

hasn’t happened to you, ever, you haven’t lost someone you love. You don’t know how it feels,” he growled, sounding annoyed, flattening his ears slightly while his eyes glowing with anger. 

    I just stared at him. Feeling the strong sense of hurt flow through me as I relaxed my muscles. I just stared at him in complete disbelief. 

    “Have you seriously come to the point where you think I have no feelings? Hasn’t lost anyone!?” I asked, my voice raising. “I can’t believe you said that!” 

    Runningmist’s eyes widened, anger clearing from his vision as they became the usual innocents I’ve always seen. 

    “You don’t seem to understand. I’ve lost my mother. I lost her when I was a little kit! I got over that, but got made fun of because of it! But I got over it otherwise. So don’t you ever say I don’t understand how it feels to lose someone, because I do! I lost the one cat I’ve loved, and you know what? I regret being here when she is in StarClan. If I hadn’t come here to this world then she may still be alive. If I had a choice, I would go back in time so I wouldn’t be born and have Acornstripe live. I wish that

everyday!” I snarled angrily, my paws burning.

    “Flamepetal–” he spoke, his voice gentle. I left him without further notice. I marched through the crowd until I was next to Flameleap, and as I did I felt a few sets of eyes on me but I ignored them. 

    How dare he! And he claims he was even in love with me! And here I am…thinking that I was in love for the first time too…he deceived me. 

    “How's Runningmist?” Flameleap asked, sounding like she was cold. 

    “Don’t! Don’t ever talk about him to me. Ever. I don’t even want to hear his name!” I spat furiously, my anger rising by the second, the more I thought about what he said.  

    I thought he loved me! I thought he was my friend!