FLAREPAW

They picked their way carefully down the steep, rocky hillside that led to Fourtrees and joined the familiar trail that led home. It was late afternoon now.

When her paws reached the snow on the IceClan territory, she felt a relaxation spring through her. She let out a long sigh and dug her claws deep into the snow. "OH, I'VE MISSED THIS! However the other Clans deal with the heat are incredibly insane!"

As they drawn closer and closer to camp, they heard... yowling.

And a familiar scent rolled up into their nostrils.

Rouge.

Flarepaw stiffened with fear. "We need to get to camp...now." She raced ahead of the others.

When they dashed into the clearing, they were met by a frenzy of fighting. IceClan cats battling furiously with rouges.
Every corner of the camp was alive with warriors. Riverpelt and Amberleaf clawing and biting at a huge gray tom. Even the queen Berrysplash was fighting. Darkclaw was locked in a fierce tussle with a black rouge. All the elders, Ravenbird, Snowheart, and Springleaf, were nipping bravely at a tortoiseshell that fought with twice their speed and ferocity.

Rushing first into battle, Flarepaw caught hold of a tabby, much larger than her, and sank her teeth deep into his leg. He yowled with pain and turned on her, lashing out with sharp claws and lunging at her neck with his teeth bared. She twisted and ducked to avoid his bite. He couldn't match her speed, and she managed to grasp her from behind and pull her down in the snow. With her strong hind legs she clawed at his back till he squealed and struggled away from her, running and heading for the stone tunnel.

Flarepaw caught sight of Shinepaw leaping on the rouge who was attacking the elders. She hissed, clawing and kicking.
The tortoiseshell hissed, squealing and leaped, kicking Shinepaw off, and heading for the tunnel.

Poolstar was fighting a tabby. Her victim struggled to escape but she held him tightly and clawed him so fiercely that he yowled in pain and kicked, springing for the tunnel.

A white tom with blue eyes with black splashes on his pelt with black paws began to reach towards the den that was the nursery. The kits were squealing and mewing, undefended now as their mothers wrestled with other rouges in the clearing.

The tom had scooped two kits from their bedding and was reaching in for a third.

Shinepaw had run to him to block him with a hiss, but when he looked like he was about to kill Shinepaw, Leafeye leaped and slammed into him, raking her hind legs across his flank. She raised her claws and raked him across the face painfully.
The tom yowled in pain as the old cat then kicked him down and she looked at Shinepaw, "Never underestimate your elders. I'll defend the nursery."
Shinepaw nodded.

Flarepaw puffed out her chest in pride. The rouges are leaving! We're win—
A paw knocked her down to the snow, she suddenly felt a terrifying pressure on her neck.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" A menacing yet familiar snarl ranged out in the clearing, and the crowd of cats spaced out.
Realization had hit Flarepaw.
Claw had attacked her.

She felt claws inches away from her neck.
She panicked.

Poolstar stepped forward, furious.
"One more step," he hissed. "And she's dead."

Flarepaw felt like she couldn't breath.
Is this the end for me? she thought. The fearless and amazing apprentice dies before she can show her worth to the Clan?

Claw stared at Poolstar. "Now.. I won't ask you another time. Give me your territory, or I'll slaughter this little runt without hesitation."

No! She let out a raspy hiss and she tried to reach out to Poolstar. "Don't listen to him!"
"Quiet," hissed Claw. She felt unpleasant claws dig deeper at the back of throat, forcing to cough, feeling warm red liquids pour from her mouth and drip onto the snow, coloring it red.

Poolstar stared in horror.

"Since you're so slow to understand," Claw purred, "I'll give you a preview." She then felt a horrid pain as she felt teeth bite at the tip of her right ear. She let out a scream of agony and started clawing the snow in pain as Claw took out a chip of her ear, which stained the snow.

Suddenly, she felt the heavy weight off her and looked up.

Poolstar had grabbed Claw's scruff from behind and flinged him off her apprentice. While he was still in the air, she leaped and raked her claws across his side ragefully and then landed on the snow. She snarled like a lion's roar, and pushed Claw against the camp's walls and slashed his cheek multiple times.

When Claw was clearly in shock, she raised her claws and pinned his muzzle to the ground with her powerful paw.
She then snarled, "Leave."
Her eyes were in slits as she dug her claws harder in his muzzle. "And if I ever see you a inch in my territory, every IceClan cat in the forest will be after your head."

Claw pulled his head up with a defiance, and after a moment, he let out a battle-cry yowl and all his rouges pulled up towards him. He then hissed, "This isn't over, Poolstar. Be sure of that." Then the rouges lined up and left camp through the stone tunnel.

As Flarepaw stood up, Shinepaw rushed over to her, purring.
Flarepaw flinched at the sight of her sister and shoved past her. "I'm fine."
Stop acting like you care, she thought.

As she stalked away from Shinepaw, Shadowpaw raced over to her with happiness, "You're alright!" he choked.
Flarepaw purred and batted him. "Of course! That scum didn't know who he was facing," she grinned. Shadowpaw was the first cat that actually made her feel happy.
Shadowpaw bowed his head teasingly, "Oh, of course, wise old Flarepaw."

Poolstar called to the medicine den, "Owlpool! Lakeshine! You can come out of hiding now, the battle is over. Can you check for the injured?"
Owlpool came out first, leading Lakeshine behind her.

They checked over the injured cats, Owlpool leading Thornwing to the medicine den, and Lakeshine padded over to Flarepaw.

Flarepaw used all her strength not to flinch. She never really was excited that Lakeshine was her future medicine cat. Lakeshine always seemed to nose into everyone's business. Unlike Owlpool. Owlpool actually respected privacy.
Lakeshine applied a poultice to her deep chipped ear, and wrapped the wound with cobwebs.

When Lakeshine had finished, Riverpelt wove her way back through the crowd, followed by Leafeye. The black queen stepped forward and addressed them. "Our kits are all safe, thanks to Leafeye. A rouge was trying to steal them from their nest, but Leafeye fought him off."
"It was no ordinary rouge either," Leafeye put in. "It was Splash. I heard cats yowl his name during the fightin'."
And how in StarClan do you know him? Flarepaw thought. Is Leafeye just not gonna give us her secrets? She owes us, after all, we did spare her life.

Owlpool stepped out of the medicine den with a sigh and she padded to Poolstar to whisper in her ear. Poolstar nodded and looked at the Clan, "IceClan! Owlpool has something to announce."
Every cat looked at Owlpool.
Owlpool stepped forward. "Thornwing's injuries were too deep to heal..." she paused, then continued. "Thornwing has joined the ranks of StarClan."
Shinepaw let out a horrified gasp.

Featherfall and Darkclaw carried Thornwing's body to the clearing. Owlpool was right; he was covered in deep claw marks. His pale blue eyes were clouded.
Riverpelt hurried forward, and cried in her mate's fur.

Shinepaw went to sit with him, as tears rolled down her cheeks.
A tiny piece of Flarepaw wanted to comfort her sister, but she shoved it down with force.
It hurts, doesn't it? she thought bitterly, she let out a snort and padded into the apprentices' den and curled in her moss nest.

She knew instantly she was having.. the memory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shadowpaw nuzzled her in grief, but she felt nothing. "It's okay, Flarepaw.."
Flarepaw turned her head away. "No it's not! It's my fault!"
Shadowpaw stepped forward and looked at her with sympathy. "How?"
She curled in a ball in her moss nest. "I-I argued with Dovenose the night before she died.. and StarClan has punished both me by having Goldenfur kill Dovenose.. If maybe I hadn't argued, I could of come on the patrol and stopped Goldenfur.."

Shadowpaw looked at her with comfort. "Cats die all the time, Flare.."
"But Dovenose wasn't just a cat! She was the deputy.. and now she's gone."
Shadowpaw put his tail on her shoulder. "I'm always here to comfort you."

Flarepaw wiped her tears away with sorrow and looked at Shadowpaw, "Where is Shinepaw? Is she coming?" Is Shinepaw grieving for Dovenose too? Should I go out and comfort her like she would always do for me?
Shadowpaw looked hesitant.
Flarepaw stood up, her tears drying up. "What? What is it?"
Shadowpaw sighed, "You better see for yourself."

When Flarepaw went over to the entrance, she widened her eyes in dismay.
There was Shinepaw, smiling as she mewed in a hushed voice to the new kittypet as the Clan mourned and groomed Dovenose.
Does she even know how I feel? she thought bitterly. Does she even care?

Anger builded in her like rage. I'm mourning and all she is doing now is chit-chatting with a kittypet.. I see how it is...

"I'm going to take a nap," she mewed, feeling hollow of what she has just learned. She padded towards her moss bed, and curled into a ball, forcing into sleep over the new things she learned over the cat she thought was her sister.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Flarekit bounced onto her sister in the nursery. "Come on, Shine! We're five moons now, so let's enjoy our remaining time as kits!"
Shinekit purred and stood up and raced after Flarekit. "Alright, alright! I'm coming!"
Flarekit grinned. "Let's go and visit the leader's den! We'll be quick so Poolstar won't see us!"
Shinekit giggled. "We just have to be super careful to make sure we don't get into trouble!"

When they raced over towards the leaders' den, Flarekit peaked in with a purr of triumph. "No Poolstar!"
Shinekit giggled. "I've never been this close to the leader' den before!" She said, still looking in from the outside.
Flarekit teasingly put a paw to her chest. "That's because you don't know how to have fun!"

A calm voice spoke from behind them, "Hello, young kits."
Flarekit and Shinekit turned around to see Poolstar herself.

Shinekit shrank back. "H-hi, Poolstar... I-I'm sorry we came into your den, we just wanted to see!" Shinekit said to the leader in front of them.
Poolstar chuckled. "It's quite fine."

She then nudged them with her muzzle. "Now go on. I will be telling Splashstream of what happened."
"But mom will be mad at us if you tell her!" Flarekit complained.
Poolstar looked amused. "Well, should of thought of that before trying to make a nest in my den."
Flarekit let out a huff as they scampered off.

As they walked through the clearing, side by side, Flarekit sighed. "Well, that didn't work. The only real thing we could do without getting into any trouble is trying the Elders' den."
Shinekit smiled at her. "At least we got close without getting in any.. real trouble from Poolstar!"
Flarekit smirked. "True!"

As Shinekit trodded off ahead of Flarekit, Flarekit smirked and scrunched up her small legs and pounced, leaping on Shinekit with glee.
The two sisters rolled with each other and Flarekit puffed her chest proudly. "I win!"
Shinekit let out a playful huff, "You ALWAYS win."
Flarekit let out a giggle as she rolled off Shinekit with a grunt. "Shine?"
"Yeah?"
"Best sisters forever?"
"Forever."
"And we'll always have each others' backs, right?"
"Of course," Shinekit purred. "I promise."
They let out squeals of joy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Flarepaw woke up with a jolt, and touched her cheek to feel fresh new tears.
She stood up.
Alright Shinepaw, she thought bitterly, her heart feeling like a thousand leaf-bares, You leave me in the dark? I leave you in the dark.

She lifted her ears to hear pawsteps padding to the apprentices' den and her ear twitched.
She heard the kittypet mew, "How many apprentices are there?"
Shinepaw mewed, "Well, there's Shadowpaw, my sister, Cherrypaw, Icepaw, you, and me. That makes six."

Flarepaw let out a quiet hiss.

Flarepaw stepped into the moonlight, and narrowed her eyes. "So here comes the new apprentice!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Flarepaw woke up with a jolt.

With a grumble, she slid out of the apprentices' den to see how long it has been.
To her fury, she saw Shinepaw mourning quietly at the loss of her mentor while Alderpaw and Icepaw comforted her.
She's made so many friends, Flarepaw thought bitterly, and left me out of it in the background to rot away in the dust.

Lakeshine tended to injuries, some being more severe than others. She was always carrying around cobwebs and herbs, from one place in camp to another.

Owlpool padded lightly around the camp, tending to wounds and battered nerves. Flarepaw watched her approach Poolstar twice, but each time the leader sent her away to see to the others. Only when Owlpool had attended to the wounds of all the other cats did Poolstar allow her to treat her scratches.
When Owlpool had finished treating Poolstar's wounds, Owlpool turned and walked back to her den. Poolstar stood and slowly hauled herself up onto the Highrock.

When the cats padded together in a crowd, Flarepaw shoved past Shinepaw, not wanting to sit near her, and sat next to Icepaw.

"It is nearly moonhigh," meowed Poolstar as Flarepaw slipped into place next to Icepaw. "And it is once my duty—much, much too soon—to name IceClan's new deputy."
Flarepaw looked from warrior to warrior. They were all looking to Shadowfoot. Even Featherfall turned to watch the white tom.
A perfect choice, Flarepaw thought admiringly of the great warrior.

Poolstar took a deep breath and continued. "I say these words before the body of Thornwing, so that his spirit may hear and approve my choice." She hesitated. "I have not forgotten how one cat avenged the death of Dovenose and brought her body back to us. IceClan needs this fearless loyalty even more now." Poolstar paused again and then meowed the name loud and clear. "Shadowfoot will be the new deputy of IceClan."

There was a yowl of approval, with the loudest voices belonging to Darkclaw and Jayclaw. Featherfall sat calmly, her eyes closed, her tail wrapped neatly around her. She was nodding slowly and approvingly.

Shadowfoot lifted his chin proudly, his eyes half-closed as he listened to the Clan. Then he stalked through the crowd, accepting tributes with the smallest of nods, and leaped up onto the Highrock with Poolstar. "IceClan," he yowled, "I am honored to accept the position of Clan deputy. I never expected to gain such high rank, but by the spirit of Thornwing, I vow to serve you the best I can." He gravely dipped his head, fixing the crowd with his yellow eyes, and jumped down from Highrock.

Flarepaw heard Icepaw murmur, "Oh, no!" under her breath beside her. She turned to look curiously at the apprentice.
Icepaw's head was hanging low. "She should never have chosen him!" she muttered.
"Are you talking about Shadowfoot?" Flarepaw whispered. What is she going on about?

"He's wanted to be deputy ever since he took care of Dovenose—" Icepaw mewed. She stopped abruptly.

"Took care of Dovenose?" Flarepaw echoed. Her mind suddenly raced with questions. What did Icepaw know? At the Gathering, had her account of the battle with DawnClan been true?

Was Shadowfoot responsible for Dovenose's death?