Redstar shifted restlessly in his nest, even though he was exhausted from staying awake the night before. He had come back to get some sleep, but knowing Flintfoot was giving Foxpaw an assessment made him uneasy. Redstar heaved himself up, shaking scraps of moss from his pelt. He emerged from his den and quietly crept around the camp into the dirtplace, wrinkling his nose at the smell. When he emerged, he sniffed his pelt disgustedly.
I thought it was apprentices who were supposed to sneak out through the dirtplace.
He buried his nose in the earth so he could get rid of the smell, and carefully prowled through the ferns until he picked up Flintfoot's trail. Redstar followed it silently, hoping his dark ginger pelt would blend in with the tree trunks. As the scent grew stronger and fresher, Redstar began to doubt himself.
Flintfoot's normally a brave, helpful warrior. Perhaps last time was nothing more than a mistake. Should I be questioning his loyalty by following him?
Yet he couldn't shake off the feeling of danger whenever the warrior was near, the instinct that something much darker lurked beyond those bright golden eyes.
The old tom shook his head. Whatever it is, I've come this far. I can't turn back.
Lost in his daydreaming, it took Redstar a few moments to realize that he could hear sounds that were not the happily twittering birds or the occasional screech of fresh-kill as a predator took its life. He could hear hissing and yowling- Flintfoot's voice. It was filled to the brim with hate.
Redstar crept over to a rock that would conceal him and carry his scent away from the raging warrior, while still giving him a clear view.
"You worthless piece of crow-food! You scared away all the prey in the forest! You were moving around like a fox in a fit!" he screamed at the cowering apprentice. Before she could answer, he lashed out his paw and scarlet blood welled from a scratch on Foxpaw's side.
Why did I give him another apprentice? Redstar thought in agony. Treepaw lost an eye because of him, and now he might never become a full warrior.
The leader pulled himself up to his full height and strode over to the warrior and apprentice, not letting his despair show. Why does he have to be like this?
"Flintfoot," he ordered, "go to my den at once. I will meet you there." The gray warrior streaked off into the forest without a word.
He turned to Foxpaw, his tone softening. Her eyes were still wide with terror. "Come on, you'll need to get those scratches treated at the medicine cat's den." The apprentice followed him through the forest, fear-scent coming off her in waves.
"Will Flintfoot still be my mentor?" she asked
"No, I'll find you a new mentor" I'll never let Flintfoot mentor another apprentice again!
At the camp Redstar went to his den to find Flintfoot waiting for him. "Flintfoot," he said sternly "what you did today was your last chance. You will never mentor another apprentice again. You are never to harm another cat."
"Fireclan will not last forever," he sneered. "Those apprentices were weaklings, anyway."
"The apprentices were noble cats. They did not deserve to be hurt," replied Redstar, struggling to keep his voice even.
Flintfoot scanned Redstar with intimidating eyes, black as a raven's wing. The grey warrior turned around without a word and walked out the den, neatly jumping from the rock to the ground.
Redstar watched him, saying nothing.
I hope I have solved the problem for now. But soon Fireclan must get rid of that cat once and for all.
Four will untie and overtake the warrior of stone.
Redstar waited patiently as the sunset illuminated his majestic coat. He waited for the next rise of Fireclan.