a/n: Special thanks to Jokegirl and PinkRhinosAreBest. You guys made my day, I got lots of favorite and comments within the first few hours I posted my story! Thank you to everyone who reviewed!
Disclaimer: E.R.I.N.H.U.N.T.E.R. S.P.A.R.K.L.E.S.P.A.Z.Z I think you get the idea.
What About Me?
Fireheart silently cursed Goldenflower for making him do this. How could he tell this unfortunate apprentice what a 'terrible monster' his father had been? How could he look into his innocent eyes and say, "Well, sorry kid, but your daddy was a traitor who was exiled for trying to kill your leader, and is now probably out there somewhere feeding off of toads."
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure you don't do that.
Fireheart heard himself clearing his throat. "Er, Bramblepaw, theres something I need to talk to you about." Bramblepaw spun around, and looked eagerly into Fireheart's eyes. "Yes?", he said.
He hesitated. Finally, Fireheart took a deep breath and said, "I'm sure by now you have figured out who your father is."
Bramblepaw seemed to wilt in the sunlight. "Yes. I... have." Uurghh! He couldn't do this! "Wait a minute Fireheart, are you showing compassion for Tigerstar's son?! Yes, actually I am. WELL cut it out. No! Stupid conscience." In the time Fireheart had been battling the ever-raging battle with the voices inside his head, Bramblepaw had spoken several times. "Umm Fireheart? Fireheart are you okay?"
Fireheart snapped out of it. "Yes, I'm sorry Bramblepaw. What were you saying?"
"I was just saying... I'm sorry."
"Your sorry."
"Uh huh. I didn't mean to."
"Didn't mean to do what, kiddo?"
"It's my fault."
"Your fault..."
"For what he did."
"What?! Who told you that?!"
"You did."
Fireheart had nothing to say that time. Had he been as cruel to this kit as cats were to him when he joined Thunderclan? Just because of where his blood came from?
"No Bramblepaw... I'm sorry."
Bramblepaw backed away a little warily. What did he mean he was sorry? Sorry for what?
"I d-don't understand."
Fireheart sighed and said, "I'm sorry for making you believe anything bad about yourself. Thing are just... complicated lately."
-
Fireheart heard the blood rushing in his ears. It was all a trap! Tigerclaw was plotting with Brokenstar. He was thrown out of his thoughts when a cream-colored tabby with hard blue eyes jumped on him from behind. He yowled and shook her off, then scratched at her eyes. She pulled out of his grasp and bit his shoulder. Finally, Fireheart threw himself backwards, crushing her. He flipped over and bit her hindleg, hard. She let out a cry of defeat and ran out of the camp, tail between her legs. Fireheart watched her with triumph, before he realized something was not right. Where was Tigerclaw? Everything screamed danger.
-
"You mean Bluestar. Bluestar is 'complicated lately'."
Fireheart smiled at his innocence. "Yes that's right." Then he quickly he added, "But don't tell anyone that."
Bramblepaw smiled his cute, goofy, kit-like smile. "I won't."
-
Then Fireheart stopped. His blood ran cold. He heard voices from inside Bluestar's den. "Tigerclaw!" Bluestar yelled sternly. "What are you doing?!" This was answered with a snarl. "Remember me to Starclan, Bluestar." Fireheart didn't like where this was going. "Tigerclaw! Have you forgotten I'm your clan leader?!" Cold laughter rained down from the inside. "Not for much longer Bluestar. I'm going to kill you, and kill you again, as many times as it takes for you to join Starclan forever. It's time for me to lead this clan." Bluestar's protest was suddenly cut short by the sound of paws thudding against the hard floor of the den, followed by a blood-curdling screech.
-
"Fireheart? Why does nobody like me?"
Fireheart winced. It was better to be truthful and tell him now. "Bramblepaw, a lot of people don't like you, because they are afraid. They are afraid you will do something terrible like your father did."
Bramblepaw looked angry at this. "They don't even know me!"
Fireheart nodded sadly and smiled. "I know how it feels."
Bramblepaw stared. "Your father was a mass murderer too?" Fireheart gave a mrrow laughter.
"No. No a lot of people don't trust me or don't think I'm good enough, because I used to be a kittypet."
His eyes widened. "You were? But your not bad... oh. I see. Were both kind of the same, because neither of us are bad, but not everyone believes that."
Fireheart nodded, reliving the memories of his days as a kittypet. Everything had changed.
-
Fireheart watched in horror as Graypool's head hit the rocks. Tigerclaw muttered curses under his breath and dissapeared behind the trees. Fireheart rushed to Graypool's side. He didn't care he where he was or what he was doing, he needed to help her. In his state of shock, he almost forgot who had done this to her.
-
"Fireheart, now it's my turn to ask you about something."
"Yes Bramblepaw?"
Silence.
Finally, "What about me?"
Fireheart paused. He thought the question over.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, am I bad?"
"I thought we just went over this. Neither of us are bad."
"Oh." Bramblepaw looked up at him for a moment and said,
"Fireheart, I don't think you look at me in the way you do because 'Bluestar is complicated'. You look at me like... like... I hurt you."
-
It was torture. Every. Day. Another snide remark about Riverclan friends, a snarky your-a-worthless-kittypet, a harsh blow directed at his past love life. But that was nothing. Nothing, compared to what he was going through now. From dawn to dusk, Fireheart would have to feel the impact of Tigerstar's treachery one-hundred times harder than his clanmates. Only because he had to look at her. Bluestar's eyes, once full of life, held nothing but loathe and regret for past deeds. She had turned her back on everything, everything but Fireheart, so he had to be there for her. That one smile twitching at the corners of her mouth, was gone. She did not look like Bluestar. She looked tired, she looked haunted.
-
"Bramblepaw, I'm going straight out into the open on this.", Fireheart pronounced. He didn't wait for a reply. "I will not deny your father was a great warrior. His ambitions simply got the best of him, and, at times, his head seemed to grow quite large."
He must have said something right, because Bramblepaw snorted.
"But he was not bad. Not to begin with anyway. He wanted too much power. Promise me, promise me, you will not do the same things he did. Think of it as a gift. A gift to him. Be what he could have been."
Bramblepaw nodded solemly.
"I promise Fireheart. I will give him a second chance."
Fireheart beamed at him. "I know you will be a great warrior someday."
Together, they walked back to camp. It seemed as though a peace had settled over the forest. Almost as if a barrier had been broken.
a/n: I feel like the story just... stopped. HELP! I need a beta reader!