Sorry about the long wait…school is hectic. Anyways…here is the chapter ten that hopefully some of you have been waiting for.
Grayflame and Fatepaw set off that very afternoon to (again) search for Emberpaw.
"Where could she be?" Fatepaw grumbled.
"Anywhere" was Grayflame's terse reply.
Fatepaw sighed. They had been searching for some time now, but they hadn't even picked up a trace of Emberpaw's scent. Suddenly, Fatepaw saw a paw print deeply imprinted into the forest floor.
"Grayflame!" she called.
Grayflame rushed over.
"Is this Emberpaw's paw print?" she asked.
Grayflame examined it. "It could be," he answered. Grayflame flicked his tail. "Come on, let's keep on going."
To their surprise, they found more paw prints and followed them. Finally, they came to an old hollow tree that had a hole inside.
"Do you think…" Fatepaw whispered. Grayflame shrugged. "There's only one way to find out," he whispered back, and he slowly stuck his head into the hole.
A hiss welcomed him. "Get out!" a voice said.
"Emberpaw?" Grayflame said.
The cat slowly climbed out of the hole. "Grayflame? Fatepaw?"
Fatepaw winced. Emberpaw, who had once been a pretty cat, had a pelt thick with fleas, and was skinny enough to see her ribs. "Yes, it's us," Fatepaw replied, swallowing her horror.
"Let's get you home."
When the trio got to camp, all of the cats swarmed around Emberpaw like she was a cat celebrity. They all asked questions like how did she survive and stuff like that. Finally, Bladestar intervened and quickly rushed her off to the medicine cats' den.
After Emberpaw had a treatment of mouse bile and a couple of pieces of fresh kill, a cat informed her that Bladestar wanted to see her. Emberpaw gulped. It was most likely going to be about how undisciplined she was for leaving the camp and almost dying (kind of).
"Emberpaw…how was-"
"I'M SORRY!" Emberpaw burst out. "I'm sorry that I disobeyed your orders. Punish me as you wish."
Bladestar tilted his head, bewildered, and suddenly he laughed. "Emberpaw," he purred. "I could never punish you."
Now it was Emberpaw's turn to be confused. "You…couldn't?" she asked. "Why?"
Bladestar cleared his throat. "I'm your grandfather."
"Wh…what?" Emberpaw meowed.
Bladestar sighed. "I guess I'll have to explain everything. Emberpaw, do you know your mother and father?"
Emberpaw opened her mouth indignantly. "Of course I do! My mother and father were…were…okay, maybe I don't know," she admitted quietly.
"Your mother was Icecatch, and your father was Heatclaw."
"What?" Emberpaw asked. "My father is the deputy, and my mother is banished?"
"Yes," Bladestar answered.
"Your father, Heatclaw, was a noble warrior. I was his father. I was so proud of him. But then he met Icecatch." Bladestar spat out the words. "Icecatch was a good warrior, and she acted nice to Heatclaw, leading him on…before long, they had a kit together. And that was you."
"That was me," Emberpaw echoed.
"I didn't like Icecatch," Bladestar admitted. "She acted too nice. Later, she became meaner and more…judgmental," he said. "Heatclaw realized this, and he left her."
"And then Icecatch found Foxcloud," Emberpaw piped up.
"Correct." Bladestar took in a deep breath. "Emberpaw, you like Grayflame, don't you?"
Emberpaw blushed. "Wh-what do you mean?"
"You must realize that him and Fatepaw like each other, right?"
Emberpaw sighed. "Correct."
"Don't hate Fatepaw for that." Bladestar's voice became gentle.
Emberpaw hung her head. "I'll try."
"Okay." Bladestar flicked his tail. "Dismissed."
That night, Emberpaw was heading to her den, when suddenly, Grayflame was just right next to her.
"Hey, are you okay?" Grayflame asked. "It must be hard living on your own for a day or two."
Emberpaw just nodded. Her pelt was tingling with excitement. Grayflame had just talked to her! Emberpaw literally floated to her nest.
Meanwhile, Fatepaw had seen the whole thing from her nest. He's probably just asking her if she's okay or whatnot, she thought. Still, a twinge of suspicion pierced her heart.
Is Grayflame cheating on me?
YAY ITS DONE PLEASE READ AND REVIEW