Chapter 8. Flamepaw is a very naughty kitty in this chapter.

Flamepaw got up early the next morning and he crept out of the apprentice den. He could smell Finchfur at the camp entrance, looking out into the forest. Flamepaw quietly ran to Leafpelt's den. Inside he saw Spottedclaw asleep on a moss bed while Leafpelt and Talontail were asleep near the entrance. Flamepaw carefully padded around them to the pile of juniper berries. After quickly glancing over at the medicine cats he stuffed every juniper berry into his mouth and went back outside and headed for the small make dirt place in the far corner. He dug a small hole and shoved every single berry into it before covering it up.

"Now all that is left to do is wait," Flamepaw headed back to the apprentice den just as the camp was being to wake up. He bumped into Swanpaw who was walking out. "Oh. Swanpaw."

"You're up early," said Swanpaw, "I'm on the dawn patrol."

"I had to make dirt," Flamepaw looked over at the medicine cat den. Any second now. He yowled in triumph in his head as Leafpelt exited and hurried over to Cloudstar's den. "Hang on. I'm going to see what Leafpelt is doing."

Leaving Swanpaw, he hurried over to Cloudstar's den just as Leafpelt was coming out. "Oh.Flamepaw. You aren't doing anything today?"

Flamepaw shook his head, "Not that I know of. Why?"

"It seems we have run out of juniper berries. I need someone to go to Nightclan with Talontail to get some," explained Leafpelt.

"I'd love to go," said Flamepaw trying to hide his enthusiasm. His plan had worked! He would be able to go to Nightclan now without having Nightclan cats clawing his fur off.

"Great," said Leafpelt, "I'll get Talontail. You wait by the entrance and you two can leave together."

Flamepaw walked over to the entrance and sat down, his tail flicking impatiently behind him for Talontail to come. "Sorry," said Talontail walking over, "I was checking Spottedclaw's wound. Anyway. Let's make this trip quick."

"Sure," said Flamepaw.

The two cats hurried through the forest. They took the shortcut through the field which lead to the river, the other side was Nightclan territory. Talontail sat on the ground and sniffed the air, "I wonder how long until a patrol shows up?"

Flamepaw groaned inwardly. He didn't want to wait for a patrol. He wanted to talk to Twilight now! The sun was getting higher and higher in the sky when finally a patrol seemed to appear before them. The patrol consisted of Silverstorm, Thorntail and a brown she-cat. "Was her name Flightfeather or something like that?"

"What are you doing here?" asked Thorntail.

"We want to talk to Skysong about medicine cat details," said Talontail, "Flamepaw is here to help me."

"Flightfeather," ordered Silverstorm, "Get behind them. Thorntail. You run on ahead and tell Skysong they are coming."

Flamepaw watched as Talontail disappeared into the forest. Silverstorm lead the way for the two Flameclan cats. After what seemed like forever they reached a huge bramble wall. Silverstorm stepped to the side and gestured for the two Flameclan cats to enter first. Talontail crawled through the hole in the bramble with Flamepaw close behind him. The inside of the camp was a bit smaller than Flameclan's but they had a huge cliff face on one side. Scarstar was sitting on a huge rock by his den. He watched the Flameclan cats every move as they headed for Skysong's den, another cave in the cliff face.

"So?" asked Skysong, wrapping her light gray tail around her paws, "What can I do for you?"

"Flameclan needs some juniper berries," explained Talontail, "We have come to get some."

"Sure," Skysong got up and gestured to a small pile in the corner, "Take all of it. I was going to go out and get more anyway."

"Thank you," Talontail dipped his head, "Oh and…" He trailed off and looked at Flamepaw, "Could you go outside for a second?"

Flamepaw would have been annoyed that Talontail wanted to get rid of him but that was what he wanted. "Sure," Flamepaw stepped outside and looked around, his eyes settling on two foxes near a stump. Flamepaw walked over to them. "Uh. Hi?"

Twilight lifted his head while Ruby just opened an eye. "You're a Flameclan cat. You came with Talontail?"

Flamepaw nodded, "I wanted to ask you something."

"What?" asked Twilight, placing his tail on Ruby's shoulder, maybe to remind Flamepaw that she was listening as well. "Go ahead."

"Badgerpaw told me you were spacing out a lot. Are you…I mean do you think you know a cat even though you know you never met this cat before?" Flamepaw sighed. What he said sounded so confusing. He hoped Twilight got what he meant.

Twilight nodded, "I guess so." He narrowed his eyes, "Why?"

"A cat told me to tell you that she is always thinking of you," said Flamepaw. He hoped this would make Twilight remember something. Anything.

Twilight's eyes widen and he was still for a second. He shook his head, "How can that be? I remember Cinderstream the medicine cat but I don't know what happened to her. And I knew there was someone she was related to but I can't remember who that cat was."

Flamepaw yowled in triumph. He finally had a lead. Cinderstream the medicine cat. Looks like his next stop was Skysong. Something was bugging him though, "Wait. So you were thinking about Cinderstream?"

"Odd isn't it," laughed Twilight, "We were always close and…" He looked at Ruby, "I wonder if Crystal never came along then would Cinderstream and I?" He shook his head, "Watch me babble on."

"It's fine," said Flamepaw, "I need to need back now." Leaving Twilight, he raced back to the medicine cat den just as Talontail was coming out, his mouth stuffed with juniper berries. He gestured with his tail that Flamepaw should stuff his mouth before walking to the exit.

Flamepaw grinned and he slipped inside. Skysong was gathering the last of the juniper berries. "Oh. There you are. Here are the ones you need to carry."

"Can I ask you something?" asked Flamepaw walking over to the berries, "What happened to Cinderstream?"

Skysong froze and looked up, "I don't know." She looked away, "I don't know. I wish I did. I wish I see her in Starclan but I don't. And Starclan is so cryptic about it as well. They won't tell me anything. It's like she just upped and vainished."

"When did she vanish?" asked Flamepaw.

Skysong thought for a second, "I would say eight moons ago. The night where a bunch of us were in the gathering ground for no reason."

"Thanks," said Flamepaw grabbing the juniper berries. He ignored the tears at the edge of spilling out of Skysong's blue eyes. He ran out of there quickly, not wanting to deal with a crying medicine cat.