Hi everyone!
First, I named my cat Dapplecloud! Thank you for suggesting it, Goldenthicket! And Dapplecloud now has two kits! Melody and Stripe! Whoo hoo!!!!! Yay!
I can sometimes be lazy, so I've decided to answer all my reviews right here. Even if there aren't many. So here they are.
Goldenthicket- Of course! (ties ribbon) (gives plushie) Those are all really good names, by the way. I might use them in future stories. Maybe. Yeah.
Whisperclaw15- Thanks!
Sparklingstar -aka Sparkles...- Thank you, thank you! (bows)
MidnightNinja611- Ok! (hands over plushie)
Steeltalon - She makes me want to allergic too. (sneezes)
Fox-Zodiac - Sorry, but it's not brother and sister love. It's love love. You know what I mean.
Pebblepaw - I know, I know. But it took me a while to write this. School and all... Uh, well, here ya go! (gives plushie)
I'm don't know if I answered everyone's review's. Hmmm... Oh well. Everyone gets a cookie! (gives out coookies for no reason)
Enjoy!
Sandypaw stared at the sky. The clouds were dark and murky, and Sandypaw had to supress a shiver as a drop of water fell onto her head.
"I hope it doesn't rain," she meowed to Duskpaw, who was sitting on the ground beside her.
"Nah." Duskpaw shook her head. "If it does, I'll tell StarClan to make it rain mice instead."
Sandypaw chuckled, then stopped as she spotted Flamefur walking over to the medicine den. She stared at him, a shiver crawling up and down her spine. She watched him disappear into Webclaw's den, then bent down to lick her fur. The sun had set three times since Sandypaw's near-death at Falling Cliffs. Her leg felt better now, though she had started wishing that her accident had never happened. Otherwise, she wouldn't have fallen in love with Flamefur and everything would be perfect.
Flamefur came out of the medicine den and noticed Sandypaw looking at him. He waved his tail in greeting. Sandypaw sank her claws into the ground to stop herself from running over to the ginger tom. She nodded at him, and he walked away. Sandypaw gazed at him, cursing herself. Why did she have to love the deputy, of all cats?
Duskpaw cocked her head. "What's wrong, Sandypaw?" Her eyes followed Sandypaw's gaze and smiled.
"Oh, I see," she said.
"What do you mean?" Sandypaw meowed, staring at her friend. Had Duskpaw discovered her secret?
"Well, I might be wrong," Duskpaw replied, licking her paw. "But I think you're..." She glanced around before whispering, "in love."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Sandypaw shot back, but she didn't look the silver she-cat in the eye. Duskpaw grinned.
"Sandypaw, you can't hide it from me. It's obvious that you love Flamefur."
"No I don't!"
"Yes you do!"
"No I don't!"
"Yes you do!"
"No I don't!"
"Yes you do!"
"No I don't!"
"Yes you do!"
Sandypaw sighed. " Ok, fine, I do love him."
Duskpaw smiled. "I thought so." The expression on her face became serious. "Flamefur has a mate," she reminded. "And - " She stopped. Sandypaw looked at Duskpaw suspiciously. "Do you know something I don't know?"
Duskpaw glanced around nervously, but before she could answer, Glaciercloud walked over to them. "Sandypaw, I want you to come on patrol with me," the white cat meowed. Sandypaw stood up. "Who else is going?" she asked.
"Blazefur, Shrubfoot, Weedpaw, and Dewfeather," Glaciercloud answered. "Now let's go."
Sandypaw said good bye to Duskpaw and followed her mentor happily to the bramble thicket, where the rest of the patrol was waiting.
Glaciercloud turned to the cats.
"We're going to patrol near the CloudClan border today," she meowed. "I heard that they've been stealing prey again."
"They are?" Sandypaw turned and saw that Duskpaw had caught up to them.
"I'm not sure," Glaciercloud replied.
"Well, if they are," Duskpaw declared. "I'll claw their eyes out until they start begging me for mercy!"
"We don't want you to turn savage, Duskpaw," Dewfeather put in.
"I'm not!" Duskpaw exclaimed. "I just don't like CloudClan. Well, there are a few nice cats there," she added hastily when she saw Sandypaw's look. "But the others are up to no good."
Blazefur looked about to reply when Weedpaw asked, "Do I have to go on the patrol?"
"Yes," Glaciercloud meowed tartly. "It's about time you got out of the camp."
"But there are monsters and Twolegs and all kinds of things out there!" Weedpaw protested.
"Oh, Weedpaw," Duskpaw mewed, batting at the brown tom's head. "Just because you're - "
"Shhh!!" Sandypaw motioned for Duskpaw to be silent, but Weedpaw had already noticed. His eyes widened fearfully and he looked down at his paws.
"Duskpaw!" Blazefur scolded. "Don't remind him! As if he needs enough reminding already!"
"I'm fine," Weedpaw said, raising his head. "I don't need to be fussed over. It's all right to talk about it."
No one said a word. Weedpaw glared at them. "Fine! I'll tell you myself!"
Duskpaw glanced at Sandypaw. "Is he ok?" she mouthed. Sandypaw shrugged. Weedpaw certainly had never acted like this before.
"My siblings, Glimmerkit, Dawnkit, and Clawkit died from greencough," Weedpaw growled, his eyes blazing. "My father, Brownclaw, died when that - that fox dung of an eagle carried him off. My mother, Whitestream, was killed by that cough that has no name."
"And no cure," Duskpaw muttered, but Weedpaw did not hear her.
"I have no one now, I know," Weedpaw continued. "But just because of that, you don't have to treat me like a kit!"
"We don't treat you like a kit," Dewfeather meowed warmly. "We try to protect you, just like we do for the rest of the Clan." At her last words she glanced at Sandypaw, and Sandypaw was relieved to see that her eyes did not hold hate or spite.
"And you're wrong about another thing, Weedpaw," Sandypaw added. "You aren't alone. You have your Clan. And you have us."
Weedpaw said nothing. His expression became calm again, and he looked down at his paws. Then he whispered, "I guess you're right. I just never got to know them."
Sandypaw and Duskpaw looked at each other. Duskpaw meowed loudly, "This is really touching, and I wish I could stay and chat, but Wildfeather said he'd give me a training lesson. And you have to go on patrol," she finished, reminding the others in her own way that they had something to do.
"That's right," Glaciercloud meowed, taking charge. "Come on, everyone. While we were talking, CloudClan could have stolen all the fresh-kill in our territory!"
Sandypaw said good-bye to Duskpaw, then ran after her mentor, enjoying the feel of the cool wind whipping through her fur. Before she knew it, they were at the CloudClan border. Glaciercloud and Blazefur tried to sniff out any CloudClan scent on their territory.
"I can smell all kinds of CloudClan scent, but I can't tell if they're here or there," Blazefur meowed.
"That's because we're at the CloudClan border, mousebrain," Glaciercloud said. "We would smell their scent anyway, even if they hadn't come to our territory."
"Oh. That's right." Blazefur looked embarassed. Then he stared at Dewfeather. "What are you doing?"
Sandypaw glanced at the silver she-cat. Dewfeather was looking out into CloudClan territory, her eyes narrowed, almost as though she had spotted something.
"I don't know," she murmered. She looked at them. "You go see if there's CloudClan scent in our territory. I'll check this out." She bent down into a crouch and stared at the marshes of the enemy Clan's territory. Glaciercloud cocked her head questioningly, but said nothing. Turning, she said, "Blazefur and I will patrol near the OwlPine. Weedpaw, Sandypaw, I want you two to go past the River Ridge."
Sandypaw nodded. Weedpaw looked hesitant, but finally mewed in agreement. He stumbled up a small hill and disappeared out of sight, Sandypaw right behind.
As Sandypaw ran down the grassy path, she thought she felt something watching her. She stopped and twisted her head around, and what she saw made her jump back in shock. Two eyes were peering at her out of the bushes. But it was the color of them that made Sandypaw get the chills. They were red. Blood red.
Sandypaw stared at the unblinking red eyes, and they stared back. But before Sandypaw could be quite sure that they were real, they melted into the shadows of the bushes.
Sandypaw stood, frozen. Then she cautiously walked towards the bush and stuck her nose inside. Nothing. No scent at all. Sandypaw pulled her muzzle out and stared at the bush where she had seen the mysterious eyes. They belonged to a cat, all right. But there wasn't any scent... Did that mean she had just imagined the entire thing?
"Sandypaw!"
Sandypaw jumped, her back bristling. Then she realized it was Weedpaw's voice. But her back bristled again when she heard Weedpaw yowl in pain. Quick as lightning, Sandypaw was on her paws and speeding along Weedpaw's scent trail. By now, Weedpaw had stopped yowling.
Oh, StarClan, please don't let Weedpaw be dead! Sandypaw thought. She hurled herself over a boulder and landed on the hard ground. With a grunt, she pulled herself back up and looked around.
She wasn't at River Ridge anymore. Weedpaw's scent trail had led her straight to FourClaws. Sandypaw looked up at the stones and shivered. For the first time in her whole life, the claw shaped boulders seemed much more menacing than comforting as she thought of what could have happened to Weedpaw.
Sandypaw took a step forward. A leaf crunched under her paw. Sandypaw froze. Except for the whistling of the wind, there was silence. Sandypaw hurriedly squeezed through the stones and into the clearing.
Sandypaw stared at her surroundings. Nothing looked out of the ordianary. Except... What was that smell?
Sandypaw sniffed the air and her eyes widened as she recognized the scent. Blood! Sandypaw swung her head around to look at the Great Tree. Thoughts of the blood red eyes flooded her mind. Did they have something in common with this?
Sandypaw padded behind the Great Tree and saw something brown laying near the tree's roots. Sandypaw went closer and took a step back. It was Weedpaw. He looked up at her wearily and cautiously. His eyes seemed to lighten with recognition, but then became shadowed with fear.
"Go, Sandypaw!" He meowed. "Go!"
"Weedpaw, I can't just leave you here!" Sandypaw mewed desperately.
Weedpaw looked like he was about to reply, but then he cried, "Sandypaw, look out!"
Sandypaw turned just as something heavy landed on top of her. She yowled and kicked her hind legs up at her opponent, just as Glaciercloud had taught her to do. The other cat flew into the air and fell to the ground. Before Sandypaw could even turn around, the cat ran to her and responded by grabbing her tail and yanking it hard. Sandypaw screeched and bit down on the cat's back. It leaped away from her and snarled. Sandypaw spun and faced the cat, and stared at it.
"Applepaw?"
The cat looked at her, her eyes widening also. "Sandypaw?"
"What are you doing here?" Sandypaw asked blankly.
"I could ask you the same thing," Applepaw replied, her claws sliding back inside her paws.
Weedpaw stared from one she-cat to the other, looking shocked. "You know this cat Sandypaw!?"
"Yes." Sandypaw nodded.
"How can you be so polite?" Weedpaw asked incredulously. "She almost killed me!"
"Sorry about that," Applepaw meowed, glancing at him. "I thought you were the cat with the red eyes."
"Do my eyes look red to you?" Weedpaw asked. Then he paused. "What do you mean, cat with red eyes?"
Sandypaw stared. Applepaw had seen a cat with red eyes too? Did that mean that it wasn't her imagination?
"Um, Applepaw, I'd like to talk to you privately," Sandypaw whispered.
"Your friend's going to be ok, right?" Applepaw meowed.
"He was just exaggerating," Sandypaw said. Indeed, Weedpaw's wound was big, but not big enough to kill him. "I don't know what's gotten into him today!"
Applepaw shrugged. "Ok. Here. Follow me." She led the way to the stones of the Gathering place, then sat down. "What do you want?"
"You said you saw a cat with red eyes," Sandypaw meowed. "Well... I saw it too."
Applepaw's eyes widened. "No kidding? That's wierd. You see, I was hunting, and then some red eyes just peered out at me behind a bush. I just stared at it, and soon it disappeared. I looked inside the bush, but I couldn't smell it's scent."
"That's what happened with me too," Sandypaw mewed, nodding.
Applepaw continued. "Well, I noticed that it had left some paw prints in the soil, so I followed it all the way here. Then I heard someone yowl, and when I looked behind the Great Rock, I saw a cat panting. I thought it was the cat with the red eyes, so I pounced on it. Apparently," she said with a sheepish smile. "I had attacked your friend instead."
"So that means," Sandypaw meowed after a moments thought. "That the cat with the red eyes attacked Weedpaw first?"
"I guess," Applepaw said with a shrug. "How about you ask your friend. Maybe he knows."
Sandypaw nodded and padded back behind the Great Tree. Weedpaw was attempting to press some leaves onto his wound, so Sandypaw took charge.
"Well, it's about time you got back here!" Weedpaw meowed. "I was bleeding so bad, I thought I would go to StarClan!"
"You're starting to sound like Ravenpaw," Sandypaw muttered, accidentally voicing her thoughts aloud.
Weedpaw looked at her. "I'm sorry. Maybe I'm going crazy."
"No, I think you're just tired," Sandypaw murmered. "There we go. We'd better get back to camp. Glaciercloud must be worrying."
"Well, good-bye, Sandypaw," Applepaw mewed. "Looks like the next time we meet will be at a Gathering, and I guess you'll be a bit unhappy by then."
"Why?" Sandypaw asked questioningly.
"Forget I ever mentioned it," Applepaw said, shaking her red head. "Bye-bye now!" She flicked her feathery tail and ran off. Sandypaw glanced behind her and saw Weedpaw toddling around to her side.
"Can you make it?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said, giving her an affectionate nudge. "You know Sandypaw... you're like a sister to me. It makes me feel... wanted."
Sandypaw smiled, and helped Weedpaw make his way all through the forest and back to camp. As they walked through the bramble thicket, Glaciercloud came running towards them, looking both angry and worried.
"Sandypaw! Where were you and Weedpaw!?" she called.
"We -" Sandypaw began, but Glaciercloud didn't let her finish. "You had us worried sick, running away like that! Why do you always have to do that! Everyone was afraid you would get killed again!"
"I was following the red eyes," Sandypaw meowed defensively.
"Red eyes?" Glaciercloud asked quizzically.
So Sandypaw filled her mentor in on what had happened. When she was done, Glaciercloud looked at her thoughtfully. "It was probably a rogue. I'll tell Flamefur and then I'll follow the scent."
"But it doesn't have any scent," Sandypaw pointed out. Glaciercloud looked surprised. "Well then, we'll just have to keep a close watch. I'll talk to Flamefur about it."
"Umm, hello?" Weedpaw meowed, waving his paw in front of the white she-cat. Glaciercloud's gaze slid down to Weepaw's wound. She slapped a paw to her face.
"I completely forgot! Weedpaw, go to the medicine den."
Weedpaw nodded and ran as quickly as he could to Webclaw's den. Glaciercloud turned to Sandypaw and sighed. "I honestly don't know what we're going to do with you, Sandypaw."
"How about let me sleep?" Sandypaw suggested.
Glaciercloud shook her head. "Uh uh. You can rest, but not sleep. Besides, it's the middle of the day," she added. "I want you to go to Bloodpaw and help him collect juniper berries for Webclaw and Graypaw."
Sandypaw dipped her head respectfully. "Yes, Glaciercloud." She padded into the apprentice den. Bloodpaw was lying on the ground, his eyes closing and then snapping open again. Sandypaw prodded his side. "Get up, sleepy rabbit. We're going to get juniper berries."
Bloodpaw jumped to his paws. The way his eyes glimmered brightly made Sandypaw uneasy. She turned around deliberately, and she sensed Bloodpaw's tail droop. Then Bloodpaw meowed, "Well, let's go!"
Sandypaw walked out of the den and padded out of camp without a word. Bloodpaw trotted quickly behind her, saying things like "Wow, the weather's beautiful today!" or "Come on, let's go sniff the flowers!" Something didn't feel right about him today, though. She had known Bloodpaw her whole life, but now it felt like she was padding alongside a stranger.
Bloodpaw jumped up in the air, slapped his paws together, and came down with a sparrow in his paws. He grinned. "How was that, huh?"
Sandypaw just stared at him. Why did she get the feeling that he was trying to... impress her or something?
Bloodpaw stopped near a juniper bush, sniffed it, and drew back his head.
"Yuck!" he meowed with distaste. "What is that?'
Sandypaw looked at the bush. "It's rabbit dung, you mousebrain."
"Oh," Bloodpaw meowed in disappointment. Then he cheered up again. "I knew that!"
Sandypaw rolled her eyes. Suddenly, she would rather stare at the red eyes than be here. Stop it, Bloodpaw! she ordered in her mind. You're scaring me!
Sandypaw looked down at the ground. A mouse right near her picked up a seed, and as it was distracted, Sandypaw pounced on it. With a swift bite, it was dead.
"Great job, Sandypaw!" Bloodpaw purred, licking her cheek. Sandypaw jumped away from him, her fur bristling. "S - Stop that, you piece of foxdung!"
Bloodpaw looked startled. "Sandypaw, I - I'm sorry, I didn't mean - " He took one step toward her. Sandypaw unsheathed her claws.
"Don't come a step closer!" Sandypaw growled. How dare he! How dare he try and impress her! Who did he think he was, anyway?
"Sandypaw, I'm not going to hurt you!" Bloodpaw meowed desperately. Sandypaw sensed the truth in his voice. She relaxed a bit, but was still cautious, not taking her eyes off him for a second.
Bloodpaw noticed her look and said, "Sandypaw, I mean it. I won't do anything to you."
"And why should I believe you?' she whispered.
Bloodpaw looked at her straight in the eye, so Sandypaw closed her eyelids so she could block out his stare. "If I was going to hurt you, why am I not going for you now? Sandypaw, it's just me, your friend, Bloodpaw."
Sandypaw's closed eyes opened again, and her fur relaxed on her back. She sat down and looked at him. "What?"
Bloodpaw stared at her in return. "What what?"
"You know what I mean!" Sandypaw snapped. "Something's bothering you, why else would you be acting this way?"
Bloodpaw lowered his gaze away from her and turned his back to her. "You're right, Sandypaw. There is something wrong with me. And it was wrong to keep it from you all these moons."
"Keep what from me?' Sandypaw asked, now curious. She hesitantly padded up to him and sat down. Bloodpaw still did not look at her.
"Duskpaw's known about it for a few moons, and she kept her promise and didn't tell you," he meowed. "But I guess now's the time." He took a deep breath and stared into her emerald green eyes.
"Sandypaw... I love you."
Sandypaw stared at him, her mouth hanging open. Then, after what seemed like moons and moons and moons, she spoke. "What?" Her voice was a mere whisper. So that was why he had been acting strange! But... he loved her? Like... like the 'having kits' kind of love? That was going too far!
"I - I love you," Bloodpaw repeated. "I do, Sandypaw, I really do. And..." He paused and sighed. "I - I want to do what most cats who are in love do."
Sandypaw's eyes widened. "You mean... mate?" She stumbled backwards and tripped over a tree root. She fell to the ground, her legs splayed out behind her. She got quickly to her paws before Bloodpaw could do anything.
"Bloodpaw... we're apprentices," she told him shakily.
"No one could know!" Bloodpaw meowed.
"But there's another thing. I don't love you, Bloodpaw," Sandypaw mewed. Bloodpaw's tail drooped. "What?"
"I don't," Sandypaw said bravely. "And don't try and force me on you!"
Bloodpaw was silent. Then he wrapped his tail around his paws. "I wouldn't dare force you to do anything," he whispered. "Even if we never will be together, like you say."
Sandypaw shook her head. "You'll find someone, Bloodpaw. And I'll get Fla - I mean, someone too," she meowed quickly, her fur becoming hot. Bloodpaw looked at her. "Do you have someone in mind?"
"Well, I don't really -" Sandypaw began.
"Yes you do, I know you do," Bloodpaw interrupted. "Who is it?"
Sandypaw looked at him, and decided to tell him. Even if he loved her, he was still her best friend. He and Duskpaw would be sure to keep her secret. Hopefully.
"Flamefur," she whispered. Bloodpaw's jaw dropped. "Flamefur?"
"Yes, Flamefur!" Sandypaw snarled, her insides suddenly broiling with anger. "And don't say a word against him!"
Bloodpaw indeed did not say anything against Flamefur. In fact, he did not say anything at all. Then he looked up at her. "If you love him," he said hoarsely. "Then I won't stop you from loving him. I want you to be happy. And if your happiness will come from Flamefur, then so it shall."
Sandypaw smiled warmly at him. She licked the top of his head happily. He looked surprised, but brighter at the fact that she was ok with him now.
"Come on," Bloodpaw meowed. "Let's get those juniper berries."
Sandypaw and Bloodpaw carried their load of berries into the camp. Both of them were feeling much better now, and they smiled at each other. Sandypaw felt like she was back with the old Bloodpaw again; there was no more trace of the new one. Bloodpaw had acted normal on their way back, not trying to impress her anymore. Sandypaw grinned when she saw Ravenpaw coming at them, and instantly felt foolish. Why in the name of StarClan was she grinning?
Sandypaw suddenly had a plan. She whispered something in Bloodpaw's ear and he nodded back. Mischevious grins slid up their faces. Sandypaw hid inside a bush, while Bloodpaw floundered over to Ravenpaw..
"Hello," he meowed cheerfully.
Ravenpaw glared at him. "What do you want, mousebrain?"
"Didn't your mother ever tell you to mind your manners?" Bloodpaw mock scolded.
Ravenpaw scowled. "What do you want? And make it quick, I don't have all day."
Bloodpaw looked up at the sky and gazed at the clouds. "Hmm... three clouds... four, five, six..."
"Get on with it!" Ravenpaw hissed.
"Well, someone's bad tempered today!" Bloodpaw said, smiling.
Ravenpaw growled and unsheathed his claws. Bloodpaw held up his paws in mock defeat. "You've got me, I surrender! Now, what was I going to say...?" He looked up at the sky again, then grinned. "Oh yeah, I remember." He pulled a juniper berry from behind the bush that Sandypaw was hiding in and yelled, "FIRECLANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" And with that, he started picking up berries and throwing them at Ravenpaw, who ducked to avoid them.
"What are you trying to do, you mouse - !?" Ravenpaw growled, but his sentance ended in a squeal, for Bloodpaw had aimed at exactly the right place. Ravenpaw growled and crouched down.
Sandypaw came out of her hiding spot with berries in her mouth. Grinning, she joined Bloodpaw in throwing berries at the black tom. Finally, Ravenpaw had had enough.
"I'm telling!" he yowled.
Sandypaw smiled. "Telling what? That you're covered with red berry juice?"
Ravenpaw snarled at her, but raced away. Bloodpaw shrugged at Sandypaw. "Well, it isn't our fault that he's a stuck up tom."
Sandypaw giggled, then stopped as she saw that Ravenpaw was back. The black tom grinned. "You're in for it now, Half-Clan!"
Beside Ravenpaw was Oakstar and Flamefur. Sandypaw wanted to melt at the sight of the dark ginger tom, but fortunately did not. Instead, she listened to Oakstar's words politely.
"What has happened?" Oakstar asked. "And why is Ravenpaw in such a big mess?"
"They threw berries at me!" Ravenpaw burst out.
"Is that true?" Flamefur asked, looking over Sandypaw and Bloodpaw.
The two apprentices exchanged a glance, then said, "Yeah."
Ravenpaw looked triumphant. Oakstar, on the other paw, looked stern. "You do know you could be punished for doing that."
"No we can't," Bloodpaw meowed without concern.
"What do you mean?" Flamefur asked just as calmly, a twinkle in his eye as if he understood.
"Well, the only thing we did was throw berries at him," Sandypaw meowed, licking her paw. "There isn't anything in the warrior code against that. And, obviously, he weren't fighting him or doing anything violent, and he isn't hurt. So..."
"There's no reason why we should be punished," Bloodpaw finished.
Ravenpaw growled low in outrage. Oakstar seemed thoughtful. "What you say is true. I will let you pass this time, but do not do this again."
"Yes, Oakstar," Bloodpaw and Sandypaw meowed together. Oakstar nodded to them, and padded slowly back to his den. After a few moments, he stumbled and landed to the ground with a grunt. Flamefur rushed over to help him up, but Oakstar raised a paw to stop him. "Don't mind me, Flamefur. I'm fine." He got back up and went inside his den.
Sandypaw remembered how Flamefur had told her that Oakstar was on his last life, and stared at the leader's den until Ravenpaw's voice distracted her.
"You got lucky this time, Half-Clan," Ravenpaw hissed. "But next time you won't be as lucky." He glared at them and stalked back to the apprentice den. Bloodpaw rolled his eyes. "Show off."
Gathering up the rest of their juniper berries, they padded inside Webclaw's den. Webclaw was treating Weedpaw, and looked up from where he was. "Well, thank you for that!" he purred.
"No problem," Bloodpaw and Sandypaw meowed, grinning. Graypaw looked at them. "I heard you used up some of our juniper berries to throw them at Ravenpaw." Her gaze wasn't accusing, just knowing.
"Really?" Webclaw asked. "Well, it doesn't matter. You have plenty enough berries with you now as it is. Now run along and do... whatever you apprentices do."
"Wait, Webclaw," Graypaw meowed. "I want to tell them something."
"Ok," Webclaw said, going back to work. Graypaw turned to her friends, looking excited. "Webclaw's letting me come with him to the StarryCave tonight!"
"You mean you're going to see the MoonCrystal?" Sandypaw asked in astonishment. She had never had the chance to see the MoonCrystal before, but she knew it was the place where medicine cats and leaders went to talk to StarClan.
Graypaw nodded. "I might even get my name tonight!" She hopped around. "Oh, I can't wait!"
Sandypaw laughed. "I'm sure you can't. See you later, Graypaw."
"Bye-bye!" Graypaw meowed as they went outside.
Bloodpaw turned to Sandypaw. "If it's all right with you, I'm going to rest in the apprentice den." His eyes twinkled. "Or maybe I'll put a spider on Ravenpaw's nose. That would be fun!"
Sandypaw laughed and bid him good bye, then padded over to the fresh-kill pile, where she sat down and ate.
"Hello, Sandypaw."
Sandypaw jumped when she heard a voice beside her speak. She turned around, and her heart started to thump wildly when she saw it was Flamefur.
Flamefur bit into a mouse and meowed, "Nice trick you played on Ravenpaw. Very clever. I remember how Lightningfur and I used to do that to Coldheart."
"You did?' Sandypaw asked in wonder. Then she paused. "Who's Coldheart?"
"Snowyfeather's brother," Flamefur meowed. "The only difference betweeen them was that he had a cold heart."
Then there isn't any difference between them, Sandypaw thought. "Is that how he got his name?"
Flamefur nodded. "We were all surprised when he said he was proud of it. He liked to bully me, like Ravenpaw likes to bully you. I remember Goldenpelt telling me that when I was a kit, he had insisted on calling me Stupidkit." He laughed.
"That's not very nice," Sandypaw remarked.
"Indeed," Flamefur replied. "But Snowyfeather defended me against him."
"Snowyfeather?" Sandypaw repeated in disbelief.
Flamefur nodded again, his eyes bright. "Snowyfeather was the only cat Coldheart loved, and he said nothing against her. His cold heart killed him in the end, though. Tried to give FireClan to CloudClan's leader, but he died somehow."
Sandypaw said bitterly, "And then you and Snowyfeather mated."
Flamefur looked hurt. "Why, that's not true."
"Uh huh," Sandypaw meowed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Webclaw rushing to the nursery. "What's Webclaw doing?"
"I don't know," Flamefur meowed, looking at the nursery. And suddenly, Webclaw came back out again, panting. "Flamefur! Snowyfeather's kits are coming!"
"What!?" Flamefur yowled, looking alarmed. He jumped to his paws. "Bring me to her!" He raced ahead of Webclaw and down into the den, where Sandypaw could hear a groan.
"Like, what's happening?"
Sandypaw turned to face Duskpaw, who had just come up to her. "Snowyfeather's kits are coming."
"Uh oh," Duskpaw said.
The two sat down and waited. After a long time, Flamefur came back out again, looking pleased. "Three kits! I have three kits!" He ran over to Sandypaw and Duskpaw. "Do you want to see them?"
Sandypaw and Duskpaw shrugged in answer and followed him inside the den. Inside, the nursing queens looked up at them and smiled warmly. Leopardkit stared at the deputy in wonder, then turned to Sorrelwing. "Didn't Flamefur just leave, mama? Why's he coming back?"
"That's his mate right there," Sorrelwing answered back.
Sandypaw turned to look. Snowyfeather was lying in the middle of the den, three kits suckling from her belly. The white cat looked up and narrowed her eyes when she saw Sandypaw, and turned her head away. Flamefur edged towards his kits.
"The white she-kit is Crystalkit," he mewed excitedly. "The light brown tabby tom with the ginger tail is Pigeonkit. And the silver she-kit with a white tail and paws is Streamkit."
Sandypaw glanced at the three scraps. Oh, how she wanted to be in Snowyfeather's place, suckling Flamefur's kits. "Yes, they're adorable."
Duskpaw nodded. "Really adorable. Innocent little things." She glanced at Sandypaw, and Sandypaw knew her friend was thinking the same thing. Would Snowyfeather's kits stay innocent, or would they become just like her?
First of all, I only put in that Weedpaw thing because... I wanted to. (nods) He had a nervous breakdown, if you were wondering. And Bloodpaw was a bit creepy today, huh? Well, don't worry, he will never mention it again. Ever.
Ok. I am sorry that I had to put in the fact that Snowyfeather had kits. I wanted to put in that Snowyfeather died while giving birth and that Flamefur and Sandypaw lived happily ever after, but if I did, the story wouldn't be exciing. So sorry.
I shall give out Bloodpaw plushies! And if you want, I will let you have a Webclaw plushie to go with it! Yay!!!!! (huggles kitties)
Cats with red eyes are scary... Agh! (hides in a closet) Never mind. So review!