Brackenheart glanced at Minttooth, then narrowed his eyes bravely at Foxstar. "Ok…then. Thanks."
Foxstar said nothing, but pushed past the ThunderClan warriors and strode out of camp. "Come, Flintpaw."
Flintpaw was too stunned to move at first, but then his paws moved towards his mentor. This did not sound like the Foxstar he knew… was something up? I know he's not changed. I can see it…
But Foxstar's stoic expression was impossible to read.
Flintpaw continued with his training the rest of the day. Night had fallen quickly upon them, and he was getting ready for sleep. Foxstar had stopped his nightly watches on the apprentices, but they could not relax with Onyxpaw around, watching them carefully. No one, not even Cloudpaw, dared to say a word.
Suddenly, a shadow appeared at the edge of the den. The pointed ears made it clear who it was.
"Flintpaw, come with me." It was Foxstar, of course.
Flintpaw resisted the urge to sigh loudly and scrambled up. "What's wrong?" he asked carefully.
"Don't ask questions." Foxstar padded out of camp, and Flintpaw had to run to catch up. "And be quiet!"
Flintpaw made his steps lighter.
"Be…very…quiet." Foxstar suddenly quickened his pace, and Flintpaw started to sprint, trying to keep his steps light.
A stink washed over him… ThunderClan. They were on ThunderClan territory.
What for?
In front of him, Foxstar skidded to a stop. Flintpaw nearly crashed into him. I would be dead if I did!
"Quiet!" Foxstar hissed. Isn't that what I've been doing? The russet warrior plunged into some bushes. Flintpaw followed and crouched beside his mentor.
A ThunderClan patrol passed, consisting of some unfamiliar warriors.
"I smell ShadowClan," growled one tom.
"We can't worry about them," a she-cat said, "remember their leader!"
Flintpaw cast a quick glance towards Foxstar. The russet tom's eyes were narrowed, though his stoic expression remained. Silently, he pushed past Flintpaw and crawled through the bushes, opposite the way of the patrol. Flintpaw didn't ask any questions and followed, not sure where this was going.
Foxstar crawled out through a crack. Flintpaw followed, and found themselves on the edge of the ThunderClan gorge again, but at a different place. They picked their way down, and Flintpaw got a nasty feeling in his stomach.
"Wait here," Foxstar whispered, barely moving his lips. The russet warrior, his fur dyed dark brown in the moonlight, crawled forwards into the shadows and disappeared. Flintpaw waited, his heart pounding. What if they got caught?
Suddenly, Foxstar scrambled back, and caught Flintpaw in the scruff, and dragged him backwards into the darkness, pressed against the stone wall. Flintpaw didn't dare to breathe. A short while later, Brackenheart and Minttooth padded out, looking confused.
I knew it. I knew something was up!
"Stay…hidden…" Foxstar breathed. Flintpaw nodded vigorously, and Foxstar let go of him. Flintpaw pressed himself against the stone. Foxstar crouched.
"I don't see anyone," muttered Minttooth.
"Yeah, I thought someone called our names," Brackenheart meowed.
"Let's—" Minttooth began, but his statement was cut off as Foxstar shot out like a snake, slitting the gray tom's throat in a heartbeat.
Brackenheart gasped and backed away. "Y—"
His crumpled body lay next to Minttooth's.
"Quick!" hissed Foxstar at Flintpaw. "Get these bodies away!"
They hauled the bodies up the rocky slope and away into the bushes. Then, Foxstar lead Flintpaw back to camp without a word.
"Get rest," ordered Foxstar. Flintpaw padded to the den, feeling numb. He had just witnessed a murder! StarClan, what's wrong with Foxstar? Is there any good in him?
