Hi guys! Sorry I haven't updated! I will try to explain at the end, but basically I went on holiday and everything was very hectic before that and there was lots of homework and I just didn't have time. Sorry about that, so here is a chapter!
Maplepaw rushed into camp and explained everything to Bramblestar. The massive tom had already seemed much bigger than Maplepaw, but when he heard that Blackstar had sent a patrol of warriors on his land and demanded to speak with him, he positively doubled in size, swelling with anger.
Just as he was about to comment, the patrol burst in, moments after an alarm call of their approach from a nearby warrior.
"Here they are now…" Maplepaw meowed, jumping nimbly out the way as Bramblestar stormed past.
"Rowanclaw, what is the meaning of this?" Bramblestar spat, bringing himself to his full height, dwarfing the russet-furred tom.
"Blackstar has sent a message-"
"So I heard." Bramblestar interjected sourly. "And why couldn't he bring this highly important message himself, without sending a patrol of warriors onto my land?"
Maplepaw found herself coming to stand beside Bramblestar, her hackles raised slightly. The ignored the looks that Spikepaw was giving her. Who did that tom think he was? Did he think he could just walk in here and ask her to break the code for him? She would show him that he couldn't just walk in here and sweep her off her paws like that! After all, it seemed that that was the effect he'd had on Sunpaw.
The ginger she-cat was staring hopefully at him, as if waiting for him to turn around and take her to Shadowclan with him.
Ew… Maplepaw thought, before turning her attention back to the conversation.
Bramblestar was beckoning to Rowanclaw with his tail, while ordering three of his warriors to guard the other two Shadowclan cats.
Maplepaw wandered off, trying to find somewhere to sit where she wasn't directly in the eye line of Spikepaw when she bumped head-first in to Ravenpaw.
"Hey! What do you think you're- oh, Maplepaw, it's only you! I thought you were Dapplepaw." Ravenpaw meowed, gritting his teeth at the mention of the she-cat's name.
"Sorry!" Maplepaw purred, sitting down beside him. "What has Dapplepaw done now?" She asked, ignoring the death stare Sunpaw gave her, and the hopeful one Spikepaw was giving her. Toms are just too much effort, how can Dapplepaw manage it?
"Well," Ravenpaw began, "She keeps confusing me. First, she shares a crow with me, but then as soon as Snowpaw comes over, they just start chatting but she keeps giving me these weird looks…" Ravenpaw glanced over at the two cats, who were chatting away happily. Suddenly, Dapplepaw shot a look at Ravenpaw, but as soon as she saw Maplepaw sitting beside him she coloured and turned away.
With a huff, Maplepaw turned back to Ravenpaw.
"You are seriously still mooning over her?! Just ignore her, she only wants attention. It is so unlike her to be this way, but still. There are other she-cats in the clan you know…" Maplepaw broke off, hoping Ravenpaw didn't count her in as one of those she cats. Or did she want him to?
Sighing, she changed topic. "Hey, look, it's Redkit and Nightkit!"
Gesturing with her tail, the pair looked on as the two siblings rushed out of the nursery.
"You're it!" Redkit yowled, bopping Nightkit on the nose with her tail as she raced away. Nightkit, however, just went to sit in the shade by the warriors den, snoozing quietly.
"Oh, come on Nightkit, you just woke up!" Redkit moaned, trudging back to her sister. Pawing at her ear, she meowed loudly. "Cheer up Nightkit! Come on, let's go and play!"
The black and white dapple she-kit paid no attention.
Redkit tried everything, from nipping her ears, to pulling silly faces, but the only thing Nightkit did was moan,
"Redkit, go and play with the apprentices, I'm tired."
Finally, in a last attempt to get some life into her sister, Redkit began to strut back and forth before her sister. She shouted in time with her pawsteps:
"And a one, and a two…" At this point she stopped strutting and stuck her rear in the air and waggled it, "And a shake your buttoo!" Before repeating this… dance twice more and finally stopping, giving into fits of laughter as she rolled about on the floor, watching her sister's astonished face.
Maplepaw and Ravenpaw chuckled as they watched the pair, one so outgoing and friendly while the other was so shy and reserved.
Turning back to Ravenpaw, Maplepaw laughed,
"See, there are so many other thinks to think about rather that Dapplepaw's silly doings!" Maplepaw surprised herself at how angry she was. Why should she care?
Shaking off the thought, she got to her paws. "I'm going to go sort this out, Dapplepaw is acting so strange lately."
"No, please don't, it will make things awkward!" Ravenpaw hissed desperately. He also had a hesitant look about him that Maplepaw realised had been there throughout their conversation.
"Yeah right, like things aren't awkward enough!" Maplepaw snapped.
She felt a surge of memories wash over her and she suddenly felt a whole lot more like Mapleshade. She was grumpy, irritable and as she looked around at the clan she felt a connection to none of them.
The moment passed, however, and she felt her old feelings sink back in.
Shaking her head to clear her heavy mind, she continued padding briskly over to Dapplepaw. Maplepaw frowned as she flopped down beside her sibling.
"What is the matter with you?" She asked, cleaning her whiskers with one white paw.
"Great to see you too, Maplepaw!" Dapplepaw mewed sarcastically, before continuing.
"And what do you mean, 'What's the matter with me'? I haven't done anything! It's you who has to explain yourself!"
"What?"
"Don't give me that look Maplepaw. It's hard enough to say this to you as it is! You know I hate hurting cat's feelings-"
"So why do you keep playing around with Ravenpaw's feelings?!" Maplepaw interjected, feeling hurt, confused and angry all at once.
"Playing around with his feelings? I have done nothing of the sort! You are always hanging around with him and not me! What did I do? Tell me, I will make it all better." Dapplepaw insisted in a motherly air.
Snorting, Maplepaw replied, "You've done nothing to me personally Dapplepaw. But you're always with Snowpaw and Treepaw, so I never get the chance to talk with you. I didn't know you were upset about it…" Maplepaw sighed, trying to explain.
"The reason I was annoyed was because Ravenpaw is my friend and he is trying to work out who you… eheh, have feelings for. He wasn't sure because you kept glancing over at him and giving him queer looks whenever you were with Snowpaw, which is most of the time!" Maplepaw began to feel anger, and maybe a hint of jealousy, creeping into her mew.
"And I don't think it is fair that you seem to be having… having… some sort of thing with two toms at the same time! Ravenpaw should be seeing that there are more things to life than just you and Snowpaw! In fact, I wish he actually noticed that she-cats in general were not going extinct and he didn't have to try desperately all the time to get your attention! For a time I even thought…" Maplepaw trailed off, not willing to finish that part.
I thought he might have like me… She thought guiltily. But he is just a friend! I don't like him like that. I won't. She decided. However, part of her wasn't completely convinced.
"Oh, Maplepaw, I'm so sorry! I didn't know you liked Ravenpaw! I don't have feelings for him, I promise, I only looked at him because I was trying to work out why he and his brother weren't getting along and had stopped talking all together!"
"Woah, where are you going with this?! I never said I liked him! I just…"
"Oh please, give me a break. Maplepaw, it's obvious."
"No, it isn't! I don't like him! If you want, I'll prove it! I won't speak to him for the next moon!" Maplepaw snapped, getting defensive. Half of the camp was looking.
"Now now, there is no need for that!" Dapplepaw said hastily. "Keep your voice down! I was just saying what I saw. But if you really don't like him, then why did you get so worked up about his feelings towards me?" Dapplepaw mewed softly, a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Like I said, we are close friends. I don't want him hurt." Maplepaw insisted.
At that moment, Ravenpaw padded over to the pair.
"Hey, guys, what's going on?" He asked, flopping down mouse-lengths away from Maplepaw. Determined to prove herself right to Dapplepaw, she stared straight at Ravenpaw and replied confidently,
"Yep, it's all cool! Dapplepaw decided that she was only looking at you because she was trying to work out your feelings. Whether you liked me, or her, and I established that you thought she was undecided between you and you brother." Maplepaw turned to stare defiantly back at Dapplepaw, who sat open-mouthed at the scene before her.
Quickly regaining herself, Dapplepaw purred,
"Yes, Ravenpaw, I'm sorry if I miss lead you to think that I had feelings for you. I do, however, really like your brother, and although, no, don't give me that look, I do love you as a brother. After all, if Snowpaw and I do become mates, you will be my brother, won't you?" Dapplepaw looked softly at him. "Understood?"
Ravenpaw was staring at the ground and the little of his face that could be seen was indeed wearing an injured expression.
"It's OK Ravenpaw…" Maplepaw murmured. " Think of it as just an apprentice crush. You still have me. Now, don't pull that face! Ravenpaw!" Maplepaw's voice grew stern. "You are only half way through your apprentice training! So stop worrying about it! Dapplepaw will still be your friend, and if she does become Snowpaw's mate, so what? You still have me!"
Ravenpaw turned to her.
"And then what? I know you don't like me Maplepaw. In fact, should I even call you that?" Ravenpaw hissed softly.
Eyes widening, Maplepaw backed away.
"R-Ravenpaw, stop talking nonsense…"
"Shut it!" He snapped. "I don't want your pity. Why else do you think I like Dapplepaw! Other than the two kits there are no other she-cats around my age! And I don't break the code, like some cats I thought I knew!"
Maplepaw didn't hear anymore, she was racing out into the forest.
He knows! He actually knows! But how?
Dun …dun …dun! Hi everyone! Wow, 79 reviews already?! This is only my 14th chapter! You guys must enjoy it. Which is good, because that means I am OK at writing if some of you have decided to stay and read this far, even if it is only the 14th chapter.
And now drama is stirring, one tom from another clan seems to like Maplepaw, while the one she may have slight feelings for seems to know the truth! However, which truth is it… Is it her secret about Spikepaw, or that more sinister secret that no one should know…?
XD PLOT TWIST! Or maybe not… I don't know… :D So how do you like it so far? I will try hard to update soon, and I will not 'leave you hanging' on the whole drama. :D
And now… THE FABULOUS REVIEWS!
Birdflame: Oh no! I hope you didn't kill anyone for real, right? Obviously not, otherwise you wouldn't be on FanFiction! But it does sound bad… I have to do a presentation in English and one of my friends keeps getting the slides mixed up so I might find myself thanking the audience for listening half way through! XD That is unorganised group work for you! But we are sorting it out now, no point letting her battle on alone, right?
Dark Hollyleaf (Guest): I don't think of myself as a good love expert, but it sounds like it is all good! She/he didn't slap the dashing young fellow too hard I hope? And can I have a definition of… zetta…? And I love getting reviews! XD
TheMouseOfAwesomeness: *Gasp* Noooo! Don't worry, I have plans… MWA HA HA! But really, you think I will be able to put Mapleshade back in the DF? It would be hard. Not impossible, but very very very very very hard…
BreezeKit Of WindClan: I agree, they are annoying after a while, but like I said, I have plans! Um, no one is gonna die, definitely not. Especially not a fox. Nope. Not a fox… its gonna be.. erm… Spikepaw! Um, no, I mean… Yeah… no fox… *cough* no promises* cough*.
Falconadventurer: Great names! Maplefeather is cool… and Mapleleap sounds great! And she is a wise one, is she not?
Hotaru Hyuuga: Woah, not only are the cat's names great, but that user name is… impressive! Where is it from? It sounds kind of meditarainian/Chinese… (my geography is terrible. I don't think they are anywhere near each other. Don't be offended. Please?) And my faveourite name of the lot is… Sunripple! It is just so… exotic! Why are there so many … in this reply…? OH I DID IT AGAIN! -.-
Rainpelt (Guest): I'm sure I used to!
Ice888cream: Here you go!
Shiverdream of Windclan: I like Ravendusk best! It is like Appledust and Ravenpaw in one… Wait, was that on purpose?!
Dark Hollyleaf (Guest): Yeah, they will be elders by the time the training is done. And I guess a cat blushes by going pink on its nose and ear tips… Smiling is beyond me. I will think of something!
Guest (That is DEFINITLY not Dark Hollyleaf. Nope. Not at all): WOOOOO! YEAH! UH HUH, YEAH, UH HUH, YEAH. I hope to read it soon!
Rainpelt (Guest) Oh, its ok. Typing skilz! Ha ha, happens all the time to me. I was on my phone once and instead of typing ?! I accidentally pressed Mama and clicked send without checking. SO yeah… And of course I am alive! Here I am! *Waves*
xxSilentxReaderxx: That is a long comment for a silent reader, eh? XD sorry, bad joke! Ehem, moving swiftly on…! My faves for each were Mapleheart/Maplefeather, Ravenfeather, Sunflame/ Sunflower (too ironic, I had to put it XD) Dapplefern/sky, Spiketooth, I loved all the snow ones, I CANT CHOOSE!