Chapter Twenty Four

"And I never meant to cause you trouble, And I never meant to do you wrong, And I, well, if I ever caused you trouble, Oh no, I never meant to do you harm..." Trouble, Coldplay

Echopaw leaped at Hollypaw, only to land on soft grass as the tortoiseshell moved easily to the side. Thornpaw, Goldenpaw and Brackenpaw were sparring with each other while Rosescar watched from a distance. All five kits showed promise of becoming good warriors. Hollypaw especially exceeded in learning everything she was taught. Thornpaw was soft and gentle with his denmates, which didn't worry Rosescar too much.

I'm glad he is like his father, she thought. Echopaw reminded her of herself when she was younger. The silver gray she-cat was swift and sure-footed. That gave her an advantage in combat practice as she managed to swipe a paw across Hollypaw's muzzle.

"I think that's enough practice for one day," Rosescar decided after the new apprentices started looking exhausted. "Let's try hunting in the forest. I'm sure out of the five of you, something can be caught."

Rosescar watched them in amusement as all five apprentices dashed off into the forest. She had taught them basic hunting techniques. Hopefully they would remember and return with prey to share. With that thought in mind, she couldn't help but think of her last encounter with Brightfire... or was it Brightstar now? She wasn't sure.

If she is leader, then she has broken our promise, she thought angrily. The thought made her claws sheathe and unsheathe with outrage. Brightstar was never her friend to begin with. Then she had to turn on her and become leader!

She shook her head and tried to try and clear it as she padded through the forest. They were beyond DarkClan territory, but chances of running across a patrol were still common. Rosescar had fun messing with them. They were nothing but a bunch of cowards who ran at the snap of a twig.

"Didn't you hear what Foxwhisker said?" She leaned forward as she recognized Cedarpool's mew. The dark brown she-cat was leading a border patrol, along with Shrewfang and Rabbitfur. Rosescar didn't recognize the young cat bounding alongside Shrewfang.

"Oh, yes," Rabbitfur replied with a sneer. "Seems that Scarkit graced us with her presence." Rosescar's hackles raised at the nickname. She hadn't heard that in a long time. "I'm surprised she survived leafbare, considering how weak she is."

"Well, I heard that she was taken in by LeafClan," Shrewfang meowed. "Apparently even they didn't want her though, because she was gone in the next couple of moons." By now Rosescar was struggling not to attack them then and there.

How dare they? She bristled with fury as she glared at them. I only left because my kit had died! I'm not going to let that happen again! Her claws unsheathed as she dropped to a hunter's crouch.

Cedarpool suddenly stopped in her tracks at the noise. Shrewfang and Rabbitfur had done the same, and were now looking around in alarm. Rosescar only rolled her eyes at the sight. What a bunch of mousebrains! If they had any intelligence, they would know that they were not alone.

"You guys go ahead," Cedarpool murmured thoughtfully. "I've got some... business to tend to." The two toms looked at Cedarpool uncertainly before shrugging it off. Once they were gone, Cedarpool's gaze raked the bushes Rosescar hid herself in. "I know you're there, fleabag. You might as well show yourself."

"Hello, Cedarpool," Rosescar began as she stepped out of the bushes. Cedarpool's fur stood on end with horror when she recognized Rosescar. "Ah, I see you haven't forgotten me. That makes this so much easier." She smirked as Cedarpool glared at her coldly.

"What are you doing here, Scarkit?" she demanded in a sneer.

"Oh, come now, are you really resorting to petty name calling?" Rosescar asked with a roll of her eyes. Cedarpool's eyes widened in alarm when Rosescar was unaffected by her name calling. "Now, let's make this easy, shall we? This is the part where you admit that you were wrong in hurting me as an apprentice. If you apologize for your actions, than I'll let you off with... less injuries."

"I did nothing wrong!" Cedarpool snapped. "You're nothing but a monster, and you always have been!" She swiped her claws across Rosescar's muzzle, but Rosescar jumped back just in time.

"Well that was just hurtful," Rosescar said in a mocking voice. "I always knew you were just a coward, waiting to break from your shell."

Cedarpool didn't bother asking what she had meant by that. The older she-cat suddenly lunged and tried attacking again, only to have her legs knocked out from underneath her. Rosescar smirked in amusement as Cedarpool dropped to the ground with a heavy thud. Cedarpool tried getting up again, only to feel Rosescar's paw on her neck.

"You're the coward," Cedarpool hissed in frustration. "You're fighting dirty."

"And you wouldn't?" Rosescar demanded, her muzzle only inches away from Cedarpool's. "How about all of those times when you trained against me with claws unsheathed?" Her voice had risen to a yowl as she glared coldly at the shivering Cedarpool. "Or all the times you left me bleeding because I failed, as an apprentice? You have no idea just how much I hate you!" She spat the words in Cedarpool's face.

"I-I was only following orders," Cedarpool whimpered, cowering underneath Rosescar. "Ashstar didn't think you were getting enough training... he-he wanted to make sure that you understood what we were putting you through."

"Oh, I understood perfectly," Rosescar snapped, anger getting the better of her. "While your training was cruel and unnecessary, it did make me stronger. And you're going to regret that."

Cedarpool's eyes widened in terror as Rosescar's claws unsheathed across her throat. She was ready to deliver a killing blow when she heard yowling in the distance. Cedarpool's look of terror turned to one of malice and hate.

"Looks like you're out of time," she hissed, suddenly finding the strength to push Rosescar off.

Rosescar didn't take the chance to find out who was approaching. She rushed off into the bushes the moment Shrewfang and Rabbitfur had returned. Her fur was standing on end by the time she had reached her part of the forest. She had put enough distance between herself and the patrol to slow down her pace.

I was going to kill her, she realized as she picked up the scent of her kits. All the hate and rage she had felt towards Cedarpool had come flooding back. She pictured her former mentor's terrified expression staring back at her. But I didn't, and I'll probably regret it.

She returned to the meeting spot where her kits were waiting. All of them had prey at their paws, much to her relief. They looked at her expectantly as she nuzzled each of them affectionately.

"We all caught something!" Brackenpaw boasted.

"Yep, that's totally what we did," Goldenpaw mewed with a roll of her eyes.

Brackenpaw shot her a scornful look, but didn't say anything. Rosescar stifled a purr at the sight. At this point she didn't care what they caught. By now she was just thankful to have returned safely to her kits. They were safe, and that was what mattered.

...

Brightstar looked at Cedarpool in horror when she retold what had happened during their border patrol. Apparently she had a nasty encounter with Rosescar. She had looked battered and had a few scratches flanking her pelt, but for the most part she looked okay. Just really shaken.

"Grayfur, fetch me some thyme and marigold," Quailnose said as she checked Cedarpool for any serious injuries. Grayfur nodded and did as he was told, returning heartbeats later with a bundle of bitter-tasting herbs in his jaws. "You get to do it this time," Quailnose added with one quick look at Cedarpool and Grayfur.

The silver-gray tom's eyes widened in amazement before he nodded once again and went to work immediately. Brightstar watched them in amusement until Foxwhisker approached her. His tail was lashing from side to side as he gazed at Cedarpool sympathetically.

"How long are you going to allow that coward to live?" he demanded, his voice cold as he glared at Brightstar. "I know you two were 'friends' at one point, but she obviously doesn't remember any of that. Besides, killing her would just do the forest a favor."

"We were always friends," Brightstar snapped, ignoring her brother's scornful look.

"Even so, she shouldn't be allowed to live after this mess," Foxwhisker growled.

"She didn't kill her," Brightstar said, almost to herself than to Foxwhisker. He looked at her in confusion after hearing that. "Why? She could have, but she didn't."

Brightstar shook her head as she tried to think of what to do next. Cedarpool had lived her encounter with Rosescar. But it was obvious Rosescar was targeting those who hurt her in the past. Brightstar had a feeling that she would make Foxwhisker her next target. She couldn't help but shudder at the thought, wondering what sort of mess the Clan had gotten themselves into.

"Rabbitfur, can you recall anything she said before disappearing?" Brightstar suddenly asked the light brown tabby tom. He had seen the whole thing before rushing off to help Cedarpool.

"I heard her mention that Cedarpool had battle-fought her with claws unsheathed," Rabbitfur explained, shaking his head with anger. Brightstar wasn't sure if it was towards Cedarpool or Rosescar. "She hates her, and rightfully so."

"Ashstar wanted the whole Clan to hate her," Brightstar murmured under her breath again. "But why? What did she do wrong?"

"Only StarClan knows," Rabbitfur replied. "But if I know her like I do, she won't stop until every cat that has hurt her in the past is dead by her claws."

A shiver ran through Brightstar at the thought. She couldn't let her old friend become a heartless killer. She had already broken so many promises between them. If she wanted to mend what once was broken, than she needed to start taking it upon herself to make things better between them.

And I know just where to start, she thought as she glared at Foxwhisker.

...

Hollypaw chased after the squirrel as it tried getting away. Behind her she could hear pawsteps charging after her. With a groan, she realized that Thornpaw and Brackenpaw must have found her. Nearby she could see Goldenpaw and Echopaw waiting in their hiding places.

She suddenly veered to the left and almost collided with a nearby tree. Instead she used her claws to scale the trunk until she was sitting on one of the lowest branches. She looked down at her littermates triumphantly as they looked up at her.

"Not fair!" Brackenpaw muttered crossly.

"Toms versus she-cats," she crowed. "We always win, right?" She looked at Echopaw and Goldenpaw in encouragement, and both siblings nodded in agreement. "Maybe next time we'll play a game that you're good at."

She climbed down the tree once the game was won. Echopaw and Goldenpaw emerged from the bushes they were hiding in heartbeats later. They had been playing games of tag and play-fighting all day after succeeding in hunting.

"Mother says we need to stay fit and strong," Echopaw meowed as she joined them. "Whatever that's supposed to mean."

"I think she just wants to make sure we can fend for ourselves," Thornpaw explained for her. "Because she won't always be around for us."

Goldenpaw shifted from paw to paw uncomfortably at the thought. She loved being with mother. But there were times when she scared her. Goldenpaw knew that something was off. Rosescar often wandered off on her own, leaving them to fend for themselves. That in itself was odd. But Goldenpaw had never questioned it. She knew that she was just lucky to have a mother who cared so much for her.

We're all lucky, she thought happily. She couldn't wait to become a warrior. And when that time arrived, she was determined to make sure they all stayed happy and together.

AN: So now you get to see more of the kits, and what happened between Rosescar and Cedarpool. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what happens next ;) This story is slowly but surely winding down to a close...

Stormcloud of Flameclan - Thanks, I'm glad that you're enjoying this so much!

badguthrie - *tries not to blush* Thank you, I appreciate your feedback, I love hearing from my reviewers!

Writing With A Smile - Oh don't worry, I've got big plans for them ;)

Thunderandshadowcats - I know the feeling :P

Pretty Random Rainbows - lol, Brightstar has definitely gone downhill. Though things aren't going to get much better for her in the near future... She got that life for a reason, and it will hopefully be explained before the story is over.

Silverheart - Of course I wouldn't kill her off! She is one of the main characters after all...

Cloudjumper Kat - She is, isn't she? And yep, those kits are adorable ;)

Stuffed Watermelon - Well, it might take a while for that to happen, but one of them is already questioning her skills. Plus, they're old enough now that they can hunt for themselves, and they live far enough away that it wouldn't effect the Clans. And I know what you mean about Brightstar... she's definitely a bit off...

LittleGrayOwl - Whelp, you'll just have to wait and see what happens :P