Chapter Eight: Robinpelt

Dreampaw padded over to the fresh-kill pile at sunset. After a hard day of training, it was good to relax. As she reached down to take a mouse, another cat bumped into her, since it had been about to take the same mouse.

She looked up and found herself staring into amber eyes.

"Sorry," The tom said nervously, "You can have it."

It was Robinpelt, Calicofur's brother, a golden brown tabby tom with white paws. He seemed quite nervous around Dreampaw, and she felt a sudden wave of affection for the young warrior.

"No, you take it," She murmured to him.

"Er... how about we share this rabbit?" Robinpelt suggested. Dreampaw nodded, and they padded over to the apprentice's den.

Meanwhile, Leafpool was watching the whole thing. She wasn't sure how to feel as Dreampaw and Robinpelt shared tongues, but at least she wasn't with that Shadowclan warrior.

"Then again," She murmured to herself, "Is that a good thing?"

000

Windshadow looked around for Dreampaw, wanting to tell her about his ceremony. She was, after all, becoming a friend. That's when he saw her. Sitting with a tabby tom, their pelts almost touching.

It made him sick.

Slowly, he began to scratch the ground, tearing it. Blackstar, who was walking by, marveled at how his son had claws as big as Tigerstar's.

Great. More competition.

Windshadow then began to stalk over to them, muscles rippling under his snowy white pelt. Robinpelt looked up to see the large Shadowclan warrior standing over them, a look of murder in his eyes.

"Oh, hi Windpaw!" Dreampaw mewed enthusiastically.

"Windshadow," The tom said coldly, "I just had my warrior ceremony."

"Really?" She jumped up to her paws and pressed the side of her face against him. "That's great!"

Windshadow took a couple steps back, and hurt sprang into Dreampaw's eyes, then followed by anger.

"Fine, be a stupid furball!" She hissed, turning back to Robinpelt. "Doesn't bother me in the least!"

Except that it did.

"I thought I told you to stay away from that she-cat," Blackstar murmured.

"Trust me," Windshadow spat, "I am."

000

"I can't BELIEVE him!" Dreampaw snarled as she walked back to camp next to her best friend-and fellow apprentice- Lightpaw.

"Who?" The silver tabby asked.

"Um... no one," Dreampaw mumbled. She didn't really want any cat to know about her FORMER friendship with Windshadow.

"You know," Lightpaw teased, "Robinpelt has been padding after you for the last few suns."

"No he hasn't."

"Yes he has."

"Nuh-uh."

"Uh-huh."

"Be quiet."
"Fine."

The two she-cats were silent for the rest of the walk back. That's when Robinpelt padded up to Dreampaw, looking quite nervous.

"Dreampaw?" He mewed.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering," He asked, "Since it looks like it'll be cold and all, if you would like to sleep in the warrior's den with us."

All right, Dreampaw thought to herself, He IS padding after me. Maybe I feel the same way... don't knock it 'til you try it...

"That's very nice of you," She murmured, "I'd love to."

Lightpaw shot her a knowing glance before padding into the apprentice's den.

Dreampaw felt the looks of the other warriors as she walked into the den. She was just circling when-

"Dreampaw! What are you doing here?"

Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw stood there, watching her.

"I invited her to sleep here for the night," Robinpelt said nervously, "I didn't want her to catch cold."

"Bu-" Brambleclaw began, but his mate cut him off, a mischeivous look in her green eyes.

"Oh, let her, Brambleclaw. It won't hurt anything."

Giving Robinpelt an 'I'm watching you' look, Brambleclaw sat down in his nest next to Squirrelflight.

000

Windshadow was drowning out his 'sorrows' as a romantic cat would put it(aka, jealousy) by:

killing things.

He practically ripped the squirrel's throat out, and then buried it.

"Sad, Windshadow?"
He whirled around to find the pretty tortoiseshell watching him, affection clear in her amber eyes. Windshadow suddenly realized that it was quite odd that he was seeing dead cats everywhere. Maybe he should tell Littlecloud...

No, he'd just think he was crazy.

"Maybe I am," He muttered out loud.

"What?" Spottedleaf asked.

"Noth-"

Windshadow had begun to say 'nothing' but was quite shocked when Spottedleaf touched her nose to his. He still though, didn't notice the love glowing in her eyes.

"Er, thanks," He said awkwardly.

"You seem troubled," She commented.

"Dreampaw was being mouse-brained, as usual," He hissed.

Spottedleaf wasn't sure of what to do. Help her first love's granddaughter, or help her new love and tear him away from that she-cat?
"I'm sorry," Was all she said.

And then-she vanished.

000

Ok:

WindshadowxSpottedleaf

WindshadowxDreampaw

or...

DreampawxRobinpelt?

R and R!