Chapter 6

For the next few days, Firepaw has been out training with Greypaw and Ravenpaw. He learned a few battle moves and a few hunting techniques from Bluestar, but today was the day he would finally learn to control his power. Firepaw was excited, he and Bluestar walked into the forest and were heading towards the Owl Tree.

"Bluestar, why are we heading to the Owl Tree?" Firepaw asked.

"I've been getting reports of Shadowclan cats prowling around there. Plus, this is the perfect place to practice your power." She explained.

Firepaw perked in surprise, he didn't think that Shadowclan cats wound wander that far into their territory and he hoped to Starclan that there wouldn't be a fight; not this soon, he meant.

"I thought the Sandy Hollow was a training place?" Firepaw meowed.

"It is, for battle training. But for hunting and practicing your powers, you can practice anywhere within Thunderclan's own territory." Bluestar meowed.

They arrived at the Owl Tree and Firepaw looked around and sniffed the air. He didn't scent any Shadowclan cats and there wasn't any faint scents either, but that doesn't mean they weren't lurking around. Firepaw looked around while Bluestar set up a flat rock and medium-sized stick.

"Firepaw, come here please." She meowed.

Firepaw looked over and saw that a medium-sized stick was on top of a flat rock. Firepaw looked around and realized that there were leaves and other sticks on the ground. He approached Bluestar and sat down while Bluestar sat on the other side.

"Watch." She meowed.

Firepaw looked down, he saw Bluestar's paw ignite in blue flames and touch the stick. The stick caught in flames and when Bluestar touch the stick again, the flames disappeared and the stick didn't looked burned at all. Firepaw was surprised and amazed, he looked at Bluestar with wide eyes.

"How did the stick not burn?" he asked.

"Our power hurts and kills cats and can destroy things, but here, the force protects the forest from fires like this and can only burn cats, but not severely. Now, try to ignite your paw. Concentrate on all the things that bother you and turn it into anger" Bluestar meowed.

Firepaw nodded, he looked at the stick and thought about all the things that bothered him. Surprisingly, Firepaw realized that there wasn't really much that bothered him. He had lived a comfortable life as a kittypet, before he became an apprentice. But, for the last few days, there were things that were annoying him. Ever since he joined Thunderclan, Longtail, Tigerclaw, Dustpaw, and Darkstripe had been giving him a hard time. He didn't know why, Sandpaw told him that clan cats with powers had no problem with outsiders with powers; in fact, it didn't matter. Dustpaw snapping at him and sometimes insulting him annoyed him, but it was worse when Darkstripe, Tigerclaw, and Longtail sneered and insulted him and his heritage. As those memories crept back into Firepaw's mind, it angered him. So much so, that fire ignited on his paws and it spread all over his body. Before Firepaw realized it, his entire body was covered in flames. Bluestar was surprised, she didn't think Firepaw had that much on his mind; then again, she probably shouldn't have told him to not think that hard. Firepaw realized that he was on fire and he started to get scared and panic.

"B-B-Bluestar, BLUESTAR!" Firepaw panicked.

"Calm down Firepaw, calm down." She meowed gently.

Bluestar placed her paw on his shoulder and Firepaw looked at her with wide eyes. He started to take deep breaths and calm down. Once he was calm, the fire disappeared. Firepaw looked all over himself and saw that he was back to normal. He looked at Bluestar.

"Don't worry, this is part of your power, you were only thinking thoughts that were making you enraged. Try to focus on things that annoy you." Bluestar meowed.

Firepaw nodded again. He looked at the stick again and this time, thought about the stuff that annoyed him. After a few moments, Firepaw's paw ignited in flames and he touched the stick. The flames soon covered the stick and Firepaw smiled and Bluestar was impressed.

"Well done, try that again, only this time, put the flames out." She instructed.

After a few hours of working on the basics and learning to control his anger, Bluestar and Firepaw headed back to camp. They were only a few feet from the Owl Tree when both cats stopped. Bluestar sniffed the air, than became alarmed. Firepaw sniffed the air and smelled a fowl scent. He looked behind him and saw a red and thick-furred creature going into one of the bushes. Firepaw looked back at Bluestar.

"Fox." She meowed alarmed.

"Shouldn't we fight it off?" Firepaw asked confused.

"Not while you're new to this. Foxes are quick and slick and they can kill a cat with just one deep bite. Trust me, you'll get your chance one day." Bluestar meowed.

She and Firepaw rushed back to camp as quickly as they could.

"We need to warn the queens that a fox has strayed into our territory." Bluestar meowed.

When they got back to camp, both cats stopped to catch their breath. Lionheart, Tigerclaw, and Greypaw were a few feet from them, saw them, and approached them.

"Lionheart, there's a fox near the Owl Tree. Take Tigerclaw, Whitestorm, Longtail, Runningwind, and Crickethop and come with me to help chase it out." Bluestar meowed.

"Of course." Lionheart nodded.

He motioned for Tigerclaw, Whitestorm, Longtail, Runningwind, and Crickethop. All four cats came and they, Lionheart, Tigerclaw, and Bluestar left the camp. Firepaw watched them leave, then looked at Greypaw; who had a shocked look on his face.

"You saw a fox?!" he meowed shocked.

"So, that red, thick-furred creature is a fox?" Firepaw meowed guessing.

"Yep. Never trust a fox, Firepaw. They look like a dog, but act like a cat! They're just as bad as badgers!" Greypaw exclaimed.

Firepaw nodded. He started to grasp the situation and decided to probably tell the queens that a fox had wandered into the territory. Firepaw and Greypaw headed for the nursery.

"I'm surprised that fox didn't see you or Bluestar. Speaking of which, how did training go?" Greypaw asked.

"It was great, I finally figured out how my powers activate." Firepaw meowed proudly.

"That's good." Greypaw meowed.

"Yep. Speaking of powers, what's yours? We've known each other for the past few days and you never once shown me." Firepaw meowed confused.

"Oh, well…come over here, I'll show you." Greypaw meowed nervous.

He led Firepaw to the center of the camp and got into a sleeping pose. For a few moments, Firepaw didn't see anything, but realized that Greypaw's fur became stone and something was coming off his back. After a few seconds, Greypaw's stripe became a snake with red eyes and it slithered towards Firepaw jumped in surprise and backed up a bit.

"Ah, so I see Greypaw has decided to show you his power eh?" a voice meowed.

Firepaw looked behind him and saw Chestnutpaw approaching him calmly. Firepaw calmed down and straightened out his fur.

"Oh, hi Chestnutpaw." He meowed.

"Hi Firepaw! Hi Greypaw." He greeted.

Firepaw looked at the snake, surprised. He didn't think that was still Greypaw, he thought that it was some venomous snake that Greypaw couldn't control and it would bite any cat; even their own clanmates.

"That's Greypaw?!" Firepaw meowed surprised.

"Yep. This happens every time, mostly with the kits. Greypaw is the snake and his body is the rock. It's just that other cats confuse him to be an adder and try to kill it." Chestnutpaw explained.

Firepaw nodded and looked at the rock. It looked like an ordinary rock, it didn't even look like a cat was carved or sculpted into it. Firepaw looked at the snake, it smiled and it's eyes gleamed. Firepaw smiled back and the snake slithered back onto a rock. Once the snake flattened, the rock turned back into Greypaw and he got up.

"Woo! Yep, that's my power." He meowed.

"Hey Greypaw, do you want to share this rabbit with me?" Chestnutpaw asked.

"Sure." He meowed.

Chestnutpaw picked up the rabbit and followed Greypaw to where the apprentices eat. Firepaw was about to join them, but remembered that he had to warn the queens about the fox and headed towards the nursery.