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Chapter 2
The rest of the day passed without much incident. I didn't apologize to Birchpaw, but, then, I didn't actually see him for the rest of the day! I was too busy training, with my mentor. Lightstar kept me really busy! Spotpelt was exhausted by the end of the day, obviously not having run the Clan like this for a few moons.
I was really tired when we got back. I'd been hunting and practice fighting and the only rest I got was in the middle of the day, when we stopped in a glade to eat and help get me prepared for Lightstar's next training session. We did hunting for one part of the day, and then he explained to me that we'd be doing some fighting practice. We'd hunt some more at the end of the day so that we'd have something to take back to the Clan, but it was imperative that I know how to fight. Lightstar's reasoning went right along with mine, that Rock was coming back someday and that he would probably try to amass a better fighting force before then. We had to be ready.
"Petalpaw!" Cloudypaw came running up to me as soon as I entered the camp. "You would not believe what just happened!"
"I don't know what just happened. That is…?" I prompted gently.
She just barged right on, as if not having heard me. "Well, we found a rogue cat on our territory during patrol today! And we took him prisoner! And now we have to guard him, but he says for some reason that he wants to see you, Petalpaw!"
"No." Lightstar came up behind me just then. "No. Petalpaw is the best resource we've got on these cats. We can't let her anywhere near them!"
I turned to face my mentor, blinking. "No, Lightstar, I'm sure it'll be fine," I said calmly, although I was feeling far from calm inside. "I mean, what's the worst that can happen?"
Lightstar, however, saw right through me, and he pulled me aside. "Petalpaw," he whispered urgently, "I know you have to face your fears and that all of us have been telling you that you'll get better eventually, but this is definitely not the way to do it! I know you're scared, more scared than you've been since you got here, but this is not the way to handle it!"
I sighed. "I know you're a Clan leader and all that, but, Lightstar… I've gotta do this! I know these cats, I know what they are like, and I know best how to handle them!"
"Yes, I know, but what if you get hurt in the process?" His gaze flicked over some of the scars on my body. "You don't know how to handle them. You nearly got yourself killed on many occasions, if what you tell us is true!"
He did make sense. "Please, though…," I begged. "Please at least let me see who it is, Lightstar! Depending on who it is, I can probably help you with the best ways to handle them. One of the cats I used to…." I hesitated, swallowed. "….live with, is a very good escape artist. She'll escape if you don't constantly keep up your guard! Depending on who it is, we'll probably need a watch going right through the night."
Lightstar nodded. "I trust your opinion, but you're not going in there without at least two other warriors accompanying you, all right?"
I sighed. "Yes. Right. Whatever. Can we please just get this over with, now?"
"Darkflower! Firestorm!" Lightstar yowled.
"Firestorm's out on patrol, Lightstar," Darkflower explained, coming up and dipping her head to the leader. Lightstar nodded.
"Very well. Is Rabbitstep around?" he called, straightening up and scanning the cats in the clearing.
"Yes!" Rabbitstep pranced up, his long pale brown tail straight up and waving excitedly in the air.
"Will you two accompany Petalpaw to the prisoner's den?" Lightstar asked.
"Yes, Lightstar!" they both answered in unison, nodding and then taking up positions on either side of me.
I took a deep breath as we reached the prison where whoever they had caught was being held, and then steeled myself as the guards of the small prison rolled aside the rock. I stepped forward, looking into the shadows. Pale green eyes gleamed out at me from the darkness.
It was Thorn.