Hey guys! I saw that some people reviewed, yay! Well, here's the first official chapter of Whispers of Flame. Enjoy! ^_^
"Petalspots!"
Petalspots blinked awake from the groggy darkness of her dream. She stretch in her nest, yawning slightly, and relaxed, relishing the sunlight on her fur.
"My goodness, Petalspots, will you wake up!"
She jerked, unaware that she had begun to fall back into the trance of sleep. Forcing her legs to move, she stood up and faced the voice.
Berryshade was standing in the doorway, glaring at her with her piercing amber gaze, a small smirk on her face. She nudged Petalspots affectionately. "You can be such a sleepy-sloth, sis." Berryshade meowed with a snort of laughter.
Petalspots nudged her back. "You were always an early riser, and not afraid to show it!"
"Come on, we have to go on patrol. Fawnpelt ordered us to check the RiverClan border, not to squabble like kits!" Berryshade trotted out of the den, leaving Petalspots in the dust.
Petalspots sighed. Berryshade always has to be all business! She followed her sister out.
Immediately she felt all eyes turn toward them. Whispers erupted from all around the Clan, not quite soft enough for Petalspots not to hear. Yet they echoed louder in her mind than she could've ever thought possible.
It's Flamepaw's sisters!
The sisters of the murderer...can they be trusted?
Watch them, they might be planning another attack.
I wonder where that Flamepaw scum is anyway.
Petalspots sighed and kept going, tail drooping. She couldn't help glancing at Berryshade. She was sure her sister could hear the jibes, but she didn't show it; her tail and head were head as high as always.
How can she live on like that, never hearing the constant taunts in her head?
How can she live being the sister of someone hated by all of the Clan?
How can she not care what others think of her like that?
How can I be like that?
She shook her head clear and continued walking.
She found her sister talking with Jaystar, her tail flicking impatiently as she waited for Petalspots.
"There you are!" She meowed with an exasperated glint in her eyes. She turned back to Jaystar. "Jaystar, Petalspots and I were instructed to patrol the RiverClan border. Would there be any other places we should check? Should we bring anyone else with us?" Berryshade spoke with such formality and respect that Petalspots thought she was talking to the king of the universe.
Jaystar flicked his tail to acknowledge Petalspots, and then turned back to her sister. He narrowed his ice blue eyes. "Didn't Fawnpelt tell you to take one of the apprentices?"
Oh yes, we must have forgotten. "Okay, we'll take Flame-"
"Actually," Berryshade cut her off, turning toward her with a nervous glint in her eyes, "Flamepaw wasn't here when I checked the apprentices den."
"Take Sagepaw," Jaystar ordered, then flicked his tail to signal their dismissal.
As the two padded away, Berryshade turned to Petalspots. "Flamepaw wasn't here when the sun went down," she muttered anxiously. "I'm really worried. Usually he's always in camp in the evening and morning."
A tightening knot of suspicion formed in Petalspots's belly. Could something be happening to Flamepaw?
No, she told herself. Flamepaw is fine.
She forced her suspicion away.
He has to be.
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Petalspots, Berryshade, and Sagepaw came back at around sun high. Luckily, there was no trouble at the RiverClan border. The patrol headed up to Jaystar to report.
"No scent of RiverClan, Jaystar," Berryshade meowed with confidence.
"Good," Jaystar replied. "Thank you all."
Petalspots began to head over to the shade, trying to shelter from the heat of the green-leaf afternoon. She settled down and was preparing to wash when she caught a glimpse of a familiar gray pelt.
"Petalspots!" Cloudfrost called.
Petalspots scowled. She turned her back on her former best friend, bitter memories stirring up in her mind.
"Flamepaw murdered Dawnstream!" She remembered his cold eyes and accusing voice at that meeting. When he had accused her brother of murder. But surely he knew Flamepaw better than that? After all, his best friend's brother wouldn't dare do something like that, right? He should know better than that...right? Of course...
Apparently, he didn't.
"Petalspots! We haven't spoken in a moon!" Cloudfrost called again.
But surely he wouldn't hold it against his sister for his accusation?
Well, apparently, if your brother murders someone, you can't be trusted.
Even if you knew nothing about it.
He'd ignored her. Treated her like a stranger, no, a disease. Avoiding her whenever he could.
Petalspots would never forget that.
But why was he talking to her now?
Was he sorry?
"Petalspots, I've been trying to talk to you for weeks. Don't shut me out."
No, he's not sorry.
"I'm sorry."
You're lying.
"I shouldn't have ignored you. I didn't want to ruin our friendship, I just thought...that because..."
Because I'm related to Flamepaw, the supposed 'murderer', that I'm as bad as a disease and must be avoided?
"Leave me alone," I whispered. He backed away, shocked and hurt, but I wasn't finished.
"You cast me out when I did nothing wrong. I didn't do anything. Just because Flamepaw is my brother doesn't mean I did anything! You should have realized that." She took a step forward, rage building. "We were supposed to be friends, best friends!" She looked him straight in the eye. This feels so good, to finally let all of this out. I've been bottling this up for too long. "Didn't I mean anything to you?"
"Petal, it's not like that..."
But Petalspots stormed off, tail lashing.
I've survived without his 'friendship' for the past moon. I can for the rest of my life.
I don't need him.
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Gloomy, twisted trees loomed over the forest floor's bushes and undergrowth. Crows called in the distance, ominous conversations that echoed in the night. A cat's shape was huddled on the forest floor, barely visible in the darkness.
Two glittering eyes opened and looked around. They narrowed, taking in the barely visible dark surroundings, nearly pitch black.
Well.
The cat stood up and turned, met by more glittering eyes. Countless pairs of eyes, blue and green, amber and yellow. Eyes shining with an emotion hard to read. Approval? Anger? Curiosity? Desperation?
The cat met all of the gazes, taking in each pair of eyes, each emotion. It sent back another feeling with its own gaze.
Triumph.
Well.
I made it.
Oooooooh, spooky! So did you guys enjoy it? I tried to make the first chapter exciting, and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. Please review, it is greatly appreciated! Bye! ^_^