Pashpaw stared up in awe at the strong-looking tom. He had bright yellow eyes and an amazingly dark black pelt.
"'Ello, kits." He simply mewed.
Blackpaw stared up at him angrily. "We're not kits, we're warrior apprentices. And you're an intruder! Which means we must either chase you off our territory, or kill you now!"
The tom nodded and licked a paw before meowing; "Kits, apprentices same thing." He lept of his branch to get right into the Clan cats faces. "'Name's Bandit." He hissed; eyes narrowed to slits.
Blackpaw growled and gritted his teeth. "You smell of rogue. So get off our territory, rogue, or we'll have to chase you off!"
"Oh, I'm so scared!" Bandit mewed sarcastically.
"That's it!" Blackpaw cried as he jumped toward the rogue. But Bandit merely ducked down, which sent Blackpaw flying onto a nearby bush. "Oh, c'mon. You can do better than that!"
Pashpaw looked worriedly at his companions. They all had shocked looks on their faces. Pashpaw gulped before turned back to the rogue. "Bandit, this territory belongs to Fernstar of Lakeclan. I ask that you leave. Believe me, next time I won't be the one asking."
Bandit seemed to ponder this before answering. "Fernstar? My, has time flown by."
Pashpaw didn't understand.
"Well…let's just say I've had the pleasure to be acquainted to Fernheart before. I mean Fernstar! I swear I'm never gonna get used to that."
This time, it was Leafpaw who answered. "You…you met Fernstar?" She choked, her eyes wide with wonder.
"Yes. A long time ago. When she was merely a warrior during the leadership of Pine-" But he was cut of as a vary angry Blackpaw lept out of the bushes, spitting out bits and pieces of leaves and twigs.
"This time I'm serious! Get off my territory!" Again, Bandit rolled his eyes and stared at Blackpaw with exaggerated bewilderment.
But just as Bandit began to speak, there was a nearby rustle, and the ginger-colored face of Foxeye. "What seems to be the…Bandit! Oh, hello. I've just seen Fernstar, would you like to meet with her?"
The black tom seemed to be relieved that at least someone knew who he was. "Yes, Foxeye, I very much would." And as the two toms turned to leave, Pashpaw noticed Blackpaw lagging behind, dragging his tail as he went.
Even before Pashpaw could ask what was wrong, Blackpaw started to explain himself. "I acted like a fool back there. I shouldn't have attacked Bandit like that. Who would have known he was a friend of Fernstars'?"
Pashpaw did not know what to say. Blackpaw, his best friend, was feeling like he'd done something horrible. Somehow, it made Pashpaw think of his accident with Bonytail. "You didn't know about Bandit, Blackpaw. He probably knew Fernstar before you were born."
The look Pashpaw got in return was heartbreaking. "Pashpaw, I attacked Bandit not because I didn't know who was, I attacked him because I did know who he was."
Yet again, Pashpaw was completely clueless.
"I knew he was a rogue! An outsider Pashpaw! A loner! A just-I just can't let a rogue into LakeClan territory." Blackpaw paused and looked at the trees as if waiting for a leaf to fall before continuing. "A rogue cat killed mine and Leafpaw's father."
"Does Leafpaw know?" Pashpaw managed to sputter out of his shock.
"No." Blackpaw finished. He hurried ahead, motioning with his tail for Pashpaw to follow him.
It was only then Pashpaw realized that Flashpaw had not mewed a single word the whole time.