Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors only Flamepaw and the minor plot differences.

~Chapter Four~

It was early morning and right now Flamepaw was having a very bad day. It had been two moons since her brother, Firepaw, had started his training and she couldn't be more proud of him. She had been training to be a medicine cat for four moons now and Spottedleaf had already started to let her do certain tasks without supervision. The young medicine cat had said she had never seen any cat learn so quickly. She said that Flamepaw might become a full medicine cat sooner than she would have.

Right now however she felt like a kit. She had gotten herself literally stuck in a patch of brambles and right now the thorns were digging deep into her pelt and she couldn't get herself free. Suddenly she heard a twig snap and immediately she opened her mouth to taste the air. Flamepaw hadn't been more relieved in her life when she recognized the scent.

"Tigerclaw," she called or rather yowled as she had in fact moved into a different position and felt the brambles dig into her flanks sharply, making her hiss out in pain.

It was only moments later that the dark tabby appeared and looked at her in amazement. "How did you get in there," he asked his eyes wide.

"I was hunting and nearly caught a mouse, which ran into this bramble thicket and I was running to fast to stop and…well you can see for yourself," she muttered, trying to wiggle her way out, but only letting out a hiss of pain.

"Hold still and let me se if I can do anything," Tigerclaw replied and walked forward to see how badly she was tangled.

Then with his long front claws unsheathed he started slicing away the brambles, but making sure that he didn't get too close to her. Finally most of the brambles had been clawed away from her and she struggled to get free once more.

"It's not working," she grunted as she tried to claw her way forward.

"Alright don't move," Tigerclaw meowed, receiving a glare.

"It's not like I have a choice," she snapped angrily but complied and the big tabby grabbed a hold of her scruff in his strong jaws then he jerked sharply with all his might and the two of them went crashing backwards.

Flamepaw quickly rolled away from him and stood up slowly and winced. She turned her head to look back at the brambles then to find that large clumps of her orange and white fur were still stuck to the thorns where she had been. She now looked down at her pelt to see that she was covered in thorns and mud. Her pelt was literally a disaster.

"It's going to take moons for me to take these thorns out," she groaned and heard a loud cough followed by another, and then it turned into a full blown laughing fit. Flamepaw whipped around then to find Tigerclaw rolling on his back laughing. Anger and embarrassment and even shame flowed through her, making her pelt feel hot.

"It's not funny!" she screeched, which only made him laugh harder and with a loud caterwaul she launched herself at him and heard him let out a yowl of surprise as she tackled him to the ground.

She now had him pinned to the ground and ignored the pain flowing through her body even though she did wince in pain. Flamepaw now glowered down at Tigerclaw, her green eyes blazing with fiery.

"Sorry," he meowed, "it's just you look like a hedgehog."

She glowered at him even more fiercely, her eyes flashing. "And it's rude to laugh when I am obviously in agony," she spat and lept off the dark tabby and winced once more.

She couldn't help but crouch down in agony as Tigerclaw stood up on his paws. He looked over at her then and his amber eyes became gentle.

"Come on," he replied. "Let's get you back to camp."

She nodded, but could barely walk and Tigerclaw ended up grabbing her by her scruff and carried her back to camp. She winced when some of the spikes from the gorse tunnel tugged at her fur. Finally, Tigerclaw carried her into the camp.

Flamepaw's eyes looked around and she caught sight of Brindleface, her adoptive mother. The dappled, mottled gray tabby looked up and was immediately on her paws and raced across the clearing over to her and Tigerclaw.

"Flamepaw! Your beautiful coat! What happened?" the tabby queen yowled shrilly and once again she winced; only this time it was from the queen's shrill voice.

Spottedleaf on hearing Brindleface's stressed call, had raced out of the medicine den and trotted over to them. Tigerclaw then sat her down as carefully as possible, even though she still winced and groaned in pain. The dark tabby warrior quickly explained what happened to the two she-cats then, as Spottedleaf carefully sniffed at her pelt.

"Let's get her to the medicine den," the tortoiseshell meowed.

Tigerclaw once again picked her up and carried over to the medicine den. Once inside he sat her down gently in her nest and took a few steps back as Spottedleaf quickly reappeared from her den and walked over with a few bundles of herbs. Suddenly Bluestar appeared and called Tigerclaw away for a patrol.

"Will she be okay?" the dark warrior asked the medicine cat.

"She will. She just needs some rest after I get those thorns and brambles out," Spottedleaf replied and Flamepaw immediately groaned.

Tigerclaw nodded then and looked down at her briefly before charging off out of the medicine clearing.

...

It was after sunhigh and Flamepaw was still in a lot of pain, even though the thorns and brambles had been removed. Her pelt was now patchy and thin in some areas since she had left a great deal of her fur in that bramble thicket. She had tried to groom herself and managed to remove any thorns that had been missed. Earlier, after, removing those thorns, Spottedleaf had given her some poppy seeds to help with the pain and also help her sleep. Now she felt refreshed, but still sore.

Suddenly she heard a steady jeering starting to be picked up, and quickly exited the medicine den just a few moments after Spottedleaf who was walking towards a familiar old, dark gray she-cat. Only the familiar sour tang of ShadowClan confirmed her suspicions. It was Yellowfang. The grumpy ShadowClan medicine cat.

Flamepaw now watched then as Spottedleaf walked forward through the crowd which parted to let the young tortoiseshell through.

Yellowfang glared at Spottedleaf and hissed. "I know how to take care of my own wounds. I don't need your help."

She watched then as her mentor said nothing but nodded respectfully and stepped back. Flamepaw decided to stay in the shade of the fern tunnel that led to the medicine clearing.

She watched then as the returning warriors each took some food from the fresh-kill pile and took it over to the nettle patch to eat. Then the rest of her clanmates stepped forward to take their own share. Flamepaw eyed the fresh-kill but refused.

She turned her head then and saw Firepaw, who was pacing around the clearing looking hungry. Flamepaw watched him as he watched as the Clan cats crouched in their usual groups, chewing and gulping. That's when she guessed that he must have broken the warrior code.

She watched then as he paused beside the Highrock where Bluestar was sharing words with Tigerclaw.

Flamepaw sighed and crouched down then and watched as Tigerclaw walked forward towards the fresh-kill pile and took his share. He seemed to realize that someone was watching him, since he looked up in her direction with the fresh-kill in his mouth. She saw his eyes widen slightly before walking towards her and dropping the thrush at her paws.

"Take it," he meowed looking deeply into her eyes.

She stood there for a moment and looked down at the fresh-kill longingly but shook her head stubbornly. "No, Tigerclaw. I can't. I didn't even bring prey back for the Clan," she snapped.

"You are not a warrior apprentice," he replied. "You are training to be a medicine cat, Flamepaw. Besides," he purred pushing the fresh-kill closer, "you were injured. You need to keep your strength up."

Finally, Flamepaw gave in and crouched down to eat, she still winced at moving into that position but ignoring the pain she took a bite. She looked over Tigerclaw's shoulder then and saw Firepaw sneaking over to the fresh-kill pile to grab a mouse.

"Tigerclaw," she warned and jerked her head, again wincing, in the direction of the fresh-kill pile and the dark tabby whipped around to see her brother almost grabbing the mouse.

"Not for you," Tigerclaw growled, striding up behind him and pawing the mouse away. "You didn't bring back any prey. The elders will eat your share. Take it to them."

She watched then as Firepaw looked over at Bluestar.

She nodded shortly. "Do as he says."

Flamepaw watched then as her brother carried the mouse over to the elders then and sighed heavily, before turning back to her own fresh-kill. Tigerclaw soon returned with his own fresh-kill and the two ate in silence. In fact she almost expected him to gloat or act arrogant, but he didn't.

Bluestar's call sounded across the clearing. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join together for a meeting of our Clan."

Flamepaw stood up then, having just finished her meal and had started grooming herself, even though she winced when she tried to groom every tender spot. She now looked up then and slowly heaved herself onto her paws, and wobbled slightly. She trotted over to the Highrock slowly with Tigerclaw right beside her.

"I'm sure you have all heard about the prisoner we brought back with us today," Bluestar began. "But there is something else you need to know." She glanced down at the old ShadowClan medicine cat. "Can you hear me from there?" she asked.

"I may be old, but I'm not deaf yet!" Yellowfang spat in reply.

Bluestar ignored the she-cat's hostile tone and continued. "I'm afraid I have some very grave news. Today I traveled with a patrol into WindClan territory. The air was filled with the scent of ShadowClan. Almost every tree had been sprayed by ShadowClan warriors. And we met no WindClan cats even though we traveled deep within their heartland."

Her words were met with silence and Flamepaw saw that many of her clanmates were deeply confused.

"Do you mean ShadowClan has chased them out?" called Smallear hesitantly.

"We can't be sure," Bluestar meowed. "Certainly the scent of ShadowClan was everywhere. We found blood too, and fur. There must have been a battle, though we found no bodies of either Clan."

A shocked yowl rose from the crowd in a single voice. Flamepaw felt her clanmates stiffen around her with shock and fury. Never before had one Clan driven another from its hunting grounds. Flamepaw felt fury flow through her veins and a low growl escaped her throat. She could feel Tigerclaw beside her; brush his tail along her flank to calm her.

"How can Windclan have been driven out?" One-eye croaked hoarsely. "ShadowClan is fierce, but WindClan is many. They have lived in the uplands for generations. Why have they been chased out now?" She shook her head anxiously, her whiskers trembling.

"I don't know the answers to any of your questions," meowed Bluestar. "It is well known that ShadowClan has recently appointed a new leader, following the death of Raggedstar. Their new leader, Brokenstar, gave no hint of any threat when we met him at the last Gathering."

"Perhaps Yellowfang has answers?" snarled Darkstripe. "After all, she is of Shadowclan!"

"I am no traitor! Nothing will make me share the secrets of Shadowclan with a brute like you!" growled Yellowfang, glaring aggressively at Darkstripe. The Thunderclan warrior moved forward, ears flat, eyes closed to slits, ready for a fight.

"Stop!" yowled Bluestar.

Darkstripe immediately halted in his tracks, even though Yellowfang goaded him on with blazing eyes and a ferocious hiss.

"That's enough!" growled Bluestar. "This situation is too serious for us to be fighting among ourselves. Thunderclan must prepare itself. From this moonrise onward, warriors will travel in larger groups. Other Clan members will remain close to camp. Patrols will travel the boundary edges more frequently, and all the kits must stay in the nursery."

The cats below her nodded in agreement.

Bluestar continued. "Our need for warriors is our greatest obstacle. We shall get this by speeding up the training of our apprentices. They need to be ready even sooner to fight for our Clan."

Flamepaw looked at the other apprentices and saw that all of them looked excited. She quickly looked over at Spottedleaf, her eyes filled with silent words. Wondering if her own apprenticeship will also speed up. She saw the tortoiseshell nod to her in agreement and felt excitement of her own as she turned back to the Highrock.

Bluestar went on. "One young cat has been sharing mentors with Graypaw and Ravenpaw. By teaching him, I shall speed up the training of all three apprentices." She paused and looked down at her Clan. "I shall take on Firepaw as my own apprentice."

She herself was gaping in astonishment at Bluestar. She suddenly felt Tigerclaw stiffen beside her. "So Firepaw is to be rewarded, not punished, for feeding an enemy warrior when he should have been feeding his own Clan?"

"Firepaw is my apprentice now. I will deal with him," answered Bluestar. She stared into Tigerclaw's fierce eyes for a moment before lifting her head to address the whole Clan once more. "Yellowfang will be allowed to stay here until she has recovered her strength. We are warriors, not savages. She is to be treated with respect and courtesy."

"But the Clan cannot support Yellowfang," Darkstripe protested. "We have too many mouths to feed already."

"I don't need anyone to take care of me!" spat Yellowfang. "And I'll split anyone who tries!"

There were muffled meows from the other warriors as they grudgingly recognized the enemy warrior's fighting spirit.

Bluestar ignored the murmuring. "We shall kill two prey with one blow, as it were. Firepaw, as punishment for breaking the warrior code, it will be your responsibility to care for Yellowfang. You will hunt for her and tend to her wounds. You will fetch fresh bedding and clear away her dirt."

"Yes, Bluestar," mewed Firepaw, his head bowed in submission.

Mocking yowls came from Dustpaw and Sandpaw. "Good idea!" hissed Dustpaw. "Firepaw had better be good at cracking fleas!"

"And hunting!" added Sandpaw. "That sack of bones is going to need feeding up!"

Flamepaw felt a growl rumbling in her throat and the fur that she had left bristled as they made fun of her litter mate.

"Enough!" Bluestar interrupted them. "I hope Firepaw will find no shame in caring for Yellowfang. She is a healer, and she is an elder. For those reasons alone he should respect her!" She shot a sharp glance at Sandpaw and Dustpaw. "And there is no humiliation in caring for another cat when it is unable to take care of itself. The meeting is over. I would like to speak to my senior warriors alone now." With that, she jumped down from the Highrock and marched toward her den.

Flamepaw looked up at Tigerclaw then and meowed a fair well and quickly made her way to the medicine den. From the corner of her eye she saw Lionheart had already followed Bluestar and Tigerclaw was looking after her for a moment before following them into Bluestar's den with the other senior warriors following.

Flamepaw soon curled up in her nest in the medicine clearing and felt exhausted and sore from her little adventure from earlier. It wasn't long before she dozed off, for a few minutes anyway.