Chapter 2

My paws were still aching from the long run back to camp, and my mind whirled. Why couldn't Bloodfur just see how I felt? I thought it was obvious, with all the smart comebacks and sarcasm, but was I really that complicated? All I wanted was someone like my dad, someone to really cheer me up when in the worst of moods.

I was in the apprentices den, lying in my nest. It was hot and uncomfortable, the moss seemed full of thorns and the bracken prickly. Suddenly, my stomach rumbled, reminding me that I should probably get some fresh kill. I wanted to wait until moonhigh, simply because I really didn't want to see any cat's face, or for them to see mine, but thought the better of it, and sat up.

I didn't bother washing, I didn't care. It's not like these cat's opinions of me could get any lower. Padding out of the den, I passed Fawnpaw and Lilypaw. Our fur brushed- but, accidentally of course.

He leapt away, mortified, "Hey don't touch me mousebrain!"

Lilypaw snickered. " Getting close to her are you Fawnpaw? You know, you could've just told me."

Fawnpaw bristled, then noticed me staring,"What're you looking at?"

I had been uncharistically silent, so just for the sake of watching him bristle, I retorted, "Something small and really, really, ugly! Kind of like a toad." I tilted my head in mock wonder.

Lilypaw suddenly stepped up to my face, talking in that way where you're sort of whispering but yelling at the same time. " You don't talk to him like that or I'll-"

"You'll what?" the voice wasn't mine, but Lilypaw's mentor, Liontail.

I wasn't really at all suprised, but Lilypaw obviously was. " I-er-, well you see, I was going to-"

"You were going to go clean the leader's bedding right? Oh, but it's getting too late for that. You'll have to give you apologies to him yourself."

Burn! He told you!

"And Fawnpaw, Beechpaw, you two are lucky I'm not your mentor. Or you'd be confined to camp for moons."

Awwwww, kill joy.

"Get some sleep all of you, I'm sure your mentors will wake you up especially early tomorrow after I tell them about this incident."

I could feel lasers burning the fur on the back of my neck, but ignored them, because, luckily, Liontail spoke before I did anything.

" But, if you don't kill each other, I guess I could let it slide."

Score!

In the morning, I woke up early. Or really, just late. It was dark out when I stepped into the warm, muggy air, and Silverpelt shone bright above, the moon half-full, making me wonder if I would go to the gathering. Probably not, I thought to myself.

Usually, cats take walks to clear their heads, but I wasn't thinking about much as I left the camp in the direction of Twolegplace, or rather, ran. The fresh night air was much cooler than during the day, and cooler still as the wind pulled at my fur, tugging me left and right.

I didn't stop running until I felt sure even a WindClan warrior would've stopped by now. But also because if I hadn't, I would've collided with a dirty Twoleg fence.

I wrinkled my nose, something really smelled like crowfood over here. I took a step closer to the wooden wall, because I've actually never touched it before. Not even with my whiskers, because Bloodfur had always said it was too dangerous. Pfft, stupid Bloodfur. he doesn't even know what he's meowing about. I held my breath, and I really felt ready to turn around and head to camp. Not because I was scared, but I really couldn't take much more of this smell.

I turned towards the forest, ready to run all the way to camp, when suddenly-

thump.

I swiveled my ears towards the sound, too scared to look back. Paw steps? My heart was thumping so fast, I was sure whatever- or really, whoever- was there, could hear me. Then, a voice called,

" Who's there?"