Fireheart

Brackenpaw is well behaved. Why did I have to get the one cat in the forest with more energy then all the Clans combined? Fireheart wasn't in a good mood as he padded through the forest, not even trying to keep up with Cinderpaw as she bounded ahead of the patrol. The only other cats with them were Graystripe and Brackenpaw, who were having a seemingly deep conversation about the nuances of the Warrior Code. Of course, deep for Graystripe isn't very deep for any other cat. Caught in between an overload of excitement and an impossibly dull discussion, Fireheart was definitely not in a good mood.

They were heading to the lake to try and keep an eye out for RiverClan. Tigerclaw had "suggested" that they bond with their apprentices. It's probably some kind of revenge. StarClan hadn't been in Fireheart's favor recently. His plot to take over ThunderClan was progressing painfully slowly, thanks to his new apprentice. Plus, he had to find a way to get Tigerclaw out of the picture. I need to frame him for a crime. That would have him kicked out before he could blink. The problem was, Tigerclaw didn't do anything even remotely sketchy. Fireheart needed to get a better reputation, so that when it was Tigerclaw's word against his own, the Clan would pick him. And if part of getting a good reputation involved training a scatter brained apprentice, then so be it.

The lake glittered in the morning sun, like a sea of stars. Fireheart watched a catfish circle lazily through the shallows, barely visible in the murky water. Then there was a splash, and the fish disappeared.

Cinderpaw was blissfully unaware of the creature she had just terrified, "I want to catch a vole! I've never tasted vole!"

"I'm afraid everything we catch today goes right back to the elders," replied Graystripe. Fireheart kept on walking down towards the water. He did detect a faint trace of RiverClan, but it was hard to tell with—SPLASH! Fireheart whirled around to see Graystripe sopping wet, with a soaked leaf draped across his paw.

Brackenpaw looked doubtful, "Why did you do that?"

Graystripe attempted to look wise, "Never miss a chance to practice your hunting skills."

"But you were just trying to jump on a leaf—"

"Don't question genius, Brackenpaw, and you will go far." Fireheart glanced over at his own apprentice, who was currently attacking a fallen log. I won't even ask.

"Start checking for RiverClan scent," he mewed to Graystripe, who was shaking the water out of his fur.

"I'm on it!" The cats scanned the area around the lake shore, even Cinderpaw pitched in when Fireheart threatened to steal her butterfly wing if she didn't. He wandered off to check a patch of dandelions for scent, and sneazed. No RiverClan scent there. When he got back to the others, Cinderpaw was deep in conversation with Graystripe.

"Hey Fireheart!" Cinderpaw mewed, "Is it true that RiverClan cats have a secret camp underneath the Gathering island and it's filled with flying mice and lots of catnip?" What? Why?

"No it isn't true, don't be mousebrained. Who told you that?" His apprentice gestured to Graystripe with her tail, and the gray warrior immedieately went on the defensive.

"It's true!" the fluff brain stammered, "Mousefur said so!" Fireheart had the sudden urge to bang his own head against a rock.

They once again began the search, and Fireheart suspected that Tigerclaw had sent them on this impossibly long mission on purpose.

"Hey look!" Fireheart glanced at the source of the sound, and saw Brackenfur standing at the edge of the fallen tree that connected their territory to the island at the center of the lake. He seemed to be staring at something in the water, but before he could say what it was he lost his balance and toppled into the water.

"BRACKENPAW!" Cinderpaw yowled as she tore for the lake shore, but Graystripe was already pounding through the shallows. Fireheart couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance. None of us are strong enough to swim all the way out there and back with Brackenpaw. Why are they even trying? Then, as if it was a miracle, a silver striped head bobbed up beside the place where the ThunderClan apprentice had fallen. A RiverClan cat! The cat seemed to be dragging Brackenpaw through the water towards the shore where Graystripe was anxiously waiting. Cinderpaw gave a small gasp.

"Is that cat going to hurt my brother?" she asked, sounding suddenly terrified.

Fireheart shook his head, "No, I'm sure he's not. If he wanted to hurt Brackenpaw, then he would have just let him drown." As they approached the shore, Fireheart noticed that the rescuer was definitely a RiverClan she cat. She was silver, with a coat that resembled Bluestar's. She set Brackenpaw down, and the apprentice hopped up and dashed towards Graystripe, who licked his apprentices head to calm him down.

Without another word, the she cat leapt back into the lake and swam back towards RiverClan territory. Fireheart couldn't help but find that suspicious. Why didn't she stick around to see if Brackenpaw was okay? And how did she even see Brackenpaw drowning? Had she been on the island?

He turned to tell Graystripe what he thougth when he saw his expression. Graystripe looked thankful, but there was a warm look in his eyes as he watched the RiverClan cat recede into the distance. Huh, that's odd... It was almost as if he knew this she cat…

I am EXTREMELY sorry for posting late. Just because you guys are all so great, I'm going to post two today to make up for it. Thanks for reading!