Firepaw growled to himself as he treated a scratch over his eye. He'd, once again, refused to treat Brokenstar or his cats and was punished for it.
Once the cobwebs were firmly in place, the tom slipped out of his makeshift den and into the clearing.
Padding towards his assigned guard, Jaggedtooth, he glared at the warrior. "I need to get some herbs."
Jaggedtooth nodded, leading the tom out of the clearing.
Both cats relaxed as they left the clearing, falling into familiar footsteps side by side.
Firepaw's eyes lit with determination as the warrior led the way.
Jaggedtooth's expression was tight, full of guilt and fear. "We'll need to be fast. Once sun-high hits, they'll send for us."
Nodding, the apprentice picked up his pace.
They began to trot, itching to get away from the others.
Jaggedtooth became antsier as they continued, his fur prickled with nervousness.
The apprentice gave him a reassuring look. "If ShadowClan don't take you back, I'm sure ThunderClan will. They'll appreciate what you're doing."
Taking a deep breath, the tom nodded. "Right. Thanks."
They eventually reached the edge of a large field. On the other side of it was Clan territory.
They both smiled, speeding up so that they were racing across the grass towards their home.
As they neared the edge, a loud cry came from overhead.
Before he could react, Firepaw felt thorn-sharp talons grip at his back.
Jaggedtooth instantly spun, using his momentum to launch into the air and dig his claws into the offending hawk's back as the apprentice screeched.
The hawk flailed, attempting to knock the warrior off.
The warrior pulled himself closer, grabbing the bird's throat in his jaws and biting down.
They didn't get far off the ground, but the fall once the hawk was dead still winded the both of them.
Firepaw winced as he staggered to his paws, feeling a couple drops of blood trickle down his back.
Jaggedtooth hurried over, checking the ginger over. "Are you alright?"
Nodding, the apprentice shuddered. "Thanks.."
They glared at the dead bird for a bit before continuing, taking a slower pace for the remaining stretch of land.
They slowed down as they reached the edge of ThunderClan territory.
Jaggedtooth's fur rose as they crossed the border, slowly making their way towards the camp.
It didn't take long to get there, the camp being fairly close to the outer edges of the territory.
Firepaw took a deep breath in and led the way, the warrior nervously following behind.
Longtail was the first to spot them, rushing over with wide eyes. "Firepaw! You're okay!"
His call summoned the rest of the camp.
Tigerclaw noticed the warrior first, snarling. "What is this mouse-heart doing here?"
Jaggedtooth recoiled a bit, glancing away.
The apprentice quickly came to his aid, smiling brightly. "Jaggedtooth helped me escape! Without him, I wouldn't have been able to find my way back."
Bluestar glanced at the warrior, dipping her head. "Thank you then, Jaggedtooth. Will you be returning to ShadowClan?"
Frowning, the warrior shook his head. "I don't think I could face them after... If you'll have me, I'd like to join ThunderClan."
The leader nodded, tail raised. "You've done ThunderClan a great service, Jaggedtooth. We'd be glad to have you."
Firepaw brightened up, smiling. "Where's Spottedleaf?"
Bluestar seemed horrified, answering in a quiet voice. "You.. don't know?"
Recoiling, the apprentice's cheery mood vanished. "What do.. what do you mean?"
Longtail spoke up, his expression full of pity and grief. "Clawface killed her when they came for the kits."
Firepaw froze, dread seeping into his pelt. He choked out a wail, huddling in on himself as he grieved for his mentor.
Jaggedtooth sat by his side, tail curled gently around the apprentice.
Bluestar murmured, her heart heavy. "I'm sorry, Firepaw. Yellowfang has been accepted into ThunderClan, she'll finish your training."
The apprentice roared, eyes blazing with grief and anger. "NO! SPOTTEDLEAF WAS SUPPOSED TO TRAIN ME!" He sobbed, racing past the gathered cats and towards the medicine den.
Yellowfang wasn't there, to the apprentice's relief.
He ran to his mentor's nest, curling into it to drink in her scent.
He sobbed until he fell asleep, exhausted.