Chapter 15

"Well, well… if it isn't our newest apprentices, Tinypaw and Graypaw!"

"Shut up, Longtail," Tinyclaw snarled. "Unless you want another nicked ear."

Longtail lashed his tail and frowned. "Done eating?" he growled, eyes burning with anger. "We've got a training session."

Tinyclaw glanced at Graystripe. The gray warrior was just finishing off his shrew, while Tinyclaw's meal – a vole – had been demolished before Longtail had swaggered over. Graystripe, in his displeasure with their 'mentor', was purposefully taking his time.

How in StarClan did Longtail end up being picked as our mentor? Tinyclaw wondered. If Bluefur were more active in her deputy duties, she might have picked Darkstripe if not to give him another chance to kill Tinyclaw – but Longtail must have been chosen by Whitestorm or Oakheart, cats who weren't truly aware of the resentment between Longtail and Tinyclaw.

Graystripe polished off his shrew, and he and Tinyclaw got to their paws. Graystripe took a moment to wash his whiskers while Tinyclaw asked, "Where are we going?"

"Hunting," Longtail replied with a sneer, "if you still remember how that is."

Tinyclaw rolled his eyes. It was bad enough that they had to sleep in the apprentice's den – now they had Longtail lording over them like the bully he wished he could have been. It's going to be a long hunting session…

"Let's get going then," Tinyclaw decided gruffly. "The sooner the better."

"Lead the way, kittypet," Longtail jeered.

Tinyclaw narrowed his ice-blue eyes at the pale tom, making sure to make his gaze as full of vitriol as possible. Longtail flinched, and Tinyclaw growled, "Call me kittypet again – see what happens."

Longtail did his best to smooth his fur, but he was shaken for the moment. Tinyclaw and Graystripe led the way out of camp, Longtail following behind. In the lead, the two did their best not to snigger as they headed out of camp.

Out in the open, however, Longtail did his best to be as noisy as possible. Though Tinyclaw and Graystripe were doing everything they could to ignore him, Longtail certainly didn't hesitate to suggest hunting spots that were far better than what his 'apprentices' had picked, or techniques that were just so much more effective than what Tinyclaw or Graystripe tried.

It didn't help that the day was dreary, either – a cold, thin rain was falling and blanketing the entire forest in a sea of gray and mist. The sky was gray, the ferns were gray, the world was gray, and it only seemed to make Longtail's comments brighter. Prey was hard to find and Longtail's vocal nonsense was possibly half the reason why.

Tinyclaw was about to give up when Graystripe spotted a sparrow pecking near a hazel bush. The patrol stopped as Graystripe dropped into a crouch, approaching paw by paw. Graystripe's haunches wiggled, and he prepared to leap…

"Call that a crouch?" crowed Longtail, loud and clear. The sparrow chirped and fluttered away, leaving Graystripe to look back at Longtail with anger in his yellow eyes. "A kit can do better!"

"Enough!" Tinyclaw snarled. He thrust his muzzle into Longtail's face and growled, "We haven't had sight of prey since we left camp and the moment we find something, you go off and scare it away? What sort of game do you think you're playing, you mouse-brained dolt?"

Longtail was stunned, eyes wide, staring down at a black cat half his size.

Tinyclaw curled his lip and spat, "Perhaps Tigerstar ought to know of your efforts to sabotage our hunting – maybe you'll be sleeping with us in the apprentice's den tonight!"

"I-I…"

"Are you going to shut up?" Tinyclaw growled.

Longtail nodded.

"Good," Tinyclaw decided. He stepped away, sighing. "Maybe now we can bring back some prey for the Clan!" He looked around. "Not around here, though – we've made too much noise. Let's try near Tallpines."

Longtail said nothing, but pushed his way through the bracken. Graystripe's whiskers twitched.

"He looks like you made him swallow mouse bile," he chuckled.

"I know," Tinyclaw breathed. It felt good to put Longtail in his place. "But we should get going."

Graystripe nodded, and he and Tinyclaw followed Longtail through the bushes. Along the way, Tinyclaw felt his paws prickle with unease – the way he had responded to Longtail, with such anger, ready to attack, bothered him.

I'm trying to keep myself from letting my temper get the best of me, he told himself. It had been an issue ever since his apprentice days with Bluefur and her violent training methods. I've been doing so well, too…

I can't let it hold me, not if I'm going to stop Bluefur.

I won't be like her. Ever!

When they returned to camp every cat in the patrol had fresh-kill in their mouths. Their luck had turned around in Tallpines, and they had a respectable pile of fresh-kill to show for their efforts.

As they dragged the last pieces in, Tinyclaw suggested, "Take some to the elders – I'll go see to Yellowfang."

Graystripe took two mice while Tinyclaw picked up a squirrel. They went their separate ways, and Tinyclaw found Yellowfang and Brackenpaw in their den, sitting outside the split rock where Yellowfang held her herbs. A pile of leaves lay between them in the damp clearing.

"Ragwort," Brackenpaw reported.

"Yes," Yellowfang rasped. "Well done."

"What's it for?" Brackenpaw wondered, looking up at Yellowfang.

Tinyclaw put himself off to the side, watching the two work. Yellowfang pawed at the leaves again and meowed, "I'm going to chew them up and mix them with juniper – it makes a good cure for aching joints."

"Can I try?" Brackenpaw wondered.

"Yes, of course," Yellowfang told him. "Just don't swallow it – you'll have a bellyache." She reached behind her and pulled over a large, flat leaf. "Spit it onto this."

Brackenpaw nodded and picked up a lump of ragwort. He took a bite and his face seized up. "It's sour," he complained around the leaves.

Yellowfang nodded, as if she'd known all along. Brackenpaw lashed his tail against the earth and kept chewing. Yellowfang turned to Tinyclaw and asked, "What do you want?"

Tinyclaw dropped the squirrel and meowed, "Fresh-kill, for you."

"Ah!" Yellowfang's eyes sparkled. She turned to Brackenpaw and meowed, "I'll save you some to wash the taste out – but hurry, will you?"

Yellowfang padded over to Tinyclaw and pulled the squirrel over to her with one rumpled paw. She looked at it admiringly, then up at Tinyclaw. "Runningwind told us what happened," she rasped, "about you being back on apprentice duties."

Tinyclaw sighed. "I know," he breathed.

"Well, that's what you get for getting caught!" hissed Yellowfang. "You young cats these days – you never realize that your actions have consequences!"

Tinyclaw rolled his eyes. "It's done now," he sighed, not wanting to talk about it anymore.

"Yes, it is," Yellowfang agreed. "But I'm glad you're here – I want a word."

"Yes?" Tinyclaw wondered. Yellowfang would have his whole ear if she could, he knew. Not that Tinyclaw minded any.

"That poultice over there is for Smallear," Yellowfang meowed, flicking her tail at Brackenpaw. "He came in earlier complaining of aching joints. If you ask me, it's because his bedding has been damp."

Tinyclaw eyed Yellowfang. "Cloudkit?" he guessed.

"I think so," Yellowfang rasped. "She must have forgotten to shake the water off and now Smallear is complaining to high StarClan that his hips are throbbing."

Tinyclaw sighed. "I'll have a word with her," he decided. Of all my other problems… now I have to sort out Cloudkit? Again? It just seemed as if there was no end to the things piled up on his shoulders.

"Good," Yellowfang grunted. "Of all the other things going on, I don't need cats in here complaining about aching joints."

"Yellowfang?" Brackenpaw asked across the clearing.

"Yes?" Yellowfang asked, looking up from the squirrel.

"I'm done," Brackenpaw told her. He pointed at the poultice with his leaf-stained muzzle. "How much juniper do you want in this?"

Yellowfang paused for a moment, then replied, "Three berries ought to do, crushed like usual. Make sure there's little skin. Do you know where they are?"

Brackenpaw nodded and got to his paws. He dipped his head to Tinyclaw before limping into the cracked boulder.

Yellowfang sighed. "Now there's a cat who knows what he's doing…"

Tinyclaw nodded in agreement. Even if Brackenpaw was conflicted about his future, it was clear he was doing well with helping out Yellowfang. Now, if only Tinyclaw's kin could be so sorted! "I'll go speak with Cloudkit now," Tinyclaw offered.

Yellowfang nodded. Tinyclaw touched his nose to her flank before heading out. The elder's den was just a trot away, and he could see Cloudkit's blotched pelt huddled up with the muted colors of the elders. Halftail's voice touched Tinyclaw's ears as he entered.

"The leader of TigerClan stalked this monster fox for a day and a night, and a day and a night – again and again until…" Halftail looked up. "Ho, Tinyclaw! Come to hear a little history?"

The elders were warm and huddled in their den, smelling of mouse and age. Cloudkit was nestled beside Halftail and Patchpelt's big bodies while Dappletail and One-Eye were settled on the opposite side. Smallear was nowhere in the den. Cloudkit smelled of mouse, and Tinyclaw guessed that she had gotten a share.

"No," Tinyclaw offered. "Just here to speak with Cloudkit."

"Me?" Cloudkit chirped. She turned and looked at Tinyclaw. "What is it?"

"I was just seeing Yellowfang," Tinyclaw meowed. "She said that Smallear's been complaining of aching joints, and that his moss has been damp."

Cloudkit's ears pricked, but Dappletail scoffed, "Nonesense!"

"She's been listening to Smallear," Patchpelt reasoned. "He'd complain if StarClan themselves came down from on high to deliver him his bedding!"

Tinyclaw frowned. He hadn't expected the elders to defend Cloudkit. Regardless, he turned to her and asked, "Have you?"

"I've tried shaking it out," Cloudkit mewled, her eyes wide. "I didn't mean to hurt Smallear! I'm sorry!"

"She's just a kit," Dappletail soothed.

"I know," Tinyclaw sighed, "but Smallear still has aching joints."

"He's had aching joints well before you were littered, Tinyclaw," Halftail scoffed. "For seasons! Now you'd best go mind your own business, and we'll mind ours."

"Sorry," Tinyclaw muttered. Hunt the messenger… jeez. "I'll go then. Just make sure you squeeze the water out as best you can, Cloudkit."

"I will," she chirped. Then she turned to Halftail. "What did TigerClan's leader do next?"

Tinyclaw sighed and pushed his way out of the den. He was glad that Cloudkit had found such steadfast friends in the Clan – Tinyclaw certainly hadn't expected her to charm the elders as she had. Free to take fresh-kill, Tinyclaw headed for the pile. He looked forward to getting out of the damp.

Yet he stopped, something odd catching his eye.

Just across the camp, sheltered by bushes, Bluefur lay sharing tongues with… Brokentail. Brokentail. Tinyclaw's heart raced in his ears – what was she doing with him? Why did she care? Why would she spend time away from her kits to speak with the Clan's prisoner?

Some part of him wondered if she was doing it out of kindness – that part was quickly squashed. Bluefur did little out of kindness, if she felt kindness at all.

He could barely hear a thing they were saying, but they were talking. Casually talking, as if they did it every day. Bluefur even seemed to be chuckling! To his knowledge, Tinyclaw had never seen her chuckle with her own mate!

Something's going on, Tinyclaw thought, dread filling him. Something bad… and I'm the only one with the knowledge to stop it.