Scorchstar sat in the middle of his den, with Wildheart staring steadily at him and Mallowkit right at her side. Mallowkit's yellow eyes gleamed, and Scorchstar met them. He glanced at Wildheart, confused. Why couldn't he talk to them in the nursery? Why had she brought him to his den? For the first time, he realized how big Mallowkit was. She was up to Wildheart's haunches now – so much bigger than when she had just been a mewling kit even when her siblings were halfway to apprentices.
"Mallowkit has something she wants to tell you," Wildheart told Scorchstar.
"Oh?" Scorchstar tilted his head. "What is it?"
"I want to be a medicine cat apprentice!" Mallowkit exclaimed.
"Huh?" Scorchstar's eyes widened. Mallowkit wanted to be a medicine cat apprentice? But… why? Sedgefall was still so young – she hadn't officially completed her training as a medicine cat. Did he trust Sedgefall to take on an apprentice – his own daughter? "Are you sure about that, Mallowkit?"
"Yes, I'm sure!" Mallowkit's yellow eyes were shining. "Sedgefall helped me when I was sick, didn't she? She helps other cats and makes them feel better. That's what I want to do. That's how I want to serve my Clan."
Wildheart turned towards Scorchstar, seemingly able to read the uneasiness contorted on his face. "Oh, Scorchstar, I know you want to protect her. But think about it – being a medicine cat is one of the safest duties in the Clan! She really wants to. It's all she talks about."
"But Sedgefall…" Scorchstar murmured.
"What about Sedgefall?" Wildheart's ears twitched.
"She's so young," Scorchstar said. "How do I know she's ready for an apprentice?"
"Oh, by all the gods." Wildheart sighed heavily. "How do you not trust Sedgefall by now? I know she seems odd, but she was able to help Mallowkit when none of us could. She's doing very well with Brambledusk on her own, was able to hold her own in the fire, treated her Clanmates alongside then… do I really have to go on? I know she's young, but she's a good medicine cat, and she'll train Mallowkit well." The tortoiseshell she-cat leaned into Scorchstar, her eyes sharp.
Scorchstar sighed. "Fine." There was no point arguing. Wildheart had a point – Mallowkit was safer as a medicine cat apprentice than a warrior apprentice. If that was what Mallowkit really wanted to do, he wouldn't stop her. "I'll summon the Clan." He tousled Mallowkit's fur with his paw. "I'm proud of you, you know."
He heard Mallowkit purr loudly as he trekked out of his den and towards the Tall Rock. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted his sister's ginger pelt. Odd. I didn't see her in camp yesterday. Scorchstar trotted over to Russetstripe, seeing exhaustion glaze her green eyes as he peered in and asked, "Where were you, yesterday?"
Russetstripe turned to stare at him. "Hmm?"
"Frostpaw was out with Blackdove and Hawkpaw yesterday," Scorchstar said. "Where were you?"
"Right." Russetstripe shook out her fur. "I was checking the scent on the ThunderClan border."
"All day?" Scorchstar asked.
Russetstripe's fur bristled. "You sound like Swiftstar! I'm not a kit, Scorchstar. I don't need my paw to be held when I do my own duties!"
"It's important when you neglect your apprentice," Scorchstar snapped, feeling his lip curl.
"Oh, that's rich, coming from you, when you neglected Harewhisker as an apprentice to moon after Wildheart like a lovesick dove." Russetstripe snorted. Fury boiled in Scorchstar's blood at the condescending tone of his sister. "I was out yesterday on patrol and then had a few more things to do. I missed Frostpaw for one day. That's all. I'm taking her out today, anyway. She'll be a good warrior when I'm done, and if I were you, I wouldn't accuse other cats of being neglectful with their apprentices." The dark ginger she-cat stalked away, leaving Scorchstar affronted. How dare she talk to me like that?
Scorchstar decided to bring it up with her later. He didn't want anything to ruin Mallowkit's apprentice ceremony. Scorchstar leaped on top of the Tall Rock and called out to the Clan, "Let every cat old enough to hunt their own prey gather underneath the Tall Rock for a Clan meeting!"
At his cry, the Clan gathered. Icepaw and Frostpaw blinked the sleep out of their eyes as they joined Hawkpaw and Redpaw near the Tall Rock. Songbreeze and Dovewillow exchanged a few hushed words, Blackdove and Heathercloud dropped a rabbit near the fresh-kill pile. Harewhisker sat at the foot of the Tall Rock, and Scorchstar could see Wildheart appearing from Sedgefall's den. From the light shining in Wildheart's eyes, it was clear that she had told Sedgefall what Mallowkit had wanted. Scorchstar couldn't help but smile at how happy his daughter was.
When his Clan was gathered, Scorchstar meowed, "Clanmates, I'm so happy to bring news of today. My daughter, Mallowkit, is finally due to be an apprentice." Mews of happiness and congratulations ricocheted through the cats as Scorchstar focused his gaze on the small gray tabby she-cat. It had been almost a year ago when he looked at this kit and felt his heart open wider than it ever could, to fit in the love he had for her. It was time for her to join her siblings in their training.
"Mallowkit, come here, please." Scorchstar gestured to his daughter with his tail, and Mallowkit walked through the clearing, every eye focused on her. Anxiety shadowed Mallowkit's gaze, but she fixated her eyes on Scorchstar and gazed at him. "Mallowkit, from this day on you will be known as Mallowpaw. Wildheart has told me that you want Sedgefall to be your mentor, so you can train as a medicine cat. Is that statement still true?"
"Yes!" Mallowpaw gasped.
"All right." Scorchstar's whiskers twitched. "Then your mentor is Sedgefall, and you are Mallowpaw, WindClan's newest medicine cat apprentice."
Mallowpaw gasped and bounced over to Sedgefall, who walked through the crowd of cats and touched her small head to Mallowpaw's. The brown tabby she-cat purred slightly, and Mallowpaw's yellow eyes sparkled with joy.
I'm so happy, Scorchstar thought with relief as his Clanmates cheered his daughter's name. I thought she'd never grow and she'd never talk. But now she's going to be the next Clan medicine cat. I couldn't be prouder. Wildheart licked her kit's head roughly, and Hawkpaw and Redpaw ran around Mallowpaw, excited for their sister. Scorchstar leaped from the Tall Rock and walked over to his family. Mallowpaw looked up at him, purring, and Scorchstar licked her head.
"Congratulations, Mallowpaw," Scorchstar told her. "You'll do a great job."
"Yeah!" Hawkpaw exclaimed. "You'll be the best medicine cat, while I'll be the best warrior!"
"I think you mean I'll be the best warrior," Redpaw told Hawkpaw. "You can't even fight!"
"Kids…" Scorchstar let out a sigh.
"Oh, yeah?" Hawkpaw raised her hackles. "At least I can run!"
"Stop this, right now!" Scorchstar barked as the two apprentices bared their teeth at each other. "You are family! You do not squabble like kits!"
Hawkpaw cast a furious glare at Redpaw, and Redpaw huffed. Mallowpaw's yellow eyes were round with worry as she observed the exchange between her siblings. At that moment, Blackdove and Heathercloud walked over, seemingly ready to grab their apprentices for training.
"What happened?" Heathercloud asked, her blue eyes arching.
"Redpaw insulted me again!" Hawkpaw told Heathercloud.
"Redpaw!" Heathercloud sighed. "How many times have I told you to cut it out?"
"Hawkpaw, you have nothing to prove," Blackdove said softly as she padded over to her apprentice and touched noses with her. "I've told you that we need to work at your own pace."
What is going on here? Scorchstar stared at the four cats. Clearly this had been going on for a lot longer than Scorchstar had thought. Why hadn't he seen it before? They hadn't brought it up in camp, so was it just during training? Heathercloud let out a sigh and urged Redpaw away. Blackdove nudged Hawkpaw in their direction and turned over to Scorchstar.
"We'll be taking them training, if you don't mind," Blackdove said.
"Yeah." Scorchstar rubbed his head. "Just, update me with them, okay?"
"All right." Blackdove nodded to him and followed the apprentices out of camp. Scorchstar watched her go, feeling his tail twitch in irritation. Why were Hawkpaw and Redpaw quarreling so much? Scorchstar let out a sigh.
"Oh, Scorchstar," Wildheart muttered, walking over to him. "They're siblings. Of course they're going to bicker. Did you not bicker with Russetstripe?"
"It's different," Scorchstar said, unable to shake the feeling of dread that crept up his spine. "There's something going on between those two, and I don't know what it is."
"Father?" Mallowpaw asked, her voice shaking. "I'm scared."
"Don't be." Scorchstar turned to ruffle Mallowpaw's head with his tail. "Go see Sedgefall and start your first day as a medicine cat apprentice. Don't let your siblings ruin your day."
Mallowpaw nodded and padded over to Sedgefall, who was waiting for Mallowpaw in front of the medicine den. Scorchstar narrowed his eyes at Sedgefall. He had no choice but to trust her with the training of his daughter. Protect her, he thought. She's so young, so innocent. As a medicine cat, she'll see the war and chaos of this land, and she'll be one of the cats who has to protect it. But I'll protect her.
"So, happy to be a warrior again?" Scorchstar asked Wildheart.
"Am I ever." Wildheart stretched her paws out. "I don't think I could ever spend a year in there again!"
Oh. It might not have to be a year… Scorchstar cleared his throat. "Then how about you take Dovewillow and Songbreeze to the RiverClan border?" he asked. "Check the scents, see if they think they can take advantage of us because they sheltered us."
"Oh, trust me," Wildheart growled, "I won't let them."
"Stay safe." Scorchstar licked Wildheart's head, and his mate wreathed around him, purring before she padded away and gathered Songbreeze and Dovewillow to join her. The three she-cats left the camp, with Scorchstar watching them. He was glad that he had Wildheart by his side again – and even happier that Mallowpaw was an apprentice now. But the quarrel between Hawkpaw and Redpaw chilled him to his bones, and it reminded him too much of his days as an apprentice. Swiftstar had encouraged the rivalry between Russetstripe and Wildheart. Scorchstar would stop any rivalry he saw.
But that would have to wait until they came back. Scorchstar grabbed a rabbit from the fresh-kill pile and brought it to this den, sitting inside the hollow tree and looking up at the roof. He could still see the remnants of the flames that had shook the tree to its core and forced the Tall Branch off it. But new life was beginning to grow. Moss was making its way up his tree and small flowers were growing on the ground in front of him. The fire would be no more than a grisly reminder.
I hope Brambledusk is okay, Scorchstar thought. He wished that Brambledusk had never stepped down, but he respected his decision. He saved my life. He could've lost a life that day – or all his lives, if Brambledusk had never pushed him to the side and taken the blow for him. Scorchstar let out a shudder and promised to always remember Brambledusk's bravery. But so many questions drifted through his mind that day.
How had Russetstripe known about the tunnels underground? He had never seen of them – or heard of them – in his life. How did Russetstripe know, and he didn't? Why hadn't she told him? Does she use them for anything else? Was Russetstripe the only cat who knew? It was what saved their lives, Scorchstar knew that – there had been no way to get out of camp otherwise.
Scorchstar stiffened as he remembered having to plead for shelter in front of Runningflame and Shimmerwing, who stared at him as if he was dishonorable for doing so. The entire time in RiverClan's camp had been miserable – with the RiverClan warriors giving them glares that could kill, and worst of all, Dapplestar's arrogance when she watched them with amusement. Then there was Dapplestar's words before they left.
"Do not forget, you are in my debt, now." Her words had been thick with self-satisfaction and the smug smile on her face sent rage boiling through Scorchstar's veins. A debt for saving our lives? He snorted. What will she ask for? The mere thought of it caused Scorchstar to clench his jaws. What does she want? Dapplestar had already taken the territory back that his father fought for. Did she want more territory?
The WindClan leader ripped flesh from the rabbit in his paws as he recalled back to the events of the fire. He could only hope it would never happen again. He was happy – his mate was back to her warrior duties, his kits were apprenticed, and his Clan was flourishing in spite of the fire. Brambledusk was on his way to recovery, and prey was running well. What else could he want?
Just as Scorchstar swallowed the last of his rabbit, he could hear frantic pawsteps outside his den. Scorchstar discarded the bones behind his den and popped out of the entrance, coming face-to-face with Blackdove. Worry was written all over the black she-cat's face as she stared at him.
"What's wrong?" Scorchstar asked, a sinking sensation in his stomach.
"I don't mean to bother you," Blackdove said, "I really don't, but Hawkpaw bit Redpaw during training."
"What?" Scorchstar gasped. "She bit him? Is he okay?"
"He's in the medicine den," Blackdove replied. "It's deep, but not anything serious. Sedgefall is watching him."
"I'll see him later." Scorchstar got to his paws, feeling the all-too familiar hot sear of raging creeping up in his body. "Where is Hawkpaw?"
"In a rabbit burrow near the elder's den," Blackdove reported. Scorchstar nodded his thanks to her and felt his pelt brush against hers as he walked away towards the rabbit burrow. Rage was fizzling in his mind as he remembered his apprehensions in the morning. He knew something was going to happen, so why hadn't he listened to his gut and attended their training session? Scorchstar caught a glimpse of the rabbit burrow that was next to the apprentice's den and could see his daughter's familiar ginger-and-white tabby fur.
"Hawkpaw!" Scorchstar barked. "If you don't come out in three seconds, I will use your fur to line my nest." He waited for a few moments, expecting to see her pelt appear from the den. He cleared his throat and started to count. "One."
No sign of her.
"Two."
Nothing.
"Three!" There was still no sign of her, and so Scorchstar forced himself into the rabbit burrow and grabbed Hawkpaw's scruff immediately from where she was hiding underneath a nest lined with wool and moss. He dragged the apprentice out of the burrow and dropped her outside of it, feeling his amber eyes blaze with rage as he loomed over her. "You bit your brother? Drew blood?"
"Well… maybe a little…" Hawkpaw's green eyes focused on her paws.
"Look at me." Scorchstar forced Hawkpaw's chin up. "Why?"
"He's been a real jerk lately!" Hawkpaw snapped. "Always bragging, always making me feel inferior to him! It all finally came up when he beat me in training again!"
Scorchstar shoved his face into hers, his tail lashing back and forth. "We do not attack our Clanmates!" he yowled. "Or family, for that matter! Being annoying is not an excuse to do so!"
Hawkpaw was shaking in her pelt as she shrank to the ground, her tail-tip twitching in irritation. Scorchstar curled his lip. "Do you understand?"
"Yes," Hawkpaw muttered.
"If something like this happens again, you won't get to go to a Gathering until you become a warrior!" Scorchstar snarled. "If you become one!"
"Yes, Scorchstar." Hawkpaw's words were flat, and Scorchstar wasn't sure if she truly gasped what he was trying to say. But the anger was getting the best of him, and he knew that continuing to yell at Hawkpaw wouldn't solve anything. Scorchstar turned on his heel and marched away, muttering curses under his breath and stalking away.
He headed towards the medicine den and pushed his way through the entrance, seeing Redpaw's dark ginger fur in a bundle on the ground. Mallowpaw was dabbing a bit of ointment on a wound on his shoulder, and Scorchstar winced at the amount of blood that trickled from it.
"Is that what Hawkpaw did?" Scorchstar asked when Redpaw turned to look at him.
Redpaw nodded.
Scorchstar walked over to his son and sighed. "She says that you beat her up in training. Is that true?"
"I didn't beat her up!" Redpaw's fur bristled. "I just pinned her down. I didn't mean to hurt her, I swear, Dad!" Panic glittered in his son's green eyes. "I didn't mean for her to get upset."
"I know you didn't." Scorchstar ran his tail down his son's spine, sighing. "That didn't give her the right to bite you."
Redpaw winced as he rolled his shoulders. "Ow…"
Scorchstar opened his mouth to say something, but then a cry from Frostpaw shook the entire camp to its knees. Scorchstar ran out of the den, searching for the silver-and-white tabby she-cat, and she stood in the clearing, her blue eyes wide with panic as her tail lashed back-and-forth.
"Hawkpaw and Icepaw are gone!"
