Nineteen

The Clan had gotten wary of the fox cub that lurked in the forest near their camp. The longer it stayed in the forest, the bigger threat it posed. Dovestar hadn't missed how some cats went out of their way to avoid the cub entirely. Others had openly complained about the fact that it was stealing prey or other valuable resources the Clan needed. Hollyleaf made sure to keep cats away from that part of the forest, even if she was irritated with the idea. She was openly defiant towards the fact that a fox was being kept in the forest, in spite of the fact that the cub never once turned on Nightfire or Perchfang.

She would hear them talking occasionally as they kept an eye on the cub. Nightfire had grown surprisingly fond of the cub within the last few days. That was enough to stir some worry within her. She knew how hard it would be for him to let go. The cub was clearly old enough and capable enough to take care of itself. Nightfire's attachment to the cub would likely be a problem in the future, and it was something they needed to address sooner or later.

It was with that notion that she decided to take it upon herself to pay them a visit. The decision itself was risky, especially when she had her kits to worry about. She was more than grateful when Flosspelt agreed to keep an eye on them during her time away. The cream-furred queen decided to stay in the nursery and help out as a mother rather than fight like a warrior. Dovestar had been happy with that decision. Daisy used to do the same thing when she first joined ThunderClan. She was too anxious as a kittypet to join in a fight or risk injury, so staying as a queen was her best option.

Dovestar pushed her way through the thick vegetation as the day went on. She had already warned Hollyleaf that she needed to stretch her limbs. The last thing she wanted was to stir trouble within camp. She knew Tigerheart would have a fit if he knew where she was. Hollyleaf wouldn't feel much better, but at least her deputy was a little more understanding.

Her eyes narrowed when she finally picked up the scent of fox in the air. It was an unmistakable scent that caused her hackles to rise. Her lips curled in annoyance when she spotted Nightfire sleeping nearby. He was curled up under a birch tree, looking rather comfortable in spite of the obvious threat. She crept closer until the fox came into view, and her heart sank when she saw how much bigger it was now. To her surprise though, the fox hadn't left it's spot when she approached. The cub was alert to her presence when it heard her, and she paused in her stride. It was only until Nightfire was roused from his sleep that the cub finally stood up.

"Dovestar, I wasn't expecting to see you approach," he admitted sheepishly after realizing who was standing before him. Dovestar merely glared at the cub as Nightfire sat up and gave his chest fur a few quick licks. "I was just taking a quick nap… Pyre doesn't usually leave unless I go, and she doesn't go far."

"You named the cub?" she asked in disbelief.

Nightfire blinked in confusion, "Well, yeah… I found out she's a 'she'. And she doesn't try and attack us either. She hasn't once tried hurting either me or Perchfang."

Dovestar looked between Nightfire and the fox cub, suddenly aware of the fact that he was right. The cub hadn't left the spot while they were talking. It was more curious than anything else. Her hackles rose once again as memories of her own encounter with foxes came rushing back. She hadn't thought of those encounters in moons, but she still had dreams about it.

"Nightfire, you know as well as I do that the cub can't stay here," she deadpanned. Nightfire immediately turned defensive as he opened his mouth, ready to protest, when she cut him off with a sharp glare. "We have enough to worry about without a cub making things worse. The Clan needs this territory to hunt and look for herbs. Leafbare won't be kind to us."

She wanted to ensure that he knew exactly what kind of threat loomed before them. Lightning was only one problem they had to deal with. Then there was the Dark Forest that also posed a threat. She had every right to declare the forest unsafe with a cub in the area. Nightfire seemed to have other ideas though as he shook his head in frustration.

"She's not trying to hurt anyone though," he protested. "Whenever we play tag, she never gets too rough. When she does, she stops immediately. It's almost like she knows not to hurt us."

"Even if that's the case, that doesn't guarantee she'll be safe to have around when she's fully grown," Dovestar snapped. She thought back to what Hollyleaf said about her journey in the wilderness. Hollyleaf rarely talked about her time spent away from the Clans, but she had plenty of stories and wisdom to share. "Look, I get that you're attached to the cub, but it needs to find it's own family and territory. We can't share our territory with it."

Not when we have so many other threats to worry about, she added silently.

Nightfire's eyes narrowed with annoyance, and it looked as if he was ready to argue again when he seemed to think better of it.

"I… need time to think about it," he muttered crossly.

She couldn't help but feel a bit sympathetic towards him. She knew what it was like to lose someone she cared about. She understood what he was going through, as mousebrained as it was. She let out a heavy sigh and suddenly reached him, ignoring every instinct that screamed at her to get away while she could. The cub hadn't stopped watching them. She could feel those dark eyes watching her every move, almost as if it was guarding Nightfire.

"I know it isn't easy to let go, but she deserves her own future as well," she reminded him a little more gently. Nightfire didn't look all that happier with her comfort. "This is the right thing to do."

"I know," he let out a sigh of his own.

That clearly didn't make him feel any better, but at least now he wasn't arguing. She pulled back and glanced at the cub once more, not missing the way it seemed to understand them. She tried pushing away that uneasy feeling and headed back to camp. Her ears were trained towards the cub to ensure that it didn't follow her, and to her relief, it didn't.

Once that task was settled, she made her way back to camp where she could finally relax. Though her relaxation didn't last long when Hollyleaf approached her.

"Flosspelt's kits are almost ready to become apprentices," the deputy meowed when she reached her. "I was wondering how you would approach the ceremony given that you have kits to worry about."

Dovestar flinched at that.

It had been incredibly risky venturing into the forest when she had kits to worry about. She wanted to make it clear that the cub wasn't welcome in the forest. That didn't stop her from thinking of her own kits and what could have happened if they were in a similar situation. The last thing she wanted was to think of what could happen if they were caught in a trap like the cub had been. That thought alone sent a shiver down her spine.

"They're almost fully weaned by now," she pointed out. "I was able to hold Nightfire and Pepperfoot's ceremony without any problems as well. This won't be an issue."

Still… she did feel guilty for leaving them in the first place. It was wrong to put her own life at risk when she still had kits to worry about. Her mother would have cuffed her over the ears for taking such risks.

"Right," Hollyleaf finally relented after eyeing her warily. "Then I suppose I'll leave you to having this discussion with Flosspelt."

She eyed the deputy thoughtfully before dipping her head gratefully. She knew Hollyleaf meant well. There had been a good reason she chose Hollyleaf as her deputy, and it wasn't just because they were kin. Hollyleaf had moons of experience from being on her own and training in ThunderClan. Despite her previous actions with Ashfur and the warrior code, she proved herself as a loyal deputy.

I can't imagine having anyone else guide me, she thought guiltily.

She shook her head at the thought. She had enough problems to worry about without adding to them.

For now, she focused her attention on the future of the Clan. Her heart swelled when she spotted her kits playing with Flosspelt's kits. Even though Flosspelt's kits were almost twice their size, her kits didn't seem to care. Whitekit was the only kit not to get caught in their tussle. She and Honeykit sat together and talked, providing the idea that they could be good friends in the future.

"They've gotten so big," she remarked after reaching Flosspelt.

The queen blinked in surprise before glancing at her three kits. Dovestar thought back to the fact that her kits would soon become apprentices as well. It was overwhelming to imagine all the possibilities that would occur in the future. She wanted what was best for her kits, and she would do whatever it took to keep them safe.

"It always amazes me at how fast they grow," Flosspelt returned the gesture with a purr of her own. "I've never had the chance to watch them grow into adults… this will be my first time." A clouded haze swept across her eyes before she looked at Dovestar thoughtfully. "Before Daisy left to join ThunderClan, I was always worried about what would happen to her and her kits. But then my own kits were taken away by Twolegs, and I often wonder how fair that was to them."

Understanding dawned on her. She couldn't imagine what that must have felt like to wake up one day and find her kits missing. She would have likely panicked before realizing they were taken by Twolegs or something worse. That was one of the many reasons she couldn't understand why cats would stay with Twolegs. It meant losing their families in the process, along with everything they were familiar with.

"That's one of the many good things about being a part of the Clan," she said thoughtfully. "You get to watch your families grow and start their own families."

Unless they all die, she added silently.

Another shiver swept through her at the idea of losing her entire family again. It happened once. She knew the odds of getting attacked again were high, especially with threats like Lightning and other cats to worry about. She dare not say that out loud though. The last thing she wanted was to scare Flosspelt into thinking her kits wouldn't make it.

"So, I take it this is more than just a casual visit?" the queen suddenly asked.

Dovestar stifled a purr of amusement when Flosspelt looked at her curiously.

"More or less," she admitted sheepishly. "Your kits are ready to become apprentices. I know it isn't the easiest task of a mother, but I was wondering if there were any specific cats you wanted to pick as their mentors?"

The queen blinked in surprise when she asked that. She asked the same thing with Minnowtail when her kits were ready to become apprentices. She wanted the decision to be fair for each queen. As leader it was her responsibility to pick mentors for the apprentices, but she also felt as if it was the mother's task as well. She hoped it would put Flosspelt's mind at ease when the time came for them to rush into battle.

"To be honest the thought hasn't even occurred to me," she replied with a flick of her tail. She glanced at the three kits while mulling over some ideas. "There aren't many cats available to mentor them."

That's true. And the options that are available are young or older.

"I know he's a bit young and inexperienced, but it would be an opportunity for Nightfire to learn some patience," she said helpfully. She was also hoping that Flashkit would provide a better distraction for Nightfire. His attachment to the fox cub was becoming a problem they would have to deal with sooner or later. "He could always mentor Flashkit. The two of them have enough energy to last a lifetime."

"That is true," Flosspelt purred in amusement. "Honeykit is so quiet though… I'd rather someone with more experience teach her. Do you think Hollyleaf would be willing to take on another apprentice?"

"It's a bit soon for her to take on another apprentice, but I'm sure she'd be up to the task," Dovestar nodded in agreement. That left Graykit. Minnowtail, Smoketuft, Olivelight, Perchfang and Pepperfoot were all available to take her on as an apprentice. Dovestar had her doubts about Olivelight though. She wasn't sure if the young cat was capable of teaching anyone at this point, and Olivelight had already shown how full of herself she was. As much as she hated to admit it, Minnowtail seemed like the logical pick for Graykit. "Would you be okay with Minnowtail being Graykit's mentor?"

"Of course," Flosspelt replied without hesitation. "We shared the nursery for a couple of moons."

She almost forgot that Minnowtail's kits had been born before the Clan was formed. She decided to leave it at that, knowing full-well that getting involved with Minnowtail was not the best idea. The dark gray warrior had questioned her decision at every turn. Even when the fox cub was found, Minnowtail demanded why they were looking after it in the first place. She silently agreed that it was a waste of time and energy to look after a fox cub, but it also gave Nightfire and Perchfang a sense of responsibility. She would never admit that out loud, especially to a cat like Minnowtail.

...

Nightfire couldn't help but watch the fox cub in amusement as she attempted to catch her first bird.

Over the last couple of days, the cub had begun showing signs of independence. She would wander off for a few hours before returning with fresh-kill from a successful hunt. Luckily the prey was never anything beyond a rabbit or mice. To Nightfire's surprise and amazement, the cub started sharing her fresh-kill with him. More importantly, she seemed to understand that cats were not prey.

When he and Perchfang started talking or arguing over the cub's fate, it was almost as if the cub could understand them. He tried talking to her a few times to see if she would respond, and it was usually with a head tilt or a happy yip. He wasn't sure if that confirmed his earlier suspicion that Pyre was intelligent, but it meant something.

Dovestar's warning lingered in the back of his mind.

He knew she made a valid point. As much as he hated to admit it, the cub would grow up into an adult. She was already bigger than she had been when they first found her. She never tried hurting them when they played, but her size had become a challenge. Nightfire learned how to navigate that challenge by making sure Pyre knew when too much meant 'too much'.

He was still torn with the idea of letting her go. He watched her grow into the young fox that she was now, and he realized with a start that he had grown fond of her. The attachment still lingered, and he didn't want to give that up anytime soon.

"I wish the others could see what a great hunter you are," he purred when the cub returned unsuccessful. Even if she hadn't caught the thrush, she caught other prey over the last couple of days. He knew she was getting better at hunting on her own, and it wouldn't be long before she was completely independent of his care. "They seem to think that you're nothing but a threat, but I've seen something different."

Pyre tilted her head to one side. Nightfire noticed with a start that her eyes blinked with understanding. She sank to the ground beside him, and he quickly did the same.

'I have to leave sometime,' she seemed to say.

His heart nearly skipped a beat when he realized how true that was. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew Pyre would have to leave. This wasn't her territory, and she seemed to know that.

"I'm not ready to lose you," he admitted guiltily. "I know it's probably selfish of me, and it's mousebrained to think that you understand, but…"

He trailed off, suddenly aware that he sounded like an idiot. Pyre did something that caught him off guard. She suddenly pressed her snout against him, and a shiver of unease swept through him. Though instead of attacking him like he expected, she merely sat there for a few heartbeats, almost as if to reassure him that everything would be okay.

'I'm better now thanks to you. I can do this.'

For a while, he wasn't sure how to respond as grief suddenly swept through him. He knew how selfish it was to keep her there for the rest of her life. She deserved better than that.

"I'll miss you," he let out a heavy sigh after realizing there wasn't any point in arguing.

She had every right to leave, and he couldn't stop her even if he wanted to. She was more than twice his size now.

'Thank you for everything you've done,' she seemed to say.

Nightfire sat up as Pyre did the same. The moment he looked into her eyes was when he saw the intelligence sparkling within them. She was ready to leave. As much as he didn't want her to, he knew that she could take care of herself. The exchange lasted for a brief heartbeat before Pyre disappeared into the undergrowth, never once looking back.

She's gone, was the only thought crossing his mind.

He bowed his head guiltily before catching the sound of pawsteps approaching.

"So she left." His ears flattened at the sound of Hollyleaf's voice. The deputy had never liked the idea of letting Pyre stay in the first place. He hoped that he could make things work out, but in the end, Pyre made that choice for him. He supposed it was better that way, even if it hurt inside. "You know it's better that way for everyone involved."

"Why were you so against letting her stay in the first place?" he demanded after regaining his composure. His fur bristled with anger as he turned to glare at her. "You're probably the reason she felt the need to leave!"

"I was against it because I know what foxes are like!" she snapped without missing a beat. "Do you honestly think that I don't have experience? I tried raising a cub myself when I was on my own, and it ended with a scar on my shoulder. I was lucky to make it out alive when that cub turned on me!"

His hackles rose with outrage. He knew Pyre wouldn't turn on him. She never once snapped at him or anyone else for that matter. Hollyleaf wouldn't stand for that though. He desperately wanted to stand up for Pyre, but other cats sided with Hollyleaf. There wasn't any point in arguing now that Pyre was gone, but that didn't stop the hurt that stabbed him in the heart.

He refused to look her in the eyes as he left, knowing full-well Pyre wouldn't return if she knew what was good for her. Hollyleaf and the others might as well attack her if they saw her again.

Camp was just a few strides away when he caught his mother's scent in the air. It only took a split second for Nightfire to register that Aspencreek was waiting for him. She had an apprentice to train, and he was a full-grown cat, even if he didn't act like it at times. So the last thing he expected was to see the knowing look written across her face.

"I know how it feels." Nightfire blinked in surprise when she said that. He flinched when she closed the distance between them and pressed her muzzle against his forehead. "It's going to hurt, but it will get better in time."

"She only left because everyone made her feel like she had to leave," he muttered crossly. "She never planned on hurting anyone!"

His mother wasn't deterred by his sudden frustration. If anything, she seemed to understand exactly what he was going through. The way she stayed beside him was comforting, almost like he was a kit all over again. He hadn't realized until then how much he missed those days. Or the days that were spent with Pepperfoot when they were apprentices. It hadn't been that long since they became warriors, but it certainly felt like a lifetime ago.

"Things can only start looking up now," she reassured him. "You'll have time with your family and friends now, along with warrior duties."

He didn't miss the double meaning behind her message. He realized with a start that she was right. He hadn't been participating that often in regular patrols. Luckily she didn't call him out for his actions. Instead, she gave his forehead a final lick and returned to camp.

Nightfire shook his head as he trailed after her. Maroonpelt glared at him along the way, but one warning look from Emberleaf was all it took for the dark ginger warrior to stop. Nightfire threw her a grateful look, suddenly aware of the reason behind that glare.

"Let all cats old enough gather around the leader's den for a Clan meeting!"

Nightfire stiffened at the sound of Dovestar's voice. It only took a split second for him to register why everyone had been back. The fresh-kill pile was well stocked for the day, and Flosspelt's kits were clustered outside the nursery. He realized with a start that this was their apprentice ceremony. It only just dawned on him how much time passed since they found Pyre, and a knot formed in the pit of his stomach.

"It's about time you got back," Pepperfoot nudged him when he reached his brother's side. "I was beginning to think I'd have to take over your duties too."

"Like you could ever replace me," Nightfire rolled his eyes in amusement.

It did feel good to be surrounded by his Clanmates again. More importantly, his family. Even if he started to consider Pyre family, his brother and his mother were still there. He would take that into heart.

"Today we're gathered to celebrate the naming of new apprentices," Dovestar announced. "Flosspelt's kits have reached their sixth moon, and it is time for their ceremony to begin. Step forward you three." Nightfire watched the scene in amusement as the three kits did just that. Flashkit and Graykit were enthusiastic with their approach, while Honeykit was a bit more reserved. "Graykit, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Graypaw. Hollyleaf, you are ready for another apprentice. You did a fine job training Perchfang, and I trust that you will also pass that training to Graypaw."

Hollyleaf blinked in surprise when she touched noses with Graypaw, though she didn't argue. As annoyed as he was with her behavior towards Pyre, she was a strong and intelligent cat. Nightfire had learned in a short time how valuable she was to the Clan.

"Honeykit, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Honeypaw. Minnowtail, you have shown the Clan what a valuable warrior you are. I trust that you will pass on your knowledge to Honeypaw."

Everyone looked equally surprised as Honeypaw that Minnowtail was chosen as her mentor. Everyone that was except for Minnowtail. If anything, she looked incredibly smug with the prospect of being a mentor. Nightfire narrowed his eyes when he noticed something seemed off about her behavior. Even Honeypaw was taken aback by the older cat's attitude towards the ceremony.

"Flashkit, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Flashpaw. I know it isn't traditional for a younger cat to have an apprentice, but Flosspelt and your former mentor have informed me that you're ready for an apprentice. Nightfire, I trust that you'll pass on what you have learned to Flashpaw."

It took a few heartbeats for Nightfire to register what Dovestar was saying. His heart nearly skipped a beat when Pepperfoot nudged him. He tried to hide his utter shock and embarrassment by rising to his paws and touching noses with Flashpaw. Luckily, Flashpaw was oblivious to the shock rippling through himself and the rest of the Clan.

Why would Dovestar choose me as a mentor? he wondered. All I've done was waste time with a fox cub of all things.

He looked down at his new apprentice and started at something flickering across Flashpaw's eyes. He saw that same light in Pyre's eyes when she started learning how to hunt. He realized with a start that this was something he could work with. And he planned on doing just that. He was going to be the best mentor he could be, whether he was ready for it or not.