The Shattered Clan- Book One- The Red Waters

Chapter 13

Redpaw and Harefoot had a lot in common. They both had annoying littermates and were always the overlooked ones. No one ever understood them, nor did they try to talk to them. Everyone always misunderstood them, so they didn't talk that much either. "Don't you hate it when cats look at you like that?" Redpaw said. "Yes! I know right?" Harefoot agreed. "Now, why am I here for?" Redpaw asked. "What?" Harefoot replied, caught off guard. "What am I here for?" Redpaw repeated. "Oh, right. That." "So?" Harefoot sucked in a breath, "Well..." Redpaw raised an eyebrow, "What? I feel like you're not telling me something." "So, actually, um... I don't know how to explain this." "I'm waiting!" Redpaw said. "I think it'd be better if I told you tomorrow..." Harefoot told Redpaw. "Ok, fine, whatever."

Redpaw woke up grumpily the following morning. "Wow, are you okay?" Dawnpaw asked. "Yes," Redpaw replied, not focused. "I didn't pass my assessment, did I?" Dawnpaw shook her head, "No, I'm sorry Redpaw." "Oh," Redpaw said, disappointed. "It's okay Redpaw, you'll have another chance soon," Dawnpaw reassured him. Redpaw walked glumly to Whisperwood, who noticed his sad face, "Are you okay Redpaw?" He shrugged, "I guess." "Well, come on." Redpaw begrudgingly followed Whisperwood. "Today, we are hunting for the whole clan," Whisperwood told Redpaw. "WHAT?! The ENTIRE clan?!" Redpaw exclaimed. Whisperwood nodded. "Whatever." Why was everything going wrong with his life? Redpaw didn't want to hunt for the entire clan, but Redpaw didn't have a choice. "Let's try hunting near the DustClan border," Whisperwood suggested. Redpaw didn't argue. He saw a squirrel nibbling on an acorn and dropped to a hunting crouch. Please StarClan let me catch this squirrel, Redpaw pleaded. He avoided all the leaves and twigs, close enough for a pounce. They finished hunting with plenty of prey. As Redpaw was walking around camp, he suddenly bumped into Dustpaw, one of the apprentices, "AHH!" Redpaw yowled in shock and surprise, "Dustpaw! What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be training with Lionpelt?" "Well, I sorta ditched it and snuck out here." Dustpaw shrugged carelessly. "But training is crucial to becoming a warrior! Get back there!" Redpaw shot, feeling like a mother lecturing her kits. "Whatever," Dustpaw said, padding back to Lionpelt. Within moments, Redpaw heard yowls of arguments filling the air, That better not be Dustpaw and Lionpelt! Redpaw thought angrily as he stalked towards the sounds.

"Dustpaw! What were you thinking, sneaking out while hunting!" Lionpelt shouted, "And you, Redpaw! Where's your mentor?" "Whisperwood went out on a border patrol," Redpaw replied calmly. Lionpelt seemed to accept that as he went on yelling at Dustpaw, "Dustpaw, for your punishment, you'll clean out the elders bedding and replace it, and remove the ticks from the elders! I'll inform Lilypaw and Berrypaw that it's been changed, and Dustpaw is now doing them." "WHAT?!" Dustpaw yelped, "B-but, that's not fair!" Lionpelt glared at Dustpaw, "Yes, of course, it's fair!" With that, Lionpelt bounded off, muttering to himself. Redpaw cheerfully said, "Well, I guess you have to go do some chores!" Dustpaw grumbled to himself, "Stupid furball, why would you sneak out?" Redpaw thought to himself, Well, I guess this is the only good thing that happened to me today.