Flames At Night: Book 1: A Shattered Path

Chapter Thirty-One

Applepaw

Icypaw dragged her sister into the apprentices' den, and shoved Quietpaw and Minkpaw out. Their brothers looked confused, but left.

"And now," she said, sitting down and wrapping her tail around her paws, "you are going to tell me why you were sitting on the riverbank with a WaveClan cat, and not chasing him out or fighting with him. Honestly, Applepaw, what were you thinking?"

"Why do you care?" Applepaw flopped into her nest. She refused to look at Icypaw. "You never care except when it concerns you."

"I care because you were alone with a trespasser." Icypaw glared at her. "Is this why you've been sneaking out of camp in the middle of the night?"

"No!" the black she-cat exclaimed, her pelt burning with embarrassment. "He's our kin, and I just met him today."

"Then why have you been out of camp?" Icypaw demanded. "You didn't even know Featherycloud was sick!"

"Leave. Me. Alone," hissed Applepaw. "You have no right to question me about my private life. I hate you." She stormed out of the den, lashing her tail. Why did she have to be right?

The apprentice walked up to Midnightwish. "Can we go hunting?" She needed something to distract her.

Midnightwish glanced at her, surprise flashing in her teal eyes. "Sure. Go get Snowypaw and Bloomingpaw."

Applepaw located her friends on the other side of camp. Waving her tail to get their attention, she called, "Hey! Want to go hunting?"

"Sure!" Bloomingpaw bounded over to her, Snowypaw on her heels. They set off into the forest.

Applepaw dropped a rabbit onto the small pile of prey they had caught, smiling at Bloomingpaw. The yellow and white apprentice grinned back, setting down her bluebird. "Purpleblossom will love this!" she mewed.

"And the kits," Applepaw added. Her friend shook her head.

"The kits aren't old enough for fresh-kill yet. But they will be soon, and I'm going to catch them all the prey they could dream of!"

Bloomingpaw likes her younger siblings a lot, thought Applepaw. And they're cute, and little. All the more reason to wish I was her sister.

Midnightwish glanced at the prey. "Good job. Let's bring this back to camp." She turned as though she was about to leave, then suddenly twisted and leaped around Applepaw.

A fox lunged at them, and the black warrior just managed to block its powerful jaws. Bloomingpaw threw herself at the fox's legs, but it kicked her away and turned, snarling, to Applepaw.

The she-cat ducked out of the way and fastened her claws into its tail. The creature yelped and snapped its teeth at her. Releasing the fluffy tail, Applepaw fell back, swiping at its nose.

The fox easily dodged and sprang at her, ready to snap her neck. Applepaw flung her paws up, but a white shape flashed across her vision.

Snowypaw! No! The black she-cat scrambled to her paws. Midnightwish hissed at the fox, "Get out of our territory, you mange-ridden fleabag!"

It snarled back and grabbed Applepaw's rabbit before running off into the woods. Applepaw came up to Snowypaw. "Are you all right? Please be all right."

Her friend smiled weakly and tried to stand, but winced with pain. "Ow. That kind of hurts." Her fur was soaked red with blood.

"No!" Bloomingpaw tried to lick the wound clean, but the blood was coming too fast. "Snowypaw, just stay with us. Meadowpaw or Quickstream will be here soon, right?"

"It's okay," the white she-cat meowed. "Just tell Purpleblossom I think the kits are beautiful and I'm still with them." Her breathing slowed to a stop, and Bloomingpaw collapsed next to her, wailing.

Why? Applepaw crouched next to her friend, staring sadly at Snowypaw's body. I could understand if you wanted to save Bloomingpaw, but why me?

If you hadn't saved me, you would still be alive.

You should have let me die.