Goldstar's past

Chapter 10: "Quarreling toms."

         A black tom with one green eye and one blue eye was on top of Goldpaw. Fernpaw. He was kind of mysterious. Sometimes, she found him staring at her. A furious yowl sounded from behind Goldpaw and Fernpaw. There was a breif flash of a ginger pelt. Then, with a yelp of surprise, Fernpaw was knocked off of Goldpaw. Goldpaw jumped up.

"She's mine." Bronzepaw hissed, quietly. Goldpaw was obviously not suppose to hear that remark. "We've been through this before!"

"Uh, what's going on with them? Do they have bees in their brains?" Goldpaw mumbled to Graypaw.

"You're so clueless! Bronzepaw and Fernpaw are fighting because they-" Graypaw clamped his jaws shut. It was as if he was going to give a huge secret away.

"They what?" Goldpaw questioned. She had to know!

"Er... Nothing!" Graypaw mewed, while shuffling his paws. He's lying, but Goldpaw knew how stubborn he was. "I'm going to break this up..." Graypaw bounded off toward the quarreling toms.

"She doesn't like you she likes-" Fernpaw's retort was cut off by Graypaw.

"Shut up furballs! The whole clan is staring!" Graypaw snapped, cuffing both of them in the ears. "Great Starclan! It's like living with kits!" 

"Now, what was that quarrel for?" A firm meow sounded from behind Goldpaw. Goldpaw jumped and spun around. Saphirestar was standing behind her. "Tell me."

"Well... I, uh...." Bronzepaw fumbled.

"Bronzepaw, here, kept bragging and telling he was better than me. I told him to stop, but he didn't. Then we started fighting. I'm sorry, Saphirestar. It won't happen again." Fernpaw lied. He sounded so confident, like he's done it millions of times! Bronzepaw stared at him, with his mouth wide open.

"What?! I-" Bronzepaw growled.

"Silence!" Saphirestar hissed. "You are both confided to the camp. Exept for training, but nothing else!" She paused to think. "And you will be searching the elders for ticks and making sure they are fed. Clear?"

"Clear..." Fernpaw growled.

"Crystal." Bronzepaw mewed, with his head bowed with shame. Goldpaw's shoulders sagged. He wouldn't be able to go to the gathering that is in a few days!

"Good. Now, everyone back to your duties." Saphirestar mewed. "Goldpaw, I would like to speak with you in my den." The cats who were watching went back to their duties and Goldpaw's paws itched. Was she in trouble? Goldpaw followed her mother into her den. Saphirestar settle into her moss bed.

"Goldpaw..." Saphirestar began, sounding a little nervous. "Have you discovered something... Odd about yourself..." She paused for a heartbeat. "I mean, have you realized that you do something differently than the other cats?" Goldpaw thought for a moment, then she remembered her first day as an apprentice. She scented the Shadowclan border markers way before Tigerlily did!

"Well...." Goldpaw mewed. "The day I went out as an apprentice, we were getting to know the territory. And a couple of fox-lengths away from the Shadowclan border, I scented the markers way before Tigerlily did. I found that odd, but I ignored it." Saphirestar sat there, with a thoughtful look.

"Ah, yes... Nothing, er, too weird. That day was a bit, er, windy. You must have been upwind. But you were the only one who scented it." Saphirestar fumbled. "Well, you're dismissed. Oh! And send Frostpelt and Darkpaw to my den, please? Thank you!" Goldpaw dipped her head and padded out of her mother's den. Why would her mother ask her that?! Goldpaw stopped at the entrance of the medicine cat's den.

"Frostpelt! Darkpaw!" Goldpaw called. Frostpelt scrambled out of the den.

"What?! Did your wounds open?! We need cobwebs!" Frostpelt yowled.

"Wait what? No!" Goldpaw meowed.

"So, we don't need these?" Darkpaw's mew was muffled by cobwebs. Frostpelt shook her head and Darkpaw put the cobwebs back in the medicine store.

"What's the matter then?" Frostpelt mewed.

"Saphirestar wants to see you two in her den, right now." Goldpaw reported. 

"Ok, thanks. Darkpaw! Come on! What are you, a slug?" Frostpelt teased over her shoulder.

"No, but I was obviously putting something away!" Darkpaw retorted quietly.

"What was that?" Frostpelt's meow sounded from behind Goldpaw.

"N-nothing!" Darkpaw squeaked while running after Frostpelt. Goldpaw snickered.

"Hey, you fit for hunting lessons?" A mew made Goldpaw jump. She spun around to meet Tigerlily waiting for her.

"Of course!" Goldpaw started to jump up and down like a kit, but stopped herself. "I mean... Yeah, sure... Whatever..." Tigerlily snorted, clearly amused by Goldpaw's kittish behavior. Tigerlily invited Bronzepaw and his mentor, Darksoul, to go with them. Goldpaw walked beside Bronzepaw, pelts brushing against each other. What was this feeling she kept getting when she was near him? Whatever it was, she liked it. But, that feeling was battling with another cat's gaze burning into her pelt. She glanced over her shoulder, and found Fernpaw glaring at her. Something about him wasn't right. But what?