Sunwing's Regret

Chapter Four

    Sunpaw just stopped himself from swiping his paw against a tree. He didn't want to set the forest on fire.

    He worked to calm himself down. It could just be a trick of the light.

    But no matter how much he twisted his paw, the flames never vanished.

    If it didn't hurt him, what was happening?

    He set his paw on the ground and closed his eyes. He slowed his breathing until he was perfectly relaxed.

    He lifted his paw again- and the fire was gone.

    Was he dreaming? What in the world just happened?

    He looked at the claw marks in the ground. A single spark was in the dirt, flickering gently.

    He rested his paw on it and his paw burst into flames again.

    He forced himself to relax. The flames went away.

He was frozen for a second. Then it hit him.

The prophecy!

Only the one of heat and flames can take the evil and make it tame.

The prophecy was referring to him. He was the one of heat and flames. He had the power of fire.

<><><>

Sunpaw crept into his nest just as the sun began to rise.

Warriors were beginning to go out for dawn patrol. Just to make sure nothing was a lie, he raised a paw and flicked it gently.

A flickering flame appeared on his claw. He smiled and quickly blew it away.

"Runningpaw!" Thistlefur poked his head into the apprentice's den. "Come train! I want to see you do that amazing move again."

"Excuse me." Robinflight appeared. "I believe Runningpaw is my apprentice, not yours."

Thistlefur blinked. "Oh. Right. You!" He nodded at Sunpaw. "We're going to train with Runningpaw."

Of course we are. If only you could see what I can do.

<><><>

After training, Robinflight and Thistlefur were sent on a hunting patrol. Sunpaw and Runningpaw were walking through the forest.

"So," Runningpaw asked softly, "how's your mentor? Is Thistlefur nice?"

Sunpaw didn't want to accuse his brother. It wasn't his fault Thistlefur was obsessed with him.

"He... Doesn't talk to me very much."

"Oh." Runningpaw blinked. "Robinflight's a nice mentor. He seems to enjoy going on border patrols."

"Yeah." Sunpaw paused.. "...Runningpaw?"

"Yes?"

Sunpaw took a breath. "I set myself on fire last night." Dirt. That came out wrong.

"That's funny, Sunpaw."

"It's true." Sunpaw looked at Runningpaw. "I was sad because I didn't have many friends, so I went out into the forest by myself, and I was clawing the ground in a clearing when I learned I had fire powers." Runningpaw looked doubtful.

"Fire powers? It was probably a dream-" he started.

"I'll show you," Sunpaw breathed. "I'll show you the clearing. Come on."

"But-"

Sunpaw was already running off. Runningpaw reluctantly followed his brother until they arrived at a small clearing.

"There should be claw marks and sparks everywhere," Sunpaw told him.

Runningpaw looked around. "There are claw marks, but no sparks."

Sunpaw looked at the scratches in the ground. "I cross my heart I did."

"Maybe you were hallucinating," Runningpaw said, "or imagining it."

"I'll show you!" Sunpaw raised a paw and flicked it. Nothing happened.

"It'll work- just hold on-" Sunpaw scratched the ground. "It happened- I don't know what's wrong-"

"You didn't have fire powers," Runningpaw said softly. "I'm sorry, Sunpaw. I want to believe you, I really do... I just can't. I'm sorry."

He turned from his brother and padded quietly into the forest. Sunpaw watched him leave, his heart sinking. He only wanted to make friends with his brother- to show him he was here for a reason-

But he just left.

Anger surged through Sunpaw. His eyes narrowed in fury and his tail lashed out. He didn't even notice the flames rising at his sides.

Flames spurted all around him, rising into the air. His tail ignited and his paws burst into fire.

A huge jet of fire lashed out where Runningpaw left, spinning through the woods. The clearing went into flames all around him.

Suddenly the trees were burning, smoke rising into the sunset. Sunpaw suddenly wasn't on fire anymore.

Because he wasn't filled with anger now-

He was filled with fear.

Because he just lit the forest on fire.