Tawnystar's Secret

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

"Fallenleaf!"

Tawnyflame bolted up. Was that Nettlesplash?

"Fallenleaf! No!"

Tawnyflame padded into the clearing. Skystar, Hailheart, Clearsky, Thunderstorm, Applefire and Nettlesplash was in the clearing. But between them was a limp light brown body. Fallenleaf lay on her side, a deep slash in her side. "What happened?" Tawnyflame asked warily.

"WindClan attacked our patrol." Applefire meowed numbly.

Nettlesplash buried her face in her sisters blood-stained pelt. "That means a new deputy must be named before midnight." Skystar murmured to himself.

Tawnyflame sighed. "Skystar, can I talk to you?"

The leader straightened up. "Yes. Come to my den."

Tawnyflame felt alarmed at the thought of going into his den. The memories of falling into his den as a kit still filled her mind. She padded after him anyways, letting the cool shadows envelope her.

"What was it you wanted to tell me?" Skystar asked calmly.

"I just had to say that...that..." She couldn't bring herself to say it out loud. "Well, Splashheart invited me into the Dark Forest."

Skystar nodded. "Are you going to stay training with him?"

Tawnyflame bowed her head. "I actually had a plan."

Skystar looked more curious. "And what would this plan be?"

"I would go train with him, then use his own training against himself. I was wondering if I could get an apprentice? Just to train the battle moves." Tawnyflame stammered. "Yes. I believe, from words, that Birdwhistle has six moon old kits?"

"Shes only five moons." Tawnyflame answered, cautious. "I bet if I asked she could spare one." He said, absentmindedly.

"She only has one kit." Tawnyflame corrected him.

"Great. I shall make Sunkit your apprentice." He said. "Now run along now, I'm sure that Fallenleaf-" he stopped short. "Would you please make patrols today?"

Tawnyflame was overwhelmed. "Sure thing Skystar." She then padded out the den. She signaled all of the cats in the clearing with her tail. "Skystar has asked me to make patrols." She announced.

Murmurs of shock rose. "Go on." Applefire stood below her.

She gulped before sending out patrols. "Whiteclaw, you can lead... Silvershadow, Stormcloud, Sparrowleg, Duskpaw, Creekpaw, and Graypaw along the ShadowClan border. Our hunting patrol... Rainstorm will lead me, Reedstorm, Mintleaf,Flamepaw, Willowpaw and Clearsky." She leaped off of SkyStone, joining her hunting patrol.

"Your pretty good at that." He complimented.

"Thanks, but I hope I don't do that too soon." She wondered if Skystar would choose her. Of course not! She had only been a warrior for a moon! But then why did Skystar let her do patrols?

A/N so...how's that? A new apprentice, new duty, everything! How's it going to go...