Warriors || Hopestar's Choice: Book 1 (1 of 3)

Chapter 6

After the accident, Hopepaw was forced to spend a few days resting in Cinderpelt's den. She told the entire clan who had rescued her and it had caused uneasiness. Hopepaw sometimes felt Tigerstar's gaze burn into her when she wasn't looking. How could the clan blame her for who happened to save her?

Today, Cinderpelt examined her to see if she was fit to return to training. She squirmed under Cinderpelt's careful eye. "Am I okay? I want to return to training!"

The dark gray she-cat purred in amusement. "You'll be fine. Just stay away from the river!"

Hopepaw bounced with excitement. "Thank you, Cinderpelt!" She turned and raced out of the healer den only to narrowly avoid colliding with Tigerstar. "Oh! Tigerstar, I'm sorry, I didn't see you."

The large dark brown tabby tom purred but somehow it felt menacing. "I forgive you, Hopepaw. Actually, I was here to talk with you."

"Me?" Hopepaw's green eyes filled with confusion.

Tigerstar nodded, "Come, let's speak privately in my den." He turned and Hopepaw had no choice but to follow him.

They disappeared behind the lichen curtain that led to the leader's den. Tigerstar sat down in front of his nest and curled his tail over his front paws. Hopepaw sat in front of him and tried not to show how nervous she was. What could Tigerstar possibly want from her?

"Hopepaw, when you fell into the river and Graystripe saved you, what were his mannerisms?" Tigerstar's amber eyes bore into her. It still unnerved her how similar he resembled his son, Bramblepaw.

She didn't understand the question. How was she supposed to notice his mannerisms when she had been recovering from near death? "Uh, he didn't seem threatening. He seemed genuinely concerned about my well-being."

"Oh?" Tigerstar leaned forward. "And why might that be?"

Hopepaw stared down at her paws. "He was probably just concerned because he couldn't watch an innocent cat die?"

"Wrong!" Tigerstar dug his long, wicked claws into the dirt. "Hopepaw, he's a heartless traitor. He was best friends with Fireheart, who, may I remind you, killed Bluestar." Tigerstar shook his head. "He doesn't care about a cat from another clan, that is, unless there is a special connection?"

"Connection?" Hopepaw mewed, dumbfounded. "What kind if connection?"

Tigerstar shrugged, "I don't know. You tell me." He eyed her as if he expected her to reveal something she held back. Too bad she had to disappoint him.

Hopepaw shook her head. "I've never met Graystripe in my life. He means nothing to me."

"Good." Tigerstar's amber eyes glowed. "That is all, you may go now."

After giving a nod of respect, Hopepaw backed out of the den. She turned and walked away with a feeling of foreshadowing in her belly. What was that about? Surely Tigerstar must have a reason for asking her those questions. Was there something going on that she didn't know about?

Hopepaw padded towards the apprentice den where she found the others laying around sunning. Bramblepaw was sparring with Ashpaw, Tawnypaw talked with Sorrelpaw and Fernpaw, and Owlpaw, Sootpaw, and Rainpaw all laid in the sun. Owlpaw was the first to notice her approaching.

"What were you doing in Tigerstar's den?" Owlpaw asked her as he sat up abruptly.

Hopepaw sat down in between Owlpaw and Tawnypaw. "He just wanted to ask me a few questions." She gave a little shake as if she could shake away their questioning stares.

"About Graystripe?" Bramblepaw wondered, pausing from his spar to join the conversation.

Rainpaw's eyes suddenly lit up. "Yeah, wasn't he the one that saved you from drowning?" All the others leaned in with their ears pricked in curiosity.

Their eyes bore into her and she felt overwhelmed. "Yes, it was Graystripe." Hopepaw averted her eyes. Why did everyone care so much about Graystripe?

"What happened?" Sorrelpaw squeaked with curiosity.

"Yeah, Hopepaw!" Sootpaw joined in, amber eyes wide. "What happened?"

Hopepaw surveyed the group and sensed their desire for a scary story that would haunt their dreams. But it hadn't been like that at all, at least not the part that involved Graystripe. She took a deep breath and prepared to tell the story.

"I was exploring with Thornclaw," Hopepaw began. "The day was sunny and a warm breeze blew through the trees. I raced along the river bank until I came to the Stepping Stones. They called to me, begging for me to explore. I leaped to the first stone and then the next."

"Suddenly, my leg slipped and I fell into the raging waters below. The water dragged me down like a cat taking a bird out of the sky. I couldn't breathe and darkness surrounded me. I felt like I was going to die. Then, I felt teeth in my scruff, pulling me to safety. Only once I got out of the water did I realize my rescuer wasn't TigerClan."

"I was face to face with a gigantic RiverClan tom. He reeked of fish and his powerful muscles rippled underneath his dark gray pelt. A dorsal stripe started at his forehead and trailed all the way down his spine like a snake. His yellow eyes bore into me and I couldn't take my eyes off of his long claws."

"Did he attack you?" Sorrelpaw gasped.

Hopepaw shook her head. "No. He just stared at me. Then Thornclaw and I left him behind. I glanced back at him once and I saw him slip back into the river, swimming like a fish."

"Wow," Ashpaw shivered. "I can't believe you stared down a traitor and lived!"

They kept asking her questions about the "evil" traitor, and she wished she hadn't made him sound so horrendous. Graystripe hadn't meant her no harm, so why was his name despised so badly? He did break the Warrior Code, but so did every cat now and then.

Suddenly, Tigerstar yowled from Highrock, calling the clan to him. All warriors, queens, and apprentices gathered to hear what their leader had to say. Hopepaw ended up in between Bramblepaw and Sorrelpaw. She looked up at the magnificent tabby tom and awaited for his words.

"Today, we name a new apprentice." Tigerstar growled. "Maplekit, come forward."

Hopepaw watched excitedly as her sister ran forward to stand in front of Tigerstar. She realized just how tiny her littermate was, especially standing next to the leader. Who would be Maplekit's mentor?

"Maplekit, you have been chosen to follow the path of a healer. Cinderpelt has agreed to take you on as her apprentice. Do you accept this position?" Tigerstar's amber eyes were focused on Maplekit and Hopepaw saw something sinister in them.

Maplekit slowly nodded, her little voice squeaked her answer: "I accept."

Tigerstar nodded, "Then, Maplekit, until you master the art of healing, you will be known as Maplepaw."

The clan cheered Maplepaw's name and Hopepaw watched her sister greet Cinderpelt. Hopepaw dug her claws into the dirt. How humiliating! Tigerstar has made it very clear how he views healers, so for him to cast Maplepaw aside as a healer was heartbreaking. Hopepaw felt angry, angry that she would never run the forests with her sister nor fight by her side.

Hopepaw stood up and walked away from the clan, her tail lashing in anger. She approached the apprentice den although she wasn't in the mood to sit around. Her blood boiled and her heart called her to race through the trees.

Suddenly, she felt someone brush against her side. She nearly jumped before realizing it was only Bramblepaw. "You startled me!" Hopepaw gasped.

Bramblepaw lowered his head. "Sorry." Then he leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Tonight, while everyone is asleep, I want to show you something that I found."

"What is it?" Hopepaw asked quietly.

Bramblepaw purred in amusement. "I can't tell you, otherwise it's not a surprise!"

Hopepaw smiled, "Okay, fine. I'll come."