Falconblaze's Path (1): The Heart Of A Warrior, The Life Of A Rogue

Chapter 16: Open Wounds

Falconpaw followed Brackenpaw and Mistypaw into the forest, making sure he wasn't seen by leaping from tree to tree. Staying with the Clan had taught him many things, but living as a rogue had given him the gift of silence!

"So, what do you want to do now?" Mistypaw asked Brackenpaw. Brackenpaw shrugged.

"I dunno. Hunt, just walk?" he suggests.

"I know of a really cool place!" Mistypaw tells him. Brackenpaw looks up.

"Really? Where?" he asks.

"By the river!" She replies, and speeds up. "Come on!"

Brackenpaw smiles and runs after her. Falconpaw couldn't believe his ears. By the river? How could she! About a moon ago Falconpaw had found a tunnel byt the river. He had went in, and found a small cave. He fell asleep, and when he woke up the sun was high in the air shining in. The walls of the cave had lit up like fire!

Mistypaw had followed him one day, and she had promised she wouldn't tell anybody! And now? How could she! Falconpaw growled. He wouldn't let Brackenpaw in. That was HIS place. And now Mistypaw wouldn't be allowed in either. He leaped down from the tree and shot throught the woods, taking a short cut. On the way he grabbed some bramble thickets, and fern leaves.

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Falconpaw sighed with relief as he watched Mistypaw look desperately for the cave entrance. The bramble thicket he had made and placed covered most of the entrance, the ferns gave extra cover from the sun. He was pretty drenched because he had dived into the river earlier to hide his scent, but now he was mostly dry. Brackenpaw sat next to the river, licking one front paw. He yawned; clearly bored.

"But it was here! I swear!" Mistypaw mewed.

"Sure it was, but now it's gone? Yeah right. A cave made of fire?" Brackenpaw snorts. Mistypaw sighs.

"Maybe you're right, maybe I just dreamed. Should we go back to camp?" She asked. Brackenpaw nods.

"Sure, you go ahead. I'll be right behind you in a heartbeat!" He calls back. Mistypaw looks unsure, but walks away. Brackenpaw turns back to the river.

"Falconpaw! Come down here you little pice of mouse dung!" He yowls after a moment. Falconpaw jumps and falls out of the tree.

"Hey." He mumbles and stands up. Suddenly Brackenpaw leaped ontop of Falconpaw.

"I know what you're doing." He hisses. "You're trying to sabotage the relationship between me and Mistypaw, aren't you?"

Falconpaw gulps. "No, I-"

"Save it! I know you're lying." Brackenpaw spits.

Falconpaw struggles under the big toms grip. Brackenpaw lashes out with his paws, sending Falconpaw flying into the shallow river. He can feel blood welling out of the clawmarks on his chin. Falconpaw tries to stand up, but Brackenpaw holds him down, grabbing his neck with his jaws.

"Stay away from me and Mistypaw, before something worse happens to you. She told me about Raven; let's not make history repeat itself." Brackenpaw whispers, then drops Falconpaw and vanishes into the shadows. Falconpaw stays where he his, huddling in the water. Bringing up the memory of his mother left him with a pain stnging like an open wound. The claw marks on his face was forgotten, though the water around him was stained pale red.

After several long heartbeats he stood up. Only then did he realize the wounds on his shoulder from where Brackenpaw had held him down. He gritted his teeth and dried the wound with some moss. Hopefully they wouldn't notice back at camp. If they did, he could just say that he fell in the river and got scratched by a rock.

With a heart heavy with old memories, and a burning hatred towards Brackenpaw, Falconpaw walked back to camp.