Cinder

Chapter 28

     "Now, for a lesson." Mudstar meowed, taking Ravenclaw into the heart of their territory. He felt nothing but dread and fear inside of him. "I can see that you are still a coward, and a weak fool." He added, turning to face his deputy. Ravenclaw still wondered why it was him who he chose instead of someone like Clawheart. "We need to provoke fear in our enemies. The other clans are all against us. We must keep instilling fear. We cannot let them think they can feel safe in their own territory; on their own borders. Today, I want you to go to the WindClan border and attack a WindClan cat, the first you see." Mudstar ordered.
"But that will just make the clans hate us even more. That will just make us more unsafe." Ravenclaw protested.
"Wrong answer." Without warning, Mudstar cuffed Ravenclaw hard over the ear, making him stagger. White hot pain like a claw shot through him. He felt blood dripping gently from the back of his ear. "Each wrong answer, wrong order, will warrant punishment." Mudstar warned. "Now, what should you say?"
"This will just make us even stronger. The other clans will be too afraid of us." Ravenclaw said, not daring to meet his leaders gaze.
"That's better." Mudstar sneered, voice smooth as honey. "Now go do as I said, and report back." With that, Mudstar padded off. Ravenclaw shook his head, scattering scarlet drops onto the ground. He licked his paw and drew it over his ear, washing the blood away. Then, he walked to the border. He knew he could not disobey his leader. He would attack a cat, but not too badly. Just a scratch or two. He sighed, glad that he broke things off with Cindercloud. He did not want to hurt her.
He stiffened when he spotted movement. A dark shape appeared on the moor, chasing a rabbit. The cat sped passed, a blur of brown fur. As he was right at the border, Ravenclaw left his covering. Hawktalon burst out in front of him before the rabbit scurried over the border.
"Fox dung! Get out of here!" Hawktalon snarled, glaring at Ravenclaw.
"I'm sorry Hawktalon." Ravenclaw murmured before he jumped the border, claws outstretched....

(Earlier that day)

Cindercloud sat by the entrance, watching the dawn patrol she set out pad passed her. Patchfur winked at her on his way out. Hawktalon slowly padded toward her, flicking his ears awkwardly.
"I'm ready." He grumbled, sounding grouchy. Cindercloud nodded and left camp, Hawktalon just behind her. She felt frustrated. She had taken him out to get to know him better, but he was being grumpier thab ever. Was she a fool to think they could ever be friends? She had hated him as a kit and apprentice, but now those feelings had changed. She wanted a mate in her own clan, and kits, and even though the had never gotten along, Cindercloud liked something about Hawktalon. Perhaps it was his fierce ambition to protect his clan? Or maybe his relation to Falconstar? She did not know. She slowed her pace until she was beside him.
"You think you will apprentice one of Heatherfall's kits?" She asked him.
"I don't see why not." He replied. Cindercloud tried to probe.
"Which kit would you want?" She asked. He paused.
"Probably Rabbitkit. He seems the most enthusiastic of the three." He said.
    "He sure is. He'd be a handful." Cindercloud replied.
     "Nothing I can't handle!" Hawktalon snapped.
    "I know I know keep your fur on." Cindercloud said, exasperated. "Do you... wanna race to the lake?" She asked. Hawktalon sighed.
    "We are supposed to be hunting. How about we focus on that okay?" Hawktalon asked, sounding annoyed. Cindercloud dropped behind him, feeling upset and discouraged. This was not how she wanted the hunt to go.
She spotted a rabbit hopping around on the turfy grass, tiny white tail bobbing up and down. Cindercloud dropped into a crouch, putting one paw slowly in front of the other. She sprang in pursuit. The rabbit shot away, scurrying madly. Cindercloud gave chase, her paws working up and down and she sprinted. Just as she was about to land on top of it, she crashed into Hawktalon, who was pursuing the rabbit in the opposite direction. Cindercloud flipped over and landed on her back, tail sticking up in the air. Hawktalon shook out his head and let out a yowl of fury as the rabbit bobbed away. Cindercloud stood up and shook herself. Hawktalon glared at her.
"Perhaps it would be better to hunt alone." Hawktalon muttered.
"I guess so." Cindercloud grumbled, watching her clan mate pad away. She sighed sadly, staring after him. What a disaster!

She managed to catch a tiny mole, dropping it on the pile. She spotted Patchfur back from patrol.
"How did it go?" He asked eagerly.
"It was a disaster." She grumbled, explaining what had happened.
"Don't let it get to you. Hawktalon is a grump. He should learn to have a little fun." Patchfur replied. Cindercloud thought of Ravenclaw. He had been a grump too, but knew how to have fun. Was she just trying to seal that hole of loss inside of her with Hawktalon? She did not know. She decided to eat her tiny mole from the pile. She took it and sat beside Splashtail, who was sharing tongues with Woodclaw. She sat quietly beside them, not wanting to talk, but to just listen and relax.
Her relaxation was interrupted by a yowl of fury from the camp entrance. Hawktalon stumbled in, multiple clumps of fur missing from his flank, and a couple of bloody scratches on his nose. Cindercloud sprang to her feet and made her way toward him. Leafstrike and Falconstar were following right behind her.
"Who did this to you?" Cindercloud exclaimed.
"Ravenclaw." Hawktalon spat out the word as if it were crowfood.
"Ravenclaw?" Cindercloud croaked, disbelieving.
"I was chasing a rabbit when he jumped out on front of me and attacked me for no reason!" He spat, shaking his muzzle, scattering drops of blood.
"This has to stop!" Falconstar said, voice taut with fear and anger. Cindercloud still couldn't believe that Ravenclaw would attack someone for no reason. Unless... Mudstar set him up to it. Cindercloud backed away, feeling a rush of anger and fear. She sat down, her head swimming.
"You okay dear?" Creekpelt asked.
"F-fine. Just tired." She croaked. Creekpelt didn't question her any further. Cindercloud, not able to bear the bustle of camp and yowls of anger, retreated into her den.

The next morning, Hawktalon padded up to Cindercloud. For once, he did not look gruff or angry, but concerned. His scratches were nothing but scabs on his nose.
"Can I talk to you?" He asked. She nodded. He sat beside her and tucked his paws under his chest, looking around to make sure no one was listening. "I... I don't want to tell this to my father. At least... not yet. And considering your history with Ravenclaw as friends..." he trailed off awkwardly.
"Go on." She encouraged.
"Well. Before he attacked me, he said 'I'm sorry Hawktalon' he seemed almost... reluctant, like he was forced to attack." Hawktalon exclaimed.
"So you're saying... you think he was ordered to attack you?" She asked.
"Yes." He said.
"Just as I thought." She muttered.
"I'm really sorry about this. I know how much Ravenclaw means to you. But now it seems he is being forced by Mudstar to be as ruthless as him and his warriors. I wish it didn't have to be this way." Hawktalon mewed.
"Me too." She agreed. Hawktalon stood and dipped his head.
"Thanks for listening. See you around. Maybe we can hunt again together and hopefully be more successful." He said with a hint of amusement.
"I'd like that." She agreed. Hawktalon awkwardly dipped his head before padding away. She stared after him, feeling sad about the situation with Ravenclaw, yet she felt her paws prickling with a strange happy feeling.