Warriors- Rise of the Guardians

Chapter 4

~Eaglewing

Chapter 4:

Eaglewing shook her head firmly. She glared at the cat before her and replied, "No, I can't! Can't you see? I'm a failure; I'm not good at mentoring. Please, Lionstar!" Her clan leader sighed in exasperation. Eaglewing was a great warrior- one of the best in Thunderclan. How could she not realize that?

Eaglewing dipped her head. "Lionstar, if you don't believe me, then give me another apprentice. If he gives up too, so will I." Lionstar nodded eagerly. Standing up, he licked Eaglewing's face affectionately. "He won't give up!" He promised, his pelt brushing hers as he exited the den. Eaglewing could not suppress a purr and stared in embarrassment at the ground. Well...that was flattering.

What was that? Does Lionstar like me the way I like him? Oh, Lionstar! Please tell me that you do!

Eaglewing realized that she was still sitting in Lionstar's den, and she quickly got onto her paws and padded out. Stop behaving like a kit, she scolded herself. Her pelt was still tingling. Lionstar had never treated her that way before. Or maybe he did, and she just never noticed. Lionstar! You are driving me crazy! Eaglewing let out a frustrated sigh.

"And why is that?"

Eaglewing let out a squeal. "Lionstar! I-I-I-" She stammered, her pelt hot with embarrassment. Lionstar's eyes fixed her with an intense gaze. "You-you-you what?" He mocked playfully, his eyes twinkling with mock anger as he joked, "What, cat got your tongue?" Eaglewing scowled. "No! I just- Spoke my thoughts out loud..."

Lionstar frowned, but the playful glint in his eyes had not left. "Really, Eaglewing. What did I do? Did I upset you?" Lionstar seemed really concerned. Eaglewing shook her head vigorously. "No, Lionstar. You did nothing of that sort." In fact, it was the opposite. Now I'm getting mixed messages and feelings about you. Eaglewing scowled and shook her head to clear her thoughts.

This is crazy....I shouldn't be attracted to him. He shouldn't be attracted to me. He won't like me, it isn't possible, I...

"A fresh-kill for your thoughts, Eaglewing?" Lionstar's amused voice broke her train of thoughts. Eaglewing felt her face heat up again. "Sorry," she muttered in embarrassment. Why was she getting so embarrassed? Lionstar was her clan leader! Nothing more! Lionstar glanced at the entrance to the camp and frowned at something.

"Eaglewing, I have to go...I enjoyed talking to you, will you meet me in my den after sun down? I need to talk to you about something. You will be excused from warrior duties tomorrow. I need you to do something else." Lionstar's gaze was questioning. Eaglewing wondered what Lionstar was going to ask her to do. "Please? Just listen to me, if you still disagree to it then..." Lionstar's gaze was averted and he stared at the ground, "Then you can go. I won't force you."

Eaglewing considered it. What was it? Curiosity burned within her. "Fine," She agreed as she spotted Cloudstorm, the clan deputy, padding over with a disturbed look in his eyes. Lionstar brightened and he smiled, "Thank you, Eaglewing." He left, padding towards Blackfoot, but not before sending her an adoring glance and licked her ear. Eaglewing felt warm in her heart.

~~~

Thunderpaw leaped into the air and lashed out with her front paws, as if attacking an invisible enemy. As she fell back down, she rolled sideways as she tried to dodge the invisible cat. Thunderpaw panted in exhaustion. Her mentor stares at her in awe. "Woah, you really are a fast learner, Thunderpaw." Thunderpaw grinned widely and her eyes shined. "Really? Thank you!"

Bluefang shook her head. "You are way faster than the other apprentices. I think... there are just a few more stuff we need to learn, and at this pace you can become a warrior by the end of this moon." Thunderpaw let out a squeal. Bouncing on her paws in excitement, she gasped out, "Really? You aren't kidding?"

Seeing her apprentice so excited, Bluefang was also affected. Licking her ear affectionately, Bluefang smiled. "Yes, Thunderpaw. Lionstar would be so proud of you!" Thunderpaw beamed. Then realisation struck her like a blow to her head. Her eyes dulled slightly as she murmured unhappily, "What about Firepaw?" Bluefang laid the tip of her tail on Thunderpaw's shoulder. "Don't worry so much, young warrior. Lionstar will take care of that."

~~~

Firepaw was sick of doing apprentice duties all day; he was no one's apprentice. He helped out regularly at the medicine cat store, but fetching fresh moss and removing ticks of the elders wasn't exactly his idea of fun. Firepaw plodded back into the medicine cat's den with a mouthful of moss.

"Thanks, Firepaw. Do you want to help me sort out these herbs? Just put the-" Amberleaf began but Firepaw snarled furiously at her. "Why are you telling me this? It's not like I'm going to be your apprentice!" Guilt washed over him as he saw the flash of hurt in Amberleaf's eyes. She stared at Firepaw, unable to mask the sadness swirling in the depths of her bright blue eyes.

Firepaw's eyes widened as he realised what he said. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" Amberleaf cut him off with a soft, disheartened sigh. "I get it, Firepaw. You don't want to be a medicine cat. But did you have to be so harsh?" Amberleaf's eyes were dull, her tail trailing limply on the ground as turned and padded away.

"Oh no! What have I done?" Firepaw wondered anxiously as he stared at Amberleaf's retreating back.

~~~

Lionstar snarled at no one in particular as he leapt up from his bed of moss. Shaking himself roughly, he flinched as he remembered the dream he had last night. No, no, no... this could not be happening. He knew who the four cats were- but he could not believe it. He didn't even know the last two cats. See? Now he was talking nonsense. He knew, but he did not?

Lionstar pushed back his frustration. Anger would get him nowhere. He had to go to the moon rock. The sooner, the better. Rising up from his bed, he took a deep breath to calm his frantically beating heart. He had so many questions. He needed his medicine cat for some; but the others, he had already solved.

When did his clan become the heart of so many dangers?

When did he have so many problems?

These questions, he knew the answer.

And the answer was the two newest additions to the clan.

And he thought he had a solution; simple, but heartbreaking. He never thought he'd do such a thing. "What kind of clan leader am I?" He asked himself forlornly as he padded, with heavy footsteps, to Amberleaf's den. "What kind of monster have I become?"

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