Journey of a flame (Book 1 of A step in the wild direction AU series)

Chapter 1

The leaves below crunched as the ginger tom walked through the thorn tunnel. The thorns slowly parted, letting sunlight stream down through the trees above and leaving the floor below coated in golden light.
"So, what do you think?" the white tom leaned close, curling his tail close to his own paws.
"Awesome. Is this really where you live?" the golden tom laughed, chest vibrating from the action.
"Where else would we stay?" the young tom stepped forward, tail held high and eyes taking in every individual detail.
"Rusty. You came" the blue she-cat approached, keeping her body held high with a smile peaking its way onto her features.
"Of course," she turned around, climbing up the largest rock in the camp.
"Let all those old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the highrock for a clan meeting" the she-cat called out to the clan. Cats slinked out from dens or further around the camp, gathering beneath the rock to listen to the she-cat.
"Today we will welcome a new cat into our ranks. Rusty, step for-"
"Hold up. That's the cat you're letting in here" The leader looked at him with a scowl.
"Longtail. Stand down"
"No. Just look at the collar he's wearing. He's a kittypet" cries of outrage circled through the surrounding cats, drawing more attention to the young tom. He looked down, holding one paw up to the bell clasped on his collar. Longtail stepped forward, tail curling around his back legs as he looked down at the tom.
"I bet you can't even fight" he hissed, fur prickling along his shoulders.
"You wanna bet" The orange tom stared up at the older tom with confidence, squaring his shoulders. Longtail lifted his lip in a snarl, lunging at the younger tom. Rusty unsheathed his claws, sinking them into the flesh on Longtail's shoulders, trapping them together in a tussle of fur and cries. The cream tom kicked into Rusty's belly, pushing them away from each other. The orange cat tumbled across the ground, skidding to a halt in the dust. He cracked one eye open staring over at the lanky tom who was quick to get on his feet and stare down at him with disgust. Rusty stumbled to his paws, head tilted down to the ground. He lifted it up, meeting Longtail's eyes with his own. Longtail leapt forward again pinning Rusty to the ground. He hit it with a heavy thud, dust flying up around the pair. The older tom sunk his teeth into the collar around Rusty's neck, tugging on it repeatedly. The orange tom's head continued to hit against the ground below him. He swiped one paw up at Longtail, claws scratching across his cheek. A couple droplets of blood dripped down, staining the ground below. The silver tabby pushed one paw down on Rusty's chest, pulling on the collar with a hard tug. The object snapped, sending the tabby stumbling back across the ground. He lifted his head up, collar still in his jaws. He spat it out, sending the object to scurry across the ground. Longtail hissed, leaping at Rusty once more. The orange tom got to his feet, swiping his paw out at the older tom. Longtail pinned him down but a claw still caught in the tabby's ear, ripping it ever so slightly. The two toms continued their tussle on the ground.
"Enough" Bluestar yowled over the noise. Longtail lifted his head from where his teeth had previously been sunken into the kittypet's shoulder.
"Starclan has sent us a sign. It is clear that they believe that this cat is to join the clans" Bluestar called to her clan, pointing one paw towards the torn collar. Whispers flowed through the gathered cats. The blue she-cat ran over to the highrock, leaping up.
"The newcomer has lost his collar in a battle for his honour. StarClan has spoken its approval. This cat has been released from the hold of his Twoleg owner, and is free to join ThunderClan as an apprentice. Rusty, you look like a brand of fire in the sunlight. From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Firepaw, in honour of his flame-coloured coat" Bluestar called across the clearing. Rusty, now dubbed Firepaw stood proudly in the middle of the clearing. Longtail slunk back into the crowd, one paw nursing his torn ear. Yowls of approval circled the camp, calling out the name of the new apprentice. Bluestar bowed her head and with a swish of her tail, dismissed the meeting entirely. Firepaw puffed out his chest.
"Woah. Firepaw. That was so cool" The grey tom that Firepaw recognised as Greypaw ran up, thick pelt fluffed up in excitement.
"You fought Longtail with such confidence you wouldn't think that you were actually a kittypet before today" he purred happily, swishing his tail back and forth.
"You think. I'm a little tired from that" Firepaw shook dust from his pelt.
"Come on. I can give you a tour of the camp" Greypaw bounced into the lead, heading towards a den further in the camp.
"This is where you'll be sleeping. It's the apprentices den"
"We have to sleep with a kittypet" two cats around the same age slunk out of the den.
"You won't last one day out here kittypet" the other spoke, flicking his tail. Greypaw bristled his fur.
"You don't know that. Besides, I thought you'd be a better sport about this Sandpaw" the sandy coloured she-cat stiffened before the fur on her neck rose.
"What do you know about kittypets anyway Greypaw" she spat. Before either apprentice could do anything to further the argument, a yowl carried through the air. Heads turned towards the entrance of the camp where a black tom with small buts of white fur burst through.
"Ravenpaw? What's wrong?" cats were surrounding the young tom who was panting heavily.
"Redtail's dead" he cried out moments before he collapsed to the ground. A she-cat ran over, nudging the young tom with her nose.
"Someone get Spottedleaf" she cried out. Firepaw looked around. Longtail was staring over at the young tom with wide eyes although he didn't make any move towards the apprentice. A tortoiseshell she-cat pushed through the crowd, crouching next to Ravenpaw and checking him over.
"Brindleface, help me bring him to the medicine den" the other she-cat nodded, lifting up the young tom. While the two she-cats retreated to another den in the camp, the fern tunnel began rustling. Firepaw turned to watch. A large burly tom broke through the ferns, a smaller calico cat clutched in his jaws. The tom dropped the calico, blood dripping from around his jaws. Firepaw's fur prickled at the sight. The calico lay lifeless on the ground. Sandpaw rushed over, pressing her nose into the cat's fur.
"Tigerclaw. What happened?" Bluestar approached the tom, her gaze fixed on who Firepaw could only assume was Redtail.
"We were patrolling the border with Riverclan when we were attacked. Oakheart killed Redtail so in retaliation I killed him" Bluestar stiffened ever so slightly before bowing her head. She approached the high rock. Greypaw tapped Firepaw's shoulder.
"Come on. I want to go check on Ravenpaw" he whispered. Firepaw nodded, approaching the den that the two she-cats had retreated into. Ravenpaw was curled up in a nest, Brindleface running her tongue over the young tom's fur. She looked up to meet the two apprentices.
"Oh its you Greypaw. I was hoping it would someone else" she sighed.
"Have Dustpaw and Longtail not come?" she shook her head.
"Frostfur is watching the kits for now but she said she'd come by and see him later" Brindleface turned to look at Firepaw.
"It was Firepaw right?" he nodded.
"I'm sure this is all quite a shock for you"
"Yeah. I've never seen a dead cat before. And definitely not with that much blood" he bowed his head, tucking his tail close.
"No matter how long you've been with the clans, it never gets easy. I can't imagine what poor Sandpaw is feeling right now. Redtail is the only family she really had and now he'd gone up to Starclan" Brindleface bowed her head.
"Sandpaw? She's that other apprentice right" Greypaw nodded.
"Yeah. Redtail's her dad. He raised her in the nursery from kithood" Brindleface purred.
"He was such a sweet father. He was open to hearing advice from the rest of the queens. After all, it was a complicated situation. Some leaders aren't too open to deputies having kits so Redtail had to balance his deputy duties and looking after Sandpaw" Brindleface curled her tail close to Ravenpaw.
"Is Ravenpaw going to be alright?" Greypaw stepped closer, leaning his muzzle down towards the tom.
"Spottedleaf said that he's just in shock. He hasn't been hurt to bad"
"Where is Spottedleaf anyway" Greypaw looked around the den but there were no other cats.
"She's preparing Redtail's body for the vigil. I imagine that she'll want to sit with him too. I offered to watch Ravenpaw until he wakes" she looked down at the young apprentice. Firepaw stepped forward, staring down at Ravenpaw.
"We can stay with him if you want to take a break" She looked between the two.
"Are you sure?" both apprentices nodded.
"Alright. I'll let Frostfur know she can come visit then" Brindleface got to her paws and ducked out of the den. Firepaw sat down next to Ravenpaw's nest, staring down at the tom in silence. He had some things to think about.