The Fire Prophecy/Book 1

Chapter 11

Another moon passed and Blackkit was starting to get restless as he got closer to being an apprentice. Cursedpaw purred, amused, as Blackkit practiced hunting a leaf, obviously not in the right hunting crouch. Luckily his father, Redwhisker, went to the rescue.

Cursedpaw turned his head and spotted Blazefang and Flaremist talking. Cursedpaw heard they were mates now and Flaremist was expecting kits. Emberstar was talking to Ashblade by his den and Smokecloud was organizing herbs. Everything seemed normal.

"Hello Cursedpaw, you're getting so big. You'll be a warrior soon, I just know it." Singeingpelt meowed as he walked over, sitting down.

"Hopefully, and congratulations on the new kits." Cursedpaw purred, making Singeingpelt puff his chest out, smirking.

"Thank you Cursedpaw. And that reminds me, Bonfire wants you to visit her. She wants you to go visit the new members of FireClan." Singeingpelt meows softly.

Cursedpaw got excited and stood up, bowing. He quickly walked over to the nursery and meowed softly. He heard a soft mew from Sparkblast that he was welcome. Cursedpaw pushed himself inside and the smell of milk instantly hit him. He purred as he saw Bonfire and her eyes lit up when she saw him.

"Hello, Cursedpaw! Come to meet the new kits?" Bonfire asked, purring. Cursedpaw nodded and walked closer.

Cursedpaw looked down at the small bundles suckling their mother. Bonfire nudged a small orange, white, and brown bundle and purrs.

"That is Foxkit. Named after one of my kin, Foxpelt." Bonfire licked the small bundle and next looked at a small cream brown kit.

"That is Carmelkit, for her light fur." Cursedpaw, as he listened to Bonfire, purred softly.

Cursedpaw then felt something tug on his tail and he turned his head. A small yellow and brown kit was biting his tail. He purred in amusement and grabbed it by its scruff. He gently set it down by its mother's belly, making Bonfire chuckle.

"That is Lionkit, for the mane around her head. She is very feisty and I'm guessing she likes you." Bonfire purred, pride in her eyes.

Cursedpaw purred and licked the small kit between her ears. He stayed and played with the new kits until Ashblade came to get him for the gathering. Cursedpaw said his goodbyes and walked out of the nursery, running over to Blazefang.

"Hello, Blazefang!" Cursedpaw meowed as they ran out of camp.

"Hello, Cursedpaw. I've heard you're getting really good at hunting and fighting. I bet Emberstar will make you a warrior soon." Blazefang purred.

They both heard an amused mrrow behind them, making them turn their heads. Ashblade pushes himself between them, his tail held high.

"I would love for you to be a warrior already. But just a little more training and you'll be good to go." Ashblade smiled, purring.

Cursedpaw purred at his mentor's remark and touched the tip of his tail to Ashblade's shoulder. He watched as Ashblade nodded and ran ahead with Blazefang. Cursedpaw kept running, jumping over branches in his path, his hard paw pads letting him run faster.

I have to prove that I will be a good warrior.

Cursedpaw stopped himself as they got to Fourtrees. He pushed past his clanmates and looked down, realizing LeafClan and Frozenclan are missing. Cursedpaw looked over the Moonclan cats, growling. His eyes caught sight of Tigerstar, the massive Moonclan warrior.

You killed my brother!

Cursedpaw could barely hold himself back, digging his claws into the ground. His tense muscles relaxed, however, as a tail wrapped around his shoulders. Cursedpaw looked at his father, and leader, who stood beside him. Emberstar looked at him, calmness in his eyes.

"Calm yourself Cursedpaw. I know what Moonclan has done to us, to you, but you must stay calm. This is a gathering after all." Emberstar meowed, demanding in his tone.

Cursedpaw nods his head, bowing. The clan ran down and combined with the two clans, instantly talking to each other. Cursedpaw snorted as Moonclan's stench went into his nose. He sat down, wrapping his tail around his paws.

Cursedpaw watched as Leafclan finally came, Frozenclan behind them. He looked at Emberstar, thoughts racing throughout his head. Will he say anything about the attack with the Moonclan warriors? It had been almost a moon since that happened and Ashblade healed nicely.

Cursedpaw was pulled out of his thoughts by voices beside him. He turned his head to see other apprentices coming up to him. Cursedpaw wrinkled his nose as he saw a Moonclan apprentice, a She-cat. She looked over at him, a green glow in her eyes. Cursedpaw turned his head away instantly.

"So Cursedpaw, is it really true? Did you fight with fire? That's awesome!" A Leafclan apprentice, Tawnypaw asked, making another Leafclan apprentice wack his head.

"Of course he did Birdbrain! He's in Fireclan, that's what they are supposed to learn!"

The Moonclan warrior rolled her eyes, making Cursedpaw growl, unsheathing his claws. She looked at him, amusement in her eyes. Don't do it. A voice echoed in Cursedpaw's head, making his ears twitch.

Flamepaw?

He looked around and found nothing, his ears flattening. Then the yowls of the five clan leaders echoed around the clearing and every cat went silent. Cursedpaw looked up at the clan leaders, his eyes focused on Emberstar as he stepped forward. Emberstar held his tail high, his dark red coat glittering in the moonlight.

"Fireclan has been doing well, a new litter of kits has just arrived. My clan is getting stronger, and I dare say this..." Emberstar's eyes shot to Tigerstar's.

"Anyone who steps onto our territory without an explanation will have no mercy."

Murmuring started in the crowd of cats, Tigerstar stepping forward. He raised his tail, silencing the talking. His eyes caught sight of Cursedpaw and he didn't look away.

"Moonclan has our reasons for trespassing, my warriors were only doing what was right," Tigerstar growled, making Cursedpaw claw at the ground.

"We will not have another argument between you two. Now, Treeclan is also doing well. We have two new litters as well." Oakstar meowed, stepping forward.

Emberstar turned his head away, growling under his breath. He also hates Tigerstar. Just like me. You will pay Tigerstar, you messed with me and my clan. Now...you're cursed.