Cinder and Holly Book #1: The Wrong Path

Chapter 14

Birdpaw pinned his ears, he flexed his claws, crouching in a fighting position, Eddie gazed at the three apprentices with a smile, Eddie flexed his claws, and he slowly padded over to the three apprentices.

Birdpaw spun away to the gorse tunnel, "Run!" He yowled.

Hollypaw spun to the direction of the gorse tunnel, and she darted away to the entrance of the camp, Birdpaw grabbed Cinderpaw by the scruff, and he darted away to the entrance, Eddie glanced at Sorrel, "Get them," He growled, "now."

Birdpaw skidded into a halt, glancing back at the crowd of rogues, and suddenly, he spotted five rogues darting towards the tom, with Sorrel in the lead, Birdpaw's eyes widened, he threw Cinderpaw into the gorse tunnel, and she landed on her paws, Cinderpaw glanced back at Birdpaw.

"Birdpaw!" She mewed with worry, "Come on, wake up!"

Birdpaw froze, staring at the group of rogues dashing towards the dark gray tom, he then shook his head, glancing back to the entrance of the gorse tunnel, and he'd dart in, along with Cinderpaw.

Birdpaw raced up the gorse tunnel, he reached the top of the gorse tunnel, and he padded into the entrance, he stopped his tracks, panting heavily, Cinderpaw padded out of the entrance of the tunnel.

"Why are they chasing us?!" Hollypaw yowled, Birdpaw narrowed his eyes at Hollypaw, "They're rogues, what did you think?"

Hollypaw frowned, "But he knew our father!" Hollypaw meowed, Cinderpaw pinned her ears, "He was probably lying..." Cinderpaw mewed. Birdpaw pricked his ears, he heard several pawsteps reaching closer to the three from the entrance.

"We have to go! Now!" Birdpaw growled, Hollypaw nodded, and they all dashed down the red-and-orange forest.

Birdpaw flicked his eyes open, he raised his head up, gazing around the temporary den, Birdpaw pinned his ears, they escaped from the rogues, and built a temporary den, Birdpaw quivered at the thought of Eddie, and his rogues.

Birdpaw stood erect, padding into the entrance of the den.

As he padded out of the entrance, he gazed around the forest, he'd then glance up at the sky, it was a dark night, he'd then glance forward, and he padded down the forest. He gazed around sniffing the air, until he sniffed, an unusual scent...

Two loners! He thought, Birdpaw flattened his ears, what if these were the same rogues from the group?

He slowly padded down the forest, his ears pinned, and his claws unsheathed, he continued to amble down, until the scent was getting closer, he continued to pad down cautiously, gazing around the area, he'd then stop his tracks, the scent was coming from the bush.

He crouched, sniffing the bush in front of him, and his ears pricked up, he ambled closer to the bush, until his head would enter in it, he gazed around the bush, until, he found two kits in front of him, curled around each other, one was a black tom-kit, and the other was a cream tom with brown spots.

He sniffed the two kits, nudging the small black kit with his muzzle gently, "Huh...?" The kit mewed, fluttering his eyes open, "Fawn, get up," He squeaked, nudging the cream tom-kit, Fawn opened his eyes, gazing at the black kit, "What is it Storm?" He mewed, his ear flicking.

Storm glanced at Birdpaw, and he flinched in fright, his fur bristling, and his teeth gritted, "Who are you?!" Storm hissed, Birdpaw pinned his ears, "What are you two doing out here?"

"We don't have anywhere to go," Fawn meowed, "and, our mother's dead."

Birdpaw frowned, he felt bad for the two, they probably grew up without a mother, "Follow me." Birdpaw mewed, smiling at the two.

Storm narrowed his eyes, glaring at him, he then stood erect, and he padded to the dark gray tom, Fawn followed the black tom, Birdpaw stood erect, he spun to the direction to the temporary den, and he padded away to it, Storm and Fawn followed him, heading to the temporary den.

Birdpaw padded down a blank, white space, Where am I? He wondered, continuing to pad down the white space.

"Birdpaw?" A voice mewed, a familiar voice, "Cinderpaw!" He spun to the she-cat, and she smiled, "How are you?" Cinderpaw asked, Birdpaw pinned his ears, gazing around the white space.

"The question is," He spoke, "Where am I?"

Birdpaw glanced back at Cinderpaw, and smiled, feeling relief in him, he felt happy being with Cinderpaw, it was nice, and calming.

Suddenly, she flicked to a white-and-ginger she-cat, to a black-and-white she, "You're a mistake, Birdpaw," Tigerpaw mewed, padded around the tom, Birdpaw widened his eyes, "Tigerpaw?!

"Surprised?" Tigerpaw spat, her tail flicking sharply, she flexed her claws, narrowing her eyes at Birdpaw, "And now, it's time to end you."

Birdpaw flattened his ears, he spun away, and he darted down the white, blank space, Tigerpaw dashed after him, her teeth snarling, "You're pathetic, you can't do anything right." Tigerpaw hissed, Birdpaw pinned his ears, closing his eyes, "No! Stop!" He demanded.

"It's the truth," Tigerpaw spat, "Remember? Back at the rogue camp? You just froze, you never did anything useful, you almost killed her, Cinderpaw."

"Stop it!" He yowled, suddenly, he slipped, and he fell into a huge cliff, he glanced up, tears squirting out from his eyes, suddenly, Tigerpaw fell down along with him, she reached the tom, sinking her teeth into his front neck, her claws sunk into his back, his eyes widened, and his jaw gaped, she'd then rip skin out from the neck, and she sheathed her claws, letting go of the tom.

He fell down faster, making him further away from the white-and-ginger she, he gazed up at the sky, his eyes weary, he felt tired, and he closed his eyes.

Birdpaw flicked his eyes open, he raised his head, panting heavily, he gazed up, spotting Cinderpaw gazing at him with a worried expression.

"Are you okay?" Cinderpaw asked, she lapped her tongue over his ear in comfort, "Yeah, I'm fine," He mewed, Birdpaw glanced around the den, "Where's Storm and Fawn?"

"They're with Hollypaw," She purred, Birdpaw let out a sigh of relief, he stood erect, glancing at Cinderpaw with a smile, "C'mon, let's find them." Cinderpaw mewed.

Birdpaw padded into the entrance of the den, padding down the forest clearing, Cinderpaw followed, padding alongside with him, Birdpaw sniffed the air, and he scented FogClan, and loner scent.

Birdpaw and Cinderpaw sauntered down the forest, the scent was closer, he padded into a bush that was in front of them, as he entered into the bush, he could feel twigs, and leaves getting stuck to his fur. He padded out of the bush, and he spotted Hollypaw and the two kits playing with an orange leaf.

Hollypaw swiped the leaf away, "Go get it!" She mewed briskly, the two kits darted over to the leaf, trying to get it, Birdpaw drew his lips into a smile, and padded over to Hollypaw.

Hollypaw flinched, glancing at the tom, and she breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh, it's just you two," She mewed in relief, "What is it?" She asked, the tip of her tail flicking.

"We're going back to camp, with the kits," Birdpaw mewed, "I guess we have new mouths to feed."