Path Of A Warrior: Book Two

Chapter 3

FLAREPELT

"Flarepelt."
Flarepelt blinked open her eyes tiredly, only to see Shadowwing standing over her. "Wake up," he whispered.

Flarepelt put a paw over her forehead. "Sorry, Flarepelt is still sleeping. Come back when she's available."
Shadowwing sighed as he rolled his eyes. "Well, tell Flarepelt that her mate needs to talk to her before the Clan wakes up."

Flarepelt lifted her head. "Is it... that important?"
Shadowwing nodded. "Yes, it is."

Flarepelt slowly stood up, her body aching as she stretched as she stepped out of her moss bed. As her head was briefly towards the exit of the warriors' den, she briefly glanced back at Shinefall who was still sleeping before quietly stepping down the steps of the den.
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Flarepelt smiled as they trodded through the snowy forest. Flarepelt rubbed her scent over a snowy bush before following after Shadowwing. "I really do hope you have a good reason for taking me out before the sun has even risen."

Shadowwing gave a brief nod. "It's about that kittypet."
Flarepelt tilted her head. "Alderclaw? What about him?"
Shadowwing kept walking along, "I don't like how you're spending time with him."

Flarepelt wrinkled her nose. "Oh yeah? How come..?"
Shadowwing stopped in his tracks, and faced her. "He's a kittypet! He will never be a true Clan cat, warrior name or not."
"Hey!" Flarepelt flattened her ears. "He's a very skilled hunter, fighter, and tracker! Just because he wasn't born here, doesn't mean he is useless to the Clan!"

Shadowwing's tail lashed. "Did he break the warrior code?"
Flarepelt scoffed. "Oh, don't try to bring that up! I think you forgot that Leafeye is an IceClan elder now, and was proven innocent. I should know, I was there!"

Shadowwing let out a warm smile. "I would never doubt you, Flarepelt. I already lost one of my sisters, I don't want to lose my mate too."
Flarepelt wanted to say something, saying that his sister is alive, that she's in EchoClan territory, but she knew exactly what that would lead to.
Sometimes, even the right things felt the most unfairest.

Flarepelt smiled. "You won't lose me, I promise."
Shadowwing narrowed his eyes. "Then promise to forget about that kittypet?"
Flarepelt hissed. "That kittypet.. has a name."
"And do I look like I care?" Shadowwing snapped.
"I would think you would!" Flarepelt lashed her tail.

Shadowwing curled his lip. "What happened to you, Flarepelt? You changed!"
"And is that supposed to be a bad thing?" Flarepelt hissed.
"Yes, it is!"

"What's wrong with him?" Flarepelt curled her lip.
"He's getting on my nerves!" Shadowwing snapped. "He's always there whenever I want to spend some time with you! Can't he leave you alone for more than a few hours?"
Flarepelt glared at him. "Shadowwing... We were awful to him as apprentices and just maybe try considering I want to make things up!"
Shadowwing let out a snort. "What were we doing wrong? We were only pointing out the truth! Was he born a kittypet? Yes! Did he have to pick ticks from an old hag? Absolutely! What made you change?"

A bird, Flarepelt thought.

"And then there's your sister!" Shadowwing continued. "You resented her since that day, and now you act as if that never happened!"
Flarepelt took a step back.
Whether Shadowwing knew it or not, those words were more truer than he knew.
Yes, she resented Shinefall so much, that she had somehow forgotten what Shinefall did to her. Why didn't she just tell Shinefall why she kept avoiding her all those moons?
But Flarepelt already knew the answer.
Fear.

Flarepelt just shook her head. "Don't try to change the subject. You aren't even giving them a chance—"
Shadowwing hissed. "A chance to do what? To prove themselves to be annoying little—"
Flarepelt let out a snarl, her thick fur sticking up. "THAT'S ENOUGH! Shadowwing, I hang out with Alderclaw. I hang out with Shinefall. I'm sorry if it's bothering you, but that's just the way things are. So just deal with it!"

Shadowwing's expression suddenly became calm as he stood up straight.

Silence.

He then mewed, "Alright, Flarepelt. I understand. It's just the way things are.."

Her heart wrenched as Shadowwing spoke his next words. "If that's the case, I don't think we should be together anymore."
Flarepelt flattened her ears, her voice in her throat. "What...?"
"There's something you're not telling me, I've told you everything, why can't you do the same for me?" He hissed. "We are no longer mates."

She felt the salty tears coloring the snow as Shadowwing walked off.