Path Of A Warrior: Book Two

Chapter 4

FLAREPELT

Flarepelt narrowed her eyes as she was sitting in the camp clearing and could see the sun was setting, it's orange streaks slowly fading away.
She gritted her teeth. It had been a moon since her and Shadowwing broke up.

She slowly lifted up one of her front paws to touch the back of her neck, only to feel a slight jolt when she felt the small, yet familiar scars on her back neck.

The agonizing pain as Claw stuck his claws right to her back neck.
Her clawing the snow in helplessness and pain...

She once felt pride of her scars, but now...

"Hey Flarepelt?"
Flarepelt's fur stuck up, suddenly awaken from her dark thoughts. But when she snapped her head, she saw Shinefall. "What the dark forest, Shinefall! Don't sneak up on someone like that!"
"Oh, sorry, sorry!" Shinefall took a step back.

Flarepelt's fur started to calm down as she let out a sigh. "What was it you wanted?"
Ever since she and Shadowwing broke up, cats were treating her as if she was a fragile herb.
She hated it.

She cast a silent glare to Shinefall.
I don't want your pity, or any cat's.

Shinefall then mewed, "Alderclaw and I were talking about the Gathering. Who do you think is gonna be there?"
Flarepelt narrowed her eyes. She couldn't give a single foxdung about the stupid Gathering, she had better things to worry about than over a stupid truce. "The Clans. If anything, the Gathering is the least of my worries. I'm planning to warn Poolstar about Shadowfoot and I'm doing it tonight."
"Alright.. but be careful," Shinefall said. "If he suspects you know before that, you'll be in danger."

Flarepelt let out a soft snort. Some part of her just... didn't care about anything anymore. And now... she doesn't even care if she's in danger anymore.

She gazed at the sky, her tail brushing the snow. "Y'know, you were wrong about Goldenfur. Icepaw told me that Dovenose was the one who killed Goldenfur."

Shinefall then mewed, "I'm sure I'm wrong about a lot of things. You know I'm not the smartest."
Flarepelt snapped her head to her, genuinely surprised. "What in StarClan are you talking about? You helped devised a plan to get Icepaw to escape! If anything, you're the smartest cat I know."
Shinefall flattened her ears. "Ah, that was more of a quick idea..."
Flarepelt took out her paw and flexed her claws. "Well, whoever says my sister is stupid will have to say hello to my claws."

She saw Shinefall smile.
Good.

Flarepelt narrowed her eyes as she put her paw down. "So... are you gonna tell that kittypet about Goldenfur..?"
"Should I?" Shinefall asked. "He was involved with a lot of the stuff that happened, so I think he should know."
Flarepelt's tail brushed across the snow. "You can tell him, as long as I don't have to talk to him, I'm good."

"Why do you not want to talk to him? He's really nice." Shinefall tilted her head.

Shadowwing's words burned inside Flarepelt's head.
He's a kittypet! He will never be a true Clan cat, warrior name or not!
Can't he leave you alone for more than a few hours?

Her eyes blazed towards Shinefall. "Because of... him, I don't have a mate anymore."
Shinefall looked hesitant. "But it's not like he tried to actually do anything! He just kinda...existed!"
Flarepelt's ears flattened. "I don't care, it's still his fault."

Her ears perked when Poolstar let out a yowl, "IceClan! It's time we head out!"
Flarepelt turned away from Shinefall and followed quickly after her leader.
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Poolstar was at the front, next to Shadowfoot.
Flarepelt, while casting a small death glare towards Shadowfoot, nudged Poolstar softly. "Poolstar, can I talk to you for a bit?"
Poolstar smiled and nodded. "Shadowfoot, take the lead." Poolstar pointed her tail to nearby bushes, and Flarepelt nodded as she followed Poolstar to a small clearing.

Flarepelt's fur twitched uncomfortably as she felt the unnatural stalks of grass under her paws.
Poolstar turned to her, "What is it, Flarepelt?"

Flarepelt's fur tensed as she inhaled a breath. "Icepaw's alive. Me, Alderclaw and Shinefall took her to EchoClan's hunting grounds, and to Horror's barn, during the journey to find Leafeye."
Poolstar only let out a small smile. "I'm glad that the stars haven't taken Icepaw's life yet, and it's good to hear to know that she is with a friend of mine. I hope she is happier living there than she could ever of been in IceClan."

Flarepelt widened her eyes. "But, Poolstar, you don't understand! She didn't leave all because she just didn't like it in IceClan. She left because she was in danger."
"In danger?" Poolstar echoed as she widened her eyes.

Flarepelt could feel her fur start to tense. "Icepaw knew something about Shadowfoot, that, Shadowfoot started to spread rumors about her. That she was a traitor to IceClan."
"And what did Icepaw knew?"

Flarepelt felt her heart in her throat. "Icepaw knew that Shadowfoot had murdered Dovenose."
Poolstar's ears flattened as she narrowed her eyes. "I'm pretty sure I remember Shadowfoot reporting that Goldenfur had killed Dovenose. Am I not wrong?"
Flarepelt bowed her head. "You're not."

"Dovenose was the most honorable deputy I could of ever had, and what you're saying right now implies that Dovenose murdered Goldenfur! And I refuse to believe Dovenose would even try murdering another deputy!" she spat with fury, but, Flarepelt cautiously narrowed her eyes, as she sensed a... sadness?

"I don't know what Dovenose did," Flarepelt mewed, lifting up her head. "All I'm doing right now is telling you what Icepaw told me: that Shadowfoot is responsible for Dovenose's death."
Poolstar's fur calmed. "Icepaw was injured when she came back to IceClan, and left before the battle had finished. There's a possibility she may of filled in the parts she missed."
"But, that doesn't—"

She was cut off by the sound of paw steps and she quietly curled her lip at the sight of Shadowfoot.
Shadowfoot flattened his ears, "The Clan is waiting for you, Poolstar."
Poolstar lashed her tail. "Coming."
Shadowfoot nodded, turned, and pushed his way through the bushes.

Flarepelt turned her head back to Poolstar. "If you truly believe that Icepaw saw nothing, are you gonna have her return back to IceClan?"
Poolstar shook her head. "I won't force her into anything. If she wants to return to IceClan, she can come back any time. But if she's happy where she is, she can stay there. I won't tell any cat, they deserve to know that Icepaw has died like a hero."

As Poolstar started to turn, Flarepelt leaped in front of her. "Is there some part of you that doesn't trust Shadowfoot?"
Poolstar narrowed her eyes. "No. Shadowfoot is an honorable and loyal warrior, there's nothing to it."

Flarepelt flattened her ears. "You don't believe me..."
Poolstar let out a sigh and wrapped a paw over Flarepelt's shoulder. "Oh, Flarepelt... I don't doubt that you're telling the truth. I just think you got the wrong info." And with that, Flarepelt felt more like a failure than ever as she quietly followed after Poolstar.