The Power of Four: A Warriors fanfic

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8 - Pinepaw

Pinepaw shivered. The hopeless wails of Amberpaw clouded his mind.

Most of all, he was confused. Pinepaw wasn't sure of how to feel for Toadstar, now that he proved his treachery towards his littermates. He felt guilty... but he was only Toadstar's favorite, after all.

I'm Toadstar's favorite! He thought. I'm sure he'll listen to me. Probably.

The same icy cold shivers rippled through his brown fur. Pinepaw didn't want to risk anything. What happened to Amberpaw was a horror, even from a distance. So he stayed quiet, preferring not to get in his evil ShadowClan leader father's way.

It was a cold morning. Pinepaw awoke, his eyes barely open. His paws ached, and he was starving.

He shook his fur. Today was his first day of training- as an apprentice. But... Pinepaw couldn't help but dread seeing the face of his father.

He awoke before most of the clan. Soft snores and the purring of other cats filled the air. He stepped out of the unfamiliar surroundings of the apprentice den and sniffed the air, looking to his sides anxiously.

Beside the warriors den sat Lightstep, her cool fur ruffling in the slight breeze.

As Pinepaw padded toward his mother, he could hear the soft purrs of Willowpaw and Maplepaw waking up. He thought with confusion why Amberpaw hadn't awoken yet. Did she have a restless sleep?

"Lightstep?" He mewed curiously. His mother turned her head to stare at him.

"Good morning Pinepaw," Lightstep responded.

"Where is T-Toadstar?"

Lightstep nudged her head to the direction of the leader's den, and Pinepaw could observe a raspy snoring coming from the hollow. He shook the feeling of uncertainty off his pelt and spoke. "Oh,"

As he padded off into the camp, away from his mother, the daggers of dread started to sting his coat. He frowned heavily. Then the sinking question of what he was going to do during training fell onto his heart. Pinepaw gulped anxiously.

He nestled into the apprentice's den once more, peering at Maplepaw at his side.

"So..." Pinepaw mewed.

"Are you nervous?" She asked.

Pinepaw shook his head. "No," he lied. I can't let Maplepaw know that I am. Pinepaw thought, glaring.

"For real...? But- Toadstar is your mentor." She rasped, whispered. Maplepaw shifted her paws and sidled to be closer to the brown tom. "Don't you know what he did to Amberpaw?"

Pinepaw shifted nervously. I do, I do, I do... He repeated. Of course he knew. The lingering feeling of ice still remained in his heart from his father's strange betrayal. I don't forgive him.

"Yes." Pinepaw whispered reluctantly. Maplepaw's gaze hardened angrily.

"Then why aren't you nervous to see Toadstar?" She hissed. "Or at least a tiny bit reluctant! Do you think how he treated Amberpaw was okay?"

"Well..."

"Do you?" Maplepaw growled again, this time more genuinely curious. What should I say?

"No. I just can't be nervous! Why would I be nervous for my first day of training? Who cares if it's T-Toadstar!" Pinepaw whispered loudly, his gaze shifting anxiously. Clouds started to fill the blue sky.