Flames At Night: Book 1: A Shattered Path

Chapter Twelve

Applekit

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highbranch for a Clan meeting!" Rubystar yowled through the clear dawn air.

Applekit wriggled with excitement as her clanmates filled the camp clearing. Today she was finally becoming an apprentice.

"Icykit, Minkkit, Quietkit, Applekit, and Lavenderkit, step forward," the dark tortoiseshell she-cat said. The five kits bounded forward, whiskers quivering and tails twitching. "From this day on, you shall be known as Icypaw, Minkpaw, Quietpaw, Applepaw, and Lavenderpaw." She listed off mentors, until finally she got to Applepaw.

"Applepaw, your mentor will be Midnightwish. Midnightwish, you have shown yourself to be dedicated and creative. I trust that you will pass these skills on to your apprentice."

Midnightwish dipped her head to Rubystar. "Thank you. I will do my best." The black warrior touched noses with Applepaw, murmuring under her breath, "You'll be fine."

Applepaw was glad to hear it; though she said nothing, her heart was pounding fast, and she was nervous about her first day.

"APPLEPAW!" Lavenderpaw skipped up next to her. "Did you hear? I got Wolfgaze as my mentor! She says I can go and explore the territory!"

The black she-cat was about to respond, when Icypaw came and pulled Lavenderpaw away. She glared at Applepaw, who glared back. I was just talking with him! There was no need to be a foxheart!

"Well? What do you think?" Midnightwish's voice interrupted her thoughts. Applepaw realized that her mentor had asked a question. She ducked her head in embarrassment at missing it.

Midnightwish sighed. "Applepaw, I asked whether you'd like to go hunting or explore the territory first."

"Hunting, I guess," the apprentice mewed. Midnightwish gave a brisk nod and set off through the camp entrance.

Applepaw followed them into the sparse oak forest, amazed at how tall the trees were, and how far she could see. A breeze kicked up from the south, and Applepaw lifted her nose into the wind, which carried a faint tang of salt.

Midnightwish led her partway into a sandy part of the territory. She stopped for a moment, nose twitching, before turning to Applepaw. "Okay, I want you to get into a hunter's crouch."

Applepaw copied what she had seen Bloomingpaw demonstrate dozens of times, keeping her belly low and her weight evenly distributed. "Keep your tail down," Midnightwish meowed. The black she-cat crouched down farther, letting her tail hang just off the ground.

A strange scent caught her nose, causing her to lose focus and sit up. Her mentor also seemed to notice it. "Follow me, but stay behind," she hummed. "I want to check what that is."

Applepaw padded behind Midnightwish, who was following the smell. They walked towards a large river, which sparkled in the sun. "This is Gathering Beach," Midnightwish explained.

Then she saw something. The black-furred warrior hissed and tried to block Applepaw's line of sight, but she was too late. Applepaw had already seen the sand, sticky with red blood.

There was a dead body on Gathering Beach.