Flames At Night: Book 1: A Shattered Path

Chapter Fifteen

Applepaw

Applepaw chewed on the leg of a shrew, daydreaming about the next day's dawn patrol. She was unprepared for the yellowish-orange she-cat who came strutting into camp as though she lived there.

Bloomingpaw, who was sitting next to her, leaped up and hissed, "What are you doing here?"

"I come in peace," declared the newcomer. "My name is Fire Lily."

"You're a trespasser!" Applepaw meowed. Snowypaw nodded in agreement, baring her teeth at Fire Lily.

"Okay, what's going on?" said Littletail, Applepaw's father, pushing his way through the crowd of cats. They parted to let the deputy pass. "This is DustClan camp, and you are not allowed to come barging in here whenever you like. Gingerheart, Flashpelt, escort her out of the territory."

"Not so fast," spoke Rubystar, stepping forward. "Fire Lily, will you tell us why you are here?"

Fire Lily puffed out her chest. "I am here to tell everyone about the world outside the clans. You have your warrior code, and your dainty little rules, but you have no idea what it's like outside of your borders!"

"We know that it's safer inside them," Quickstream, the medicine cat, cut in. "There are far fewer Twolegs here, and we do a fairly good job keeping out the badgers."

"All I want to do is tell stories," Fire Lily mewed, tilting her head to the side and gazing at them all. "I won't do any harm."

"We can't let her stay here!" objected Littletail. "For all we know, she could be a spy from another clan!"

Rubystar silenced him with a glare. "You will stay here until next sunhigh. But don't interfere with the patrols, or any cat doing their duties."

"Of course not, Your Majesty," meowed Fire Lily, dipping her head to the leader. She padded away towards the nursery, leaving Rubystar looking slightly confused.

"What's majesty?" Applepaw whispered to Bloomingpaw.

The yellow and white she-cat shook her head. "I have no idea. Your mentor is calling you, by the way."

"Oh." Applepaw hastily finished her shrew and walked over to Midnightwish, who was talking with Stoatwhisker, Icypaw's mentor.

The dark-furred warrior sighed. "Applepaw, how many times do I have to call you? Come on, we're doing battle practice with Icypaw."

Applepaw sighed. Not her!

Her sister smirked at her as they walked through the forest. "I'm going to destroy you."

"It's practice, Icypaw," Applepaw meowed through gritted teeth. Icypaw simply rolled her yellow eyes and dashed ahead to catch up with their mentors.

The siblings sparred until the sun was dipping towards the tops of the trees. Finally, Stoatwhisker hummed, "Okay, that's enough for today. Let's go back to camp."

"I am still disappointed in both of you," Midnightwish added, glaring severely at the two apprentices. Applepaw looked guiltily at her paws. Icypaw had slashed at her ear, leaving a tiny nick, and she had retaliated by nipping her sister in the tail. It was her fault.

They arrived back at camp, exhausted. Before she ducked into the apprentices' den, Applepaw noticed Fire Lily still talking to Purpleblossom. Why is she so insistent on telling stories?