Flames At Night: Book 1: A Shattered Path

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Dolphinshine

"Stop there!" A white tom with light gray spots appeared near Dolphinshine. "What are you doing on the border?"

"He doesn't smell like a DustClan cat," remarked a yellow apprentice. "He smells like salty fish."

Dolphinshine rolled his eyes. "I am here on important business. I need to see Softstar."

The gray-spotted tom narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Who are you, the deputy? Last time I checked, WaveClan wasn't letting their warriors wander to the mountains and back."

"I brought herbs to treat the sickness," Dolphinshine explained. "And I have a message to give to your leader."

"Fine," huffed the tom. "Hedgepelt, go fetch Softstar from camp."

"Why me?" objected a messy-furred brown warrior. "Can't Daypaw go instead?"

"I honestly don't care," sighed the leader of the patrol. "You two are like bickering kits."

"We are not!" shouted Daypaw.

"Great, now you're scaring away all the prey in the forest too."

"Sorry, Fennelclaw," the apprentice said meekly. He sprinted off into the woods.

The other two cats remained, glaring at Dolphinshine, until Softstar came padding towards them. "I heard you wanted to speak with me," she meowed evenly. "What brings you to FrostClan territory?"

"These," Dolphinshine responded, carefully passing the leaves over to the cream she-cat. "A patrol went to Twolegplace to collect herbs for the sickness. They would have come themselves, if not for a cat named Acornfall."

Softstar and Fennelclaw exchanged a look. "Who is this Acornfall?" asked Softstar.

Dolphinshine described the golden-brown warrior. When he had finished, Fennelclaw nodded. "I've seen her at the border a few times. She was never with a patrol or anything, though."

"My thanks for the herbs," Softstar said. "You should be getting back to your Clan now."

Dolphinshine dipped his head respectfully. "You're welcome." He turned and began padding back towards WaveClan.

Taking the route around Gathering Beach, he kept his guard up in case any DustClan patrols appeared. Just as he was passing the Gathering Rock, a voice called out, alarming him.

"Hey!" A small black she-cat, probably an apprentice, was standing nearby. "What are you doing here?"

Dolphinshine sighed. Just my luck I got spotted. At least it was on the way back. "I'm going back to WaveClan," he meowed.

"You shouldn't be on our territory," the apprentice persisted. "Who are you?"

"Dolphinshine of WaveClan," he said. "And you?"

"Applepaw of DustClan, granddaughter of Rubystar," she replied immediately. "You have to leave now."

The sleek gray tom considered her, head tilted. "My mother is Blossomwhisker. That makes us kin."

"Do I care?" Applepaw said with a snort. "Get off our territory before I make you."

Dolphinshine took a step in the direction of his home. "I'm not going to fight you."

She bared her teeth at him. "You'd better not." Suddenly, she stopped, looking lost, and slightly sad. "Sorry. I'm... having a bad day."

Hesitantly, he came forward, sitting next to her. "What happened?"

"I'm not going to tell you!" the she-cat hissed, before shaking her head. "Sorry. I didn't mean that. Sorry."

"It's fine," Dolphinshine mewed. "You don't have to."

"And I shouldn't!" Applepaw snapped. "At least talk into my other ear."

Confused, he padded over to her right side. She remained staring resolutely ahead. "It's not my fault," the black apprentice spoke softly. "I just can't hear on my left."

"My sister can't see," said Dolphinshine. "She has to get around just by hearing. You still have one ear and your eyes. I'm not saying I think it's easy," he added quickly as Applepaw opened her mouth. "But think how much worse it could be."

"It would be better if you would go away," she shot back, then winced. "I'm sorry. I keep doing that."

"You're fine," Dolphinshine reassured her. As he spoke, a clump of grass rustled, and Applepaw sprang to her feet.

"Quick!" she exclaimed. "Get away!"

The sleek gray tom leaped into the river, ducking his head under the surface. The last thing he saw before swimming away was a white she-cat, yellow eyes wide with shock.