Ghosts of the Clans (COMPLETED)

Chapter 10

Minnowtail sighed. Clearly the gray-and-white tom wasn't going to give up until she told him the truth. "All right, Mousewhisker. Follow me, and be quiet," she relented.

She led him to a shadowy place under a cluster of trees and sat down on the decayed moss. Mousewhisker shuddered at the sight and the chill of the ground. "It's spooky here," he muttered, shifting from paw to paw.

You asked for it. Minnowtail bit back the sharp reply, instead ignoring his comment. "So, what was your question?"

The big, fluffy gray-and-white tom looked at her. "What exactly did Shredtail mean by saying that you almost died?" he questioned, his tail-tip twitching to and fro.

Minnowtail rolled her eyes. If Mousewhisker was going to ask a dumb question, could he have made it seem less stupid? ThunderClan. "Exactly what he said. I was training with Breezepelt but he injured me and it got infected. It was all thanks to Brokenstar that I'm alive now," she carelessly tossed the answer at him, like she didn't care anymore.

The ThunderClan tom's dark green eyes softened with symphathy. "Oh...can I see the injury?" he murmured, gazing at her with wide, pleading eyes. She didn't know what made her do it, but she still stretched her hind leg forward, revealing the long toothmark.

Mousewhisker sniffed at it, then stretched out his tongue as if he was going to lick it gently, then froze, his dark green eyes embarrassed, instead licking his paw and drawing it over his ear. Minnowtail almost laughed at his mistake, then felt like she knew what to do.

"Mousewhisker, don't lie to me. Ever since you've been an apprentice, I know that you've got a crush on me. But I don't like you that way, and just want you to understand that we're just friends, nothing more." she told him, curling her patched dark gray-and-white tail over her white paws.

Mousewhisker nodded sadly. "I know, Minnowtail. Times have changed. But I don't like you anymore, honestly, just care for you. That's it." Breathing out a small sigh, Minnowtail arched her back in a long, graceful stretch. "Well, then, I'll be going. I've got an apprentice to train!"

"Are you quite done sleeping? I mean, are you a dormouse?" Reedwhisker's amused mew woke her up. Thankful that he hadn't noticed her wounds, Minnowtail straightened. "Yeah, Reedwhisker, I'm awake. What are we doing today?" she inquired.

The sleek black tom twitched his whiskers. "I'm leaving you to decide," he replied. Thinking swiftly, Minnowtail suggested, "Then let's start with fishing practice."

Reedwhisker nodded. "If you say so. Oh, and I must mention that Graymist and Troutpaw will be joining us, then. Fine with you?" "Absolutely!"

Pushing her way out to join Mossypaw, Minnowtail breathed in the fresh, crisp air of greenleaf. Soon, it would be leaf-fall, so it was important to train their apprentices well.