"Runningpaw, Mousetail, and Lightfang can go take a border patrol on the border near the field," Robinflight announced.
It had been a few days since Sunpaw left, and Runningpaw seemed to be the only one that noticed. He said nothing as Mousetail and Lightfang sprang over to him.
"Hi, Runningpaw!" Mousetail exclaimed. "I bet you'll be able to fight off a whole badger by yourself if we saw one."
"Er... Thanks."
They padded away into the forest. Runningpaw kept shooting nervous glances at Mousetail and Lightfang. Did the two she-cats seriously think he could fight off a badger? Why did everyone like him so much anyway?
"I see the field," Lightfang exclaimed. She pranced to the border and gazed out. "Wooooah, it's so big. I haven't been here in so long."
"Lightfang, you're acting like a kit," Mousetail snipped. She gazed out. "It is pretty big, I guess. Hold on... I think I smell something..." She closed her eyes. "Runningpaw? What do you think?"
Feeling slightly annoyed to be put on the spot, Runningpaw scented to the air. "Well, uh, I think I smell a cat... This is the opposite side of Cloudclan, though. And it's not Dewclan either. It's hard to tell cause everything smells like ash." He scuffed away a burnt twig with his paw.
"Yeah, you're right," Lightfang said. "Should we investigate and see if it's a rogue?"
"I prefer the term, 'loner'."
They all jumped as a red-ginger tom dropped down from the trees. He landed squarely on his feet, and Runningpaw was impressed with the gracefulness.
"Rogues are the bad cats that take territory," the cat growled. "Sort of like clan cats." Before they could utter a single word, he said, "Loners are the calm cats that keep to themselves, away from the others. Like me. And another little tom I met." His gaze switched to Runningpaw, whose heart had sped up. "I think I heard them call you Runningpaw, correct?"
"Yeah. Yeah. Uh, who was the little tom you-"
"Just a young cat, around your age. And you're probably thinking of someone else, because this young cat wanted to be away from the clans around here."
"He- He did?"
Lightfang stepped forward, her ears laid back. "Get out of here," she snarled. "You don't belong in our territory. Leave before he makes you!" She gestured to Runningpaw.
The cat began to laugh. "The little silver one? That guy? I'd like to see him try."
"Go on, Runningpaw. Show him!" Lightfang cheered, stepping back to give him room.
The ginger tom smiled at Runningpaw.
Oh dear.
YOU ARE READING
Sunwing's Regret
Fanfiction"Only the one of heat and flames can take the evil and make it tame." Sunpaw hopes he is the cat of the prophecy, but how could he not be, with his strange power to control fire? If he was, and he got rid of this evil, would his clan stop neglec...
