Bloodshed

Chapter Ten

Shadepaw winced as he snapped a tic between his teeth. "I think that's the last of them," He breathed, finally pulling away from Tigerstripe.

"Looks good." The elder chuckled, licking the ruffled fur on her flank. "You can go now."

Shadepaw sighed with relief. Standing up, he padded out of the elders' den and over to the fresh kill pile. Blurrypaw had won the hunting competition, which meant that he would be eating the best fresh-kill. Shadepaw, on the other paw, had only one pick; an old, scrawny mouse.

He picked it up and joined Rainpaw beside the apprentices' den. His brother didn't even glance up from his rabbit as he sat down.

"Hey, Rainpaw." Shadepaw greeted. Still, Rainpaw did not speak. He was deep in thought, ignoring the world around him.

"Look out!" Something crashed into Shadepaw's side. He fell over, hitting his head hard on the stone floor of the cave. Hissing, he spun around, to see that Flamekit had flung himself at him.

"Shadepaw! Are you okay?" Moonbeam gasped, running over to them. She picked up her foster kit, whose ears were flat against his head. "Why would you do that?" She demanded.

"Sorry.." Flamekit muttered. "It was an accident."

Shadepaw rolled his eyes. "Whatever." As Moonbeam carried Flamekit away, Shadepaw bent his head to take a bite of the mouse. Immediately, he spit it out. "Who in StarClan put crow food in the fresh-kill pile?" He demanded loudly. The mouse was crawling with maggots.

"What are you talking about?" Rainpaw asked, eyes wide. Shadepaw looked at the mouse. No maggots.

"But.. I saw maggots.." He shook his head, confused. Was this sent by StarClan? Maybe they were punishing him. Was it because of his meetings with Frozenstar?

The kittypet! He remembered. StarClan must be mad at him for meeting with Sparkle. Who cares what StarClan thinks? I can be friends with whoever I want to be friends with. I'm going to rule the island one day.

"Perhaps you hit your head harder than you thought. You should go check with Brownfur." Rainpaw nodded his head towards the medicine cat den. Shadepaw nodded, standing up.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow." He said, waving goodbye to Rainpaw with his tail.

***

"There doesn't seem to be anything obviously bruised or broken." Brownfur commented. "I think you've just bumped it."

"Can I stay the night here, just in case?" Shadepaw questioned. He wanted to think that the maggots were simply because he was ill, and not a message from StarClan.

Brownfur hesitated. "I'm going to the mooncave tonight to visit Thorncloud and the other medicine cats." He said, "But I suppose you could make yourself a nest."

"Thank you." Shadepaw purred, beginning to scrape some moss into a nest. Finally, he curled up, and allowed sleep to take over his mind.

*

Shadepaw was yet again in the dark forest. Frozenstar stood beside him, watching carefully. "Greetings, kit."

"I'm an apprentice now." Shadepaw reminded her. "Did you see the maggots in my prey?"

"Yes." She narrowed her eyes, "But I have not come to talk about that. I have some very important cats for you to meet. Come." She turned away, padding slowly along a path leading deeper into the darkness.

Shadepaw followed her. "Who are they?" He asked, curiosity prickling in his pelt.

"Three very ancient cats. They lived long ago, in a Clan that existed even before MudClan and GreenClan. These cats died before the great Muddy Feet and Green Eyes were ever born." She said, "You must respect them, Shadepaw."

"Okay." The two came to a stop in a hollow, to see three cats staring at them.

A gray tom in the middle dipped his head to them. "Hello, Frozenstar. This is the cat that you wish for us to meet?"

"Yes, this is him." Frozenstar nudged Shadepaw forward.

"He's small." Commented a black she-cat.

"He's young." Frozenstar defended him, "He'll grow."

Suddenly, a shape crashed into his side. Taken by surprise, Shadepaw tried to scramble away, but he was too slow. His claws flung out behind him as he tried to get a grip on the dirt, but each time he tried to move away, he was thrown off his paws again.

"Enough, Featherfur!" Shouted the black she-cat. Shadepaw was released, and his attacker backed away.

"You must always be ready to fight." The third cat, who was brown with white dapples on her tail, said.

"He's only an apprentice!" Frozenstar reminded them. "Featherfur should not have done that. He isn't ready for this yet."

"He should always be ready." The black cat argued, "Attack can come at any time. And what now, kit, since Stripedstar has given GreenClan rights to the river? Does any cat think that they're really only drinking from it?"

"You think GreenClan is stealing prey?" Shadepaw asked, eyes wide. "Really?"

"Yes." She nodded her head, "I am Pinefeather. These are Featherfur and Fawnfrost."

"I'm Shadepaw." Shadepaw said, still trembling from his fight with Featherfur. He hadn't even made an effort to fight back!

"These cats will be helping with your training from now on." Frozenstar said. "But you must go, for now."

"Oh, well.. Goodbye."