Embarrassing Love (For Spooky_Love_Raven's Contest)

Chapter 6

Tumblefire and Sparkclaw carefully set Flamepaw in the medicine cat den. He lay unconscious in his nest. Softwing watched Flamepaw to make sure nothing was wrong with him while Kinkpaw sorted herbs.

"You can leave if you want." Softwing whispered. Lifepaw just shook her head. I can't leave him, not now. Sparkclaw and Lilypaw had left to go on a patrol for hunting. Lifepaw pricked her ears at the sound of the patrols returning from the battle.

Ivypaw burst into the medicine cat den with a look of complete panic in her eyes.

"Is he ok?" she screeched rather unnecessarily.

"Yes he is fine for now." Softwing mewed. Ivypaw sprinted up to Flamepaw and knocked Lifepaw backwards.

"Come on Flamepaw wake up, for me!" Ivypaw wailed. Lifepaw's heart sank. Do they like each other? she thought worriedly. Ivypaw was bent over Flamepaw, trying to prod him awake.

"Stop it Ivypaw!" Softwing hissed, "If you want to reopen his wound and have him bleed to death, then keep annoying him!" Ivypaw looked at her defiantly for a moment, but decided not to argue with the wise medicine cat. She stepped back a pace and sat in front of Lifepaw.

"Can you move please?" Lifepaw asked using all the self control she could muster not to claw Ivypaw's fur off. Ivypaw glared at her, as if to warn Lifepaw to back off. Eventually, Ivypaw stepped aside slightly, deciding it was better than a fight.

The flame colored tom stirred slightly. Softwing peered over the two she cats to make sure he was alright.

"Is he waking up?" Lifepaw asked.

Softwing shook her head, "No, this is just a dream."

Lifepaw returned her attention to Flamepaw. He seemed troubled in his dream, as if he was lost or frightened. She stepped forward and licked his cheek to comfort him. He settled down and soon was quietly sleeping again. When Lifepaw turned around to give him some space, Ivypaw shot her an icy stare. She looks like she wants to kill me! Lifepaw thought. Softwing seemed to notice something was wrong and broke the silence.

"Ok let Flamepaw rest." Softwing meowed. Lifepaw scampered out of the den, relieved that she was away from Ivypaw. Soon the silver tabby she cat emerged from the medicine cat den and padded over to her nest. If Ivypaw won't do anything useful, then I will. Lifepaw thought. She spotted her mentor sharing tongues with Sharpnose near clan rock.

"Tumblefire, can we go hunting?" Lifepaw called. Tumblefire turned to her.

"Of course." he meowed. They padded out of camp into the chilly air of late leaf-fall.

Lifepaw scented the air. A strong breeze carried the faint scent of a vole. Tumblefire waited for her to start following its scent. It lead them to Shrewrocks. The small furry creature scampered out from the shelter of a crevice in the rocks. It ate a nut hungrily, too busy to notice Lifepaw creeping towards it. She pounced and killed it swiftly with a bite to the neck.

"Great catch!" Tumblefire purred.

"Thanks!" Lifepaw replied. It was a scrawny vole, but before the cold moons of leaf-bare, anything would help the clan.

Lifepaw scented the air once again, but much to her disappointment, she smelled nothing. Tumblefire and Lifepaw padded back to camp with the vole. When they entered camp, the clan seemed disappointed by the lack of prey. Lifepaw set the vole gently on the fresh kill pile that consisted of two mice and a sparrow.

This is barely enough for Morningsong. Lifepaw thought sadly about the new queen. Her belly was full of kits that would be born during the toughest season. Lifepaw was snapped out of her thoughts when Ivypaw padded up from behind her. She spun around to see the she cat flexing her claws.

"Want to do some battle training?" Ivypaw asked innocently.

"I know this is just an excuse for you to hurt me Ivypaw." Lifepaw hissed.

"Well if you want to be a lazy lump of fur, that's fine with me." Ivypaw retorted and left camp with Russetpaw, Deerpaw, and their mentors. Lifepaw's littermates looked disappointed that she had rejected Ivypaw's offer. Let's see how they feel about Ivypaw when they come back bleeding. she thought coldly.

When the apprentices left camp, Lifepaw decided that it was her chance to be with Flamepaw, alone. She slipped into the medicine cat den only to see Kinkpaw watching Flamepaw. Softwing was treating Heronflight outside for a paw injury.

"Can I stay here?" Lifepaw asked. Kinkpaw nodded and looked back to Flamepaw. She padded up to him, confident because he couldn't see her. Lifepaw curled up beside him, careful not to disturb his wound. He shifted slightly and licked her ear gently. Lifepaw looked at him with surprise, but only saw him sleeping.

He couldn't have consciously licked my ear. It''s not like he has any feelings for me anyway. Lifepaw thought sadly as she fell into a light sleep.