Lies, Secrets, and the Storm | Book One of the LSatS Trilogy

Chapter Nine

"Wow! Clan life sounds amazing!" Flame purred. Stormpaw nodded in agreement.

"It really is. ThunderClan saved my life," Stormpaw meowed. She had just finished explaining everything to Flame that Featherstar had to her before she joined the Clan. Flame looked optimistic, excited even.

"I can't wait to go!" Flame exclaimed.

"Go where?" a voice growled. Stormpaw turned her head in the direction it came from. A large ragged dark brown tabby was approaching them. His deep orange eyes were narrowed into slits.

"None of your business," Flame snorted to him, casting a glare of satisfaction at him. The tom growled.

"You're not taking another paw-step out of this barn until you learn some respect!" the tom snapped.

"You can't tell me what to do!" Flame shot back.

"Oh, yes I can. I'm your father." Stormpaw blinked, trying to figure out how they could possibly be related. Soon, she began to see it. Flame shared this tom's broad shoulders and tabby coated fur, of course Flame's were a different color. They both had inseparable bright orange eyes.

"I'm leaving to join ThunderClan!" Flame reported.

"Defiantly not!" the tom growled. His claws unsheathed. "Don't you dare utter another word or I'll-"

"La la la, not listening! La la la!" Flame cut the tom off. He hissed, lifting his paw and raking them across Flame's cheek. The she-cat's chanting was replaced with a shriek of pain as she shuffled backwards. Hurt and pain filled the young she-cat's eyes.

"Flame? Is everything alright?" a ginger and white she-cat asked as she bounded over. She let out a gasp as she saw the claw marks down Flame's cheek and the blood dripping from her father's claws. "Fang!" she hissed. "How dare you lay a claw on our kit!"

"Your kit," he corrected with a snarl. "I'm done with trying to put up with this rat!"

"Don't you dare compare her to those savages!" the she-cat hissed back. "Get away from her!"

"Fine. Teach your termite some respect," Fang growled as he stalked away. The she-cat rushed over to Flame.

"Are you alright?" the she-cat meowed, rapidly licking the wound in attempt to stop the bleeding. Flame didn't reply. The young tabby's eyes were wide. Stormpaw assumed that she was still in shock. She decided that she needed to try to calm the she-cat down. Perhaps talking to her would help.

"It's okay," Stormpaw meowed, trotting over. "You...You did a good job holding your own to him," she sat down by Flame. "Honestly, I probably would have been too scared to do anything, let alone snap back."

"R-Really?" Flame's eyes glowed at Stormpaw's praise. Flame turned her head to the ginger-and-white she-cat. "Guess what, mom? Stormpaw said she would take me to her Clan with her! Isn't that awesome?" The ginger-and-white she-cat smiled.

"I'm very proud of you," the she-cat purred. She turned her head to Stormpaw. "I'm Bright."

"I'm Stormpaw," she dipped her head. Bright turned her attention back to Flame.

"Honey, go find Alder and have him fix up that wound," Bright meowed. Flame sighed an "okay" before padding off, leaving Stormpaw alone with Bright.

"I've never seen Flame more happy," she sighed. "Just talking about that Clan business makes her excited." Bright looked Stormpaw in the eye. "Stormpaw... Please, please look out for my kit. She is the only one I have left. I don't want to let her go, but I know she'll never be happy here."

"Of course," Stormpaw meowed. "You have my word for it." Bright's serious expression faded, replaced by a smile.

"Thank you," she sighed with a dip of her head. Paw steps could be heard and a moment later, Flame returned. She had cobwebs pressed against her cheek.

"He fixed it," she reported, her eyes glittering. Stormpaw smiled.

"Good. Because we're leaving in two days time," Stormpaw meowed with a smile. "So be ready. We'll be leaving during the night, so tomorrow try and sleep as much as you can."

"Okay!" Flame exclaimed, her eyes bright with excitement. "Thank you!"

"Anytime," Stormpaw grinned as Flame ran off. Bright looked surprised.

"It's rare for Flame to thank someone anymore..." She meowed. "You're really going to be good for her. Thank you, Stormpaw."

"What are you thanking me for?" Stormpaw tilted her head. "You really don't have anything to thank me for."

"You're going to make my daughter so happy," Bright told her. "For that, I will always thank you."