Warriors - Times of Anarchy (Book 1, The Flame)

Chapter 7

Flamepaw padded rapidly out of camp, bumping into a golden tabby pelt. Surprised, he blinked and realized he'd run straight into Sunpaw.

"Sorry!" he meowed, embarrassed. Sunpaw shook her head as she got up, and Flamepaw realized the cobwebs wrapped around her shoulder.

"Are you okay? Gorsepaw really took a bite out you," he joked lightly, flashing her a smile, as she rolled her eyes in return.

"I'm fine. Shatteredleg says as long as I don't stretch it or put weight on my paw, I'll be okay." she assured, huffing. "I just wished cats would stop running into me!"

Flamepaw smiled at the hot-headed she-cat. "Well, the whole clan's busy setting up camp," he explained.

"So much," continued Sunpaw, "That the apprentices are forgetting their usual duties! I'm stuck with doing them, since I can't help build..." her voice trailed off, and Flamepaw generously sprang to the rescue.

"I'll help you!" he offered gallantly, and Sunpaw's face lit up. "Thanks! But, you sure you want to change moss-beds all day?" she inquired, skeptic.

"I-I don't mind," said Flamepaw, his heart skipping a beat as Sunpaw's golden eyes looked at him. He felt the heat rise into his ears, until she cut the silence.

"Okay then! Let's go collect some moss for the Elders'." she replied cooly, but Flamepaw realized she was looking around too, a bit embarrassedly, as they padded out of camp.

*****

Flamepaw turned around from his duty of curling moss off of the trunk of the tree, as he felt a trickling sensation in the back of his neck. Was somebody watching him? Sunpaw had just left to go and bring the moss back to camp, and with her limp, she couldn't have been back so soon.

Then it struck him- black eyes stared at him from the depths of a bush, rustling in the late autumn air. A shiver crawled up Flamepaw's spine, as he recognized this pair of lucid orbs.

Why had Luciddreams come? Did he want something in return for saving Flamepaw's life? The orange apprentice's head reeled back in memories as he remembered the dead corpse of Daintystep, lying twisted on the ground.

Summing up his courage, Flamepaw stepped slowly towards where he'd seen Luciddreams' eyes, and was amazed as he scented nothing more than the cold, autumn air. Then a movement caught his eye, as a light gray tail-tip disappeared from a rustling bush.

When Flamepaw poked his head in, he found nothing. Slowly, this little game played a few more times, until Flamepaw realized he'd ventured deep into the forest.

"What is his name?" asked the soft, dreamy voice, as Flamepaw spun around to face Luciddreams, towering over like a frozen statue. The sight made him shrink down to the ground.

"I-I d-don't know..." squeaked Flamepaw, eyes round with fright.

"What is his name?!" Yowled louder the tom, this time flicking his ears, annoyed.

"Who are you talking about?!" Squealed Flamepaw in return, taking a few steps back, as Luciddream's still gaze looked at him. The tom tilted his head right, as if something wasn't right...Luciddreams formulated again, pointing at Flamepaw with one extended claw.

"Tell me his name." Said the tom, and Flamepaw understood the cat wanted his name, not just anyone's.

"F-Flamepaw..." he hushed softly, and Luciddreams nodded slowly.

"The Flame. He is The Flame. No doubt." Hushed softly Luciddreams, looking away. He then faced down to Flamepaw once again.

"He who is I listens to the voices of his ancestors, who have told him he must train the destined Flame into a powerful, wise and courageous warrior." said Luciddreams, the gleam in his eyes flaming up the darkness within them.

Flamepaw, crushed by the reality of this revelation, stood stunned. Half of his brain was echoing to himself that this tom was mad, that he'd lost his head ages ago, and the other side was thrilled at this amazing discovery, and couldn't wait to start training, to grow stronger, and more powerful, and maybe one day lead Flameclan to victory like his father had.

"I need time to t-think about it..." Meowed Flamepaw, shaken, as he lifted himself up and blinked at Luciddreams, who was as imposing as ever.

"...Then he will have today to think, and tomorrow at sunhigh, he will tell him the answer." Replied smoothly the tom, flicking his long tail and turning around, almost reluctantly. Flamepaw blinked a moment, and he had already disappeared completely. The sounds of the forest seemed to become louder, as if Flamepaw was coming out of a daydream.

Was he going mad? Maybe he should get himself checked himself by one of the medicine cats, he reasoned, as he began padding back towards the direction of camp. A soft meow intercepted his floating thoughts, as Wishstar prowled towards him, sniffing his pelt and lashing her tail.

"You smell like my brother," she said suspiciously, as Flamepaw looked up to lock eyes with her. Her yellow eyes burnt like flint, burning with an odd hope.

"W-who?" meowed softly Flamepaw, as Wishstar began padding towards the direction of camp, flicking her tail for him to follow her. In reply to his answer, she sighed softly.

"I was born in a tiny litter of two. It was only me, Wishkit, and him, Lucidkit. Soon enough, our mother realized we weren't any ordinary kits, so she gave us these special names. We were the only two cats who could share tongues with our warrior ancestors, for after the Great Battle, no cat, not even medicine cats, could contact Starclan."

Explained the queen with many lives, equalizing her pace to walk beside the apprentice. "Lucidpaw, hardly a few sunrises after being made an apprentice, was taken in a fox attack. In leaf-bare, foxes become desperate enough to enter clans and steal cats. I never heard of him ever again, after that. Even worst, my connection with Starclan disappeared."

Flamepaw nodded sadly, trying to understand the ex-leader's grief, and why she was telling him this.

"The reason I'm telling you this," she said, echoing his thoughts, "Is because I believe he is still alive, and is closer to me than he's ever been since the fox attack."