Embers

Chapter 4

"Wake up, Emberpaw. We're going on a dawn patrol," Oakpaw poked her. She sat up and stretched, sleepiness still in her eyes. She stepped out of the apprentice's den and gave her fur a brief wash before following Oakpaw on the dawn patrol with Hazelwood in the lead. Oakpaw and her walked in silence for a while before he asked a question that surprised her.

"Dustpaw said at the Gathering someone had stolen his heart. Do you know who?" He whispered to her. She looked at him, and shook her head.

Oakpaw sighed. " I'm just a little afraid that a cat from another clan has captured Dustpaw's interest, and I don't want him breaking the warrior code, because I know he'll do the same for me with-"

"Sprucepaw?" She asked, twitching her whiskers in amusement.

"How'd you know that? Oh, I'm guessing Dustpaw told you," He gave a small laugh. "But anyways, there's still a part of me that thinks he fell for someone great in Thunderclan," Oakpaw said.

"Who?" Emberpaw asked. But Oakpaw only looked at her and laughed, shaking his head a little. Curiosity burned inside her, but they had reached the border.

"No sign of Windclan stealing prey," Nightwhisker said.

"Good. I don't want to start unnecessary battles," Hazelwood said.

As they headed back, she asked Oakpaw again.

"It's just a small theory, and I'm afraid I'll have to keep this to myself, because if the she-cat found out, she might look at him of treat him differently, and I don't want that," he said as they arrived at camp. Annoyance sparked in her belly, but she told herself she had to understand. Trying to get her mind off things, she continued battle training with Stonefrost. She practiced the jump and pin move, which she got easily, and then was taught then badger defence move, which she kept practicing until her muscles ached.

"Are you okay, Emberpaw? You seem like the world will end if you don't perfect this move. It's alright to say you're exhausted. Go get some sleep," he said, and she padded back to camp. Dustpaw walked over to her once she entered camp.

"Guess what! My assessment is tomorrow! Do you think I'll do okay? " he asked, and she noticed how his tail twitched nervously and how he kneeded his paws into the ground.

"I know you'll be a warrior in two days. You're going to do great," she said, then headed for her nest. She laid her tail over her nose and had a peaceful nap.

"Emberpaw? Are you good to go now?" Stonefrost said at the entrance of the apprentices den. She sat up and stretched, her limbs feeling stronger. She nodded. "Great. We're going on a hunting patrol right now, so hurry,"

She followed, feeling more awake, then went out hunting. She always felt satisfied with her hunts as she walked back with a fat pigeon in her jaws, her paws now crunching against the fallen leaves. Leaf-fall was here, and soon Leaf-bare would consume the clans, making hunting difficult. She dropped her catch in the fresh kill pile, then went to go clean out the elder's bedding. Once she made sure Raventail and Honeybelly, a cream colored she-cat, were comfortable, she headed out to the fresh kill pile once more, her stomach feeling like she hadn't eaten in ages. Dustpaw came while she ate a mouse with a thrush in his jaws.

"Hi Emberpaw," Was all he said as he sat down and began to eat. His tail still twitched, and he kept on sheathing and unsheathing his claws.

"Dustpaw." She said, and he stopped and looked up." I know you're going to do fine for your assessment. Focus on the stuff you need to remember, not how you're going to do,"

"I'm sorry, I just keep on thinking there's a chance I'm not going to be made a warrior," he sighed.

"Everyone has that chance here. There's a chance I won't be made a warrior," she said.