Embers

Chapter 8

"You've really got to stop passing out like this," Smokeheart said. Emberstripe stood up and found herself in a nest lined with feathers. She looked around, then breathed a sigh of relief. Mothstar came into the den, followed by Dustfur and Madeline. She looked up happily at Dustfur, but was confused when she saw anger in his gaze.

"Emberstripe. I want to talk to you. Privately," he said, nodded to outside. She didn't say anything, not knowing what she did wrong as she followed him outside deeper into the forest.

"Why. Why did you run away?" Dustfur started.

"I didn't-" she said, confused,  but he cut her off.

"Do you have any idea how scared I was?! I thought you wanted to become a warrior, and be happy I  this clan, but you run away during vigil?! I thought you were happy here, happy here with me! I didn't think you would go back to your twoleg den, but you did! And who were those two cats? I can't believe you would do any of this to me!" He roared. Emberstripe sunk back at his words, still not understanding what he meant.

"I didn't run away, Dustfur!" She said, starting to get angry. How dare he assume she wanted to be a kittypet!

"I know you did Emberstri-" now he was cut off as she spoke.

"I was kidnapped by Crystal and the rogues, and maybe if you would listen to me, you would understand that! And I can't believe you would automatically think I would go straight back to the twoleg den! I hated it there! I would never leave Thunderclan or you and I thought you knew that!" She hissed. She turned away from him, frustrated. Her best friend thought she was still a kittypet! She walked deeper into the forest, ignoring his calls. She marched through the undergrowth, startling a passing patrol with Hazelwood, Nightwhisker, Stonefrost, and Swallowheart. They were about to greet her happily and ask her where she had been, but she hissed at them to stay away. She walked until she reached the Ancient Oak, where she climbed up and lay down.

Night started to fall, and she still stayed at the Ancient Oak. She heard some leaves shake, and a shape cam out of the darkness.

"Go away, Dustfur. I don't want to hear a word from you," she hissed.

"Relax, it's just me," Smokeheart said softly. The white tom clambered up the tree and laid near her.

"You okay?" He whispered. She shook her head and turned away. He seemed to understand, and instead curled around her and began to lick her fur. The strokes of his tongue calmed Emberstripe, and she went into a restless sleep.

"Emberstripe," Smokeheart said. She sat up and shook out her fur. "You ready to go back to camp?"

She nodded slowly, and made her way back to camp with Smokeheart. His amber eyes were round with worry, but he said nothing as they entered the barrier. She greeted the cats who came up to her, asking her where she had been.

"I have to tell Mothstar first," was all she said. She climbed up to Mothstar's den and slowly entered. Mothstar sat in her nest, her tail wrapped around her paws.

"We were worried about you, Emberstripe. What happened? Why did you run away?" She said.

"I didn't run away. I was kidnapped by Crystal and the rogues. Crystal was the white cat I battled. She killed Madeline's mate, who was actually her brother because she wasn't happy that Madeline became mates with Cloud. She said Madeline was a mouse-brain. While I was prisoner, I found two other cats named Dawn and Elm, who helped me escape, and they want to join Thunderclan," Emberstripe finished. She took a deep breath and looked at Mothstar.

"I believe you, Emberstripe. And the Dawn and Elm are staying in the apprentice's den. Thank you for telling me this," she looked at her. " Smokeheart was extremely worried, and Dustfur was angry. He thought you left to be a kittypet. He knows you didn't, right?"

Emberstripe nodded, then left the den. Mothstar then summoned the cats, and told everyone about this.

Dawn and Elm padded over to Emberstripe. "Thank you for taking us here," Elm said softly. She nodded, then looked towards Mothstar again. The cats gasped as she told them about the rogues and how Crystal killed Cloud.

"Now that we know this, we must watch for these rogues, so we need as much cats on our side as possible. Because of this, I will be making two new apprentices today. Dawn and Elm, come forward," the two cats walked to the ledge.

"Dawn, you wish to join Thunderclan. So from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Dawnpaw. Your mentor will be Hazelwood. I hope Hazelwood will pass down all he knows on to you," she nodded towards Hazelwood, who touched noses with the excited Dawnpaw. Elm stood nervously as Mothstar called him up.

"Elm, it is your wish to join Thunderclan and train as a warrior, so from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Elmpaw. Your mentor will be Smokeheart. I hope Smokeheart will pass down all he knows on to you,"

Smokeheart stepped out of the crowd of cats and touches noses with Elmpaw, who looked a little bit more confident. Then he looked down in embarrassment and Dawnpaw looked up with pride as the clan called out their new names. Emberstripe headed to Dawnpaw and Elmpaw to congratulate them, but was met instead by Dustfur.

"Emberstripe I-"

"No," she said, her voice cold. " I don't want to hear it," Then she turned and headed towards Mothstar, asking if she could be in a patrol.

She headed into the forest with Oakpelt, Maplespots, Hazelwood, and Dawnpaw. She sighed as she saw Dustfur join the patrol. She noticed how he tried to keep up with her, but she stayed close to Oakpelt instead. They silently reset the markers and headed back. Emberstripe wanted to keep busy, so she went on a hunting patrol. She surprised everyone when she brought back two squirrels and a shrew, considering it was Leaf-bare. She ate fresh kill with Smokeheart, who told her about what she had missed when she was missing.

She made her way back to the warriors den when Madeline stopped her.

"Guess what? I'm going to stay in the clan!" She said happily. "My kits want to train as warriors, and I want to help Hawkfire when her kits come!"

"Really? That's amazing!" Emberstripe said, her spirits lifting. Her sister would stay in the clan and she wouldn't have to worry about her up being alone.

"We're  going to be the best warriors in Thunderclan!" Applekit's voice made her turn. Applekit, Nightkit, and Flowerkit sprung up onto Emberstripe's back just as she turned, and she fell, surprised at the weight.

"Yes, you will. Not get off me, you great lumps!" She joked, and the kits laughed and slid off of her.

"Emberstripe, look at my crouch! Is it good?" Nightkit asked her.

"Keep your tail still, though, Nightkit," she said to the black kit. He stopped moving his tail, then lept, pouncing on a leaf nearby.

"I can do it better!" Flowerkit said.

"No, I can!" Applekit declared. Flowerkit lept onto Applekit and they rolled in the snow, play fighting.

"Don't hurt each other, alright?" Madeline said. Emberstripe purred as she looked at her kin. She looked up and saw Dustfur looking sadly at her, then turned away at the last moment. She brushed it off and headed to Elmpaw and Dawnpaw.

"How was your first day as apprentices?" She asked them.

"It was wonderful! I got to learn the hunting crouch! And I checked the elder's for ticks, and Raventail has the best stories!" Elmpaw said excitedly. She was glad Elmpaw was more excited and less nervous about being around so many cats.

"I got to check out the whole territory! And I almost caught a mouse today, too! And Hazelwood is really smart!" Dawnpaw said proudly. Emberstripe purred at the two new apprentices, and she made her way back to the warriors den. A new nest was made for her, and she curled into it and covered her nose with her tail.