Fireheart & Cinderpelt/Sandstorm

10

Cinderpaw was sorting herbs, her back facing the entrance when she heard the faint rustling of someone brushing past the vines draping over it. “Yellowfang? We're running low on catmint again. The last few days have really used up most of our supplies-”

 Tigerclaw seemed to smirk. “I didn't appear to realise when my identity changed to a stinky old cat.”

 Cinderpaw froze, her paws brushing over the herbs as she stopped arranging them, tucking them near her. Yellowfang glared at Tigerclaw, padding over to her nest and curling into it.

 Cinderpaw met her eyes, but Yellowfang shook her head. Although there was no apology there, she knew what Yellowfang was saying. There's no way out of this, so try to stay out of trouble for yourself.

 Cinderpaw turned, then caught sight of Darkstripe behind the bigger warrior. “I'm sorry, deputy.” She forced it through, her heart pounding.

 Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes, and she lifted her head, exposing the claw marks on her cheek under a patch of moonlight. It was a painful reminder, but her legs were one that haunted her everyday - and probably for the rest of her life.

 "Aren't you going to greet your old friend?" Darkstripe purred, slipping into a spot next to Tigerclaw.

 Cinderpaw didn't respond, but her heart pounded faster. Memories of the thunderpath accident flashed past, and paws stumbled clumsily as she continued pushing the bundles of herbs into neat piles.

 "You saw Fireheart just now, didn't you?"

 Cinderpaw spun around, her eyes flashing. "You didn't dare do anything to him, did you?"

 "Oh no, we didn't dare. It's just too bad he doesn't share the same feelings you feel about him." Tigerclaw purred, tail flicking slowly. His eyes seemed to gleam in the weak moonlight.

 Cinderpaw bared her teeth."What feelings? He's my mentor, of course he'd care about me."

  “He cares about you?” Tigerclaw snorted, standing up. “I think I'm wasting my time here, Cinderpaw. Are you blind?”

 Cinderpaw unsheathed her claws, digging it into the ground to keep her anger in check. “He does care about me.”

 “Oh really?” Darkstripe said in a mocking tone. “If he really cared about you, he would do anything for you.”

 Cinderpaw twitched her ears in annoyance. “He was the one who practically saved my life.” At this, she looked pointedly at Tigerclaw. His eyes flashed, glancing at Yellowfang.

 Yellowfang was sleeping. Cinderpaw almost sighed in exasperation, but felt a little bit relieved.

 She remembered what Tigerclaw had said - if anyone found out about anything he'd done, the cat who said it - and the cat who knows it, would suffer.

 “He may have saved your life, but he was the one who told you not to go. He probably thought you were just trouble - and got into more trouble after the accident.”

 Cinderpaw opened the mouth, wanting to retort back, but she couldn't. Inside her heart, she thought the same way. I'm nothing but trouble to Fireheart.

 Tigerclaw stood up, slowly walking to her. “You know, I pity you. You give your all to someone who doesn't even acknowledge it.”

 “He does.”

 “Does he really?” Darkstripe pressed.

 Tigerclaw shook his head, laying a tail on Cinderpaw's shoulder. She flinched away, but Tigerclaw stepped closer. His eyes seemed to burn into hers. “Prove it.”

 The night wind blew at the entrance to the medicine cat den, parting the vines away to reveal a young medicine she-cat standing in semi-darkness. Two shadowy figures left the den, and the vines slipped back into place. The atmosphere was calm and quiet, and it was almost as though nothing had happened that night.

***

 Tigerclaw crouched, slowing creeping his way forward into the tree's canopy. The long wooden planks loomed ahead, but he could just see above it at the den Twolegs lived in. He could hear them - the horrific huge creatures.

 He'd been watching them. It should be no problem. They came out everyday, and sometimes couldn't be controlled. Prey should lure them.

 Fear should lure them.

 Tigerclaw inched forward a bit more, watching them. After a few heartbeats he decided he'd already seen enough.

 Snap!

 Tigerclaw's eyes snapped to the bottom of the tree, trying to detect the source. Dropping nimbly back onto the ground, he tasted the air.

 His nose twitched in disgust. Fireheart.

 Snarling, he slashed at the ground. Little grains of dirt fell to the ground from his claws, and he watched it without much interest.

 The kittypet is smart. Thinking back to Cinderpaw, he almost slashed out again in frustration. I need to get rid of him - fast.

AN:

ayy,, hope you guys enjoyed <3 literally typed this story on a bus ahah, sorry if there are any spelling mistakes. I'll try to update soon:)

~Jayhow