Book 2: Cinderpelt's Story

Chapter 12

"Longtail, please don't make such a fuss over me. I'm perfectly fine." Cinderpelt insisted.

Longtail had stayed by her side yesterday and today. To night would be the Gathering, and she was worried he would start an argument with a ShadowClan warrior.

"I just want to make sure your okay!" He protested.

He licked her muzzle which made her purr. They were on a hunting patrol with Dustpelt, Mousefur, and Sandstorm.

Cinderpelt parted her jaws and caught the scent of vole. She instantly got into a hunter's crouch and swiftly stalked towards the scent. She spotted the vole rummaging through some dried up leaves. Cinderpelt leaped in the air and landed squarely on the vole. She quickly bit its neck and it went limp.

"Nice catch!" Longtail purred. He padded over towards her and licked her cheek.

Her eyes shown with love and so did his. A growl was heard from a near by bush and Cinderpelt dropped the vole and leaped. She landed on the dusky brown small she-cat that she hated.

"Get off me!" Mousefur screeched.

Cinderpelt immediately jumped off her and gave a snort of distrust.

"What were you doing? Spying on us?" Longtail hissed.

Mousefur shook her pelt and glared at them both.

"If you didn't know, were supposed to be hunting. Not being al lovey dovey!" She snapped.

Cinderpelt hissed in annoyance, she unsheathed her claws ready to lunge at the she-cat. Longtail placed the tip of his tail on her shoulder to hold her back.

"Mousefur, you need to get over me. Move on. If you continue like this, bad things will come your way." Longtail meowed.

She small she-cat looked at him with fierce hazel eyes. Then she dropped her head in shame.

"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused." She apologized. "But I will never stop loving you, Longtail." Mousefur lifted her head, her eyes glazed with sadness.

Mousefur dipped her head and padded away to hunt. Cinderpelt suddenly felt pity for her.

'If only she could find someone else.' Cinderpelt thought.

She sighed and sheathed her claws. She gazed up at Longtail who was looking down at her. He licked her cheek and they continued hunting.

Once they had returned with: two voles, three mice, and one blackbird they dropped the prey at the fresh-kill pile and padded into the warriors' den. It was sunhigh and they had decided to sleep before the Gathering.

Cinderpelt was curled up next to Longtail in their nest, but she couldn't sleep. She sighed and watched as Longtail slept with his whiskers twitching. She purred softly and licked his ear.

Cinderpelt looked out at the entrance of the den to see the mysterious pale golden brown tabby tom. His green eyes showed warmth and care.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"I'm your father, Lionheart." He murmured.

Cinderpelt felt a lump form in her throat. She couldn't breath.

'He's my father? But how?' She wondered.

She gasped as she saw a beautiful white she-cat with blue eyes.

"M-mother?" She stammered.

"Yes." The she-cat answered.

Cinderpelt suddenly knew her name, Frost. Her mother padded forward and pressed her nose to her daughter's forehead. Lionheart purred and smiled.

"We have come to tell you something important." Frost meowed.

Lionheart smile faded and he meowed, "Yes something is going to happen at the Gathering tonight."

Frost stepped back and sat next to Lionheart. Their eyes were deeply troubled.

"What's going to happened?" Cinderpelt asked.

"Blood will be shed. You must stop it before it happens." Her father warned.

Cinderpelt's crystal blue eyes grew wide with shock. Blood would be shed at the Gathering? But who would start it?
She glanced at Longtail who was soundly asleep next to her. He wouldn't, would he?

She looked back up at her parents to see them fading.

"No! Please tell me who will start the fight!" She begged.

Lionheart licked her forehead and meowed, "You will know."

They disappeared and she saw a pair of amber eyes glowing as darkness surrounded her. It stared right through her pelt and she knew that who ever the cat was, he was strong and would do anything for power.

Tigerclaw.

But who was the other cat?