[Book Two] MΛDПΣƧƧ-Λ ЩΛЯЯIӨЯ FΛПFIᄃ

Chapter One

           Flarepaw felt Reedpaw's fur, even before he opened his amber eyes. He purred quietly. Reedpaw blinked his eyes open.

          "Good morning," He purred.

          "To you as well, Reedpaw," Flarepaw's pelt got warm. There was a fire in his heart, the warm feeling when he was close to the other tom, the butterflies that fluttered in his stomach when he stared into Reedpaw's amber eyes. What was this feeling?

          The smaller tom inched his way closer to Flarepaw, and sat his head on his red fur. Flarepaw drew in Reedpaw's scent, and licked his ear. Reedpaw purred at that. A small snicker alarmed Flarepaw, making him whip around and pin the cat down. Goldpaw curled her lip, baring her teeth.

          "You're gross, LOVING a tom!? Eww!" She hissed.

          Flarepaw snarled in the she-cat's face. "Not like you can stop me!"

          His red fur puffed up. Goldenpaw blinked sleepiness out of her gray eyes. She yawned. The mute apprentice looked in surprise at Flarepaw pinning Goldpaw down. Emberpaw wasn't sleeping, apparently, for he opened his eyes, not looking tired or sleepy.

          "Don't worry, Goldpaw is being herself," He mewed into Goldenpaw's ear. She nodded, still looking at Flarepaw. The red tom released Goldpaw, despite wanting to silence that she-cat for-once-and-for-all.

          "Well," Blossompaw said from behind, carrying a few mice.

          "We went hunting early!" Otterpaw meowed.

          "But! This is for just us two, you can catch some prey yourself," The cream she-cat said.

          Goldenpaw stretched her leg. Stoneteller had given her some herbs, and she seemed not to look in pain that much. She limped out of the den and sat in the sun. Emberpaw stretched his front legs, arching his back and he gave himself a quick grooming. Flarepaw did as well. Reedpaw licked Flarepaw's ear and the tom froze. Reedpaw left before Flarepaw could say anything. The tom followed. 

          As Flarepaw shook his red fur out, he noticed a lot of the prey-hunters, the cats whom hunt for the tribe, were gone, as well as some of the cave-guards. The red tom stretched his front paws and went to the growing fresh-kill pile to eat.