Chapter 16

“Press your belly to the ground,” Cinderlight ordered. “Get lower. Keep your legs bent and set your paws down as lightly as you can. Good, now stay tight and rooted to the ground!”

Spiralpaw flicked her tail irritably as she crept forward in her hunting crouch. “I’m already doing those things! You taught me this on the first day!”

“Don’t argue with me!” Cinderlight snapped. “I’m your mentor, and I’m the one teaching here! And frankly, your crouch needs some work!”

“Sorry,” Spiralpaw muttered, not sorry at all.

“Great,” Cinderlight growled. “Now stop acting like an arrogant furball, because you’re only an apprentice. Let’s see what you can catch.”

Grumbling, Spiralpaw stalked off toward a blackbird she’d scented while her mentor had been droning on about how she needed to use different methods to catch different kinds of prey. I know that already. But, deeper inside: Do I really act like an arrogant furball? What did she mean by “you’re only an apprentice?” Do I act like I’m leader? Surely not!

But that thought stayed with her as the training session went on, clinging to her mind like a burr, always there when she wasn’t focusing on anything. Am I like that? Should I stop? Am I too bossy or do I really act like I’m in charge or do I say things that sound like orders?

“Spiralpaw!” Cinderlight’s mew jerked her back to the real world.

Spiralpaw realized her mentor was staring at her expectantly, but she couldn’t remember what she’d said. She shifted her paws awkwardly, still in her battle crouch. “Um. What?”

The sun was already starting to set, the last of its light shining through the branches of the trees. The chill of the evening air wrapped around Spiralpaw like cold water. She remembered the vision about Rubykit drowning all too well, the feeling when she was dragged down into the dark depths, no more air in her lungs.

“I said, attack now,” Cinderlight repeated. “Lash out with your forepaws as hard as you can. Pretend you’re slicing—slicing Bubble!”

Spiralpaw leaped forward, claws outstretched.

She spun around to see Cinderlight’s disappointed frown. “That was as slow as a snail! Put some energy into it!” She muttered something else under her breath. Spiralpaw thought she caught the words, “Sometimes it’s like training a tree!”

Spiralpaw flinched back, stung. “I’m tired, okay? We’ve been training since dawn. I didn’t mean that!”

Cinderlight’s gaze suddenly softened. “Sorry.” She sounded sincere. “I didn’t mean that, either. I guess I’m just tired, too. Let’s head back to camp. That was enough for today, anyway. Also—” She hesitated.

“Also what?” Spiralpaw knew there was no way she could hide whatever she was about to say from her now.

“Well, Bubble’s around,” Cinderlight meowed. “It makes sense for us to train our apprentices harder.” Her gaze sharpened. “Thirty leaps, first thing in the morning!”

“What?” Spiralpaw gasped in surprise. First thing?

Cinderlight shot her a grin. “Ha! Just kidding! We’ll start with battle training at sunhigh, and then join a hunting patrol. That’ll be it for tomorrow. Just to make up for today. For now, you can go get something from the fresh-kill pile and enjoy some time with your friends. It’s still a while until dark.”

 

 

“Spiralpaw!” Swirlstem and Crystalpaw bounded up to her as she entered the camp. “Want to share something?” Crystalpaw asked eagerly.

“Sure, I’d love to,” Spiralpaw answered warmly.

“I caught a squirrel earlier today,” Crystalpaw chattered as they headed toward the fresh-kill pile. “And a bird! Isn’t that so amazing? It’ll feed all of the elders!”

“If we don’t eat it first,” Spiralpaw joked.

“Hmmmmm,” Crystalpaw meowed. “Actually, I do want to eat it first! What a genius idea!”

Berrypelt and Sandstripe were already rummaging through the fresh-kill pile. They looked up as Swirlstem, Spiralpaw, and Crystalpaw approached. “Hi,” Sandstripe greeted them. “How was training today?”

“Fine,” Spiralpaw answered.

“Did you know it was Emberkit, Rosekit, and Shadowkit’s first day out of the nursery today?!” Berrypelt exclaimed way more cheerfully than his sister. “They’re so cute! They’re so adventurous. They’re going to make excellent apprentices!”

Spiralpaw smiled. Berrypelt and Sandstripe were the three kits’ older siblings. They were obviously excited for them. And for some reason, she was starting to get this squiggly feeling whenever she was around Berrypelt…

“Almost as great as Spiralpaw,” the dark ginger tabby added, his green eyes glowing. Spiralpaw ducked her head in embarrassment.

She was shining with unexplainable happiness as the five cats shared the squirrel and the bird Crystalpaw had caught. She was almost going to say something totally random and manic to Berrypelt when a sharp voice from nearby interrupted.

“Well, great, think what you want to think!” Leafclaw was shouting at Snowfern. “Because that can’t change things!”

Curious, Spiralpaw angled her ears toward the two cats.

“Good for you,” Snowfern snarled back. “Then what does your great wise brain want to do? It’s not so easy to get a new leader!”

Spiralpaw blinked, surprised. This is about…replacing Curlstar? Surely no one would want to do that! But she thought about the cats who had voted against having Curlstar as leader—which included Leafclaw and Snowfern—and knew she was wrong.

Of course there are some cats who disagree. There always is.

“It’s not like you can just barge in and say, ‘Hey, Curlstar, I don’t like that you’re leader. Would you please kindly step down from your position for me?’” Leafclaw shot back.

Berryleaf, who had been watching the two of them argue, padded up and stood by her brother’s side. “Well, who do you think should be leader?” she scoffed. “You?”

Leafclaw let out a low growl. “Yeah, maybe, if all of you are too mouse-brained to do it!”

Spiralpaw couldn’t take it anymore. No one can talk rudely about Curlstar behind her back on my watch! She stalked up to the three warriors, which caused surprised glances from her friends.

“If you disagree with Curlstar being leader, keep it to yourself,” she meowed boldly. “Forming a group or arguing about it won’t help. You can’t ignore the will of StarClan. And you have to be loyal to your Clan, no matter what, and Curlstar is the Clan leader.”

“Why, because StarClan said so?” Snowfern snarled. Spiralpaw blinked at him, horrified.

“Yeah, is it really the will of StarClan?” Leafclaw put in. “You’re only an apprentice. What if you just had a stupid dream? What if you just hoped and are manipulating us?”

“It was a real dream,” she insisted levelly, decidedly not screaming at their faces. That’ll only make it worse. “I’m not trying to manipulate anyone. Curlstar has nine lives! You saw it with your own eyes!” Leafclaw’s—and Cinderlight’s—words echoed in her mind, stinging like thorns. You’re only an apprentice. You’re only an apprentice. Just because she was an apprentice didn’t mean she couldn’t change things.

“Get out!” Okay. Leafclaw definitely wanted to scream in her face.

Spiralpaw let out a hiss and stomped toward the thorn tunnel. I’ll show you! I’ll solve this! I’ll change things!

“Wait!” Swirlstem’s voice called from behind her, but she ignored her friend. After today, everyone will see that an apprentice is just as important and smart and brave and strong as a warrior!

 

 

A rustling sound made Spiralpaw stop in her tracks. It was pretty dark already, she realized nervously. Who would be out here?

A familiar scent touched her nose and she exhaled with relief. A moment later, Lilyflame slipped out of a bush. “Spiralpaw,” the pale gray she-cat meowed in surprise. “What are you doing out here?”

“What are you doing out here?” Spiralpaw asked.

Lilyflame shrugged. “Just going for a walk.”

“Just going for a walk, too.”

Lilyflame searched her gaze. “You seem a little more…defiant and stubborn than usual, no offense.”

Spiralpaw was surprised that Lilyflame of all cats could notice that. When she had been an apprentice and Spiralpaw had been a kit, Lilypaw would stop by at the nursery to see her and always have a sharp or sarcastic comment that probably wasn’t supposed to hurt but hurt Spiralkit for some reason. She had also been very snappy and suspicious when Spiralpaw had snuck out of camp to meet Heatherfur, so long ago. It was interesting to be on Lilyflame’s gentle side for once.

“I’m just…” Spiralpaw started, frantically scrambling for an excuse. She sighed when she couldn’t think of one. “Okay, you’re right, I guess I am.”

“Why?” Lilyflame pressed, her yellow eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“Snowfern, Berryleaf, and Leafclaw were arguing in camp,” Spiralpaw confessed. “I tried to break it up, but they just turned on me. They didn’t even listen or believe what I said. And they said I was only an apprentice.” She couldn’t stop the bitterness from creeping into her voice.

“Oh,” Lilyflame mewed softly. “I’m sorry. But…you are only an apprentice.”

“I know,” Spiralpaw growled. “I wish I wasn’t. I wish I were in a higher position. That would make things a whole lot easier. But…aren’t I already authoritative enough?”

Lilyflame laughed. “Yes, that’s true. You are like a little leader. It’s just that you’re an apprentice that older cats don’t respect you.”

“Yeah,” Spiralpaw grunted.

“I agree with you,” Lilyflame said softly.

“Thanks,” Spiralpaw replied, and for the first time, she realized what Berrypelt liked about Lilyflame so much. She was observant, empathetic, gentle, and supportive—at least sometimes, or to him. It was possible that Lilyflame liked him first.

But the point was that Spiralpaw wasn’t those things. She didn’t think she could empathize with an opinion totally different from hers. She didn’t think she could be supportive of that cat. She had definitely not been gentle or empathetic with Leafclaw.

Berrypelt’s right to like her, she thought, and for some reason she felt a twinge of something that was probably jealousy.

Great. I just admitted to myself that I really do like him, Spiralpaw thought as she said goodbye to Lilyflame and headed deeper into the forest for no apparent reason but she would very much regret it.

A scent that was not ThunderClan hit her nose.

Something was moving ahead.

Spiralpaw, as quietly as she could, crept forward, keeping in mind of what Cinderlight had taught her. She slid into a bush and crouched, peering through the leaves, trying to see in the darkness.

The unmistakable pattern of ginger and black revealed Bubble sitting near a tree root, looking calm and content. Beside her, the large, muscular black tom Black was pacing back and forth, muttering.

Nice, Spiralpaw thought triumphantly. But I’m more sneaky than you.

It looked as if Bubble had just finished saying something to her father. His eyes glinted with new determination and hope and murder.

Spiralpaw shivered, and, as quietly as she could, slipped out of the bush and ran home.

She’s planning…something.