Chapter 6

Pinepaw curled his claws into the damp soil. It was past sunhigh already, and he hadn’t done anything in the morning but sulked. But why? He had no reason. Except for what had happened yesterday. I had been so wrong to ignore Shadowpaw when she asked me to join their game this morning just because I was so grumpy, Pinepaw thought. She must be so hurt right now. He started to get to his paws to go and tell his sister he was sorry, then thought better of it and slumped back down. What good would it do? They were already ignoring him enough. Why bother to try and get their attention?

Pinepaw sighed and rolled onto his back. He thought back to what had happened yesterday. They had encountered SkyClan. They had met Nimblepaw. He rolled over again. Why hadn’t anyone paid attention to her? She had been beautiful, the most attractive cat in the world. He rolled over again. I must be such a bee-brain if I’m being grumpy just because of leaving her. But as he rolled over yet again, he realized that that was exactly the reason he was grumpy. Why he was so empty.

Leaving Nimblepaw and the SkyClan cats behind had sucked all the enthusiasm to keep training out of him. But why? he thought, fury burning inside him. Why, why, why?

As he rolled over, he accidentally bumped into the warrior Stripeheart’s paws. “Hey, watch it!” Stripeheart yowled. “What in the name of StarClan are you doing, Pinepaw? Haven’t you been sulking enough this morning?”

“Sorry,” Pinepaw grunted, pushing himself to his paws. “I’ll go for a walk in the forest if that makes you happy.” He turned and walked toward the camp entrance.

“Sure!” Stripeheart called after him. “Be careful!”

Pinepaw started running as soon as he stepped into the forest. He wanted to get away from his Clan, away to a place where he could think clearly with no one bothering him. He headed toward the Twoleg path.

As soon as he reached it, he smelled another scent. SkyClan! he thought. Who is it? He crept closer to the path, heart racing. Suddenly a shape leaped from the bushes and landed on him. “Quiet!” it hissed. “Don’t call out!”

Pinepaw yelped and his attacker slapped a paw across his mouth. “I said quiet!” it snapped. “Do you want us to get caught?”

Pinepaw stared at the face that was staring back at him. It was golden, shining blue eyes glaring at him. “Nimblepaw?” he gasped. “What are you doing here?”

Nimblepaw frowned and stepped off him. “Finally,” she huffed. “Anyway, I caught you staring at me yesterday, and”–she looked him up and down–“you do look very handsome, so I decide to ambush you so we can talk.”

Pinepaw snorted with laughter. “Seriously, Nimblepaw, you did this for nothing! I could’ve gone to your camp and ambushed you, if you’d given me a chance!”

Nimblepaw snorted back. “And do you seriously think you can surprise me, you bee-brained apprentice that hasn’t even been training for a moon?”

Pinepaw sat up and leaned against her. “I know we’re not supposed to have friends from other Clans, but…”

“We can be friends,” Nimblepaw mewed immediately.

Pinepaw turned to stare at her. “Are you sure? What if someone catches us sneaking out of camp each day to meet?”

“We don’t have to do that,” Nimblepaw meowed calmly. “I already have a plan. I’ve been thinking all morning.”

What am I doing? Pinepaw thought. But he knew this made him happy, and all he needed was happiness right now. “Okay,” he mewed slowly, “so what is it? Meet once a moon? Every night?”

Nimblepaw smiled. “Well, if you’re okay…”

 

Pinepaw crept to the camp entrance. It was his first meeting with Nimblepaw tonight, and he had to be extra careful that nobody saw him. I’ll exit through the dirtplace tunnel, he decided. He crept silently to the entrance to the dirtplace and leaped into it, his paws running lightly through, his nose wrinkling from the foul smell of it. He burst into open air and let out a breath of relief. He headed toward the Twoleg path–the SkyClan border. He would meet Nimblepaw there. Why am I doing this? he wondered, but even though his thoughts begged him to go back and sleep, be loyal to his Clan, he knew this was right.

Pinepaw pushed through thorns and brambles until he reached the border. It looked so different in the dark, the plants on either side of it swishing quietly as if they were warning him of danger. If this is dangerous, Pinepaw thought, then why would Nimblepaw want to do it? She’s been an apprentice for longer than me, and she knows the consequences.

The plants rustled on the other side and Nimblepaw pushed her way out. “Pinepaw,” she greeted him happily. “You’re here.”

“I came,” Pinepaw replied quietly.

Nimblepaw leaped gracefully to the middle of the path. Pinepaw padded over to her. “Thank you,” Nimblepaw breathed, touching noses with him. “I need a distraction.”

Pinepaw frowned. “From what?”

Nimblepaw sighed. “Well, my Clan is a mess right now. A patrol heard a strange cat in the forest yesterday, but we’re not hearing any signs of it now, and now everyone is worried.”

Pinepaw leaned against her. “I understand.”

Nimblepaw glanced toward her Clan. “I’m sorry, I can’t stay long today. Skykit and Cloudkit need me–they might wake up in the middle of the night and get bored.” She purred. “But Cloudkit is always sleepy, and Skykit is so adventurous she doesn’t want to play the games I suggest.” Her blue eyes shimmered with worry. “This morning she told me she’s been in the forest before. She had been looking for the strange cat.”

Pinepaw gaped at her. “What?” How could a kit be so brave? “Are you sure she didn’t dream of it?”

Nimblepaw shook her head. “No, she said it was real. She insisted it was real. I’ll believe her until there’s proof that she’s wrong.”

Pinepaw gazed into Nimblepaw’s eyes. She’s so smart, so brave, so kind… “I think I’d better go, too,” he meowed sadly. “My littermates might wonder where I am.”

Nimblepaw nuzzled his cheek. “Good luck.”

“Good luck to you, too.”

With a final lick, Nimblepaw vanished into the trees.

Pinepaw sighed and headed home.

 

“Hey, Pinepaw! Where have you been?”

“You smell of the forest,” came Duskpaw’s suspicious meow.

Pinepaw turned over in hie nest. “For a walk,” he grumbled. “I couldn’t sleep at all.” He knew lying to his littermates was wrong, but he had to do it, for his safety.

“Fine.” Darkpaw didn’t sound convinced.

“Pinepaw!” Mousetail appeared at the entrance. “It’s time for training. You’re late.” She glanced at Shadowpaw, Darkpaw, and Duskpaw. “Your littermates too.”

Pinepaw groaned and stumbled out of his nest. “Did you have a bad sleep?” his mentor mewed anxiously. “We can learn the basic moves, if you want.”

Pinepaw immediately brightened up. “We’re doing battle training?” He’d waited forever for this moment.

Mousetail smiled. “Yes, we are. Let’s take your littermates again.” She glanced back and Pinepaw realized that Shadowpaw, Duskpaw, Darkpaw, and their mentors were all making their way toward them.

“That’s great!” Pinepaw exclaimed. As they headed into the cool pine forest, he felt his worries lift. With Mousetail, with his littermates, with Nimblepaw…it would all work out. He was sure of it.