Warrior cats: Snow and Briars DISCONTINUED

Chapter 18

The next few days were sombre. Emberpaw continued training, and the only cats that went out with Briarheart were Dappledpaw, her apprentice, and Lionstar, her mate. Ravenblaze was fitting well into his new role as deputy, earning him a new respect from many of the cats. There was no debating whether he should've been made deputy; everyone knew he was the perfect choice. 

'Emberpaw, me and Moonflower on patrol, everyone else hunting or training.' 

Emberpaw joined her mentor and Moonflower and they left the camp, going to patrol the borders. The scent of Lionstar, Briarheart and Dappledpaw's patrol caught in her nose and she sneezed, bounding along to join her patrol. 

By sunhigh, they were heading back, and Emberpaw caught a squirrel. Ravenblaze praised her on the catch. 

'Well done, Emberpaw. Your hunting is getting really good now!' 

Emberpaw purred with happiness and scampered off to catch a mouse she scented in the trees. She fell into an instinctive hunting crouch and leapt, catching it in mid-air and turning to return to the patrol. 

Inside the camp, Emberpaw put her prey on the freshkill pile, deciding to go and see Scareye. 

Through the ivy and into the hollow tree-trunk that served as the den she padded, giving a pigeon to the weary she-cat inside. 

'Thank you Emberpaw' she croaked. The apprentice sat down, curling her tail around her tail. 

'Got any stories?' 

'Hmm... I could tell you about my scar... Don't have much else...' 

'Oh. Do you remember much more about Briarheart?' 

'I know that she would never kill another cat' Scareye replied, mirroring Emberpaw's thoughts that had returned to Blazefur's death. 'She was always loyal to Flameclan, and nothing could stand between her and her clan. When she became a warrior, she stayed the same, hunting in any weather and fighting as hard as she could against any attack... But still, there'll be some that don't trust her.' 

'Because she was born a loner' Emberpaw added. 

'Yes, that's right. Kestrelstorm was dead, as you heard from Sootfur, and she didn't have many friends as an apprentice. When she needed help, the only cat she looked to was me... She was always sticking around me. But then Lionclaw, now Lionstar, came into her life when he was made to do apprentice duties for killing the Snowclan leader, Harestar. They got along well, and by the time Briarpaw became Briarheart, they were practically mates. Lionstar became leader, and they had their kit'

'Brightleaf?' 

'Yes... How did you know?'

'She told me a bit...' 

'Anyway, Brightleaf chose the path of a medicine cat when her siblings died of Greencough. Shadepool, the previous medicine cat, trained her well, before he was killed by a Meadowclan warrior'

'Why? And who?' 

'I can't remember... It was someone though. Brightleaf was left as the sole medicine cat, and Briarheart continued as a fine warrior.' 

'Who do you think killed Blazefur?' Emberpaw asked, continuing the conversation. 

'I have as many ideas as i have ticks in my fur... talking of ticks, can you get rid of them for me?' 

Emberpaw nodded and approached the elder, plucking off the creatures. By the time it was done, the sun had set and Scareye sent her away to sleep, which she did, her mind full of thoughts about Briarheart.