Maplepaw's Redemption

CHAPTER 3

Maplepaw ran, hardly noticing where she was going, her limbs stiff with panic and confusion. She could almost see Frecklepaw's thick, salty blood coating the brambles at her feet. I wanted to kill her! Could she really do a thing like that? Kill a Clanmate? Was she born evil, like the big brown tabbies they whispered about in the nursery? Or was there just something wrong with her? The lake stretched before her, full and still and glassy. She paused, confused. Pine trees rose behind her. Where am I? A stream burbled innocently at her feet.

"Trespasser!"

Maplepaw jumped, startled. Oh no! A big brown tom stood over her, his hackles raised. His eyes were dark orange, almost red, and he smelled like fish. CrookedClan!

"What are you doing on our territory?" The tom hissed, arching his back.

"I--I didn't realize I'd crossed the scent line," Maplepaw said, shrinking away from him.

"You mean our scent markers? Or BlackClan's?" His eyes searched the trees, mouth open for scent. "Is Yellowstar teaching her apprentices to disregard the warrior code entirely?"

"Well, well," a mew rasped from behind him. "What have you caught, Dustapple? A FireClan apprentice?" A big gray tom, his muzzle flecked with white, padded through the undergrowth. His eyes, cloudy with age, pierced Maplepaw. "Well, well, well."

"It doesn't look like there's more of them," said the first tom. "We'd better take her to Troutstar."

"No! Please!" What would Yellowstar think? What would Redpoppy think? "I'll go home!"

"Too late for that," hissed the gray tom. He nudged her forward, deeper into CrookedClan territory. They flanked her on either side. She wrinkled her nose at the rank smell of fish.

"Stonewhisker! Dustapple!" A pale tabby she-cat called from the river. "What's this?" Her eyes were wide. "An invasion?"

"Just a stray," said Dustapple evenly. "Come on."

CrookedClan's camp sat nestled between two streams, with warriors and apprentices milling about. A tangle of brambles and thickets wafted the warm scents of milk, and a thorn bush reinforced with small stones and shiny bits of Twoleg stuff smelled of tansy and daisy. As the three cats entered, the Clan movements halted; every warrior turned to stare at Maplepaw, their eyes narrowed and hostile.

A big gray tom with long whiskers padded up to meet them. A crown of vines and shiny fish scales balanced regally between his ears. Fish bones adorned his neck. "Stonewhisker, who is this?"

"An invader," said Stonewhisker. "FireClan."

"What's your name, 'paw?" The Clan leader's eyes were kind.

"M-Maplepaw."

"And what are you doing in our territory?"

"I didn't mean to." Even as she said it, she knew how lame it sounded. "I was running in the forest..."

"Yellowstar doesn't know you're here?"

"No."

"Then we will escort you home. Yellowstar can see to your punishment."

"But Troutstar." Stonewhisker lashed his tail. "It could be a trap."

"A pretty pathetic trap," said the Clan leader. "Besides, I have no fear of FireClan. Best return their lost apprentice before trouble breaks out. Come. Stonewhisker, stay behind. Dustapple, Palefish, come with me."

Maplepaw walked between the big, heavy warriors, her tail trailing behind her. They skirted the lake edge, safely outside of BlackClan's territory. Maplepaw's feet slipped on the loose pebbles.