Ashleap's Fall

Blaze

Shadowstar is quieter in the following days. She's always in the medicine den, talking quietly with Tinyblossom like she thinks we can't hear her. The clan has taken to clustering around it, distressed by how closed off two of their authority figures are.

No one knows everything that goes on in there, and Shadowstar always snaps at whoever she catches outside (usually apprentices), but everyone knows bits and pieces of the prophecy.

"Golden eyes," mentions Hazelpaw to us one day. "They say the prophesied cat has golden eyes."

"That's why everyone thinks it's Goldenkit. You can bet they'll be keeping a close eye on her from now on." adds Rubypaw.

"Well, I think it's all stupid. Why are we even afraid of this cat? Some sort of curse we don't know exists? This is sounding more and more like a story elders would tell to spook kits and less and less like rational discussion amongst clanmates." Titanpaw snaps. She's the biggest and bossiest of all of the apprentices, and both of them shrink when they hear her.

"There has to be something to it. You can't fool the warriors that easily." Rubypaw objects.

"I think it sounds cool." Hazelpaw adds. "Haven't you ever wanted to be caught in the middle of a prophecy? Think about it! Drama! Action! Romance! All the cats who lived around prophecy times are immortalized in DragonClan history."
Titanpaw snorts. "You're both ridiculous. Stop messing with the kits, it's going to go to their heads."

Novakit, Sharpkit, Sparrowkit and I watch this eagerly, and all of us object loudly. "We're not that malleable!" Novakit says indignantly. "You're just no fun, Titanpaw."
"Yeah!" Sharpkit says.

"Apprentices aren't supposed to be 'fun', we're supposed to be 'learning'. By the way, we're going to get in a ton of trouble for telling rumors to kits when we're supposed to be doing some repairs."

"Repairs are finished. The kits are moving into the new nursery tonight. We have nothing to do, that's not our fault." Hazelpaw says casually.

"Yes you do." Emberstreak approaches, tail lashing. "You three are going to have to explain this." She bumps a cat at her side, who looks guilty and mischievous. I recognize him immediately.

"Hi, Scorch!" I call, and he purrs loudly. Emberstreak's muzzle scrunches up in confusion.

"You know this cat?" she asks.

"You remember me?" Scorch asks, seeming mildly amused by the whole ordeal.
"Yeah, from that one time almost a moon ago! I was really little then." I purr.

"You're still so little now. You clan cats grow so slowly." He teases, cuffing me behind the ear with a paw.

"Don't touch our kits!" Emberstreak says.

"I don't think he's hostile." Titanpaw says, looking less agitated and even slightly entertained.

"I'm not." He turns around. "I came here to join this clan, if you'll have me."
Emberstreak looks profoundly surprised at this. All the apprentices and kits turn to her with wide eyes. "Come this way." They slink away, Scorch with his head a little higher.

"You kits should go work on moving to the new den. We should go." Titanpaw says curtly.

"Did you see that new cat?" Hazelpaw asks. "I think I saw him in the woods once."
"I don't care where they found him." Rubypaw pauses, then adds, "He's kinda cute."
"Alright girls, let's not get distracted here." Titanpaw says, flicking her tail across both of their flanks. "We have work to do."

We watch them go. Sharpkit pads after them. "The leader's den is the other way, stupid!" I yell. "Where do you think you're going?"
She turns around and leers at me before continuing onwards. I cackle. Novakit looks boredly after the she-cats. "Apprentices are so shallow. I'm glad you're not like that."