Mintfeather's Secret

Chapter 16:

Thrushpaw landed on his paws and quickly rolled out of the way as Redpaw and Antpaw both pounced. They crashed into each other and fell to the ground growling and cursing at each other. Thrushpaw immediately got to his paws and dragged Antpaw off of Redpaw, sending the slightly taller tom rolling in the dirt, and he ducked just in time for Redpaw to launch over his head. The dark ginger tom got to his paws and shook the dust from his pelt as Nightshade hissed at him from where he sat.

"Is that the best you can do?!" Thrushpaw turned to his father with a frown on his face.

"Could you try to be a little bit nicer to Redpaw? I've been training far longer and with more advanced technique than anyone has, so don't get down on him if he can't beat me in training." The light brown tom mewed. Nightshade's amethyst eyes flashed and Redpaw gave him a grateful look. Antpaw let out a screech of fury and shot at the smaller tom, who instinctively ducked and twisted around to swipe his paw down onto the apprentice's face. Antpaw snarled as he was sent rolling away again.

"I think that's enough training for today." Thrushpaw looked over at Snakefern as he glared at his apprentice. "All of you take a break." He growled. Nightshade turned his head towards the aggressive tom.

"We'll meet you back at camp." He mewed as they padded away, starting a hushed conversation. Thrushpaw watched after them with narrowed eyes before turning to see Antpaw launch himself again at the smaller apprentice. He was knocked out of the way by Redpaw, who growled at his brother.

"What's wrong with you?! Are you deaf?! Training is over!"

"I don't care! He made me look bad in front of my mentor and the deputy! You should be angry too!" Antpaw hissed, lashing his tail. Thrushpaw narrowed his eyes.

"In a real battle, it won't matter whether your mentor or the deputy or anyone else sees how you fight. What matters is that you're trained enough to defend yourself and your clanmates. So I suggest you get your attitude in check before you end up getting hurt. Then you only have yourself to blame." Thrushpaw mewed coldly before turning and padding away with Redpaw on his heels.

"You speak exactly like a warrior already!" Redpaw mewed with awe.

"I've had moons of experience. My father's trained me real hard when we were in WaterClan. It kind of makes you grow up faster." Thrushpaw mewed. "He taught me many valuable lessons by experience. Most of them were less than pleasant." He muttered. Redpaw looked over at him.

"I admire you." He mewed softly. "You're so strong and mature. Nothing anyone does or says badly towards you affects you in any way." He mewed. "Most of the clan loves you!" Redpaw's eyes lit up. "I wish I could be like you." Thrushpaw smiled bitterly.

"No, you don't. The truth is, Redpaw, that I have many, many problems. I don't let what others say and do affect me because I have my own problems to deal with." He mewed. Redpaw stopped and looked at him with confusion.

"Like what?" He asked.

"Um..." Thrushpaw hesitated. "Like having feelings for someone, but not being sure if they like you back or if something would get in the way of their feelings towards you." Thrushpaw mewed as an example. Redpaw tilted his head to the side before his eyes lit up with surprise.

"Oh! You like Darkpaw?!"

"What?" Thrushpaw mewed, caught off guard.

"You like Darkpaw, but aren't sure if she likes you back, and the thing that might be in your way is Antpaw, right?" Redpaw asked. Thrushpaw sighed.

"No, it's far more complicated than that, but you get the point." He mewed. Redpaw frowned.

"How is it far more complicated?" He asked.

"Well for one, the cat isn't a she-cat." Thrushpaw muttered so the ginger tom couldn't hear, but Redpaw heard him anyways. He gasped and looked at Thrushpaw with wide eyes.

"No way! Is it Robinpaw?!"

"What?! No!" Thrushpaw mewed, horror shining in his emerald eyes. "He's like a brother to me!" Redpaw tilted his head.

"Antpaw...?"

"No!" Thrushpaw growled. "He's a mouse-brain that has it out for me." Redpaw frowned, trying to think of who Thrushpaw could mean. His amber eyes flashed with understanding before he looked away from the tom with embarrassment.

"Oh... uh..." Thrushpaw shook his head and glared at the ground. Redpaw shuffled his paws and stood up uncertainly. "I-I think I should go back t-to camp now." He murmured before trotting away from Thrushpaw, who watched after him with confusion.

"Why is he acting so strange...?  It's only a crush on Mintpaw." He muttered to himself, frowning. "Surely it can't be that bad?" Sighing and shaking his head, Thrushpaw started padding back to camp.

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"How was training?" Mintpaw asked as Thrushpaw sat down beside him with a pigeon at his paws. "Want to share?" He added.

"Yeah." Thrushpaw mewed, bending down to take a bite before he chewed and swallowed it down. "Training was tiring. I almost got shredded by Antpaw." He mewed. "After we finished training." He added. Mintpaw's ears twitched.

"I can't say I'm surprised. Antpaw has a temper. He's probably just angry that you beat him in training again." He mewed, wishing he could roll his eyes. Thrushpaw glanced at him.

"How did you know I beat him in training?" He asked. Mintpaw ducked his head down in embarrassment.

"Uh... Lucky guess?" He offered sheepishly. Thrushpaw purred with amusement and his whiskers twitched.

"Well, he's been a thorn in my side ever since I got here." Thrushpaw mewed, flicking his tail. "Why does he hate me so much? I haven't done anything to him."

"He hates you because Darkpaw has a crush on you." Mintpaw mewed before realizing what he said and gasped. "Uh-oh."

"She what?" Thrushpaw asked, looking over at Mintpaw with confusion.

"N-nothing!" Mintpaw mewed quickly, his heart sinking into his stomach.

"Did you just say she likes me...?" Thrushpaw asked. Mintpaw started to shake. He liked Darkpaw, didn't he? The anxiety started to slowly eat at him as Thrushpaw stayed silent. "That's... Odd. I thought she liked Antpaw." Thrushpaw mewed. Mintpaw's ears perked up.

"S-so... Do you not like her back?" He asked nervously.

"What? No. I like someone else." Thrushpaw mewed. Mintpaw felt hope tug at his heart.

"Really?" Thrushpaw purred and nudged Mintpaw's shoulder gently.

"Yeah."

"Who?" Mintpaw asked. Thrushpaw hesitated to answer.

"I'll tell you one day. Just not today." He mewed softly. "But it will be worth the wait, I promise." The light grey tom purred.

"I'll hold you to that." He mewed with amusement.