Tigerstar's Apprentice

Chapter 2

The broad-shouldered tabby sneered. "It's time for your first training session," he paused, still smirking. "Most apprentices are excited for their first day out. Oh well, I guess you're far from normal, kittypet." He spat in Firepaw's face, then turned around and stalked towards the camp entrance. Firepaw scurried to catch up, making sure that he kept his chin held high.

"Where is Cloudpaw?" He asked after the made it out of camp and passed the guards.

"In the prison den."

Tigerstar didn't even glance at his apprentice. "Prison den?" Firepaw asked, trying to sound as casual as possible. I can't let him know how much that naive furball means to me, or Cloudpaw will just be in more danger.

This time, the leader did stare at Firepaw through narrowed amber eyes. "Yes, the prison den," he turned back to face the forest. "Come, I'll show you, so that you know just how much your kin is suffering. We'll train tomorrow."

It was almost sunhigh by the time they stepped out of the undergrowth. They were at the riverbank once more. "It's here?"

"Yes," Tigerstar growled, leading him to a giant tree. Firepaw thought he could recall Yellowfang calling it a banyan tree. It had one main, thick trunk in the center, but more trunks grew off of the spindley branches, creating the illusion of never-ending bars of wood.

Firepaw narrowed his eyes, searching the area under the tree. Eventually, he made out a blob of white fur under the roots of a false trunk. The were brambles and thistles woven around all of the gaps between the roots, so that Cloudpaw was barely visible.

"Is he alive?" Firepaw breathed, the breath catching in his throat.

"Yes, and so are the others."

Others? Firepaw stared harder, and with a gasp he realized that Tigerstar was right. Trapped in several other woven root prisons, were many cats. One-Eye, Halftail, Smallear, Patchpelt, Dappletail... and Willowpelt! He could also see two smaller bundles of fur in a root cage near Willowpelt's. "The elders and queens! Wait, where's Goldenflower?"

Tigerstar swiped at Firepaw's ear's suddenly, making the tom yelp as he felt his flesh tear. "You're really stupid, aren't you? I may be cruel, but I would never imprison my family."

"But... why?" Firepaw asked, rubbing a paw over his stinging ear. "Why are they there? The elders and queens deserve the most protection, not the least!"

"Those cats contribute nothing to our Clan," Tigerstar growled. "They're all to be executed in one moon's time, except for Willowpelt. The second she's done nursing, she's gone."

"But why? Willowpelt still has many years in her yet, and the elders served us for countless seasons! And Cloudpaw..."

The leader flicked his tail. "Your kin is safe, until you disobey me," he growled. "But the others are just a waste of prey and den space. The elders' den is going to be inhabited by my loyal warriors, and the nursery is my family's personal suite."

Firepaw sighed, knowing that there was nothing else he could say. I'll have to visit them often. I don't even know if they're fed.

"Alright, Tigerstar," he sighed. "Are we returning to camp soon? It will be nearly dusk by the time we get there."

The leader narrowed his eyes. "You're not a warrior anymore, kittypet," he spat. "I tell you when it is time to go back to camp. Now go catch five pieces of prey, and do not step foot in camp until you're finished." And with that, Firepaw was left alone as Tigerstar melted into the shadows.

He turned to the prisoners. He could hear raspy breathing and a few feeble coughs. Leaf-fall is half over, and these cats will be dead by leaf-bare. Do they know of their fates? Are they aware that they haven't got much time left?

Firepaw padded around the tree until he reached the den that surrounded his apprentice. It looked painfully small, and Cloudpaw's fur was sticking out of gaps in the brambles. "Cloudpaw?"

"Mh-F-Fireheart?"

Firepaw felt his heart drop. Something was terribly wrong with Cloudpaw's voice. It sounded like he had been stung in the tongue by a swarm of bees. "Cloudpaw, what's wrong with you?"

"Go to the door," he heard the apprentice mumble in his slurred voice. "It's around here. You can't open it, but it has a window where they deliver my food."

At least they're fed, Firepaw tried to reassure himself, but that all melted away when he saw his nephew's face.

The bridge of his nose was badly broken, and it looked as if the bones along his jaw had been completely crushed. His whole muzzle was crooked, and his eyes sagged in an unhealthy-looking way.

"Cloudpaw, I'm so sorry," he choked out a sob. "This is my fault. I should have known Clan life would be too harsh."

"No." Teary-eyed, he gazed up at the white tom. "It's not you're fault, it's Tigerstar's. You have to beat him, Fireheart." The white tom was trembling with the effort of speaking for so long. "Fireheart, you have to save us."