Fading Echoes

Her gray pelt shone under the stars, her eyes almost black in the half-light. “Look out!” she hissed over her shoulder as Lionblaze’s tail brushed over Graystripe’s nose. “He might dream it’s a mouse and bite off the tip.”

Lionblaze stifled a snort of amusement. Graystripe probably could eat in his sleep.

“Come on.” Cinderheart bounded to the thorn barrier. Newly shored up with fresh branches, it shielded the opening to the hollow as well as ever. She squeezed through the gap and Lionblaze headed after her.

Outside, a cold breeze stirred the empty trees.

“Forest or shore?” Cinderheart offered.

“Forest.” Lionblaze didn’t feel like wandering along the exposed lakeside. The pathways of the forest were easier to move along unnoticed. And if they reached the ShadowClan border, he could check for Tigerheart’s scent. He padded along the gully, wading through dead leaves. Cinderheart scampered past, kicking them up so that they showered his pelt. She raced ahead before he could retaliate and waited, puffing, for him to catch up, her soft form silhouetted in the moonlight.

“Have you noticed that Ivypaw and Dovepaw are avoiding each other?”

Her question took him by surprise.

“No.”

“You should watch them,” Cinderheart suggested. “They hardly ever share a mouse anymore.”

“Littermates argue.” Lionblaze shrugged. He and Hollyleaf had always bickered, especially when she was at her bossiest. Grief pricked him and he pushed away the thought.

“Not Dovepaw and Ivypaw,” Cinderheart persisted. “They’ve always been so close.” Her blue eyes grew wistful. “But I guess I used to quarrel with Honeyfern and Molepaw when they were alive.”

Cinderheart looked so sad that Lionblaze wanted to remind her she still had kin in the Clan. “You haven’t fallen out with Poppyfrost in moons.”

“She’s too busy with Cherrykit and Molekit to argue.” Cinderheart brightened. “They’re a pawful, aren’t they?”

“Only when they’re awake,” Lionblaze purred. They hadn’t come out here to grieve for lost littermates. He wanted to forget his worries for a while. He padded up a slope and headed around a swath of brambles tumbling between the oaks.

Cinderheart padded at his side, her pelt occasionally brushing his as she squeezed past snagging branches. “But I do wish Ivypaw weren’t so competitive with Dovepaw.” She sighed.

“That’s natural with apprentices.”

“It’s only since Dovepaw was chosen to go on the quest,” Cinderheart commented. “I think that’s what started it.” She turned her gaze on Lionblaze. “Why did Firestar choose her? She’s only an apprentice. I heard some cats saying she had a dream from StarClan. Is that true?”

“That’s what she said,” Lionblaze answered evasively. “Whatever it was, we were lucky.”

“Perhaps she’s special, like Jayfeather,” Cinderheart pressed. “Should she be training as a medicine cat? Would Jayfeather take her on?”

Lionblaze shook his head. “Don’t even suggest it to her. She’d be horrified. She’s warrior to the bone.”

“It’s great that you have such confidence in her, and I wouldn’t want to undermine that, but…” Cinderheart cast him a sideways glance. “Maybe you could talk to her about being a bit more considerate of Ivypaw?”

“She seems to be making great progress,” Lionblaze pointed out. “Perhaps the competition is doing her good.”

Cinderheart flicked her tail irritably.

“Let’s race.” Lionblaze didn’t want the night spoiled by bickering over their apprentices. “It’ll warm us up.”

Cinderheart shrugged. “Okay.” Then, gasping, she stared into the branches overhead. “Oh, no!”

Alarmed, Lionblaze looked up.

“Ha, ha! Got you!” Cinderheart hared away into the trees.

“You sneak!” He pelted after her.

As he closed on her she darted through the hollow trunk of a tree. He veered to the side, overtaking her as she emerged with cobwebs trailing from her bushy tail.

Now Lionblaze was in front. He scrambled up an outcrop of rocks. Cinderheart leaped after him, and he felt her muzzle brushing his tail. As the stone scraped beneath his paws, he thought of Heathertail and the way they’d played in the cave.

He halted, panting at the top. “Wait!” he called as Cinderheart shot past him.

She skidded and turned to look challengingly at him. “Are you tired already?”

“No.”

“We could climb trees instead.” A mischievous sparkle glinted in her eye. “Oh, I forgot,” she added innocently. “You don’t like climbing trees.”

“Why climb when you can run?” Lionblaze jumped past her and charged through the trees. This wasn’t the cave and Cinderheart wasn’t Heathertail. This she-cat was ThunderClan from her nose to her tail-tip. There was nothing wrong with being with her. Feeling freer and happier than he had in moons, he swerved and headed for the lake.

I’m not skulking in the shadows like prey!

Cinderheart pounded after him as he pelted around a clump of ferns and skidded out from the trees. His paws slithered down the grassy slope. Cinderheart hurtled past him and bounded onto the shore, rattling pebbles under her feet.