Long Shadows

“Warriors fighting? Why?” he demanded.

Ashfur shook scraps of debris out of his fur. “It was just a practice bout, Firestar.”

“But Lionblaze is a warrior now,” Firestar pointed out.

“Not your apprentice any longer.”

“It was my idea, Firestar,” Lionblaze meowed. “I asked Ashfur to practice with me. We were just trying to—”

“I don’t want to listen to excuses.” Firestar’s voice was cold.

“What I saw just now was far more vicious than a practice bout. At a time like this, with trouble on both sides of our territory, we can’t afford to have warriors injured. And with leaf-bare coming on, Leafpool can’t afford to waste her herbs on unnecessary wounds. Are you both mouse-brained?”

“I’m sorry, Firestar.” Lionblaze hung his head. “It’s my fault.

Don’t blame Ashfur.” But how are we supposed to fight well if we aren’t allowed to practice?

“Ashfur is an experienced warrior. He should have more sense,” Firestar retorted with a flick of his tail. Then he relaxed slightly. “I know you’re keen, Lionblaze, and that’s good, but try to think ahead, will you? This isn’t a good time to be taking risks.”

His pelt crackling with shame and frustration, Lionblaze muttered agreement.

“Whitewing, Birchfall, and Icepaw are going hunting,” Firestar continued. “You had better go with them, Lionblaze.

Work off some of that energy on prey instead of another warrior. Ashfur, come with me.” With a flick of his tail, he padded out of the glade, followed by the gray warrior.

“We thought we’d try down by the lake,” Whitewing mewed to Lionblaze.

“Whatever.” Lionblaze let Birchfall and Whitewing take the lead; they padded close together through the undergrowth, with Icepaw bouncing excitedly at the back.

The heat of battle was still pulsing through Lionblaze’s body. He wanted to sink his claws into something; he hoped a squirrel or a rabbit would cross his path soon.

He couldn’t stifle the feeling that Firestar had been unfair.

Surely this was the right time to practice fighting moves? There could be another battle any day with WindClan or ShadowClan. And how was he going to fulfill the prophecy if he never had the chance to work on his skills, to be the best warrior any Clan had ever seen?

* * *

Lionblaze pushed his way through the thorn tunnel, two mice and a vole dangling from his jaws, the scent of the prey flooding his senses. When he reached the clearing he spotted his brother and sister together outside the medicine cats’ den. Hollyleaf signaled to him with her tail, so when he had dropped his fresh-kill on the pile, he bounded over to them.

“What’s this I hear about you and Ashfur fighting?”

Hollyleaf demanded.

“What?” Lionblaze gaped at her. “How did you know?”

Jaypaw twitched his ears. “News runs through this camp faster than a rabbit. Don’t you know that yet?”

“Berrynose told me.” Hollyleaf sounded defensive. “He heard you when he was out with a hunting patrol. He said you sounded really vicious.”

“Berrynose!” Lionblaze spat with a single lash of his tail.

“Hasn’t he got anything better to do than gossip about other warriors?”

“Anyway, is it true?” Hollyleaf persisted. “What were you fighting about?”

Lionblaze felt his neck fur rising. His claws slid out and his muscles tensed; he wanted a real enemy to fight, not just gossip and unnecessary questions.

“We weren’t fighting,” he snapped. “We were training. Just leave it, will you? I’ve already had Firestar clawing my ears over it, and I think he’s wrong! I need more practice. How can I defend my Clan if I forget what to do?”

By the time he had finished speaking he was spitting out the words, his claws raking the ground in frustration.

After a heartbeat Hollyleaf took a pace toward him and gently laid the tip of her tail on his shoulder. Lionblaze shivered, trying to push down the surge of fury that had nearly spilled over.

“You won’t lose your fighting skills,” Hollyleaf mewed.

“Don’t you see? That’s the special power the prophecy gave you, to fight better than any other warrior in the Clans.”

“You don’t understand,” Lionblaze muttered. “It doesn’t feel like that. It feels like I have to keep practicing.”

“Well, you’d better not let Firestar catch you again. Cats are already starting to talk,” Hollyleaf warned. “We can’t let the rest of the Clan know about the prophecy, not until we’re sure what it means.”

“I’ll do my best,” Lionblaze promised, letting his shoulders sag. “I won’t get into any fights with other warriors.” At least, not where Firestar can hear us.