Authors Note: Yeah, this is a short one because there really wasn't anything important to say. Anyway, enjoy!!
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Tigerpaw sulked to the elders' den, a clump of moss hanging from his jaws. His punishment for "brutally attacking his perfect, innocent" brother was to do all the apprentices' chores for two moons.
"This is so unfair," he mumbled to himself. He pouted as he spread the moss on each of the retired cats nests. The pungent scent that seemed to stick to everything the elders touched burned his nose.
The old cats glared at him as he worked, obviously waiting for him to snap and attack them. How can they think I'm the monster? Why can't they just see Redpaw for what he really is? He stormed out of the den made of a fallen tree. In his frustration, he didn't notice the blue-furred cat walking across his path.
"Oh," hissed Bluefur as Tigerpaw bumped into her.
Tigerpaw blushed under his fur. "Oh, B-Bluefur! I-I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you?"
Bluefur smiled slightly. "No, Tigerpaw. I'm fine." The tabby apprentice smiled weakly, losing himself in her brilliant blue eyes. She finally broke apart and glanced toward the apprentices' den. "I was just on my way to visit Redpaw." She looked down at her paws. "He seems to be hurt pretty badly."
Tigerpaw felt his fur bristle, but he managed to keep his voice even. "You don't think I just attacked him out of nowhere, do you?" His eyes were pleading. Bluefur avoided his hard stare.
"I don't know, Tigerpaw." She glanced up at him quickly. "Why else would you attack him like that? He couldn't have possibly done anything that terrible."
"You don't know how he is," the young tom mumbled.
Bluefur sighed. "No, I guess I don't. But you do need to control your temper; it's going to get you into worse trouble than this one of these days." Tigerpaw studied his paws, his eyes clouded with pain. Bluefur smiled sympathetically. "I know you're a good cat, Tigerpaw. And Redpaw can be a littlewell, you know. But you can't let him get the best of you." She rested her soft tail on his shoulder, sending shivers up and down Tigerpaws spine.
Tigerpaw nodded. "I know, Bluefur. It's just that he said that you" He broke off; knowing that going any farther would have revealed his true feelings for the beautiful she-cat.
Bluefur just tilted her head questioningly, but pushed no further. "Would you like to come with me to see Redpaw?" Her eyes were sympathetic.
"NoI-I'd better finish the rest of the chores. Maybe Patchpelt will let me do some training afterward." He tried to keep his voice bright, but couldn't hide the hint of doubt.
Bluefur smiled weakly and licked him on the head. "Well, maybe later you and I could go hunting." She stood up and waved her tail in farewell.
Tigerpaw watched her go, his heart pounding so loud, he was sure the whole camp could hear it. He padded over to the medicine den and poked his head in. "Spottedpaw?"
The pretty, tortoiseshell she-cat looked over her shoulder and smiled at her brother. "Hello, Tigerpaw." She stood up and padded over to the dark tom. "Ready for the mouse-bile?"
Tigerpaw shivered, thinking of the horrible smelling tick remover. "Unfortunately"
Spottedpaw smiled sympathetically and touched her tail tip to his shoulder. "I know, Tigerpaw. But just keep your temper controlled. I'm sure if you go on with no complaints, Sunstar will let you off soon." She walked back to the herb supply and picked up the mouse bile infested moss. "Here you go." Tigerpaw took the clump of moss and turned to leave, when Spottedpaw's tail touched his shoulder. "I know you're not a bad cat, Tigerpaw. It'll just take sometime for the rest of the Clan to remember that, also."
Tigerpaw nodded and turned out of the medicine den and reluctantly padded back to the elders' den, bracing himself for more horrible treatment. The only thing keeping him from going nuts, the warm thought of hunting with Bluefur later.
