Crimson Heart

This is a story written for Cinder's Contest written by Robo

Prologue
The kit squealed as Berryfrost frantically began to lick it. Her mother was panting heavily as Ravenpaw stuck cobwebs onto her several wounds. Cherrydapple let out a wail as she felt her shoulder sting.

"It's okay," her mate, Scarletheart whispered softly into her ear, "You will survive."

"It hurts," she whimpered, and another kit slid out and she cried in pain. Berryfrost was at it right away, but had to hand it to Scareltheart to lick the kit, as he was already occupied.

Ravenpaw was still trying to cover up the she-cats wounds as she let out another whimper, feeling a third kit about to arrive. "What were you thinking, leaving camp right before you were due to have your kits?" he asked her scoldingly.

"Ravenpaw," Berryfrost looked up from the kit he was licking, "Don't go too hard on her, she is in enough pain already."

His apprentice dipped his head as another kit, the final one slid out and the black cat was licking it right away. Berryfrost turned to Scarletheart who had stopped licking the kit. When he noticed the medicine cat's gaze on him he shrugged, "dead."

Ravenpaw dropped the other kit in front of Berryfrost and he realized it wasn't moving, "It was dead before it even left the mother's stomach," the apprentice explained, "The fox must have killed it."

Scarletheart had left the medicine cats and was now standing beside his mate, "Please don't leave me!" he begged and she shook her head sadly.

"I can't deny Starclan's call," she whispered, "I am so sorry I snuck out of camp. I never thought that..." she stummbled, "I never thought that a fox would attack me. I am sorry I killed all of our kits because of my rash mistake."

"They're not all dead," the ginger tom whispered sweetly, "There is a beuatiful new kit in Pineclan!" he tried to look happy.

"Can I see her?" she rasped and Berryfrost brought the kit up. The queen purred.

"Looks just like you," she sighed and Berryfrost realized it wasn't long, "I'll name her Foxkit, in honor of the fox she survived, I hope she will continue to posses the same strength as she grows into a warrior. My last present to the clan."

"No!" Scarletheart cried as the she-cat gasped and went limp. Berryfrost felt a stab of pity and he looked down at Foxkit, who seemed horrified as if she knew exactly what happened. Scarletheart didn't leave his mate's side to comfort his kit, and the medicine cat looked down at the kit and pointed to her tiny heart.

"She's still in there," he whispered, "Don't make her sacrifice be in vain."

Her eyes glittered as she looked down at where he had just placed his paw, at her chest, covered by her ginger pelt.

Her crimson heart.

Chapter 1
Foxkit bounded out of the nursery with excitment, "Today I finally become an apprentice!" she exclaimed to the other kits who quickly followed her, "I'll be the greatest one this forest has ever seen!"

Whitekit snorted, "Yeah right! I will be the best," flicking her tail at her friend she quickly added, "You can be the second best."

Foxkit jumped on her friend, "I will always be the best Whitekit. You will have to be known as my best friend when the whole forest is talking about me!"

Whitekit rolled her eyes, "Good luck with that Foxpaw. Maybe you can get a very good looking mate but you don't have the muscles or the speed to become the greates warrior in the forest. Not that I do either, but I guess I don't make such raucous when exiting the den, so I can become the sneakiest cat in the clan."

"I was named after foxes," Foxkit snapped, "I think I would be a little more stealthier."

"If someone cut your muzzle off," she giggled, "You were named after a fox because you have a muzzle as big as one of theirs!"

Foxkit punced on her friend playfully, although it had really hurt her inside. She was named after fixes because one had killed her motherright before birth.

Whitekit seemed to sence that she had upset her friend because she sadly dipped her head, "I'm sorry, I never meant it like that," she stammered, "I was just trying to say that you can't ever make the strongest warrior in the forest because of yoru frame."

"I will do the impossible," Foxkit insisted, "Just watch me!"

Whitekit's eyes widened in amusement, "I will, Foxkit, but I think you should stick to your strengths which include looking gorgeous, being undeniable, and getting other cats to like you so quickly that lightning couldn't have struck faster."

"Thanks," Foxkit blushed, knowing that what her friend said was true, "But I still want to become much greater than a social machine."

Whitekit shrugged, "I'd stick with my stengths."

"You were just saying that you were going to become the greatest warrior in the clans!" Foxkit complained, slightly confused, "If you stick to your strenghts all you can ever become is a cat who can critique others but do no good herself!"

"Hey!" she squeaked in protest, "At least I don't get every tom who is of appropriate age to moon over me!" their was a teasing tone to her voice and Foxkit brushed off her comment with a wag of her tail.

"You are just jealous that I am becoming an apprentice now while you are stuck with Reedkit, Grasskit, and Talonkit who are suddenly full of potential because they opened their eyes while I get to go off, hunting and fighting like a real warrior."

Luckily for Foxkit, Ravenstar had called the clan together before she could retort to her best friends comment. Foxkit smiled with glee, and the two kits ran up to join the cats who had gathered beneath their leader.

Ravenstar nodded when he noticed that most of his clan was gathered. He coughed and smiled at Foxkit, making her feel the slightest bit nervous before he began.

"We have a kit, who has reached the proper age to begin his training," The old and respected leader called out as the clan looked around with excitment.

Foxkit noticed her father, Scarletheart speaking with another warrior, deep in discussion. She felt angry that he couldn't even bother to pay attention to her now, the most important moment of her life, and was rudely ignoring the leader.

She pushed the tears away from her eyes, and tried to look detirmined.

"Foxkit has reached the age opf six moons an is ready to become an apprentice," he summoned her with a flick of hi tail and she quickly bounded up to the top of the Tallpine, where Ravenstar stood.

He smiled at her reassuringly, "From now on, until you recieve your warrior name you will be known as Foxpaw. Foxpaw your mentor will be," he scaned the clearning for a moment, "Scarletheart. I hope he passes down all of his traits to you!"

Foxpaw could hardly keep her mouth shut from gaping at him.

Her father turned away from his conversation to look at the leader in surprise. Foxpaw could tell that he had not known this was coming. He was forced to climb the tree anyways, as he could not reject the offer in front of the whole clan.

"Scarletheart, you have shown yourself to be caring and supportive and I hope that you handle this apprentice with these traits and pass them down to her!"

He moved away so that the two cats could touch noses, and Foxpaw was surprised by the fact that her father felt like such a stranger to her.

Of course he would be a stranger she thought sourly ''He never stopps by to say visit me, and I don't remember the last time we actually exchanged a word with each other. He just ignores me, as if I don't need a father because I am lacking a mother.''

Scarletheart seemed reluctant to be mentoring her and she felt her heart being pierced by how cruel he was. He avoiding all eye contact with her and seemed to be staring at an object in the distance.

When the two cats had pulled away, Foxpaw was unable to control the tears that were slipping down her face and splatting against the branches of the tree. She didn't see how she could possibly enjoy being an apprentice when your 'father' was mentoring her.

The clan pretended not to noticebut it was obvious they all saw her pain. Some whispered to other sympathetically making her heart burn even more. Whitekit was looking away, afraid to see the pain on her friends face. This only made her heart twist even father as she struggled to push the tears behind her face.

The clan quickly remembered that they were supposed to chant, "Foxpaw! Foxpaw! Foxpaw!"

Foxpaw tried to stand proudly, hiding the tears that had just slipped from her eyes, but she couldn't stop the rotting feeling in her heart from growing.

Her apprenticeship had just started but she already felt sick of it.

Chapter 2
Foxpaw slowly paddled into the apprentice den, scared of how the apprentices might treat her. Her father had decided to let her meet the apprentices before they began their first training session; something he obviously wasn't looking forward to.

He just want to get away from me she though bitterly.

She felt her feet fighting against her will, as they tried to stay planted, hardly willing to enter the den. Taking in a sharp breath, Foxpaw forced them to move inside the den.

There were several apprentices, each looking ten times more confident than her, as her eyes darted around, looking for a friend.

"Hello," A bright colored apprentice walked up to her, a bright smile on her face. Foxpaw wondered if she had seen her crying because she acted like she hadn't.

"Hey," she responded a little slowly.

"My name is Berrypaw," the cat quickly claimed, "What's yours."

Foxpaw replied, "I am Foxpaw."

"I know," she smiled, "I watched your apprenticeship ceremony."

So she did see me crying Foxpaw thought bittery, "Oh," she replied, "How many moons into training are you?" she asked to change the topic.

"I just started!" she exclaimed, "Less than a moon ago. So we will become warriors together," her sentence was cut off by her stomachs growl and she laughed, "I haven't eaten all day. Want to share a vole with me?" she asked Foxpaw.

Foxpaw thought for a moment before nodding. She wasn't exactly excited to begin training with her father. She already knew it would be unpleasant.

Together the two apprentices picked out the largest vole they could find and took it back to the apprentice's den, where they ate it together. They talked in the meanwhile, and Berrypaw explained what life as an apprentice was like.

Foxpaw listened with excitement, and was soon sharing tales that she had from when she was a kit, while Berrypaw listened and replied about she had occasionally done the same things. Soon the two cats were best friends, and Foxpaw left the den with an excited feeling.

It was spoiled at the sight of her father, who seemed to have been waiting for her a long time. He didn't say anything but she could detect impatience in his eyes.

They toured the territory that day, but Scarletheart hardly said anything, and he wouldn't dare to look her in the eyes, frustrating Foxpaw, and ruining her excitement about becoming and apprentice and her new best friend.

She had secretly hated her father for neglecting her all that time when she was a kit, but as he hardly dared to pay her any attention and neglect the training that she would need to become a warrior, she felt her insides boiling, unable to understand what her father hated so much about her.

When she came back to camp that day there were a couple new apprentices, including a ginger tabby she-cat. All of the apprentices were gathered around her, asking questions and Foxpaw could see a look of awe in the tom's eyes.

She watched from behind; as Berrypaw was also talking to the she-cat. She soon pulled away and came to stand by Foxpaw.

"That's Flamepaw," she explained, "She is the most popular cat among the apprentices. I don't like her much, but you have to get her to like you or she will make your life miserable."

"How would she do that?" Foxpaw asked, "It's not like a single cat can ruin your social life and make you an outcast."

"Everyone will listen to her, no matter how outrageous so you have to be careful to stay on her good side," she warned, "Just don't get to close to her and you will be okay. All cats who become her best friends have bad results in their social life."

But as Foxpaw watched the pretty she-cat talking to the other, she couldn't help feeling like the belonged there, by her side, ruling the apprentices of PineClan.

Whitekit had told her to stick to her strengths after all and getting cats to like her was one of them. And that single glance at the ginger cat was all it took for Foxpaw to make her mind. She was going to take that throne, no matter what it took.

She had put her name on it.

Chapter 3
Foxpaw paddled into the apprentice's den carrying a mouse. Her eyes darted around, looking for Berrypaw, but she could not locate the apprentice.

"Hello, Foxpaw," she whirled around to find a beautiful she-cat, she automatically recognized as Flamepaw. She had a curious look on her face, and Foxpaw tried to keep her calm.

"Hello, Flamepaw," she put on her best smile, "How is your day?"

"Just fine," she claimed, "I went hunting today and caught a few mice. And now Willowpelt wants me to check the elder's for ticks and clean their bedding."

Foxpaw smiled sympathetically, "I feel bad for you," she claimed, "Scarletheart had yet to assign me the duty of helping the elder's and I think that he should take his time."

Flamepaw smiled, "Well, since you haven't done it at all yet, maybe you could go do it for me. I am an older apprentice than you and I would really appreciate it if another apprentice did these tiring chores for me. You don't know how tiring it can get to do it so many times."

Foxpaw realized what Flamepaw was trying to do and Berrypaw's words echoed in her head. You have to be careful not to upset Flamepaw, she could ruin your life.

But Foxpaw didn't feel entirety prepared to have herself bossed around and played with by another apprentice, "What if you came with me," she offered, "We could do it together."

Flamepaw shook her head, "That's not what I meant."

Although Foxpaw knew she probably should have just walked away and done the simple chore, she couldn't stand the idea that Flamepaw thought she could do whatever she wanted to the apprentices just because she was a very pretty she-cat.

"I'm trying to nice," she countered, "You can accept my help so that we can do it together and you will have some company or you can do it on your own."

She bared her teeth in anger, "You don't get away with turning me down like this," she warned Foxpaw, "You will end up paying a very high price for your disrespect if you don't change your mind, and apologize to me right now."

"Forget it," Foxpaw claimed, and marched away from the ginger apprentice.

Despite the situation she knew she had got herself into Foxpaw couldn't help feeling both happy and proud that she had defied the apprentice.

That will teach her to boss me around. She thought bitterly.

She ate her mouse alone, and went out later that day to do some hunting with Scareltheart who still refused to look her in the eye. When she came back that evening Berrypaw was eating.

"Hey!" She called walking up to her friend, "I missed you today."

But Berrypaw didn't seem to be in the mood to talk about casual things, "What were you thinking?" She demanded, "Turning down Flamepaw like that!"

Foxpaw shrugged, "I wanted to prove that she couldn't boss me around."

Berrypaw groaned, "She can boss you around," she claimed, "Unless you want her to ruin your life! Now all of the apprentices will turn against you, and if I stay friends with you then they will begin to make my life miserable to.

Foxpaw dipped her head in apology, realizing with a pang of guilt that she hadn't stopped to think how this might affect Berrypaw.

"Hello, are you Foxpaw?" The two she-cats turned around to find a ginger Tom looking at them curiously, "I heard you were new."

Foxpaw smiled, "Yeah that's me!" She claimed, and he smiled.

"My name is Goldenpaw, nice to meet you!" There was a sweet look in his eyes.

Foxpaw noticed Berrypaw grinning with delight next to her, and pretended not to notice although she was curious what had made her friend so excited.

"Nice to meet you too," she replied, and the golden apprentice didn't say anything. He seemed to be glancing at her with some sort of awe, and Foxpaw ignored it, thinking that it was probably just her.

Until she noticed Flamepaw glaring at her, looking angrily from Goldenpaw to her, as if unable to believe the situation.

"So... Goldenpaw," Foxpaw quickly began, eager not to let the apprentice go, where Flamepaw would corner him and make sure that he began to hate her, "Do you want to go hunting sometime tomorrow?"

His eyes brightened, "I would love that!" he exclaimed. They stood in silence for a few moments before his eyes quickly widened, "I forgot! Quickpelt wanted to take me out for a training session today!" he exclaimed, "I have to go now! I'll see you tonight!"

"See you tonight," Foxpaw murmured.

Berrypaw was grinning beside her, "That was wonderful!" she claimed, "You should have seen the look on Flamepaw's face. I know that you don't want to anger her, but you just totally beat her in her own game!" her eyes had widened with excitment.

"I don't know how well she will take it..." Foxpaw murmured, "She obviously doesn't like losing to other cats..."

But Berrypaw seemed to delighted to care, "Making her lose is the first step to knocking her off that throne. Of course, you haven't won Goldenpaw yet but you have just won yourself a head start!"

"And you know for sure that Flamepaw likes Goldenpaw?" Foxpaw asked her.

She snorted, "The whole clan knows it," she claimed, "She couldn't make it more obvious. And Goldenpaw never seems to respond to her hints, making it pretty obvious he isn't intrested."

Despite the excitment it had inflicted upon Berrypaw, it gave Foxpaw a apng of worry. And she realized the fear was not as much of losing to Flamepaw, but more the thought of losing Goldenpaw.

Chapter 4
Foxpaw laughed alongside Goldenpaw, as they emerged into the apprentice's den. They were both carrying a fair amount of prey that they had caught while out hunting that day, but neither of them were hungry. Foxpaw had suggested that they eat before coming into camp, just because she didn't want Flamepaw to be glaring at them the whole time and Goldenpaw had seemed thrilled with the idea.

Foxpaw realized it was going perfectly. It had been a couple days since she had turned down Flamepaw, but the fiery she-cat had yet to make a move. Foxpaw was personally wondering is Flamepaw feared what might happen if she upset her, especially since she had Goldenpaw.

Goldenpaw.

Another thing that Flamepaw had to hate her for. The two cats had gone out hunting every day since the first time she asked, but after to hunts, Flamepaw had decided that it was time to make her move, so that she didn't fall behind and lose before the game could even begin.

But when they arrived at camp this day, Flamepaw didn't seem angry, but rather there was a manipulative smile placed onto her ginger muzzle.

She had already asked Goldenpaw if they could go hunting the next morning and it was far too late to have gone hunting then, considering how late it was. Foxpaw still couldn't understand how the golden tom felt about having two she-cats, one the most popular among the apprentices, that wanted him.

So this time, Flamepaw didn't reach out for Goldenpaw, but instead she walked up to Foxpaw. She gave the golden tom her best smile before dragging the young ginger apprentice along, to the corner of their den, where she continued to hold her fake smile.

"What's wrong?" Foxpaw asked, knowing what the answer was.

But Flamepaw obviously had different things on her mind than what she had first anticipated.

"You have such pretty pelt," she smiled, "It makes me so jealous everytime I see you walk by," Foxpaw tried to detect any sarcasim in her voice but it seemed pretty sincere.

"Not as pretty as yours, Foxpaw replied, feeling the slightest bit flattered. She knew that she was a pretty cat, but no one had ever came out and told it openly to her except for her mother and older clan mates, "But your pelt is much nicer."

"You are too modest for your own good," She claimed before removing the smile from her face and replacing it with a serious look, "You are too pretty to be hanging out with cats like Berrypaw, who don't have many friends."

Foxpaw opened her eyes in surprise, slightly angered at the cat, "Berrypaw is my friend, and she is a wonderful one!" she insisted.

"I know, I know," Flamepaw sighed, "But what if I offered you the chance to be my best friend, where everyone would like you and do as you said. We could rule all of the apprentices."

Foxpaw stared at her in surprise. She had been thinking that she would get this position by defeating Flamepaw, not by working with her. But she would still end up being the queen of the apprentices, something she desired more and more with each passing day.

"Sure," she finally decided, "As long as I am still allowed to be friends with Berrypaw."

Flamepaw laughed, "Of course, you can! You just have to eat by me," her eyes narrowed for a moment, "But I do have one condition."

"What is that?"

"We both must forget about Goldenpaw. It doesn't work in between best friends if they are fighting over the same tom. We will forget about him and move on. We don't need him when we have each other."

Foxpaw felt torn. She sent Goldenpaw a glance; he was eating quietly with some friends, but he looked so sweet and calm, unlike something to give up on so quickly.

She turned back to Flamepaw; who held something she desired so badly. And now she was forced to make a decision in between this and Goldenpaw.

She knew that there was only one choice she could be fully satisfied with.

She smiled at Flamepaw,"Count me in!"

Chapter 5
Foxpaw followed Ravenstar with excitment, as Berrypaw paddled alongside her. Flamepaw wouldn't be coming to the gathering tonight but Foxpaw didn't let that ruin her spirits. She hadn't been able to speak with Berrypaw in a while anyways, because she was spending most of her time with Flamepaw.

In a few days Flamepaw had turned out to be much kinder and funner to be around than Foxpaw had first thought. She just seemed to think that she was a little higher than any of the other apprentices, but Foxpaw realized that didn't affect her since she viewed Foxpaw to be her only equall.

Berrypaw had seemed a little upset by the fact that she was no longer Foxpaw's best friend, but she didn't take it too harshly and they still intercated a little, when Foxpaw had time to spare from Flamepaw.

The midnigh breeze ran through her thick fur and she shivered, from both excitment and from cold. She couldn't wait to finally be there with all the other clans and their stories to tell.

The gathering place was around a small pond, where the cats gathered. Inside the pond was a large rock where the leaders stood while making their clans anouncements. As Foxpaw approached she realized that two of the clans were already there. She sniffed the air cautiously and realized that the missing clan was Birchclan, and they had a way of being late to everything.

Ravenstar dismissed them with a flick of his tail and the cats scattered, Foxpaw followed Berrypaw who seemed to have a better idea of where to go; running up to a group of young cats with an Mapleclan scent on them. They welcomed her with pleasant smiles, and did the same to Foxpaw when they noticed her.

Soon they were joined by some Pineclan and Birchclan cats and they all began to tell stories. Foxpaw enjoyed talking to the other she-cat apprentices, as no toms dared to come near the group, in fear that they might be excluded. Although the leaders did wait a long time before they began the gathering, it seemed like Foxpaw barelt had anytime to socialize with the apprentices.

As Foxpaw said her byes to the other apprentices and began to paddled alongside Berrypaw to where the apprentices were sitting, she noticed a pale tom sitting in the Oakclan area. He had eyes as dark as endless pits and the expression on his face was unreadable. Just looking at him almost pierced her heart for reasons Foxpaw couldn't explain.

She turned away from him, scared of the sinister cat and joined the Pineclan cats, as they gazed at the four leaders. Foxpaw was hardly listening as the leaders spoke of the most boring topics. She could have fell asleep if the sinister apprentice wasn't sitting beside her, with his horrid gaze landing on everyone; including her. She wondered if the thought of him might keep her up that night.

When the clans were finally dismissed she felt Berrypaw walking in the opposite direction of her clan. Foxpaw figured that she wanted to say goodbye to someone so she decided to continue without her. She would catch up later, and Foxpaw felt to exhausted to have a good conversation.

But Berrypaw didn't return until they had almost reached camp. She got a curious glance from her clan mates but they left her alone and Foxpaw did too.

When she got to camp that day she gave Flamepaw a quick summary before quickly drifting off to sleep. She didn't even notice Goldenpaw's sad gaze resting on her pelt as it slowly rised and falled in her soft dreams which no longer contained him.

A moon later, Foxpaw was out on a midnight stroll. She hadn't been able to fall asleep that night, because the apprentice she had seen at the gathering was still haunting her dreams. Berrypaw wasn't in camp either, and she had decided to follow her friends scent.

As she continued to walk she heard to voices, one belonging to her friend in a soft, silky tone. She talked as if she was asleep, and hiding behing the cover of a row of bushes, as she slowly crept on her friends and the cat who owned the other voice.

The voice almost scared her when she was close enough to hear it clearly. She forced herself to look up, wondering what on earth Berrypaw ould be doing here.

The worst possible scene met her eyes.

Berrypaw was speaking to the Oakclan apprentice.