Secret To Keep

Hiddenpaw is about to find out a dangerous secret that must be kept at all costs....

And worst of all, her dreams came back-she must do everything in her power to keep bad things from happening...

Author's Note
This is the fifth book in Finding My Way. It occurs about one moon after Changing Hearts. For a list of the characters go here. Thanks to all of you that support these series!

Enjoy! ッ

xoxoxo Hiddensun♥

Prologue - Revenge - Wildpanther
It wasn't fair. And everything that was about to happen was Freedomstar's own fault. If he hadn't been so stubborn and mean, I wouldn't have to do any of this. The onyl things he wanted were honor and pride and woudl do anything to have strong warriors that coudl fight off any intruder or win any fight. That's why he had taken in that easdropping kit: Hiddenpaw. He had seen strength in her and wanted it for his own clan, knowing that the rogue would just go to another clan for help if he had refused.

He didn't have a heart like most cats thought. I had gone to him privately asking him to give me a few moons to do a private mission by myself away from the clan. I had told him it was extremely important to me and that I couldn't take no for an answer, but he hadn't let me. He told me he had to have all his warriors with his clan and that the thing that shoudl be most important to me was MysteryClan.

To be loyal to it.

To fight for it.

To die for it.

To make it strong and umbeatable.

Nothing else mattered.

Nobody could understand what he was going through. And even if at least one warrior did, they couldn't do anything about it. The leader's word was law and everyone respected that. So he had to keep everthing a secret. Nothing could ruin his plan or it would be the last thing he ever did.

But that aprentice. His apprentice. She knew. And she was a threat. Bigger threat than she thought. It took no more than a cat to destroy everything, especially an immature rogue-born apprentice. She didn't know anythign about being a warrior yet or even about the clans. One selfish move from hers was bad enough.

I suddenly started hearing pawsteps behind me and I knew it was one of my followers."You called us master?" I turned aroudn to face him. I had done well when I went out to look for rogues who wanted to do something just for fun. They didn't ask anythign in return, especially to someone who could just beat them up like me. But they were very big and muscular. Just the type I needed to do my work.

"It's time. I'll be expecting you in exactly one moon with everything I told you to get." I spoke slowly, letting my words sink in the rogue's mind. "You better no mess anything up. You know the plan."

The rogue nodded. "You have succeded in becoming deputy?" he asked. Succeded? It had been no hard work at all. I had been destinied to be deputy and if it wasn't for Cindersky, I would have been deputy a long time ago. Just because I had been away when Freedomstar had decided who was to be the next deputy. But I didn't regret my absence at all. It had changed everything about me. And since then, nothing had been the same ever again.

I smiled at the rogue, showing off my big fangs.

Chapter 1 - Around Camp - Hiddenpaw
"Aren't you happy your mentor is deputy sweety? Isn't it exiting?" Vinecloud voice echoed in my head. I still couldn't believe Wildpanther was getting what he wanted. It wasn't fair. Freedomstar was a good leader and he was just lying to him. Pretending to be loyal and all.

I just nodded to Vinecloud.

"Hey. I haven't been out in the territory with you yet, how about we go for a hunting patrol? You, your mentor, me and another cat?" Her question took me by surprise. That'd be the first time I went out with my mentor. He'd never taken me hunting so I didn't really know how. And worst of all, I wouldn't be able to make a good impression on Vinecloud.

Part of me wanted to say no to her, but the rest of me didn't want to disappoint her. It would be our first time in the territory together....

"Sure!! It would be great, I'll finally get to see you hunt! I've heard you're a great warrior. But I'm not the best at hunting yet, Wildpanther has...." I stopped for a second. "He really wanted me to know the territory. He says you need to learn and memorize your surroundings if you want to be a better warrior and learn how to live in it." I quickly made up a lie. Suddenly, it didn't seem so much of a made-up thing. I had heard it somewhere.

Strike.

"Not to worry sweety, maybe some other day? You tell me when you're ready to show off those moves and try beating me at a hunting competition." She smiled and padded to the warriors' den. It felt weird somehow to see her go there instead of the nursery. A picture came into my mind. Me, older and going into the warriors' den for the first time. All excited and proud.

"Missing you non-mother yet?" I turned around and came face to face with Muddypaw. Great! Kestrelpaw's sister and Littlepaw's best friend.

"I won't lie. It just feels weird."

"Ya, it would for you. You don't belong here!" she snapped at me.

"Did Littlepaw tell you to say that to me? What now, she's too little to tell it to me herself?"

"You did not just-!" he mad voice got interrupted by Shimmerpaw's call as she padded to join us.

"Sweetpaw is asking for you. She said for you to come." she spoke directly to Muddypaw. The brown she-cat just nodded and rolled her eyes annoyed at me. I turned to look at Shimmerpaw, not saying anything yet feeling a bit bad about the way she had just left me the other day.

"Hey..." she meowed, her voice a bit lower than usually. "Look, I'm sorry about leaving you there. I know Littlepaw can be a pain in the tail, but she just promised me something if I just hanged out with her. It's a fair deal..."

''Deal? Littlepaw was being fair? Since when? "What are you meowing about?" At least she got the pin in the tail part right.''

"Okay, I'll tell you, but promise me to keep it a secret." she meowed and sat beside me, lookign around to make sure nobody was near to hear. "I kind of like this tom and Littlepaw promised me that she'll make sure he hangs otu with me and maybe starts liking me too..." Figures. She's mooning over a tom.

"Well, that's awesome for you but I wouldn't trust Littlepaw. So...who is it?" I jumped to face her, now feeling all excited and curius about her crush.

She looked shy for a second but then blurted out the name. "Lionpaw! He's soo cute!!" Suddenly, a huge smile coudl be seen across her face and her eyes were all sparkling with joy.

"You like Lionpaw? Since when?"

"I don't really know, but it fels right, you know? We used to talk all the time when we were kits, but then a while after we became apprentices, he hangs out more with Blazepaw. I feel like I'm invisible now to him.

"Well, why don't you start hanging out with Blazepaw and him? I mean, be friends with his friends. Then you'll all be friend and you'll get a chance to be with him."

"I guess..."

"Shimmerpaw!" We both turned around to see a blue-gray and red-brown tom pad towards us. I soon recognize the cat. Not only did her have a very unique pelt colour, but he was my two favourite buddies' father.

"Hi Starseeker." she gritted her mentor.

"Swiftstorm and his apprentice are going to take the Sandy Shore for fighting practice, so how about some hunting? I can ask Wildpanther if we can go on patrol so you can practice some hunting."

"Sure!" Starseeker nodded and headed towards the warriors' den, where I supposed was my mentor.