Spottedleaf's Heart/Chapter 8

Chapter Summary
Spottedpaw's PoV
 * Spottedpaw dreams herself into the Place of No Stars, and awakens seeing greasy gray trunks. She trots down a path, not knowing the direction she’s going. The apprentice goes to find Thistleclaw, wanting to tell him that she’s chosen to be a warrior and not a medicine cat. However, the she-cat also wants to feel reassured that he’s only learning good battle skills here, and nothing more. She sees Thistleclaw in Mapleshade’s training sessions, pummelling a light brown tabby she-cat. Spottedpaw notices that his opponent is old, with white hairs on her muzzle. She waits for Thistleclaw to declare his victory, but he seems to be playing with the tabby. The tortoiseshell looks closer, and is appalled at the state of the light brown she-cat, seeing her flicker against the ground. Spottedpaw tries to step in and stop him when he deals a killing bite, but he snarls at her to get away. She rushes forward and presses her paws against the wounds in a desperate attempt to help. Spottedpaw is too late, and the she-cat fades from beneath her bloodstained paws. She is bewildered, and asks repeatedly what just happened. Mapleshade snorts, flicking her tail and ordering Thistleclaw to get rid of her. The she-cat then leaves, the rest of her training cats trailing behind.


 * Thistleclaw leads her away from the scene, asking what she wants. Spottedpaw pleads with him to stop coming here, so they can have a future together. She insists that she does have the option to become a medicine cat, as Thrushpelt said, but would rather be a warrior with him. Spottedpaw says that if he truly loves her, he’ll promise to never come here again. She says that becoming a medicine cat would mean losing him, and she wouldn’t do that unless she had to. Spottedpaw continues that this place has made him a murdered. He snaps at her that his opponent fight just as hard as he does, but she counters that they wouldn’t have died if that were true. Thistleclaw shakes his head, saying that being in the Place of No Stars is a part of his destiny that he can’t ignore. He explains that he will be the next deputy of ThunderClan, then the next leader. Thistleclaw continues that he will be the greatest ever known, and everyone will fear them. He gloats that they’ll lose no battles, and questions how he could give that up. Spottedpaw pleads with him one last time, but the warrior insists that he needs to feel the rip of flesh between his claws. Thistleclaw meows that every battle will be won, and their enemies blood shed. Spottedpaw backs away, saying that he’s now made his choice. She wishes him the best, then turns to leave him.


 * The apprentice awakens in her own nest, smelling of blood. She realizes that the blood from the light brown tabby of last night’s adventure is still caked on her. Spottedpaw feels awful, knowing that she has loved foolishly and with a blind heart. She considers telling Sunstar and Tawnyspots about Thistleclaw’s nighttime visits, but decides that there’s nothing anyone can do. She pushes her way out of the den, almost bumping into Stormtail. The gray tom thanks her for saving him, and she dips her head. Bluefur apologizes for what she said the previous day, and Spottedpaw accepts the apology. She then goes across the clearing, running at a fast trot. She finds the medicine cat in his den, sorting herbs. The tom asks if she needs help, pricking his ears. She replies yes, and that she’d like to become his apprentice.