The boredom

Flamestripe scented Silkpaw leave the camp.  Curious, he followed her. He saw Silkpaw crouched over the river, crying. Flamestripe padded up to her and sat on the rock next to her. "Silkpaw, you're a little too close to the RiverClan border. You should move back a bit," he murmured. He nudged her shoulder, and led her up the slope to Sunningrocks. Then he pressed himself against her, grooming her fur.

~

Sunpelt was guarding Sunningrocks as that was his punishment. Out the corner of his eye he saw Silkpaw and Flamestripe enter the camp. Confused, he turned his head to see Flamestripe pressing against Silkpaw. Sunpelt purred with amusement. Love! But then he saw that Silkpaw was crying. This was serious. He bounded over to the pair and sat on the other side of Silkpaw. "What's the matter?" he asked, thoroughly concerned.

Sunpelt flicked out his tail to stop Silkpaw from going anywhere. "Duskfall only said you couldn't leave camp, not that you couldn't leave the apprentices den." He ran his tail down the apprentices flank. He said more softly, "It's okay, Silkpaw. It's not your fault. I think it would've been worse if you hadn't told Duskfall what happened. Don't blame yourself. I'm blaming myself, because I was a warrior and shouldn't've let you apprentices go out fox hunting. But I shouldn't blame myself, I know I shouldn't. It's just so hard not to, and I understand."

~

Flamestripe smiled softly back. Whenever he saw Silkpaw, or was close to her, his heart started beating and his paws tingled. He nodded, agreeing to what Sunpelt had said. None of them should blame themselves. Suddenly he saw Cloverpaw. He flicked Sunpelt's forepaw with his tail and pointed to Cloverpaw with his muzzle, wondering what the warrior would do.

Flamestripe tilted his head. "No...."

~

Sunpelt shook his head. "I can't either."

Suddenly, Flamestripe saw a white mist-like thingy floating around Cloverpaw. "Sunpelt..." he whispered. "Sunpelt, what is that?" Then the shape formed before his eyes, and Flamestripe gasped. It was a fox.

~

Sunpelt shrugged helplessly. "I can't see a thing!" he exclaimed.

Sunpelt bounded over to stand beside Cloverpaw. He whispered into her ear, "Wait, this could be a sign. Remember the fox we killed? Maybe this is that fox. I can't see it, but you can. So can Flamestripe and Silkpaw. Maybe this sign is meant for you." But then a darker thought entered his mind. Only he couldn't see it. He was singled out. If this ghostly fox was the fox that they had killed, he was somehow tied to it. Wait... singled out... Sunpelt gasped. Maybe the fox is trying to tell us that I'm the one to blame?! After he thought about that, he was certain it was true. Positive. Almost. But he wouldn't tell anybody about his realization until he found out more.

Sunpelt lifted his paw to stop Silkpaw. "It'll disappear on its own," he murmured, still dazed from his discovery. He didn't know how he knew it'd disappear on its own, he just did.