Maplethorn slowed down as she spotted a flash of dark grey fur ahead of her. Glassflicker had done a pretty good job on concealing her scent and confusing the tracker. Maplethorn had wandered in circles for the past couple of minutes as she tried to locate her scent.

"Glassflicker," Maplethorn whispered forcefully, ducking under a low-hanging branch.

Glassflicker's grey eyes connected with her own spring-green ones. Maplethorn stepped forward, Glassflicker's muscles immediately tensing as she looked like she was ready to dart away from Maplethorn.

"I want to tell you something," Maplethorn whispered, ears flicking to and fro for any foreign noises.

"And what might that be?" Glassflicker's high-pitched voice sliced through the air effortlessly, encased in caution and worry.

"You had to pass the initiation trials, right?" Maplethorn asked cautiously, "In order to get into MistClan, that is."

"Yes, I did. What about it?" she asked, her eyes gleaming ominously.

"It was hard, wasn't it? With everyone else ridiculing you and it took them a long time to accept you," Maplethorn meowed.

"And?" Glassflicker asked, prompting Maplethorn to continue.

"It wasn't easy, was it? Echostar didn't go easy on you by choosing a newly-made warrior for the first trial. So, I'd like to propose a deal," Maplethorn meowed quietly, Glassflicker still cautious as though Maplethorn was setting up a trap for her to be ensnared in.

"What might that be?" Glassflicker meowed distrustfully, eyes narrowed, tail flicking from side to side.

"I will help you so that Briar will not find you until the second stage of initiation is over, therefore, we will ultimately fail her and she will not be able to join the clan," Maplethorn continued.

"Why do you not wish for Briar to join the clan?" Glassflicker responded, a low growl rumbling within her throat as she flashed her fangs at Maplethorn.

"Because," Maplethorn replied, standing her ground and tilting her chin upward, "Cinderstar is going easy on Briar so that she will join. Not only that, but if we lose, then you'll be considered unfit to join the clan and possibly exil-"

"What preposterous ideas you have going on in your head!" Glassflicker sneered. "Echostar was just during the entirety of the trials, she did not make it harder for me so I wouldn't pass. Additionally, why wouldn't you want Briar joining our clan? You were clan-born, so you don't understand the pressure being placed on you during the initiation process. I, unlike you, know the discrimination that was placed against me, however, over time, the clan accepted me. I don't wish for another outsider to go through the pain and loneliness that I did. So, if you would move out of the way, I will find Briar and help her pass these trials."

With that, the bulky she-cat shoved past Maplethorn and she watched her walk away, ears twitching with irritation.

Well, that went splendid, did it not? Scorchflame mewed.

Shut up, Maplethorn snarled at her mother. She didn't want someone ridiculing her now, when her plan had failed and she was most certain that Briar would be joining MistClan.

Maplethorn scaled a tree, found a solid fork to rest on and curled up, malice raging within her chest as she fought to contain herself and not rip up the entire territory into pieces. As she inhaled, held her breath and exhaled, Maplethorn closed her eyes and relived through the failed attempt at persuading Glassflicker. She clenched her teeth as she inhaled and exhaled, calming herself down, trying not to tear anyone's throats out, even though her teeth and claws were itching for her to do so.

Her ears pricked up and Maplethorn's brain struggled to find the problem this time until she heard the merry voices of Briar and...Shadepool? Maplethorn snarled as she dug her claws into the bark as she surveyed the pair from her perch.

"Well," Briar giggled, leaning into Shadepool, "You certainly are as strong and daring as your name suggests."

Maplethorn squinted as she looked at her brother, who was...blushing? She saw his posture become more rigid, more proud than his usual snotty one as he replied in a posher tone, slightly stuttering as he spoke,

"Of course, Briar. I'm sure that you will pass all your assessments. Such a beautiful, intelligent and strong she-cat like you would be a waste if you didn't make it into our clan."

Maplethorn saw Briar's round eyes glisten with joy as the she-cat snuggled further up against her brother, entwining her tail with his.

Maplethorn snuck forwards, hoping to get a better view at the pair, but a twig snapped as she took a step forward.

Stupid! She cursed herself as both Briar and Shadepool whipped their heads into her direction. Her brother whispered something into the she-cat's ear and Briar nodded before the two of them split into their separate directions, seeming as though they were travelling away from Maplethorn. Maplethorn gritted her teeth and leaped off the tree, ignoring the faint jolt of pain that rippled through her shoulder, the only remnant of the injury she had suffered during her descent down the abyss.

Maplethorn tore through the cemetery, paws tearing up dirt from the earth, gritting her teeth as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, making out murky paths via the bioluminescent mushrooms that littered the ground. She whispered silent apologies in her head for desecrating the graves of her ancestors.

Scorchflame? Maplethorn finally yowled, hoping her mother would respond.

Darling? Scorchflame yawned in her mind, as though she had just awoken from a nap.

A nap? Seriously?! You needed a nap? How old are you? A two moon old kit or a hundred moon old elder? Maplethorn scolded her mother as she continued flying through the dark cemetery.

I'm sorry, Scorchflame grunted, looking after kits can become tedious at times.

Maplethorn winced slightly at her mother's harsh tone, but composed herself as her paws finally came into contact with hard ground.

Apologies, that was quite severe wasn't it? Scorchflame mewed apologetically as Maplethorn gritted her teeth while swerving around a sharp corner, barely avoiding crashing into an enormous pine tree.

Save your apologies for later, mother, Maplethorn growled softly as she suddenly slowed to a near halt, calico pelt brushing against the undergrowth, ears pricked, facing forward, entire body tense. Just help me get through this.

She felt her mother nod and her eyes focused through the gaps of the undergrowth, and saw fragments of Briar's dusty golden pelt, baring her fangs at the she-cat. Maplethorn sneaked through the undergrowth, barely rustling a leaf as she gained a better vantage point to see where the she-cat was. Another flicker of movement flickered past the corner of her sight as she unsheathed her claws, readying herself for a battle.

However, no impact came and it didn't take long for Maplethorn to piece together how to draw Shadepool out into the open. She smirked.

Taking a few more steps forward, Maplethorn leapt, teeth bared and claws unsheathed at the golden she-cat.