Fan Fiction

Leafpool’s Wish Reimagined Chapter 12

For an unreadable amount of time, Leafpool was drifting from reality to sleep like she was caught in a black river’s current. Never able to quite grasp those flashes of the waking world.
Yet slowly yet surely, the visions’ lengths increased, one heartbeat at a time.

Deep from within Leafpool’s slumber, a muffled sound slowly grew louder, tugging her out of the drifting void like thorns tangling around her legs. Leafpool was crammed into a narrowed space, walls pressed against either side of her. However as her senses focused, she noticed the open air ruffling her fur.

Lifting her head, still in a daze, she finally noticed Smokey and Floss curled up around her, in a giant bundle of fur. A small pure rose in Leafpool throat. Only a few sunsets together and they were already treating this demanding stranger like a Clanmate. She didn’t know whether it was foolish or brave. Her surroundings had shifted, still within the cosy hay but no longer on ground level. Instead, she was on the elevated platform serving as a second floor.

Connecting the separate floors, was what Smokey called wooden stairs, shaped like vines but crafted from logs. The two loners must have carried her up here while she was asleep. It certainly wasn’t the Twoleg since they’d put her in a box container.

The red light setting the Barn’s atmosphere ablaze with a fiery tint told Leafpool of the sun dipped around the horizon. How long was she out for? Shaking her head to become fully awake, Leafpool finally absorbed in the whole situation. She was alive. Which was an achievement in itself?

Shifting round, the makeshift herb coating on her flank had held up. All the red staining her fur was now a harmless crust. So she wouldn’t die of blood loss at least. But now her focus was on the long-term and avoid it getting infected.

Now the most difficult question of all: Were her kits effected? As long as it wasn’t near the stomach or a serious infection, most Queens could get injured without consequence to their pregnancy. However, Leafpool took a direct kick to her flank, just above the stomach.

Dreading the absolute worst, Leafpool literally had to force every movement, edging her nose towards her shredded side. Behind the reek of raw blood, there were no smells of other body fluids, like if an organ been punctured. Able to breathe again, Leafpool able to say it was only skin and fur was damaged. In spite of this, this didn’t stop the kits being shaken to the core. Usually, after waking up, the healthy scraps would be squirming inside Leafpool, but now, they lay limp like fresh-kill.

The blasting of high-pitched yaps almost made Leafpool leap out of her pelt. Outside of the Barn walls, the fierce wind carried the desperate pleas of a fox. It wasn’t possible for her earlier pursuer to survive being crushed under the Horse’s weight. She’d seen the mangled body herself. Unless that wasn’t the same fox. It must have been the pregnant mate. Strangely, Leafpool’s tail twitched as a wave of sympathy rushed across her. That easily could have been her and Crowfeather.

Don’t be mousebrain! If all species start feeling guilty for each other, everyone would starve. The constant barking of the mother fox interrupted Floss and Smokey’s sleep, beginning to steer. Flipping onto his back, Smokey stretched out his legs, making Leafpool grunt as they accidentally prodded at her face.

The two loners swiftly stood up, their ears pricked and nose twitching. “Stupid foxes.”, Smokey hissed to himself. Both of them flinched as they realised Leafpool staring up at them. Before she could open her mouth, Smokey and Floss piled on top of her, nuzzling and purring like crazy. “You’re actually alive!”, Floss squeaked, voice cracking under sheer excitement.

Great Starclan, they were overemotional. Though it made sense, given their sheltered lifestyle, a twoleg constantly at their beckoned call. She doubts they had been responsible for saving a dying cat before, especially a pregnant Queen.

She knew other Clan cats would be disgusted by the loners’ soppyness. But Leafpool’s experience Daisy and Firestar had taught her better. Since they’d gone out their way to feed and shelter her, it would just be rude and petty to judge them.

Starting to boil under the mountain of fluff, Leafpool was forced to shove them away. “Yes I’m alive-”, Leafpool gasped, “All thanks to you two.”, she added with a purr. With the eagerness of apprentices, Smokey and Floss rambled on like magpies, “You should have seen you’re self! Even horses ain’t enough to take you down.”, Smokey exclaimed proudly.

“You knew exactly what to do. Is this your job back in Thunderclan?”, Floss’s meow filled with curiosity. Adjusting her position to become more comfortable, Leafpool felt like a mentor as she explained, “It’s a Medicine cat’s sworn duty to save our Clanmates from sickness and injuries. We use herbs like our docks and cobwebs to heal.”.

“So that’s why you’re obsessed with plants!”, Smokey blurted, “Never knew all that green stuff could be useful to cats.”. His pale blue eyes sparkled like frosty stars, mystified by the Clan’s way of life. Completely contrasted by Floss, who didn’t show a hint of interest.

Curling her tail round Leafpool, Floss started to licking away the dried blood. “Mind grabbing some mice, Smokey?”, the loner asked, breaking into Smokey’s daydream. Like an obedient dog, he rapidly nodded his head, eager to follow his mate’s suggestion. Smokey bounded down the stairs and into the thicker shadows of the Barn, where the patter of prey pawsteps echoed.

“How are your kits?”, Floss’s quietly muttered mid-groom. Leafpool peered at her wound before answering, “The Horse’s hoof didn’t seem to go too deep. So I think- I know my litter won’t be affected.”. Floss’s hot breath ran down Leafpool’s neck as she pressed her head into her brown tabby pelt, “Whatever happens, Smokey and I will do whatever we can to support you.”, she mewed.

As those words rang out, Leafpool instantly knew it came from a deeper place of understanding. From personal experience. From Leafpool’s many seasons as a Medicine cat, she knew the tone couldn’t found anything else besides from a grieving parent. Just how much were their missing kits affecting the Horse place cats? There was a reason Daisy left in the first place.

Moving on before it got too uncomfortable, Leafpool asked more pressing questions, “Any chance that female fox could make its way to the Barn?”, she asked.

“If there is any chance, it’s very slim.”, Floss answered, “Lived here my entire life and there’s never been a wild animal stupid enough to come as far as the Barn. You spotted our male Housefolk, didn’t you? Nasty temper that one. Nothing wants to deal with him.”.

A mumble that only vaguely resembling a thank you escaped Leafpool’s lips as she sunk deeper into the hay and dimness clouded her sight. Maybe it was better to remain awake for the fresh-kill, but she needed to properly rest either way. Fainting wasn’t the same as sleep after all.
Yet thin tendrils of doubt tugged her away from even dozing. What was it?

Leafpool’s neck sharply snapped afterwards, heart pounding, “What moon cycle is it?”, she demanded. It took a heartbeat for the question to sink into Floss’s skull, her answer laced with alarm and confusion, “It’ll be the full moon rising soon. It that important or something?”.

It was Sunset already? She’d been knocked out for an entire day! Leafpool had been hibernating longer than a dormouse on poppy seeds. “It might be.”, Leafpool mumbled vaguely, too deep in thought to carry on the conversation.

With the Gathering tonight, rows upon rows of Clan cats would be streaming past the Horse Place. Usually, Leafpool would have nothing to worry about. They almost never a reason to enter this Farm’s domain. Yet there was one individual Leafpool had in mind and this Gathering was the most likely time they were to come.

Earlier when the Thunderclan patrol had been searching for her, Cloudtail had mentioned Daisy’s inevitable visit to her old home. At first, Leafpool hadn’t considered it much of a threat. Not to be harsh to the Queen, but she was not the most competent of their clanmates. Leafpool had been confident she could avoid her by sending a few days in the surrounding wilderness. However, the recent fox incident had changed everything.

Her plans to stay in the birch woodland were now out of the question. While Leafpool was injury, it was impossible to survive on her own, she’d have to ask the loners to hunt for her daily. Especially with the female fox still lurking out there, hungry for revenge.

The question was, where could she shelter? The Barn’s warmth would provide the quickest recovery but undoubtedly it is the first place Daisy would visit – The main home of the Horse Place cats. Also, there was a local Twolegs to consider. Though their visits were occasional, it was still common enough that the Barn couldn’t be a hiding spot.

The last sensible answer seemed to the Abandoned Shed. While it was still within the Horse Place, it was near the border and run down. Surely Daisy would have no reason to visit the crumbling building, would she? If Leafpool remained quite and the Loners could occasionally sneak her some fresh-kill, maybe she still goes undiscovered. It required blind luck but it was all Leafpool could do.

Deep within her planning, Leafpool barely noticed Smokey scrambling up the stairs, carrying a massive rat. The sight of the vile creature made Leafpool recoil back. After dropping it, Smokey perfectly reading her reaction, “Won’t find a speck of dirt on those rats, my unenlightened friend.”, he chucked, “Every prey around here healthy and plump. Nothing like those gross things from the Rubbish dump.”.

Nudging it closer, Leafpool has to admit he was right. Apart from the ragged teeth jutting out from its lips, the rat’s pelt had a silky softness, almost like a larger mouse. Tucking his paws under, Smokey snorted, “I ain’t-a blind mole. You Clan Cats’ judging stares aren’t subtle. Though us Loners like to think we have some sense of pride. Enough to bring a pregnant she-cat high-quality prey.”.

A wave of shame spread through Leafpool. It was true, even she wasn’t innocent of it. The Four Clan turned their self-righteous noses up at all outsiders that come their way. Was it earned, either way, she wasn’t sure. The Clans’ Medicine cats have connections to powerful spirits like Starclan, yet the Horse Places cats were allies with Twolegs.

Since the first day here, Leafpool had been surprised by the unique skills and knowledge the Loners held – Able to live peacefully with dangerous animals like Horses and Twolegs, which her Clanmates had never done.

“Subtle”, Floss attempted to joke, but couldn’t hide her uneasiness. Smokey’s back was straight and unmoving, shrugging, “Hey- for once I’m serious.”, he mewed. At her mate’s words, Floss slipped into silence, betraying her secret agreement.

With a playful sigh, the grey tom loosens up, dropped down beside Leafpool. Nudging her in the shoulder, Smokey sounded encouraging, “It’s not meant to be personal. It’s most of Clan fellas, not just you. It’s nice to take things off your chest.”.

New respect had sparked inside her. She should have the decently to least do that for how much she owed them. It was the first time she could admit they’d become her friends, despite their separate backgrounds. Without another word, the awkwardness soon passed and all three shuffled round to share the large fresh-kill.

With each mouth full, new strength was brought into Leafpool’s shaky body. The meat chewy yet juicy over her tongue. Struggling not to gulp the entire rat as if she was starving, relieved to fill the hollow space in her stomach.

Which was partly true, considering she’d slept for so long. Too quickly the meal was reduced to bones and fur and Smokey disappeared to dump the leftovers elsewhere. The three cats had been so distracted gorging themselves, they hadn’t noticed the darkening twilight fluttering through the window. The Gathering Patrols!

“Can you help me get to that window?”, Leafpool asked, pointing it out with her tail. Unlike the others, the single window for the second floor was only levitated a fox-length from the ground. Much narrower and smaller as well. With a brisk nod, Floss leaned the weakened cat on her shoulder and gilded her over.

Using the stacked straw to boost her, Leafpool could barely peek above the wooden ledge.
Her heart skipping a beat when her worst fears were realised. Gleaming in the full moon’s silver rays, long crowds of Clan cats passed the Barn in the distant night. The draft blowing through the window swept Windclan scent over Leafpool’s face.

Her eyes moving on their own, Leafpool scanned the many moving blurs until finally coming across a dark grey pelt. Like two shadows melting together, Crowfeather and Nightcloud’s flanks brushed. Even from here, Leafpool could spot flashes of pink as the black she-cat constantly rasped her tongue over her stiff mate, no matter how often he tried to flinch away.

This new relationship was doomed to crumble unless Nightcloud learnt quickly that Crowfeather liked his personal space. Yet the most alarming part was the distinctive bulge around her belly. Great Starclan, what have those two done? It has been just under two moons since Leafpool and Crowfeather went their separate ways.

For Nightcloud to become his mate and pregnant in that short of time was mousebrained. Any cat with a whisker of sense could see a stable romance couldn’t develop like that. Was either of them ready to be parents? While her mind was swirling with concerns, the Windclan patrol was already out of view and Thunderclan took their places.

Despite his recent hardship, Firestar was able to match proudly in the lead, his deputy close by. Officially a pregnant Queen now, Squirrelflight wasn’t considered fit to travel among them. Resisting the urge to name every one of her dear clanmates, Leafpool rapidly located the most crucial one. Veering off from the others, the creamy queen, Dasiy was heading right in the direction of Barn. The time to act was now!

Ungracefully sinking back onto stomach, Leafpool’s head sharply turned towards Floss, “Dasiy on her way over here. We have to hurry if we want to avoid her.”, Leafpool mewed. Heaving her onto her shoulder by the scruff, the grey she-cat blinked thoughtfully, “Is this really necessary for Daisy?”, she questioned, sounding offended, “That softball couldn’t hurt a mouse. Daisy still a Farm cat, born and raised – and she’d never get into this pure-blood stuff.”.

Her paws trembling as she began going down the stairs, Leafpool shook her head. “You’re definitely right. Alone, Daisy would never harm a kit. However, it’s all too easy for her to accidentally blurt it to more dangerous cats.”.

“I suppose she can be careless.”, Floss admitted uncomfortably. Each step took painfully long, as Leafpool’s injured flank made it difficult to breathe. After serval heartbeats, they still weren’t on the ground floor of the Barn. “This taking too long.”, Floss quietly grumbled, “Smokey!”. Soon the large tom served round the door, his muzzle grimy with meat juices.

“You summon me, oh great ones?”, Smokey chucked at his own joked as he wondered over. “Listen up.”, Floss sternly instructed, “Daisy arrived and we nee-”.

At the name of his old friend, Smokey’s face lit up with the brightness of a dawn sun. “Sweetheart finally here?”, Smokey exclaimed, instantly spinning round and bouncing away like an overhyped rabbit. Before either she-cat could stop him, he was gone. “Forget it! We don’t have time- I’ll scold him later.”, Floss hissed.

No matter how much Leafpool pushed her screaming muscles, Starclan had a forbidden a speedy procession. The Barn’s dusty floor had been scuffed as she kept on stumbling over her own weight, despite Floss’s support. As they just reached the swinging door, excited yowling swarmed around their ears like bees. “Looks like he’s found her.”, Floss muttered, guilt pricking her fur.

“We have to take advantage of this while we still can. Keep moving.”, Leafpool begged, high-pitched with tension. Now outside, they silently stalked down the Barn wall, attempting to round the corner. The Horse Place offered little when it came to hiding spots, vast and open. All the undergrowth was too short and Fence posts were too narrow. It would be a mad dash to the Abandoned shed, relying purely on the night to conceal them.

Of course, it was pointless. It would be insulting to assume Daisy couldn’t notice her own Clanmate’s scent without any disguise. “Leafpool!”, Daisy screeched with bewilderment.

In the instant, everything shattered around Leafpool; the plans, the future, the prophecy. It was over. Her mind draining of rational thought, a cold numbness set in. The energy disappeared from her muscles, becoming dead weight, jaw scraping against the frost-tipped dirt. A presence loomed over her as Floss washed out the sand from her wound.

Suddenly the hollowness burst into a panic! Gripping the ground with claws until it becomes painful, Leafpool darted upwards into an awkward sitting position like a snapping branch. What was going to happen to her kits? Would she have to give them away as kittypets? Or would she allow them to face Thunderclan’s wrath?

Within her blurred vision, Leafpool sensed a creamy mass hovering in front of her. Focusing again, she meets Dasy’s light blue eyes like the pale dawn sky. Her fluffy fur was being pressed against Leafpool’s, as she circled her, purring with joy.

Unable even speak as Daisy bombarded Leafpool with endless ramblings, “Oh, this is a miracle! I’d thought we were all be doomed without our Medicine cat! Are you here because you escaped those horrid twolegs?”, Daisy finished, only because she’d worn her throat out.

Leafpool’s mouth hung open, but no words escaped, paralyzed into muteness. Before she could snap out of it, Dasiy’s gaze had already drifted down to her pregnant belly. “Dasiy?”, Floss mewed softly, attempting to reach out to her old friend.

“I don’t understand.”, Daisy mewed, “When did you get pregnant? And so far in too!”. Before anyone could stop, Daisy shoved her muzzle into her stomach, sniffing intensely. Drawing back, her face sparkled with a Queen’s pure love of kits, but her tail twitched anxiously. “But you’ve only been gone for half a moon… Are the little ones alright in there?”, she asked.

“It’s not your concern, Dasiy.”, Floss spoke sternly, holding back her impatience. Her own missing litter probably made her fiercely protective of all kits, even if that meant snapping at others. Both their heads jerked back as they felt Smokey’s hot breath behind them, whispering, “Oh come on- What up with you, Floss?”, he grumbled, “Daisy is still one of us.”.

“This isn’t about us, Smokey.”, the white loner pointed out, “If you had listened, a Clan cat wouldn’t have discovered Leafpool’s forbidden kits.”. The whole time, Dasiy had been blanky listening, struggling to make sense of the unusual situation. Floss spoke truthfully. It was Leafpool’s decision on how to handle her clanmate.

Any web of lies offering a way out for Leafpool had now seemed to burn away. There was no wriggling out of this one. There was nothing to do but slip the truth and beg to Starclan, the cream she-cat saw it was necessary to keep it hidden. And in that way, it was lucky. Out of all the Thunderclan members, Daisy was one of those Leafpool would trust the most. There wasn’t a bad bone in that cat’s body.

Surprisingly, Daisy didn’t need Leafpool’s explanation, everything slowly clicking into place for her. Then her fur bristled in fear, “Was Squirrelflight lying about the kidnapping the whole time? Where has this selfishness come from Leafpool?”, she gasped, voice rising to a wail, “All the Clanmates I had to watch suffer. I suffered. I thought my kits were in danger from the Twolegs again!”.

Guilt rising like bile in her mouth, imaging all the details of how Thunderclan reacted to her disappearance. The Medicine cat didn’t want this is happening. “Should we ask Daisy to leave?”, Floss whispered into Leafpool’s ear. The drastic suggestion seems premature and made Leafpool shiver.

“Don’t be so drastic, Floss.”, Smokey cooly advised, “Daisy reasonable and Leafpool good with words. Those two will deal with everything in the breeze. Watch.”. The large tom nodded encouraging at the Medicine cat. It was pleasant to have a cat who faith in her when she didn’t have it in herself.

With Smokey’s assurance, Leafpool managed to limp forward and lay her tail on the panicked Queen, “Yes, Daisy. I have done something very selfish.”, she admitted, “Believe me though, I’m not doing this for myself. Just like you need to protect your kits, I have done the same for mine.”.

“If you call sneaking off alone- protecting your kits, that’s the silliest way to do it.” Daisy scolded, “Thunderclan already has perfectly good Nursery. You can join your sister and everything.”. The mention of Squirrelflight’s non-existent litter was like a thorn in Leafpool’s side. How could she explain a concept so complex and twisted to Daisy? To anyone?

Smokey and Floss kept a respectful distance, this squabble going to the realm of purely Clan concepts. Her Medicine cat training was proving to helpful, as Leafpool was able to remain calm, “It’s not that simple, Daisy.”, she mewed gently, “I know you haven’t been with Thunderclan for long – But can’t you remember Medicine cats ain’t allowed to have kits?”.

This took the former loner off guard, head drooping towards the frosty earth. “I guess I remember something like that.”, she replied, ashamed she’d been wrong all along. Silence hung around the group like a fog, the only sound was the quiet night breeze high in the sky. Sighing, Leafpool settled down to Dasiy, hating herself for getting another cat wrapped up in this mess.

Despite it being painful, Leafpool had to press on with the conversation, “We both know how jumpy the Clan-borns can get around outsiders. Stormfur, for example. My kits will be treated like him or worse if the Clans discovered their heritage.”

Daisy raised her head, “Stormfur.”, she repeated thoughtfully. Then turning her attention back to Leafpool with a new understanding, “He’s what they call half-clan, isn’t he? Is the father of your kits from somewhere exotic then?”. Once Crowfeather discovers someone called him exotic, he’ll be fuming. Not that Leafpool could blame him, it’d be the last word she’d use to describe her complicated mate. Something Nightcloud might never get used to. It was a miracle in itself to ever reach the sensitive cat deeper under those barriers of thorns.

“Not exactly.”, she mewed, “I hope you understand, it’s best that I don’t tell you.”. Like a speeding pigeon, the words fly right over Daisy’s head as she muttered names under her breath. Surely she couldn’t figure it out, could she? But this day kept up its plans to be an ironic one.

“It must be that Windclan tom you ran off with during the Badger attack.”, Daisy blurted, “ I can’t say I blame you. He’s certainly got a unique charm.” Both Floss and Leafpool glanced awkwardly in Smokey’s direction as his old mate fused over another tom. Strangely, the grey tom seemed unbothered. At least he didn’t have double standards. Considering Smokey himself didn’t restrain his flirtatious side for the sake of one mate.

“Yes, you see-”, Leafpool began nervously, “That’s the messy part. The father to raise those kits will Brambleclaw. Squirrelflight’s pregnancy is nothing but plumpness from extra prey.”. As expected, Dasiy didn’t have the calmest of reactions, “I knew her belly shape was odd!”, she declared.

Hurriedly, Leafpool kept up with the explanation before Daisy could say any more, “Squirrelflight has agreed to this from the start. I give birth to the real kits here while my sister has a fake pregnancy from extra prey. Then she’ll pick them up once I leave a signal for her on the border.”

The long pause as Dasiy’s stared off into nothingness. Leafpool could only imagine what could be going through her clanmate’s mind. After admitting all her mistakes and lies aloud, it seemed worse than ever. For a heartbeat, she felt like she was among the ranks of long-dead troublemakers like Hawkfrost or Mudclaw.

After all, if they’d been exposed while they were alive, those traitors would be put on trial and punished as Leafpool would be. She hated the labelled traitor, but it was undeniably true to some degree. Though logic swiftly trumped her emotion. Forbidden relationships were nowhere the realms of murder and conquest.

At last, Dasiy opened her eyes again and bowed her head low, “I want to help you in any way in I can. So if you still need anything to be done, name it.”

For a heartbeat, Leafpool couldn’t make sense of her answer. Then the meaning struck her like a falling branch, “What?”, she gasped, “D-Dasiy, I only need you to do is keep the secret but nothing else. This isn’t your burden to bear.”

Yet Daisy remained calmly sat, ruffling up her fur and puffing out her chest proudly. Briefly, Leafpool wasn’t in the presence of a jumpy kittypet but a Lionclan warrior. “I’m Thunderclan’s senior queen now.”, she announced, “Goldenflower entrusted me with the duty to keep every kit safe. And I plan on fulfilling it. Because the thing is- I think I’ve spotted a hole in your plan that requires an extra cat.”

“Where?”, Leafpool uttered, a bitter shame pulsing through her veins. She’d failed her kits again. Before Daisy came, she’d been planning to blindly lead them in inevitable danger.

“The transport of your litter.”, Daisy explained, “If you gave birth to three or more – how can Squirrelflight carry those newborns to the Nursery alone? That’s where I think you’ll need an extra set of paws.”.

Despite not wanting to, Leafpool had acknowledged she was right. “A second cat will definitely be needed for that.”, the Medicine cat agreed, “But what about the details? How can two Queen disappear without arousing suspicion?”

Daisy licked her lips, unsure, “You know you’re sister better than anyone. What seems natural for her?”.

Without a second thought, Leafpool instantly knew what her lively littermate would do, “Well- She certainly doesn’t like being stuffed in the Nursery.”, she mewed, “So she’d use any excuse to get out. But that wouldn’t explain why you’re going along with her. With all honestly, you two ain’t exactly close.”

Shuffling her paws on the ground uncomfortably, Daisy hesitated before answering, memories rising to the surface. “Everyone says I should get some basic hunting skills at least.”, the light she-cat admitted, “So maybe Squirrelflight could claim she’s giving me training sessions. And we’ll just say she accidentally gave birth during one of those.”.

It was definitely an impressive sacrifice for those kits. To not only admit her flaws, but Daisy was putting herself in an embarrassing position. Having to do training usually reserved for the youngest apprentices as a fully grown cat. Daisy was truly worthy of calling herself a Queen, unlike Leafpool. “That’s would work perfectly.”, the brown she-cat purred with relief.

With a mutual understanding finally created between the two Clan cats, Smokey stepped out from the background, whiskering twitching approvingly, “Glad you two could settle everything.”, he mewed, “ Now- I think we all deserve to relax after that, so let’s get into Barn and welcome Daisy home!”.

With the group heading to the Barn, Floss was able to greet Daisy properly since she arrived, “Wow, Dasiy. You never fail to impress me when it comes to kits”, the she-cat breathed, bumping foreheads, “You were right to leave the Farm before your kits”. Twinning tail, the old friends pressed close together, reminded Leafpool of her and Squirrelflight.

As they overtook a staggering Leafpool, she overhead words that weren’t meant for her ears, “It was just luck.”, Daisy silently assured Floss, “I’m sure your kits are safe, no matter where they are.”. Was that good enough for the Loner though? She knew Floss said herself she probably of wouldn’t have handled being a mother. However, she’d never truly know until she personally experienced it.

Trying to take another step was proving to be impossible. Leafpool halted, gasping to refill her lungs with the crisp night air. The others craned their heads towards the injured cat, corned. “I truly sorry, but I can’t join you yet.”, Leafpool panted, “I need to treat my flank and my herb store all the way back at the shed.”.

Leaping to her side, Smokey wrapped his tail protectively around the pregnant she-cat, “Shame. But no biggy.”, he tried joking. Floss called over to them, “Could you take this one, Smokey?”, she mewed, “I haven’t managed to catch up with Daisy yet.”

Side by side, the friend served round the door into the gloom of the stuffy Barn, Dasiy’s last words ringing, “ I promise I’ll speak to you later, Leafpool!”. Left alone with Smokey without Floss’s supervision, Leafpool had a growing suspicion she was going to be dealing with an overgrown kit.

“Alrighty. Come on you.”, Smokey sounded cheerfully, grabbing Leafpool by the scruff and effortlessly swinging her over his broad shoulder. Baffled, Leafpool dug her paws into his thick neck fur, trying not to slip off. Wasn’t this how the Twolegs rode their Horses? “This isn’t the way Floss’s carries me.”, Leafpool mewed.

“This isn’t Floss’s way. It’s mine. Which means it’s more fun.”, he boosted arrogantly, like his son, Berrypaw. “Is this dangerous?”, Leafpool asked warily.

A cheeky grin grew over the tom’s face like a weed, “You worry too much.”, he remarked, “Hold tight.”. Which was good advice considering Smokey had already bunched up his lean muscles. Just in time, Leafpool twisted on his back to get a decent grip, before he launched like a deer into a sprint. Soon, they were crossing the Farmland at blinding speed, wind whipping her face.

For a one moment, it felt like all her responsibilities and fears never existed. Almost like she was an innocent apprentice again, not making all the mistakes her adult self had made. Unable to stop herself, Leafpool let off terror and thrilled mixed yowl, almost forgetting her shredded flank.

I decided to make a Greek Mythology sort of fanfic branching off of the Percy Jackson and Heros of Olmpus series. Here is the prologue.

A silhouette of a person appeared on the horizon. The wind whisked the leaves away, clearing a pathway for the stranger. The stranger calmly ascended into the forest, silent, yet his presence made the near living creatures curl up and sleep.

     “You’ve arrived.” A man stepped out of the shadows, his dark brown eyes glinting.
“Did you think I would miss this?” The stranger asked, his voice threateningly soft.
     “Of course not,” The man replied smoothly. “But your defeat was… embarrassing. It does not do well with your reputation.” 
“Those demigods messed everything up,” The stranger said, his voice strained. “Prophecies and whatnot.”
     “Ah, but Morpheus,” the man began, “Demigods are all but weaklings. Do not despair. You’ll get your revenge.” Morepheus tilted his head.
“What about you?”
     “Oh, Morpheus…” The man chuckled. “They’ll never see my wrath coming.”