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[image description: a black-and-white photo of a kitten sleeping in a cavity of a typewriter]
ok so i discontinued The Unwanted Elemental but I’m continuing again! Here’s chapter 1 and prologue for those who didn’t see or forgot
[spoiler title=”Prologue”] “Storm!” Called a woman. “Where are you?” She called out again. One of the two babies in the woman’s arms began to cry. She cradled them in her arms as she waited for Storm. A kestrel flew above the woman’s head and she looked down at the other child wrapped in her arms. The other baby had stopped crying and gazed at the kestrel in awe.
The woman stooped down and sat on her knees, tired from standing and holding the small children.
A falcon swooped down and clawed the woman’s face. It left a big scar on her cheek. She covered the children with herself, desperate to keep them safe. The woman shrieked in fear as the falcon swooped down again and attacked one of the children. The kestrel swooped past them again and as the falcon chased the kestrel it dug its talons deep into the woman’s arm. She dropped one child on the floor. The falcon dove down and struck the kestrel and the child at the same time.
The baby’s crying stopped quite abruptly. The woman started to sob. “Storm! Where are you? I’m so sorry!” She shouted, clutching the surviving child tightly. A gunshot was heard. The falcon dropped dead before it could eat either of its prey. The kestrel was somehow still alive.
It hopped away to shelter. A man, probably Storm, came running towards the woman. “Marie, what happened?” Storm questioned. Marie lifted her face to expose an expression full of deep sorrow “Jake is dead.” She mourned for her lost son. “But… Kestrel is still alive.” She revealed the red-headed child. Kestrel opened her amber eyes to look at the two, unaware of the tragedy that just occurred.
[/spoiler]
and chapters are real long
[spoiler title=”Chapter 1″] My alarm began to ring and it only got more annoying by the second. “SHUT UP ALARM.” I screeched. I smacked the alarm clock and it fell on the floor and broke. “Kestrel! What was that?” A woman shouted. “Nothing MOM!” I groaned. I got out of bed and put the alarm clock back together in about two minutes.
I looked in the mirror and sighed. I grabbed a brush and combed my rat’s nest hair. It hurt. I dealt with it. I brushed my teeth, put on my clothes, and prepared my backpack for school. Marie put a sandwich, a bag of chips, and a Capri Sun on the table and I stuffed them into my lunchbox.
“Bye,” I said flatly. Marie barely waved back. You’d think she’d care about her only surviving child. I had heard the story of my twin brother, Jake.
On the bus, I sat next to my friend Tiffany. “My mom is still ignoring me,” I told her. “What’s new?” Tiffany stated. A boy stood up and placed one foot on his seat and put his hands on his side. “Hello, Kestrel! It’s me! Captain Falcon!” He said in a deep voice. I shook my head. “Nothing is new.”
“Arthur, sit down or I’ll call your parents.” Miss R the bus driver called out. The kids laughed and Arthur sat down.
“I was just trying to see if I could make the tough girl cry.” He said coldly. Tiffany growled “Leave Kestrel alone! She lost her brother! What’s wrong with you Arthur?” Arthur grinned “You’re what’s wrong with me.” He said in the stupidest way possible. Tiffany scoffed.
Everyone on the bus starts to sing, “Tiffany and Arthur sitting in a tree!” Tiffany threw a book at the kid who started it. Miss R didn’t care.
I put on headphones and listened to my favorite music. As I felt the bus pull to a stop I put my headphones away and got up. “Do you actually like Arthur?” I asked Tiffany. “You’re kidding, right? He’s so annoying!” I laughed. “That’s what they all say.” And then we headed off to class.
I wasn’t paying attention to my math teacher and stared off into the distance. “Miss Goldspur!” The math teacher squawked.
“What?” I used the same sassy tone that I use with my mother. Whoops. The math teacher scowled. “No recess for you Kestrel!” I scoffed. “Like I care if I get recess or not! Doesn’t matter…” I was sure I made the teacher mad now. “I know you’ve had a difficult life but you are being disrespectful!” And then before I knew it I was sitting down at recess doing nothing. I shrugged.
I stood up and stretched then heard the door open. A woman came out the door. Is she with the Men In Black? I thought, eyeing the black suit. The woman grabbed my arm and started walking me away from the school. I stared at her blue hair which looked like it was natural. It was dark blue.
“Hello, Kestrel. I’m Genevieve Farrow and I’m taking you somewhere where you’ll be safe and meet the others.” I thought my ears were clogged. Did I hear this crazy lady right? “What?” I said like a dumb person. Genevieve groaned. I tend to have that annoying effect on people. “You are part of a prophecy Kestrel. Well, your brother was but he’s not here so we have to use you. You’re going to meet the other two of the prophecy.” Great. What I need is definitely more annoying ‘friends’.
“This feels like kidnapping.” Genevieve sighed. “You think I would kidnap you and stuff you into a car where you can easily explode everything and kill me?” I think that’s good enough. If she knows what my powers are she should be scared. If she was lying I would still explode her.
As I entered I saw a bunch of jars of candy. Genevieve started the car. “Go ahead.” She said. Then I dove into the candies. We drove by a big building.
If that’s where I’m supposed to go then I don’t know about safety. It’s a very noticeable building. Genevieve pulled up to a tiny shack and knocked on the wood “Anybody there?” A scrawny many with a worn face appeared. “Ello Genevieve.” He said in an Australian accent. The man pressed some sort of button. At first, I thought nothing would happen but then Genevieve drove forward into the empty space in front of us.
I felt weird pulsing energy hit my body as we passed through some sort of force field thing. It started to come into view. A small array of buildings that looked like a mini-city.
I heard Genevieve laugh. She probably noticed my jaw dropped. I stared at the buildings towering above us as we headed for some sort of medium-sized building. I wondered. How could they hide all this? What was that force field made out of? Genevieve parked in between a blue car and a white car. We got out and she took me inside then we got on an elevator. Genevieve clicked a button that had a negative five on it. “Negative five?” I was confused. Genevieve just stood there. She didn’t seem very scary. I was like, a whole foot taller than her. She reminded me of one of my elementary teachers.
When the elevator opened there were two guards who escorted me towards a door. They made me walk inside and then the door screwed shut. At least that’s what it sounded like. “HEY!” I shouted. “WHAT’S GOING ON?! I WANT TO TALK TO MY LAWYER!” I heard a scrape behind me. I turned around to see a small light hanging from the ceiling and two people.
One had blue hair, ice-blue eyes, and looked like he’d never felt any feelings ever. The other had blonde hair and green eyes and she seemed startled. “Her hair looks like it’s on fire!” The blonde girl exclaimed.
The boy scoffed “Well it’s not. But it does look like it. You must be the fire elemental.” The boy glared at me in interest. “Uh… Not exactly? It’s fire-related though.” The boy’s eyes suddenly flashed with what I thought was probably frustration. “What?” The girl’s fingers fumbled to grasp the charm on her necklace.
“I’m Lotus Springtale. I’m the nature elemental. I, uh, I’m…”
“She’s shy.”
“Cody!”
“What? It’s true. You ARE shy.”
I watched the small chaos unfold with joy. I love chaos. Cody turned to look at me. “I’m the water elemental, Cody Farrow.” And then it dawned on me. The blue hair. Last name Farrow. “ARE YOU GENEVIEVE’S SON?!” Cody glared at me. “Whatever. Kestrel Goldspur.” I said, holding out my hand. Cody shook it reluctantly.
“So, is it true? Are you the fire elemental Kestrel?” Lotus said quietly.
I wondered how to tell them. My powers are fire-related but they aren’t exactly fire. Would they wish I died too if they knew? Is it really worth the risk? Welp, better late than never (or is it?) “I, uh, well… I don’t have fire! I have electricity! Okay, got that off my chest.” And then Cody, his feet perched upon the boring table in the middle of the room and his arms crossed like he didn’t care, suddenly stood up and left my ears hurting as his seat screeched.
“You’re NOT the fire elemental?” Cody said in a mildly angered voice. I was afraid of this. But who cares anymore really? “YEAH, THAT’S RIGHT! YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT!?” Cody started to growl.
“Then why are you even here?!”
“THAT’S A GREAT QUESTION! WANNA ANSWER THAT GENEVIEVE?” I screeched at nothingness.
Cody looked quite angry at the aggression towards his mother. “If you’re not the fire elemental then where is the real elemental?” I started to feel the fury bubble up inside of my chest. “My brother is DEAD! Killed when we were one!” I started to choke back tears. “I never got to know him! Everyone acts like they don’t care about how I feel! He was MY brother! Everyone, even my own parents, hated me and wished I had died and not Jake.” I felt a tear roll down my face and I could feel Cody’s cold stare on me.
The dummy turned his head away from me and stared at the wall. “No wonder. I would feel the same too. You are just a malfunctioning mistake. You don’t belong here.” And then I snapped.
Before I knew it I heard Lotus’s gasp and I felt blood on my hands. Cody had fallen backward and his head smacked against the wall. He looked at me for a split second before closing his eyes and groaning. I just punched a prophecy guy in the face. I didn’t want to but I half grinned. “That’s what you get for talking like that about me.” I stared at him before seeing Lotus’s terrified expression.
The poor little girl was paralyzed with fear and I could see that she was scared. Genevieve walked into the room but she didn’t hurt me or anything. “Calm yourself Kestrel. If you kill your teammates you will be killing the world.” I knew what she meant without further explanation.
Cody sat up, kicking away his dented chair and wiping the blood from his nose and mouth.
A horrible feeling crept along my spine. How could I have enjoyed that? I’m not a fan of violence… Yet I took great pleasure in hitting Cody. Why? “Find yourself another elemental!” I shouted. I heard the door creek and I walked over and gave it a good kick. Then it opened. Just like that. “Why didn’t she just do that earlier?” Cody scorned. I let the tears slide down my face as I left the room thinking of the brother I wish I knew.
“Cody, you’re one of my best-est friends and all but why were you so insensitive towards Kestrel?” I stopped and listened. “Without a fire elemental, we are doomed,” Cody said. I could hear Lotus make a defiant noise for the first time “Well she’s the only other elemental in the world so we have to work with her if we want to have even the slightest chance.”
I sighed. Am I really going to help this dork? I guess so. Walking back into the room I glared at Cody. “I’ll be the elemental on ONE condition.” Everyone’s attention had been caught. “NO ONE mentions my brother or anything related to him, got it?” I stared especially hard at Cody.
Lotus agreed and nodded at the speed of light. Genevieve looked at her son. “I can’t make any promises.” Cody hissed. Genevieve groaned “Just accept the condition already.” Cody glared defiantly, then sighed, and finally agreed. Then the lights went out.
A gunshot was heard.
[/spoiler]
Ooh! This is really good!
I remembered about one of my old OCs today and got an interesting idea for a fanfic!
Here’s the prologue. I’m excited to write more!
Apple’s Discovery
Prologue
The blue-gray she-cat stared down through the clear pool at the kit who padded through the grass.
“What’s wrong, Bluestar?” a brown tom padded up to sit beside her, “You’ve been staring through the pool all day.”
“I’ve been watching that cat.”
“The gray one in the grass?” the tom tipped his head to one side, “Seems like a rogue to me. Do you think she’s special? Part of a prophecy?”
“I don’t think so, Oakheart. Quite the contrary,” Bluestar mewed smoothly, yet darkly, “I believe she poses a threat.”
“A threat?” Oakheart looked taken aback. “Are you okay, Bluestar? She looks barely old enough to be an apprentice.”
“I’m fine!” Bluestar hissed furiously, and yet when she met Oakheart’s gaze her deep blue eyes were dark and fearful, and her mew dropped to a low whisper, sending a shiver down his pelt.
“This mysterious cat knows more than StarClan.”
OHHHH this is awesome. You’re very good at writing!
Thank you!
Prolouge
Sparrowkit felt strong teeth hold him firmly by the scruff. His pelt felt wet and soggy and the cat who was carrying him quickened their pace. Sparrowkit felt the sensation of swinging. Left, right, left, right. Loud sounds boomed ahead of him, shaking the very earth around him. Even though his eyes were still closed from young age he could see a flash so bright it threatened to set his eyelids on fire. Suddenly, heat scorched his fur and he felt power flow into his muscles, until he felt able to take on anything in the whole world. Colour rushed up on him and he stumbled a bit. The, he opened his eyes.
Chapter 1
Blearily, he blinked open his eyes.
“Such a shame,” mewed the cat who was carrying him. The cat looked old.
“He was so young.” said the other cat.
All of a sudden, the first cat let out a yelp of surprise and dropped Sparrowkit.
“He’s alive!”
The two cats took him back to camp.
Purple trees surrounded the edge of a purple hollow.
A cat who must be his mother stared at him. She was purple too.
“My dear kit! whatever has happened to you! We thought you were dead! We were going to bury you. You look so different- Your-your eyes! There-there -Purple!
And your fur, it used to be brown and cream but know-” she broke off.
Sparrowkit stepped forwards and stared at a puddle.
A jet black cat with blazing purple eyes stared back at him.
“From this moment forth, you shall be known as Lightningkit!” yowled the big cat on the rock. It was half a moon later.
Lightningkit stumbled into his nest, tired. He closed his eyes.
Purple, wavy lines filled hi vision. After a moment, they came into focus. He could see cats in the clearing sharing tongues. He opened his eyes to see the same cats doing the same things. He frowned and closed his eyes again. This time,he didn’t fall asleep, yet he could still see the cats.
can I see without opening my eyes!?
that was impossible. It couldn’t be!
“Hey, Purpleeyes!” yowled Lionkit.
“Leave him alone!” mewled Silverkit.
“Oh look 4 nice little kitties and-whois this! Purple eyes! He can’t be real! He’s a fake! He’ll scare away all the mice! His black fur and purple eyes will stand out in the open moorland! An enemy will see him from the other side of the mountain!”
Lightningkit felt his power and anger swell through his body. He closed his eyes, still seeing Lionkit and focused all his energy on the kitten.
A blast of purple fire roared towards Lionkit, scorching his fur and sending him mewling away to his mother.
Lightningkit felt joy. Triumph. Pride.
He narrowed his purple eyes.
This might be more fun than i thought.
Oh. My. Star. Clan!
Chapter 6 of The First Warrior! Be sure to check out Chapter 5 on page 530!
Chapter 6
“Lionpaw! I want you to go on the border patrol that Vixenclaw is leading,” Everflame yowled.
Yes! Lionpaw internally cheered. He was so close to becoming a warrior, and now Everflame was letting him go on patrols. And one day I’ll be leading patrols.
Vixenclaw lashed her tail impatiently. “Are you coming?” Sammie and Roseberry waited beside her.
Lionpaw raced over to the patrol. “Do you think we’ll see ShadeClan trespassers?” he growled.
Roseberry rolled her eyes. “You’re almost a warrior, yet you act like a kit.”
Lionpaw’s fur bristled. “Hey!”
Sammie stepped in between them. “Alright, you two. Let’s just go.”
Lionpaw followed Vixenclaw as she trudged in the direction of the ShadeClan border. “Do we have permission to fight off the ShadeClan cats if we see them?” he pressed.
Vixenclaw glared at him. “No.”
“Why not?” Lionpaw thought it was ridiculous. ShadeClan had acted terrible at the Gathering, demanding more space that they didn’t need. Why couldn’t Needlestar admit that they needed to fight back for the good of the Clan?
Roseberry huffed. “Can’t you just be quiet?”
A low growl rumbled in Lionpaw’s throat. “I’m just trying to help.”
“You can help by listening to the older warriors,” Sammie mewed gently. He leaned closer to Lionpaw. “I know how it feels for them to not listen to you simply because you weren’t born here.”
Lionpaw whipped around, his eyes blazing. “That’s not why they aren’t listening to me!” he snarled. “It’s just because I’m younger than them.”
Sammie simply blinked. “You can tell yourself that, but we both know the truth.”
“Maybe they don’t accept you,” Lionpaw argued, “but I am a loyal PineClan cat. I came here when I was a kit. Most of my life has been spent here in PineClan, not RockClan. Sure, I have my sisters in RockClan, and I will always love them, but I am loyal to PineClan. Most of them know that, even if I have a few doubters.”
Sammie took a step back. “I was just trying to help,” he meowed defensively. “But if you feel that way, good for you.”
“If you two would stop chattering, you would notice that we’re at the border,” Vixenclaw called.
Lionpaw scampered over to where Vixenclaw and Roseberry were standing. “So what do I do?”
“Look for trespassers, and mark the border with PineClan scent,” Vixenclaw instructed. “Stay close together.”
Lionpaw thought he saw movement out of the corner of his eye, and quietly looked around to see a patrol of ShadeClan cats farther down the border. “Vixenclaw,” he whispered. “ShadeClan patrol over there. On PineClan territory!”
Both Vixenclaw and Roseberry whipped around to get a look at the ShadeClan cats. “Those fox-hearts!” Roseberry growled.
“What do they think they’re doing?” Sammie hissed with the lash of his tail.
Vixenclaw’s eyes were narrow slits. “Let’s go,” she murmured, heading towards the patrol.
As Lionpaw got closer, he could see that the warriors were Cloudpool, Sundapple, Windwing and Elmfire. How dare they act like this is their territory! This is PineClan land! “What do you think you’re doing?” he yowled.
Cloudpool snapped her head up. “We were just hunting,” she said innocently.
“On PineClan territory?” Sammie challenged.
“Don’t talk back to me, kittypet,” Cloudpool spat. “And Nightstar said this was ShadeClan territory.”
“Well please tell Nightstar that she was misinformed,” Vixenclaw meowed coldly.
Sundapple’s hackles raised. “We will do no such thing.”
“Yeah!” Windwing agreed. “We will fight for this territory!”
Roseberry barred her teeth. “So will we.”
Cloudpool flexed her claws and Lionpaw let a low growl rumble in his throat. He prepared to attack, but Vixenclaw stopped them.
“Do not fight right now! We have to report this to Needlestar.” She glared at Cloudpool. “And get your patrol off of our land.”
“You saw them?” Needlestar asked in amazement. “And they claimed it was their land?”
Vixenclaw nodded. “Do you think I would lie to you, Needlestar?” She immediately looked ashamed of her words, and Lionpaw wondered why.
Needlestar hesitated before answering. “Not about this,” he finally mewed gently. He closed his eyes. “I will call a Clan meeting. We will attack tomorrow.”
Roseberry piped up with, “You’re making the right choice.”
Lionpaw padded out of Needlestar’s den excitedly. He hoped he was chosen to fight in the battle. Everflame had taught him so many battle moves, and he wanted a chance to prove himself.
“All cats gather beneath the Pine Pile for a Clan meeting!” Needlestar yowled.
Lionpaw noticed Deerkit and Branchkit peeking their heads out of the nursery. “Can we go to the meeting, Fallowleap?” Branchkit asked.
Fallowleap glanced back at the Pine Pile. “I suppose you can.”
“This is the best day ever!” Deerkit cheered.
Lilypaw sat down next to Lionpaw, and his heart sped up. Why are you acting like this, you stupid fur-ball? You don’t like her, he scolded himself.
“Do you know what this is about?” she asked him with shining eyes.
Lionpaw hesitated. Was he allowed to tell her? He might as well. Needlestar was about to announce it anyway. “ShadeClan crossed the border to hunt,” he murmured quietly. “There’s going to be a battle.”
Lilypaw’s eyes widened. “A battle? Wow!” She shifted nervously. “This will be my first battle,” she admitted.
Lionpaw quickly licked her shoulder. “You will be fine. He might not even pick you to go.”
Lilypaw unsheathed her claws. “He better,” she growled. “I’ve been an apprentice for nearly two moons!”
“Today a patrol spotted ShadeClan freely hunting on our territory,” Needlestar announced. “This has been going on far too long, and it is time we take matters into our own hands. Tomorrow at midday, we attack!”
Cheers erupted into the clearing.
“We will have two battle waves,” Needlestar explained. “The first one will be small. We will let them think they beat us and they will let their guard down, and that is when the second wave will attack. Together, with both groups fighting, we will emerge victorious!”
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Needlestar?” Cherryfur fretted.
“Yeah,” Shadowpool agreed. “ShadeClan is far bigger than us.”
“But we have the element of surprise,” Lynxnose countered.
“Needlestar, what happens if we lose?” Smokefoot asked. “Will we lose part of our territory?”
“We won’t lose, you mouse-brain,” Stoneskip snapped. “We need to take back what’s ours! We can’t just let ShadeClan walk all over us.”
Lionpaw noticed Lilypaw looking worried. “Fernleaf is in ShadeClan,” she whispered anxiously. “It would kill Stormfrost to fight her.”
Lionpaw knew exactly how she felt. If it was RockClan they were attacking, Lionpaw would be torn at the thought of fighting Brindlepaw or Sorrelpaw. “It will be okay,” he assured her. “I understand how hard that is.”
Lilypaw gazed at him gratefully. “Of course you do,” she murmured. “I had forgotten.”
Needlestar drowned out the noise. “I thought about them being larger than us, and that is why we are attacking midday. All of their patrols will be out. The first wave,” he called, “will be Shadowpool, Luna, Flameleap, Sammie, Izzy, and Nettlecreek. The second wave will be everyone else except for Stormfrost, Fallowleap, and the elders. You will guard the camp.”
Lionpaw saw Stormfrost sag with relief.
“Start preparing. We must win this battle! And remember that we attack at midday!”
“PineClan will win!” everyone yowled. Even the cats who had expressed their concern now looked ready to fight.
After the meeting was dispersed, Everflame padded over to Lionpaw. “Do you want to practice your battle moves, or do you feel ready?”
Lionpaw gave him a curt nod. “I feel ready.”
Lilypaw shivered beside Lionpaw. “I’m nervous!”
Everflame placed his tail on her spine. “You will be fine as long as you remember what Icestone has taught you. I can help you too.”
“Do you think Icestone will mind if I ask her to go over a few moves with me?” she asked.
“Not at all,” Everflame replied. “Go ask her.” He looked back at Lionpaw. “You know I will help you just like I said I will help her, Lionpaw. I will look out for you in that battle. You should know that you will have someone looking out for you here, as long as I’m around.”
Lionpaw tried not to show how much that meant to him. “I have Fallowleap,” he pointed out.
“But you don’t have a father,” Everflame murmured. “You lost yours when you were three moons old. You should have a father, Lionpaw. Someone who you can look up to and turn to. You can always turn to me for help. I just thought you should know that.” The serious look in his eyes faded. “Now do you want to get something to eat? You’ll need your strength for tomorrow.”
Lionpaw nudged against his mentor as they walked to the prey pile. Tomorrow I will fight beside my Clan. My family.
“Are you ready for the battle?” Lionpaw asked Lilypaw the next day.
Lilypaw shifted nervously. “Yeah, I think so, but I’m really nervous.”
Lionpaw wrapped his tail around hers and gazed at her. “Don’t be. You’re an excellent fighter, and you’ll do great. PineClan will win.”
Lilypaw met his gaze and purred. “You really think so?”
“Yeah,” Lionpaw meowed. He suddenly became aware of his tail intertwined with hers, and awkwardly pulled it away with a flick. He broke their gaze and blinked. What’s wrong with you, you stupid, stupid fur-ball?! You have a battle to fight. Stop acting all gooey-eyed over some she-cat! one part of his brain screeched. The other part said, Lilypaw is not just any she-cat. She’s special. The problem was he didn’t know which one to listen to. One look at Dawnpaw, who was standing at the other side of the prey pile and shooting him a look of pure hatred, made up his mind. Don’t want to cross her! What if she has to treat me after the battle?
Cherryfur trotted past them. “Are you two ready?”
Lilypaw groaned. “Why does everyone keep asking me that?”
Cherryfur let out a mrrow of laughter. “It’s not every day an apprentice fights their first battle!”
“You’re awfully cheerful about this,” Lionpaw remarked.
“I’m ready to get our territory back!” Cherryfur exclaimed. The senior warrior sat down next to the two apprentices. “You know, when Turtlepelt, Foxfang, and Everflame were only ’paws, they were nervous for their first battle, too.”
“Everflame was?!” Lionpaw found that hard to believe.
Cherryfur nodded. “Oh, yes. Our great deputy was scared to fight his first battle. If you had known Foxfang and Turtlepelt, you would be shocked by that, too.” Her eyes reflected her grief over her lost daughters.
“Did you win the battle? Who were you fighting against? How did Everflame, Turtlepelt, and Foxfang become less nervous?” The questions poured out from Lilypaw, and Lionpaw guessed she was relieved to focus on something other than the upcoming battle.
“Slow down,” Cherryfur purred. “We were fighting LakeClan, I believe. Some ridiculous reason that no one can remember. We outnumbered them and won. To help my kits, I gave them a sweet berry.” Cherryfur sighed. “It was small, so they could eat it despite their nervous bellies, and the sweet taste soothed their minds.” Her expression brightened. “Wait here, I’ll be right back.” She returned moments later with two berries dangling from her jaw. Gently placing them on the ground, she nudged them towards Lilypaw and Lionpaw. “To calm your nerves.”
Lionpaw shook his head. “I’m not nervous.”
Cherryfur shrugged. “Then you get to have a tasty treat.”
Lionpaw and Lilypaw lapped up their berries. “Thank you!” they chorused.
Lilypaw turned to Lionpaw after Cherryfur left. “Is it true that you’re really not nervous?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Lionpaw answered truthfully. “I’m just really excited to prove myself.”
Lilypaw pressed against his side. “You don’t have to prove yourself. Everyone here knows you’re PineClan.”
“I know that, but I still feel like I should prove myself at any chance I get,” Lionpaw confessed.
“Just be careful,” Lilypaw fretted. “There’s a fine line between proving yourself, and being plain stupid.”
“I will,” Lionpaw promised her.
“Everyone, gather round!” Needlestar called. “It is time for the first wave to attack! Shadowpool will take the lead, and will signal for us to make the second attack. Are we ready?”
“Yes!”
Lionpaw’s heart drummed in his chest. He was always going to be ready.
Izzy dashed to Lionpaw’s side. “I’m leaving now,” she told him. “Do you have anything you would like to say to me?” her eyes were wide with hope.
Lionpaw knew she was hoping for him to confess his love for her, or something like that, but that was just gross. “Yeah,” he meowed. “Protect your face. Don’t want to get a scar like mine. I know how much you would hate that.” He winked.
Izzy glared at him and stormed off, and Lilypaw burst out laughing.
“That was great! Her face!” she gasped in between purrs.
“Yeah,” Lionpaw laughed. “It was funny.”
Needlestar’s tail twitched. “We will leave soon and wait for the signal, so get ready.”
Lionpaw gulped. The time to fight was almost here.
The screeches of battle echoed through the trees as the second group waited to attack. Everything was going according to plan, they just had to wait for Shadowpool’s signal.
Needlestar’s eyes sharpened as Shadowpool’s caterwaul rang out. “Now!” he hissed.
Lionpaw bounded into the camp beside his Clanmates, feeling a prick of satisfaction at the surprised looks from the ShadeClan cats. He barreled into a golden tabby who he recognized as Yarrowtail, and raked his claws across her side. She screeched in pain and fury and grabbed onto Lionpaw’s shoulders, digging her claws in deep. Lionpaw winced, but noticed that her belly was exposed. Never leave your belly exposed. Everflame’s words echoed through Lionpaw’s head, and he slashed his claws through each side of her belly. Yarrowtail let out a shriek of agony and released Lionpaw. Lionpaw darted away victoriously. His shoulders were throbbing, but he still had a battle to fight.
He scratched up Daypaw’s ears, leaving him running off wailing for his mother. That stupid fur-ball acts like no more than a kit, he thought scornfully.
Lionpaw was in the middle of fighting Wolfscratch when he heard a cry pierce the air.
“No! Someone help me!”
Lionpaw’s blood froze as he recognized the voice as Lilypaw’s. “I’m coming!” he yowled, dodging under Wolfscratch. He saw Ravenpelt standing over her, ready to strike. “No!” he screeched, shooting himself forwards. He knocked Ravenpelt off of Lilypaw just as he was about to deliver the killing blow. Pure rage clouded his mind at the thought of Lilypaw being killed by that fox-heart, and he lashed out, slicing his claws wherever there was fur. He hardly even felt the vicious blows that Ravenpelt delivered to him. He hardly could even see what he was doing, he was so blinded by his anger. “What did you think you were doing?” he snarled. “Why did you try to kill her?” He dug his claws into his belly and sliced them down. Red blinded him completely. He was brought back to his dream, where Swiftsnow hated him for not saving him. All of the feelings of guilt and self-hatred came flooding back to him, only causing him to fight harder. He could fix it, though. He could fix everything by saving Lilypaw.
Ravenpelt gasped in pain. “Stop… please! She was about to enter the nursery!”
“Shut up!” Lionpaw growled, clawing his face.
Suddenly, the burn of Ravenpelt’s sharp claws in his back fell away, and he no longer struggled against Lionpaw’s grasp.
“Lionpaw!” Everflame roared. “Stop! Stop it!” He tackled him, and Lionpaw’s head hit the ground with a thud, bringing him back to reality. Tears burned his eyes. Stop it, stop it, stop it. Don’t cry. You can’t cry here. Lionpaw buried his face into Everflame’s fur and a sob choked out of him. “He tried to kill Lilypaw.”
Everflame let him stay there. “It’s alright now,” he murmured. “It’s over. She’s safe.”
“Lionpaw!” Lilypaw shrieked. “You saved me. You saved my life!”
Lionpaw glanced at Ravenpelt’s body. “He’s dead. I killed him, didn’t I?” He felt sick at the realization.
“Did he really try to kill you?” Everflame asked Lilypaw, ignoring Lionpaw’s question.
Lilypaw nodded, shaking violently. “Yes. He would have, if Lionpaw hadn’t saved me.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “I didn’t know it was the nursery. I would have left once I saw where I was.”
“What you did was very brave, Lionpaw,” Everflame told him.
Dread clawed at Lionpaw’s belly. “But I killed him, didn’t I?” he repeated. Please say no.
“You were very brave.” Everflame still avoided the question.
Lionpaw moaned and let his head fall to the ground. How could he live with himself knowing he ended a cat’s life? But you also saved one, he reminded himself.
“This battle is over!” Nightstar cried. “You can have your territory. It wasn’t worth Ravenpelt’s life.” Grief thickened her mew. “He had kits.”
That’s why he tried to kill Lilypaw when she almost went into the nursery by accident, Lionpaw realized. He was protecting his mate and kits. What have I done?! I know what it’s like to grow up with the absence of a father, and now I caused more kits to feel that terrible pain.
Needlestar gathered his cats and Lionpaw staggered to his paws, cringing at the pain of his wounds. Lilypaw supported him as they limped back towards the PineClan camp along with the others. She gazed at him with shining eyes. “Thank you, Lionpaw. Thank you. I can’t wait to tell Dawnpaw what happened.” She gingerly touched her nose to his wounds. “You’re hurt.”
Lionpaw ruffled his pelt. “It’s not too bad,” he lied. It felt like his skin was on fire.
Lilypaw stared at him in concern. “Those will leave scars.”
Lionpaw shrugged. “What’s one more?”
Lilypaw leaned her head against his shoulder. “I’m just happy you’re okay.”
Lionpaw intertwined his tail with hers. He didn’t care who saw.
Stormfrost greeted them anxiously at the entrance to the camp. “How did it go?”
Needlestar raised his voice in victory. “We won! The territory is ours once more!”
“Is everyone okay?” she asked, searching around.
“Stormfrost!” Lilypaw broke away from Lionpaw and bounded over to her mother. Lionpaw pushed aside the stab of jealousy as he saw the mother and daughter together. I would give anything to have Rainmist comfort me right now. To see her again. He longed for Rainmist in that moment so badly it hurt.
“Lionpaw?” Lionpaw turned around to see Fallowleap worriedly scanning the crowd.
Lionpaw stumbled over to Fallowleap and collapsed at her paws. He did not have to say anything, she knew he was hurting. She licked him in between his ears like he was a tiny kit, still, and murmured soothing words.
“I killed a cat,” Lionpaw finally choked out.
“It was a battle. Sometimes cats die. I wish it didn’t have to be that way,” Fallowleap said softly.
“He was about to kill Lilypaw,” Lionpaw added.
“No one here is blaming you,” Fallowleap soothed. “You did a good thing, saving her.”
“But I killed him,” Lionpaw argued. “How is that… how does saving Lilypaw justify that?”
“I don’t know,” Fallowleap whispered. “I don’t know. You care about her, don’t you?”
Lionpaw blinked. “I care about her more than anyone understands.”
“Then maybe you’ll just have to live with the weight of what happened today.”
“But what if it’s too heavy?” Lionpaw sobbed.
Fallowleap sighed sadly. “You aren’t alone, Lionpaw. You don’t have to carry it alone.”
Everflame walked by Lionpaw and Fallowleap. “Lionpaw,” he meowed. “I thought you might want to know that I told Needlestar you fought like a warrior today. A loyal warrior protects his Clanmates.”
“I didn’t mean to kill him,” Lionpaw said, his voice hollow. “It was an accident. I just wanted to protect Lilypaw.”
Everflame nodded. “I know. Why don’t go to the medicine den to get your wounds looked at.”
Lionpaw wordlessly agreed and stood up. Deerkit and Branchkit were on their way over, and he didn’t want to distract Fallowleap from them.
Dawnpaw was treating Icestone when he arrived. She looked up and for the first time, Lionpaw didn’t see anger in her eyes.
“Is it true that you saved my sister?” she asked.
Lionpaw’s heart squeezed with guilt as Ravenpelt’s bloody body came into his mind. “Yes,” he managed to say.
Dawnpaw dipped her head. “Thank you. I don’t know how to repay you.” She turned back to Icestone. “You’re all set, Icestone. Just go easy on your shoulder for a few days.”
Icestone padded away. “Thanks Dawnpaw!”
Dawnpaw fixed her gaze on Lionpaw. “I’ll be right back. I need to get some dock leaves for your scratches. And more cobwebs.”
Dawnpaw started to walk away when Needlestar began to speak from atop of the Pine Pile. “All cats gather beneath the Pine Pile for a Clan meeting.”
Dawnpaw glared at Lionpaw. “Come right back here after the meeting so I can treat your wounds. I don’t want them to get infected.”
“Got it,” Lionpaw replied, running to get a spot near the Pine Pile.
“Today, we won the battle against ShadeClan! It is to my understanding that one of our apprentices fought particularly hard today, and he saved his Clanmate’s life. Would Lionpaw please step forward?”
Stunned, Lionpaw slowly padded to the base of the Pine Pile.
“Lionpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code even with the cost of your life?”
It wasn’t even a question. “I do.”
“Then by the power of StarClan, I grant you your warrior name. From this moment forth, you will be known as Lionscar. StarClan honors your courage and loyalty.”
“Lionscar! Lionscar! Lionscar!”
Lionscar looked out into the crowd of his Clanmates. He wished with all his heart that his parents could see him, see the warrior he had become. Lionscar lifted his face to the sky, searching for the two stars that were his parents. “I miss you,” he whispered. “Please say you’re watching me.”
He knew it was a part of his imagination, but he could have sworn he heard a slight whisper in the breeze.
“We’re always with you, my son.”
Awesome! Just maybe, instead of “take matters into our own hands!” you could say “take matters into our own paws!” ’cause they’re cats, so they don’t even know what hands are.
Oh! Thank you so much for catching that!
This is aboslotly amazing!! I love it so much and its so discribtive!! Lionscar is such a well made character, this is beatifley written.
This is awesome! Your a great writer 🙂
Come join my short story contest!
https://blogclan.katecary.co.uk/2019/07/06/elections-day-4-the-fourth-deputy-hustings/cat-8/
Come join my short story contest!!
https://blogclan.katecary.co.uk/2019/07/06/elections-day-4-the-fourth-deputy-hustings/cat-8/
Oop, sorry, I accidentally posted this twice…
My fan fiction is back on page 530! I guess it’s destiny that my fan fictions get approved on a different page! 😛
Ack I hate when that happens! I’ll check it out right now!
Agreed!
And thanks! 😀
Haha, same! 🙂
🙂
BLUEWAVE’S STORY PROLOGUE
“Blu, you must run from the Hunters. Never stop running from them, understand?” Mother Feather mewed. “Feather, leave them somewhere a cat can take care of her. We can only hope they don’t kill us.” Mother Wreath told Mother Feather. “…Hope… That’s what we need… But we don’t have it, Wreath.” Mother Feather replied. “Remember, Feather, when you were happy, didn’t know about much? You brightened my world! Please…” Mother Wreath pleaded Mother Feather. Suddenly cats emerged from the trees. “RUN! Save Blu!” Mother Feather mewed. Mother Wreath nodded and pick up Blu by her scruff. “M-Mother Feather?”Blu called pathetically to Feather. “Sh.. Sh…. Blu don’t look back…” Mother Wreath tried to calm Blu.
As Mother Wreath got Blu back to The Safety Stream, Blu found less meaning in eating and sleeping. “M-Mother Wreath? Wh-Where is Mother Feather?” Blu asked, aware that the face Mother Wreath was making was going to give her bad news. “I-I… I don’t know!” Mother Wreath screamed into the starry sky. Mother Wreath was sobbing. It felt like a honey-covered thorn. Soothing, yet painful.
I’m glad Mother Wreath feels the same way I do… But it hurts to see Mother Wreath sobbing…
“Promise me,” Mother Wreath’s words snapped Blu from her daze. “that you will never die from the Hunters…” The next few words made Mother Wreath sob. “L-Like Feather.” Blu pressed her muzzle into Mother Wreath’s pelt. “I promise, Mother W-Wreath!” Blu mewed, sobbing shortly after. “I-I… Need to tell you something… I have to leave you where the Hunters will never find you..” Mother Wreath sobbed harder. “I have to leave you with the clans…”
I wrote part of the first chapter of Apple’s Discovery! This story is super fun to write so far and I have interesting plans for it. 😀
I’ve developed the characters’ personalities a lot more since I got the idea and it’s turning out to me a more enjoyable writing than I’d thought.
Also, I adore Apple and Maple’s relationship! <3
Apple’s Discovery
[spoiler title=”Prologue”] The blue-gray she-cat stared down through the clear pool at the kit who padded through the grass.
“What’s wrong, Bluestar?” a brown tom padded up to sit beside her, “You’ve been staring through the pool all day.”
“I’ve been watching that cat.”
“The gray one in the grass?” the tom tipped his head to one side, “Seems like a rogue to me. Do you think she’s special? Part of a prophecy?”
“I don’t think so, Oakheart. Quite the contrary,” Bluestar mewed smoothly, yet darkly, “I believe she poses a threat.”
“A threat?” Oakheart looked taken aback. “Are you okay, Bluestar? She looks barely old enough to be an apprentice.”
“I’m fine!” Bluestar hissed furiously, and yet when she met Oakheart’s gaze her deep blue eyes were dark and fearful, and her mew dropped to a low whisper, sending a shiver down his pelt.
“This mysterious cat knows more than StarClan.”
[/spoiler]
Chapter 1
Apple opened her eyes and stretched. Sunlight was streaming through the window, making a purr rumble in her throat.
She bounced down from her kitty-bed, and stretched out in a beam of sun, which pooled across the floor, letting out a soft mrrow escape her throat.
“I see you’re up early,” a sleepy voice rasped.
“Yeah, I am,” Apple purred, looking up at the tabby who was sitting, paws folded neatly, on the windowsill, “Good morning, Maple!”
After wriggling her striped tail, she scrambled rather awkwardly onto the windowsill to sit next to the larger cat.
Maple’s reddish fur glowed in the sunlight and she looked content, her eyes closed and her tail curled neatly around her side.
Although Maple and Apple looked nothing alike- Maple’s striped red fur was stiff, smooth, and well-groomed compared to Apple’s splotchy gray-and-white down, and her eyes matched each other, while Apple had one orange eye and the other one green- Apple knew they were family. Maple was here ever since Apple arrived, and the elderly she-cat was the first cat she knew.
“I wonder when Mr. Greene will get up,” Apple chirped, pawing at the glass of the window- her claws making a scraping sound which caused Maple’s ears to flatten- “I want to go out!”
“Probably…” Maple’s amber eyes slowly opened and her nose twitched as she contemplated, “not soon. He is, after all, a man- not a crazed kitten.” She turned to Apple, a mild trace of a smile curling up her broad face, “Unlike certain individuals I know…”
“Oh, alright,” Apple mewed, impatiently but lightly, as she used the tip of Maple’s yellow tail to fidget with, “I guess I can wait for him to wake up.” She glanced out the window, the morning calling her, “On second thought I think I’ll go wake him. Good morning, Maple!” she added as she stood up.
Maple’s whiskers twitched with amusement. “Good morning, my dear crazy one,” she purred as her eyes closed slowly and her breathing steadied as she drifted back into dreamland.
Apple is adorable! And for some reason, I’m really starting to imagine Maple having a slight Scottish accent 😛
MothPool ShipperCHAPTER TWO
(It was a tie! Please vote again!)
I remember becoming aware after I learned to re-cog-nize (did I say that right?) my mother’s fur. The day I opened my eyes was so cool! Everything had color and shape- blue, green, yellow, purple, red, circle, oval, square, triangle- it was amazing to see the world. It’s so much more than smell! There are even groups called Clans, called CogarClan (They smell funny!), JagguarClan (They act weird!), PanterClan (They’re the mean ones!), ChetuhClan (They’re fast!), ToigerClan (That’s mine!), LyinClan (They’re big!), LepperdClan (They look like the fast ones!), and LinksClan (They’re small!). There’s also ShiningClan. They’re all dead though.
I soon learned, however, that the mother I was used to wasn’t my mother at all. This was Lilystream. Turtlefox died when I was born. I got sick with Greencough that day. It was crazy that I survived. Berrythorn, the medicine cat called it an “oh-minn”. I don’t know what that word means, but it doesn’t sound good.
Lilystream is mean to me sometimes. Her son isn’t though. His name is Pigeonkit! I think that’s a funny name. He’s super fluffy, which makes me upset. I wish I was fluffy!
I sit to groom my short fur. Lilystream says Turtlefox had short fur too. I wonder if it’s true. Well, of course it’s true! I can trust any cats.
I’m almost six moons old now. I wonder who I will get for a mentor!
Pigeonkit hops out of his bracken nest. I think ferns are better for a nest, but he doesn’t mind. “Hey Ravenkit! Want to go exploring in the forest? We can catch a mouse while we’re out! We’ll impress the Clan and be made apprentices early! Who do you think our mentors will be? I want Heartshine! She’s so nice.” Pigeonkit breaks off with a shiver. “Hopface is mean! I don’t want him…”
He cocks his head at me. “So, do you want to go in the forest with me?”
WILL RAVENKIT EXPLORE WITH PIGEONKIT?
A. Yes
B. No
A
A
B
B 🍃
B
B
Uh dude B!
Thrushpelt’s Trust—Chapter 10
Back during the Great Hunger, the bodies had piled up to the point where it had been hard to feel the grief for each individual. Between the pain and the death, it had all sort of faded into a dull numbness, until the new leaf’s warmth had finally returned to defrost their hearts.
Thrushpaw had hoped he would never feel numb like that again, and thus far in his life he hadn’t. But at the moment, what he was feeling was somewhere adjacent to it.
“I should have gotten her up that tree as soon as I heard the badgers,” Tawnyspots growled, his brittle voice sounding hoarse, probably from saying the same thing over and over again. “I should have gotten her up that tree.”
Thrushpaw watched his older brother pace, his paws ruffling the fallen leaves coating the camp’s floor. He swiped at one, shredding his claws angrily through it’s green spine.
Most of the clan was back in camp now, having drifted in from various tasks and getting sucked immediately into the fractured stillness of the gathered cats. Some cats had mumbled their condolences, and some, like Tawnyspots, were blaming themselves. None of it was going to bring her back.
Thrushpaw rested his chin on his paws, staring at Rainfur. She was arranged neatly, as if she was sleeping, like how the elders had laid out Harepounce before the bodies had gotten too numerous to organize.
But she wasn’t asleep, and he knew that. He’d known that the minute Tawnyspots had told him to run for help, but he was having trouble connecting the limp ginger form to the vibrancy that had been his mother.
She didn’t even look asleep. Her eyes were closed, her tail was curled around her side, but her wound hadn’t finished clotting yet. It ran from her throat to her stomach, and it was still leaking into the small pool of blood around her, drying onto her fur in a brownish crust.
Specklepaw stalked over, drawing Thrushpaw’s attention away from Rainfur. Her eyes were sharp and flinty, her ears flat against her head. “They still won’t let me in,” she hissed, lashing her tail in the direction of the medicine cat’s den. “My sister’s bleeding out in there, and all Goosefeather can tell me is to buzz off. Stupid foxheart,” she spat, shaking her head.
From beside him, Dapplepaw let out a hollow sob, burying her face against Thrushpaw’s shoulder. Thrushpaw glanced between her and Specklepaw, then gave his distraught sister a nudge. “I’m sure she’ll be okay, she’s got both Featherwhisker and Goosefeather taking care of her,” he murmured.
“We don’t know that,” Specklepaw snapped, making Dapplepaw flinch. “And for Starclan’s sake, if she’s going to die I’d like to get to say goodbye for once!”
“What do you mean? Don’t you want her to get better?” Dapplepaw mumbled, her eyes wide.
“She’ll be fine,” Thrushpaw insisted, but neither of his sisters were paying him any attention at the minute.
“Of course I want her to get better, mousebrain,” Specklepaw snarled, glaring at Dapple paw for a moment before spinning around to shoot her withering gaze towards the medicine cat’s den. “But Harepounce and Stagleap both died while I was asleep, and now Rainfur’s gone and gotten herself killed while I was sitting around in camp. If Whitepaw’s going to die, I want to say goodbye!”
“She’s not going to die.”
Specklepaw glowered at Thrushpaw, her lips curled into a taunting sneer. “Oh, really? How do you know that?”
Thrushpaw blinked back at her, ignoring the tone in her voice. If Specklepaw wanted to bury her grief in anger, Trushpaw wasn’t going to hold it against her. “If Goosefeather and Featherwhisker thought she was going to die, I’m sure they’d let us be with her,” he murmured, trying to sound more sure than he really was.
“If cats only died when we thought they were going to, life would be a lot easier, wouldn’t it?” Specklepaw snarled, not at all reassured.
Tawnyspots looked up from his pacing, pricking his ears in their direction. “Specklepaw, it isn’t your fault,” he muttered, walking over. “Or yours, Dapple,” he added, crouching down to look Dapplepaw in the eyes. “Even if you had been there, it probably wouldn’t have changed things. We didn’t stand a chance against those monsters.
“But maybe if I’d made Dad talk to her instead of having her find out like this, it would have gone over differently,” Tawnyspots added bitterly, closing his eyes.
Thrushpaw looked around at his siblings, then cleared his throat. “What exactly were they arguing about?” he asked.
They all looked at him, with different breeds of weariness. Tawnyspots looked reluctant, Dapplepaw was sad, and Specklepaw just seemed plain annoyed.
“What are you, a kit? He was cheating on her, genius,” she muttered.
“Oh,” Thrushpaw replied, sucking in a deep breath. Then, hesitantly, “Who?”
Tawnyspots glanced across the camp at Windflight, and slowly shook his head. “I’ll leave that up to him to tell you. Who knows where their relationship will go after this. It wouldn’t be fair to her to spread rumors.”
Thrushpaw followed his gaze, studying his father’s hunched profile. He’d never seen his parents fight before today, but now everything was different. Rainfur was gone, and he wasn’t sure what to think of his surviving parent.
Windflight’s eyes were fixed on his former mate’s body, his face locked into an expression of stiff neutrality.
Thrushpaw wondered what was going through his mind. Was he relieved that Rainfur was out of his way? The very idea made Thrushpaw feel sick. He shoved it away, refusing to dwell on it anymore. Surely, he was feeling remorse, maybe even heartbreak. Maybe it really had been a mistake that had driven her into the forest in the first place. Maybe his father wasn’t quite as big of a liar as he had the potential to be.
Thrushpaw nodded to himself, trying to clear the heaviness sinking into him. But it still bothered him, watching Windflight stare at Rainfur.
“I’m going to go for a walk,” he muttered, rising to his feet. Instantly, all three of his companions stiffened, and Thrushpaw winced as he recognized his poor wording. “I’ll be just outside of camp,” he added, before quietly slipping away.
Thrushpaw stretched, taking in a deep breath of the crisp leaf-fall air. The woods had a peaceful quietness to them, littered with the rustling of leaves and a crow calling somewhere.
It was if the world was bluntly reminding him that it didn’t particularly care who died. It was still beautiful, even if Rainfur would never see it again.
“How’re you holding up?” a voice asked, startling him. Thrushpaw was surprised to see Sunfall sitting quietly a little farther along the camp exit, his tail curled lightly around his paws.
“Okay, I guess,” Thrushpaw replied, giving the deputy a little shrug. “I just needed some air.” Curiously, he peared at the warrior, then added, “What’re you doing out here?”
“Well,” Sunfall said, grooming at one of his paws, “I suppose I just needed a bit of air myself.” He shot Thrushpaw a sad smile. “I hope you know that what happened wasn’t in any way your fault,” he continued, his gaze drifting over to the territory. “Guilt has a way of sneaking in where it doesn’t belong.”
Thrushpaw glanced at his paws. “I know,” he mewed, meaning it.
Maybe it made him a bad son, but he truly didn’t blame himself for Rainfur’s death. What was the point of pretending he could have changed the situation when it had already happened? His mother was dead, and he had been helpless to stop it from happening.
“That’s good,” Sunfall replied, sounding a little distant.
Thrushpaw waited to see if he would say more, shifting his weight awkwardly from paw to paw. Sunfall seemed like he wanted to be alone, but Thrushpaw didn’t want to be rude to the deputy and just walk away. “Well uh,” he said, nodding towards the camp entrance, “I think I’m going to go check on the others.”
“Okay,” Sunfall murmured, blinking at him. “Take care, Thrushpaw.”
It really started to sink in as the clan prepared to start the vigil. Mistpelt, the only surviving elder after the Great Hunger, had groomed Rainfur’s pelt clean. She hadn’t quite rearranged her as neatly as she had been before, and one of her ginger legs was stretched forwards while her head lolled to the side. If anything, it just made her look more like she could be alive and dozing.
Specklepaw was still hovering outside of the medicine cat’s den, trying to peer inside. Under normal circumstances, one of their parents would have comforted her, but Rainfur was gone and Windflight was still crouched in the corner, staring.
He kept expecting Rainfur to come up and make a dumb joke to make him smile. It was what she had always done when he was upset, but that wasn’t going to happen this time. It was never going to happen again.
“How is she? Can I go in?” Specklepaw yelped, and Thrushpaw turned to see Featherwhisker’s silky silver form emerge from the den’s shadows.
“She’s stable,” Featherwhisker replied, brushing Specklepaw’s flank with his tail. “And yes, you can go in now. But,” he added gently, “There’s still quite a bit of blood, I’m afraid she’s probably going to have some scarring.”
“Will she still be able to see out of her eye?” Specklepaw asked uneasily.
Featherwhisker glanced over his shoulder, probably at Goosefeather. “We’re hoping that she’ll make a full recovery, but I can’t make any promises.”
Dapplepaw sprung to her feet, and trotted over to her sister. “Can’t you fix it?” she asked, her pelt prickling.
Thrushpaw made his way over, frowning. It was fantastic to hear that Whitepaw was going to live, but it made him feel sick to know that she could be blind in one eye for the rest of her life. Would she still be able to become a warrior?
And one thing was for sure, if she encountered another badger, she’d have one less eye to see it coming with.
“The important thing is that she’s going to be okay,” Tawnyspots interjected, blinking at Featherwhisker. “Thank you for taking care of her.” He nodded towards the medicine cat’s den, then slipped through the entryway.
Thrushpaw glanced over his shoulder at Windflight, considering letting him know that they could visit Whitepaw now. He still hadn’t moved from when he had last looked.
Sunfall had mentioned that guilt seemed to be affecting everyone. Thrushpaw wondered if maybe the deputy was thinking of how he had been the one who told Rainfur to go for a walk. That would be a hard choice to live with, but Thrushpaw couldn’t help thinking back a step farther.
If Windflight hadn’t been having an affair, they never would have fought, and Rainfur wouldn’t have needed to take a walk in the first place.
It bewildered him, trying to figure out what might be going through his father’s mind. The numb silence and the fight seemed like they should be mutually exclusive. Windflight had betrayed Rainfur, and yet here he was, mourning her.
It was Windflight’s fault.
It was Windflight’s fault, but he hadn’t apologized or owned up to it. He hadn’t even tried to comfort any of them. He just sat there, staring and staring.
Thrushpaw turned away, and followed his siblings into the den. Evidentially, Windflight had more important things to deal with at the moment, so Thrushpaw would leave him alone.
After all, he had more important things to deal with as well.
SO GOOD!!!!! I was wondering how you were going to handle Windflight being listed with two mates, and the idea of him cheating on Rainfur was very interesting and played out well! I was so sad when Rainfur died! I knew it was coming… but it was still heartbreaking! I’m excited to see Thrushpelt’s reaction to when his half-siblings are born… and when he meets Bluefur!
I’m glad you like it!
I’m sad about Rainfur too 😛 I always planned on killing her because she doesn’t show up in Bluestar’s prophecy, but after writing about her for a while I got attached to her.
Chapter 1 of my fanfic is on 529
my unwanted elemental chapter 1 and prologue are on page 530 (it got buried so quickly!)