Authors Notes: Wow! Another story for WingClan... whew! This is a story for a BIG writing competition in WingClan, and if I win (probably not), I will get a cat plushy called Grace, reading a book AND a mountain of potatoes! (this means a lot to the members of WingClan!) JOIN WingClan. Now. And. Do. Not. Forget. To. Donate. Plushies. For. Me. MUAHAHAHAHAHA! :D

A Million Times

Sorrelscar prowled through the pine forest and slowly breathed in the forest air that smelled pine-y and fresh with new-leaf. The dark greeted him as he settled down on a patch of soft pine needles that coated almost every inch of the forest floor that it was almost impossible to see any soil.

Sorrelscar breathed slowly and steadily, listening to the sound of some song-birds in the pine trees singing. He wasn't in the mood to hunt though. He was here to enjoy the serenity of the peaceful territory of ShadowClan. After a few moments of listening to the continuous songs of the birds, Sorrelscar closed his eyes and rested his chin on his paws, tucking his skinny tail around his flank.

With the cool shade covering him, Sorrelheart felt 'protected' in a sense. He enjoyed no being seen. If he was, other cats would yowl in fright and alarm, right before retreating into the bushes or shrubs. But long ago, they would greet him with a warm smile and ask him how his day was. Those were the better days.

But why? Why was he treated so differently now? Sorrelscar flinched as though he was just clawed in the face, like many moons ago. Even though he suffered many great wounds, he hadn't suffered anything worse than being burned by the harsh and frightful fire that broke out in the forest about six or seven moons ago.

Sorrelscar shivered and felt his scars and burns on his face. If you were another cat, looking at Sorrelscar, you would have seen pink skin with burns and a bit of flesh. There would be a massive and gruesome burn over his right eye which was swollen and almost blind. There would only be a patch of fur at his cheek but other than that, you could see his scars and and burns.

However, his flank still had majority of it's fur. The same patchy grey and black fur that one grew healthily over his body, but now, some of it was burned off. Never the less, he was a horrible sight and other cats would cringe and kits would cry at seeing him in full daylight.

Sorrelscar felt his heart beat even faster and tears started to well up in his swollen eyes. Even his mate, Pineheart, had left him after he got burned cruelly by the fire. It wasn't his fault! Ever since he was a little kit, he wanted to be a strong and brave warrior! Sorrelscar never dreamed of bearing scars and burns on his precious black and grey pelt that he now treasured so much... or at least what was left of it. He had never asked StarClan to send a fire to burn him and make him feel what pain was all about.

If he had to get his mate by being burned by that dark red magical instrument of torture and death, he would do it a thousand times over. He loved her.

But if that she-cat... Pineheart was never going to never accept him, or let herself let go of the old Sorrelscar, she was far from being a good mate. She was nothing any tom would have wanted. Her heart, therefore, would indeed be the size of the smallest pinecone.

Sorrelscar sighed, and then go to his feet and stepped out of the shadows. He looked up at the blazing sun, it was bright and hot, making his scars and burns visible and looked even pinker and redder. Sorrelscar's burns grew warm and slowly, even painful, so he quickly retreated into the safety of the shadows and he realised that now, it was like the sun didn't like him anymore. It was only at night, when Silver-Pelt was clearly shining, was he contented that he was not seen well. It was when StarClan was at it's peak of beauty, magic, and wonder. It was the night that welcomed him the most.

Sorrelscar sniffed and suddenly felt more like a real warrior. He was closer to StarClan. It didn't matter if Pineheart was going to judge him wrongly, if a kit where to cry upon seeing his scars for the first time, because he was he. He was StarClan's chosen one. He was Sorrelscar, and he would be proud of his scars -forever and ever.

-Artumnfire