Forbidden Love
"Tell me another one Molefur, please!" begged an eager apprentice.
"I've told plenty of stories." A grumpy old tom retorted.
"I know, but there's still time for one more! I've just started on your pelt."
"Oh, alright then. Keep your fur on." The tom paused, enjoying the attention, until an elderly ginger she-cat poked his side.
"Get a move on! At this rate, poor Mosspaw will be done before you start."
The tom snorted, but gave no reply. Instead, he started his story. "Once, when the Clans were still settling by the lake,-"
"Badgers attacked?" Apprentice Mosspaw interrupted.
"No." Came the indignant reply.
"Well, they did."
"Yes, but I just told that story. Why would I tell it again?"
The answer was written across Mosspaw's face as she quickly looked away.
Molefur snorted again, probably at the thought of being too old to remember what stories he told. "Anyways, when they were settling Tallstar appointed Onewhisker as his deputy minutes before dying. Don't interrupt Mosspaw."
The apprentice closed her mouth.
"Mudclaw, the original deputy, was not pleased in the slightest. He, among other cats, thought he was the rightful leader of WindClan. Gathering these cats, he launched an attack. A vicious battle was fought, but here in our camp, something wondrous was discovered. A love.
"Unfortunately, this love was between ThunderClan's Leafpool, and WindClan's Crowfeather."
"Forbidden love." Mosspaw breathed.
"Ah, but doubly so." Molefur went on, not noticing the interruption. "For Leafpool was a medicine cat."
Shock and dismay crossed Mosspaw's face as she settled down in the moss, her job long forgotten.
"As their love for each other grew, the more distant they felt from their Clanmates. They eventually left, Crowfeather with the firm belief that they could find a place to live together in peace. Alas, it was not to be. Leafpool missed her Clan too much, and they heard of the badger attack, so they returned. After the badgers had been driven out, the two cats decided it would be best to stay apart."
"That's so sad." Mosspaw murmured, her eyes bright with emotion.
"And also not the end. Leafpool soon discovered she was having kits. She was terrified, being a medicine cat, so the only cat she told was her sister, Squirrelflight. Squirrelflight loved her sister, probably more than her mate, Brambleclaw. And that was the reason why she offered to raise the kits as her own."
"Oh, StarClan..." Mosspaw whispered.
"The secret was safe-until the kits themselves found out. The single she-cat, Hollyleaf, couldn't bear to hold the weight of the secret and told all the Clans at a Gathering. By StarClan's will, she was killed that very night in a hunting accident. And after that, no cat held either of the sisters with as much respect or trust as they had before. Squirrelflight lost her mate, and Leafpool stepped down from her medicine cat position, letting her apprentice, and son, Jayfeather succeed her. Neither of those sisters had the happiest life, or the easiest, either."
"I can't believe that all that actually happened..." Mosspaw shook her as if to shake out the story. "I'd never be that stupid. Fall in love with a cat from another Clan? They all stink to the stars!"
Molefur glanced behind the apprentice as she spoke, and watched as a pretty cream tabby winced painfully at the words.
He blinked. "Creampelt, here to collect your daughter?"
"Uh, yes. Her mentor says she's done for now, but to let him know if you need anything, because she's far from done her punishment." Amusement glittered in her eyes as they flicked to Mosspaw, whose face was glum.
As the two similar-looking she-cats left the elder's den, Molefur listened to them talk.
"Lucky little furballs, Thistlepaw and Speckledpaw. They get to go hunting while I'm stuck here in camp."
"Well, it's your own fault for falling asleep in Rushstar's den."
"I was just exploring, and happened to get tired, and..."
"Of course. Well, at least Rushstar wasn't that mad."
"Oh, I'm more scared of Smokestrike."
At the mention of Mosspaw's mentor, Molefur gave a mrrow of amusement. He quickly realized he was not alone in eavesdropping.
His littermate, Cherrywing, was behind him, not bothering to hide her amusement or pride for her son, Smokestrike. Being her only kit that had survived to be a warrior, Cherrywing had always been mothering him.
Now Smokestrike had a mate and kits of his own, and even though he was somewhat known for his sharp tongue, he was as soft as ferns when it came to Shrewleaf and their kits.
Molefur's eyes narrowed in thought. Creampelt loved her three kits just as much as any queen would – perhaps even more. But she was one of those queens that didn't tell who the father was, for whatever reason. Molefur had seen how other fathers acted, full of love for their family. So why wasn't exuberant Mosspaw's father like that?
Allegiences(as of chapter 2/3):
ThunderClan:
Leader: Rushstar - she-cat
Deputy: Nightclaw - she-cat
Medicine Cat: Leopardfire - she-cat(sister to Toadclaw)
Warriors: Smokestrike - tom(Shrewleaf's mate)
Redflame - she-cat(sister to Nightclaw)
Toadclaw - tom - Bramblepaw's mentor
Lightfoot - tom - Stonepaw's mentor
Shrewleaf - she-cat(mother of Hawkpaw, Oatpaw, and Stonepaw)
Creampelt - she-cat(mother of Mossfire, Speckledwing, and Thistlefur)
Sunnystreak - she-cat(mother of Dapplepaw and Bramblepaw)
Harvestnose - tom - Dapplepaw's mentor
Mossfire - she-cat - Hawkpaw's mentor
Speckledwing - she-cat - Oatpaw's mentor
Thistlefur - tom - Ashpaw's mentor
Apprentices: Ashpaw - she-cat(daughter of Rushstar)
Elders: Molefur - tom(brother of Cherrywing)
Cherrywing - she-cat(daughter of Poppyfrost)
Wildheart - tom - old mentor to Creampelt
ShadowClan:
Leader: Beechstar - tom
Deputy: Leafstorm - she-cat
Medicine Cat: Snowdapple - she-cat
Warriors: Blackfur - she-cat
Rainfeather - tom
Lilyflower - she-cat
Oneclaw - tom - Crowpaw's mentor
WindClan:
Leader: Larchstar - tom
Deputy: Bluetail - she-cat
Medicine Cat: Fernwhisker - she-cat
Warriors: Starlingflight - tom
Gorsebush - she-cat(sister to Starlingflight)
RiverClan:
Leader: Froststar - she-cat
Medicine Cat: Brackenfoot - tom
Warriors: Whitefur - she-cat
Mintclaw - tom
Mallowfur - tom
Hollybranch - she-cat
Emberstorm - she-cat(sister to Hollybranch and Mallowfur)