I do not own Warriors. I only own my OC's.
(Listen to the song The Writer while reading this :D)
Jackalfoot sat down in the elder's den, looking outside. Snow drifted down from the sky, watching the clan move and bustle around as the elder sat, merely looking in. Her ginger fur appeared darker in the shadows of the den, her amber eyes appearing to water.
Her brother, her dear, lovely brother, was sitting underneath a willow, doing nothing as his kits, her nieces and nephew, ran around frantically.
Jackalfoot's brother, Cloudspots, was a young warrior, thirty moons, her older brother. He had a pelt the color of snow, with spots the color of ashes. His eyes were the color of the sky on a happy summer day, once as warm and innocent as a kit, now cold and shunning. His maw seemed to be forming an ever-going frown, once smiling. His kit-like attributes, gone.
She had four nieces and nephews, starting with her nieces, Amberpaw, a brown tabby, her eyes the color of fresh honey, Lakepaw, who was like a small puff-ball, brown with a white underbelly, her eyes the same color as Cloudspots. Next there was Heatherpaw, a brown tabby with a white chest and yellow eyes. Jackalfoot thought she had the cutest little nose. Last was Elmpaw, a white and grey tom, with wide amber eyes. They were so young, so innocent, yet they grew up with only their mother, and a poor excuse for a father.
She tore her gaze away from Cloudspots, instead looking down at her paws. She felt useless. Her hind leg was broken, the bones shattered due to a dog attack, confining her to the elders den at ten moons. She hated it. Detested it. She was useless to her clan. That's all she ever was.
Flashback
"Cloudpaw?" Jackalpaw asked.
"Yeah Jackalpaw? What is it?" Cloudpaw replied, turning to face his sister.
"Do... Do you think what Daddy said was true..?"
Cloudpaw smiled, shaking his head.
"Of course not, sis... He's a mousebrain."
Jackalpaw gave him a look of hope. "Are you sure..?"
He nodded. "'Course I am. I'd never lie to you."
"Th-Thanks Cloudpaw..."
Flashback
"Hey, Cloudpaw..?" Jackalpaw asked.
"Huh? What is it, sis?" Cloudpaw turned to face Jackalpaw.
"Do you ever wonder who Mother was?"
Cloudpaw's face fell.
"Uh... Sometimes, I guess... I guess she and Father must've loved each other..."
"But why?"
Cloudpaw shrugged.
"Maybe he was different..?"
"Maybe..."
Flashback
"Hey, Cloudpaw..?" Jackalfoot limped over to her brother, carrying a mouse.
"Huh..?" Cloudpaw looked up.
"Do you think that maybe one day I'd be a warrior?" she asked, laying down and setting the mouse down.
"Well, of course you will! It's stupid thinking otherwise." Cloudpaw's voice was cheerful, his eyes bright. Providing false hopes.
"B-But... Daddy doesn't think so..." Her expression, hopeful for a second, fell once again.
"Nonsense! I know he doesn't mean it! He loves you."
"No he doesn't... He never did..."
"Aww, c'mon Jackalpa- Jackalfoot... I'll try and talk to Dovestar about it, please don't cry..."
Flashback
"Hey, Cloudspots..?" Jackalfoot sat next to her dearest brother, her tail swishing around.
"Hmm? What is it?" His blue eyes turned to face her.
"Do you think Daddy's really gone?" Tears welled up in the ginger elder's eyes.
"No, of course not... He'll come back. He always does. Right?" Cloudspots sounded as if he was trying to convince himself as well.
"I hope so..." Jackalfoot looked down, sighing.
Flashback
"Hey, Cloudspots!" Jackalfoot looked overjoyed.
"Yeah, what is it?" Cloudspots looked up.
"I... I think that Falconflight might want me to be his mate!"
"Really? That's great!" Cloudspots smiled.
"I know! But... Wouldn't it be kind of odd? And what if he doesn't..? It's like what Daddy always said..."
"Oh, don't be like that! Come on, he's just a mousebrain. He doesn't know anything... Please, don't cry..."
Flashback
"Hey, Cloudspots! Are you alright?" Jackalfoot rushed over to her brother as he returned from battle.
Cloudspots nodded, a large wound showing on his side.
"Yeah, I'm fine..."
"Oh, no you're not! Get to the medicine den!" she was beginning to panic.
"Alright, alright, mother..." He smirked as he walked over to the medicine den.
Jackalfoot purred slightly as she walked back to the elder's den, laying down.
Flashback
"Hey Cloudspots! Don't you look happy?" she purred.
"Heh... Well, I have good news!" A large smile was on Cloudspot's face.
"Well, tell me already, you furrball!"
"Alright, alright! Briarheart and I... We're mates."
Jackalfoot's face lit up.
"Really? That's great!"
"I know, isn't it?"
Flashback
"Hey, Cloudspots!"
The white spotted tom seemed to have a skip in his step, sitting down next to his beloved sister.
"I have great news!"
"Oh, what is it?"
"Briarheart's expecting kits!"
"Really? That's great!"
"I know! Our family will be perfect!"
Flashback
"Hey Cloudspots..." Jackalfoot padded over to her brother, sitting next to him.
"What do you want..?" he mumbled.
"I just wanted to talk to you..." She noticed the tears falling down his face.
"But... I don't want to talk..." he whimpered.
"Please, don't cry... It's for a reason, I'm sure..." She nuzzled his cheek, and he pulled away.
"Why? To make me miserable? It wasn't supposed to happen!"
"Everything has a reason, Cloudspots... She'll watch you..."
Cloudspots sobbed into her shoulder, and Jackalfoot cried with him.
Jackalfoot hadn't realized she was falling asleep, and almost fell over.
Looking back outside the den, she saw Amberpaw walk over to her father, showing him a rabbit she had caught. It was a fairly large rabbit, for leaf-bare, her amber eyes shining brightly.
"Look Daddy! Look what I caught! It's my first catch!" A smile was on her face.
Cloudspots looked at it, before scowling in disgust.
"It's a measly rabbit. It's mostly fur anyways... It's worthless, like you. You'll never be a warrior. None of you will." He then stood up and walked off, leaving Amberpaw alone, her hopeful expression now gone and replaced with an expression on the brink of tears.
Her siblings had overheard this, all trying to comfort one another, though failing.
Jackalfoot's fur bristled. How dare he treat his own kits as if they were less than fox-dung!
She stood up, walking over to the kits.
"A-Auntie Jackalfoot... Is what daddy said true?" Amberpaw asked, now crying.
Jackalfoot shook her head.
"No, of course not! He's a mousebrain. He doesn't know anything. Please, don't cry..."