Okay, this is an idea I had for Thornclaw. He's one of the oldest cats in Thunderclan without a she-cat or a mate. And it looks like he doesn't even want one. But in this story Thornclaw noticing his lonliness and wondering how much fun it might be to have a mate. Difference is there will be problems with this that he had never expected to occur.
Thornclaw yawned and peered at the lake. He was not one to be on his own and sit in front of a lake like an Elder, but recently he's just found himself choked staying in Thunderclan with so many cats everywhere. A little R&R on his own was just the thing he needed to calm his nerves. It was too peaceful for him to bother thinking much about anything except the lake, the prey, being bored, the sky, being bored, Thunderclan, being bored....
"What are you doing?"
Thornclaw jumped. He looked quickly behind him to find Russetfur glaring at him. Kinkfur and Rowanclaw were just behind her with identical glares to add in the mix.
The golden tom shrugged, although he kept his eyes on the Shadowclan patrol all the same. "Just enjoying the scenery," he muttered, the hint of a growl in his throat.
Russetfur's eyes didn't leave his. "You're too close to the Shadowclan border for comfort."
Thornclaw huffed. "Well, you're too close to the Thunderclan border for my comfort!" he snapped.
Kinkfur hissed. "WE'RE the sun-high patrol. What's your excuse, Kittypetclan cat?"
"Not stealing prey, I hope?" Rowanclaw meowed, his tone the opposite of what he hoped as he flexed his claws.
Thornclaw stood and stretched long and slowly, taking his time. "If you're here to re-scent the markers, then by all means continue," he mewed politely with a wave of his tail, ignoring the last jibes from Kinkfur and Rowanclaw.. "Don't let me stop you." Though it was hard.
Rowanclaw and Russetfur glared at him the whole time while Kinkfur re-scented the markers. Probably watching in case I try to take any prey, Thornclaw thought, making a face. As if I'd fancy any of their frogs and lizards over birds and squirrels.
But as tempting as fighting Shadowclan cats appealed to him, Thornclaw padded a little deeper within Thunderclan's territory while the Shadowclan patrol finished up. With their job done, the trio of cats left but not before sending Thornclaw their usual gifts of snarls and threats if they catch him near territory again. Charming.
Thornclaw sighed and padded slowly back to Thunderclan, his mood now ruined by Shadowclan. He couldn't help but purr when he saw his apprentice, Briarpaw. He was teaching Dovepaw a technique he learned on how to defend against a badger. Graystripe and Millie sat close by watching their son while sharing prey. Watching the young tom and she-cat talk happily together, Thornclaw felt something clench within his heart....
He flicked his tail in a gesture of hello to the apprentices. "How are you guys?" he asked.
Briarpaw flicked his tail excitedly. "It's been great! I was teaching Dovepaw how to fight off a badger!"
"Really?" Thornclaw asked as he sat next to Graystripe and Millie. Briarpaw nodded. "What did he teach you, Dovepaw?" Thornclaw asked the younger gray apprentice."
Dovepaw crouched quickly in front of an Briarpaw. "I first have to keep all my senses on its movements, especially its big front paws." She ran to the Briarpaw's side and flicked her paws quickly outwards, slashing his side with unsheathed claws; Briarpaw squeaked moved out of the way just in time, but bumped into Millie in the process. "Then run to its side to confuse it, and if I get the chance I slash its hind leg. But only if I'm sure it's attention is not completely on my movements."
Thornclaw nodded. "At what do you do if you approach a badger on your own and you have to face it?"
Dovepaw stopped her attack. "I either find a way around it, or yowl for help. And if that doesn't work I don't back down and give up. Because Thunderclan cats never back down!" she puffed out her chest.
Thornclaw nodded. "Can't say I'm surprised. With how Lionblaze has been teaching you you'll be able to take on a fox before you're a warrior!"
Dovepaw's eyes sparkled. "Oh, there's Lionblaze!" Her mentor had just appeared outside the Warriors Den. She waved good-bye and streaked off to confront him. Thornclaw sighed quietly as he gazed at Graystripe and Millie sharing tongues.
Stupid couples. He shook his head. They did nothing but waste their time when they could be doing something more proactive, like practice new fighting moves or patrols around the forest for new herbs or rocks that look out of place.
Herbs... rocks....
Thornclaw sighed. He stood and stretched. He felt vigorous energy to do something. Maybe hunting would help.
"Graystripe, Millie, up for a hunt?" Thornclaw asked.
The two lovers were purring so loudly he wouldn't be surprised if they didn't hear Firestar's call of a clan meeting.
"Hey!" he mewed impatiently, tapping the long-haired tom's shoulder. Graystripe looked up.
"I'm sorry, what?" he asked bluntly.
"You guys up for a hunt?" Thornclaw asked.
"Sure." Graystripe meowed while Millie nodded. They crossed the exit of Thunderclan and to the Forest, where once again Thornclaw was surrounded by the sounds of prey and the sigh of trees.
Graystripe inhaled the forest scents. "So, where are we headed?" he asked.
Thornclaw flicked his ears in thought. "I was thinking somewhere close to the lake."
Millie sniffed the air carefully. She tapped Graystripe on the shoulder and mouthed 'Blackbird!'
Graystripe and Thornclaw stood still while Millie stalked carefully through the undergrowth. A quiet sound of something thumping the soil could be heard. Sounded like something was pecking the ground for food.
A pair of wings soared suddenly soared of a Blackbird. The she-cat leaped. Her claws snagged the wings and the blackbird lost its flight balance and fell. Millie landed a second later and used her killing bite to end its life.
"Good job, Millie!" Graystripe purred.
Millie buried her catch on the ground. "Thanks. I didn't think I was going to catch it when it saw me."
"But you did," Graystripe pointed out. "And it looks fat enough to feed the Elders for today."
"Think maybe they'd share me a bit of their history if I brought them the blackbird," Millie wondered, but Thornclaw didn't hear the rest. He was only listening with half an ear as he spotted a mouse nearby. Immediately he went on the Hunter's Crouch and stalked quietly through the undergrowth.
He almost hissed in fury when the mouse saw him. It took off with Thornclaw not far behind it. He chased it under some sweet-smelling leaves onto the other side. He yowled in shock as he felt cold water envelop him.
He stood up, quickly, dripping and wet. Stupid mouse! He thought angrily as he spat a mouthful of the water.
"Thornclaw!"
Thornclaw turned in time to see Graystripe and Millie veer around the bush he had pushed through and stand beside the puddle. They took on the scenery before them. A dripping Thornclaw with no prey, standing over a puddle while his pelt clung to his body, making him skinny while his eyes told them furiously Don't Laugh!. Of course, their shocked eyes glazed over with laughter.
"Not funny," the golden tom spat. He shook his pelt vigorously. He felt satisfied as he heard Graystripe and Millie's yowled protests for him to stop showering them with water "Serves you right," he hissed.
"At least we caught something," Graystripe pointed out smoothly.
Thornclaw noticed the chaffinch by his paws. If anything it made him feel even more sour. "C'mon," he muttered, slouching out of the puddle. He didn't feel like hunting anymore. He allowed Millie to take the lead back to camp as she carried her blackbird in her jaws and Graystripe's chaffinch in his own.
He sighed tiredly. He needed a mate.
Nothing remotely exciting here. Just a pass on of what's to happen soon. Review and if not, enjoy.