AN: Hi there. This is a place for me to post and keep track of any one-shots that I write. Writing one-shots sometimes helps me get over writer's block, or sometimes I just feel bored and want to write one. So feel free to read them if you'd like, and if you want to review and give me some feedback, feel free to do that too. This might not be updated very often, but who knows ~
Here's the first one, titled Broken Cinders. There's more info about it in the author's note at the bottom of the page.
Yesterday's downpour had continued through the night and into the morning, leaving a dreary air hanging over the ThunderClan camp. Heavy, gray clouds clustered in the sky, and a bone-chilling breeze swept through the damp forest, drifting the rain sideways with each gust. Cinderpaw sighed. Fireheart had given her and Brackenpaw a day's rest from training, and the two apprentices sat in the entrance to their den, taking in the solemn leaf-bare morning.
We never do anything, Cinderpaw thought in frustration as she watched her mentor cross through the rain towards Bluestar's den. Fireheart had been very busy recently, but she couldn't understand why. It seemed like all he ever did was strut around and speak to other cats, particularly to Graystripe.
At the thought of Graystripe, Cinderpaw glanced towards her brother. She felt a prickle of sadness for him; Graystripe was Brackenpaw's mentor, but lately he had been too busy to train him. So Fireheart took on the responsibility of training both Cinderpaw and Brackenpaw, while Graystripe was off doing StarClan knows what.
A gust of wind swayed the leafless branches of the ash trees around camp. She watched with a blank expression. The dark branches danced through the rain, silhouetted by the dull, gray mass of cloud behind them. Besides the branches, there was little to see in the sky - just the dull, gray clouds.
She set her head on her paws and let her mind wander. The ugly gray sky reflected her mood. Dull and lifeless, thick and unwanted; stuck somewhere between black and white. Waiting for the day when the clouds would part and she would finally have a chance to become something more, to become a warrior.
Cinderpaw was yanked out of her thoughts as a flash of white darted out of the leader's den. It was her mother, Frostfur. The white-furred queen glanced around, eyes wide, then darted into the medicine cat's den in no more than a few heartbeats.
What in StarClan? Cinderpaw lifted her head in surprise. Was something wrong? She knew Bluestar was sick, but it didn't seem too serious. Then again, I'm not a medicine cat. How should I know if she's alright? Sitting upright, she watched as Frostfur exited the medicine cat's den with Yellowfang close behind. She strained her ears, desperate to overhear something.
Fireheart approached them. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Frostfur paused. "Bluestar has Greencough," she said in a small voice. She then muttered something that Cinderpaw did not catch. A shocked expression crossed the Fireheart's face. Frostfur and Yellowfang disappeared into the leader's den.
Greencough? Cinderpaw had heard stories of the terrible illness. She gulped, trying not to imagine Bluestar losing a life. How many lives does she have left? Cinderpaw looked at her brother, hoping to ask him, but Brackenpaw had fallen asleep beside her.
She turned back around and watched Fireheart with interest, waiting for something else to happen. The orange tabby sat alone outside Bluestar's den, holding very still in the rain. Frostfur and Yellowfang had not reappeared.
Cinderpaw waited. She waited for a cat to emerge from a den, for Fireheart to move, for her brother to wake up. But the world became dull once again. Many moments passed, and after what felt like hours, she finally gave up. She lay back down and set her head on her paws, feeling boredom take its hold on her once again.
Oh well, she thought to herself. I guess it's just a -
With a yowl, something brown shot through the camp entrance. Cinderpaw whipped her head up to see Dustpaw, one of the older apprentices. There was a serious look in his eyes, and his fur was ruffled as if he had just ran a long distance. He darted towards Fireheart, and skidded to a halt less than a mouse-length away from him. Cinderpaw felt her heartbeat quicken, glad that something else was happening.
"I have a message for Bluestar," Dustpaw panted. He looked Fireheart up and down, curling his lip as he did so.
"She's sick, you can't go in," Fireheart said cooly.
Dustpaw flicked his tail with impatience and his voice dropped to a whisper. Cinderpaw couldn't hear what was being said, but both cats unsheathed their claws and flattened their ears.
Yellowfang emerged from the den behind them and rasped, "Fireheart is right." Dustpaw then whispered something to Yellowfang.
By now, all three cats had lowered their voices so that Cinderpaw could no longer hear what was being said. Excitement coursed through her as she realized something was definitely happening. Something urgent. She leaped to her paws and scurried over to the other cats, her eyes shining.
She reached them just in time to hear Yellowfang snap, "Tigerclaw will have to deal with it on his own."
"Deal with what on his own?" she asked. Fireheart flicked his tail to silence her. The other cats payed no attention, and continued with their discussion.
"ShadowClan could already be in our territory by now!" Dustpaw hissed.
Cinderpaw felt her eyes widen. ShadowClan cats in ThunderClan territory? How dare they! Those stupid, ugly mousebrains.
Yellowfang's lip curled at Dustpelt. "Fireheart is leaving to fetch catmint and Whitestorm is patrolling SunningRocks. We can't risk sending out more cats, especially not sick ones. If ShadowClan is in our territory, they could attack at any moment!"
Dustpaw's fur prickled. "But Tigerclaw said he wanted Bluestar to see the evidence! They've left remains of freshkill on our side of the Thunderpath!"
"He needs to be told that she can't come," Firestar growled. "I'll take the message to him once I've fetched the catmint. Where is he?"
Dustpaw hesitated, obviously reluctant to tell Fireheart. "Beside the burnt ash tree that hangs over the Thunderpath," he grumbled.
Yellowfang turned towards Fireheart. "Well? What are you waiting for?" she growled. "Go! Quickly!"
At the old medicine cat's words, Fireheart blazed away towards the camp entrance. Cinderpaw instantly followed. She sprinted as fast as she could, but her short legs couldn't carry her as fast as Fireheart was moving.
"Fireheart, wait!" she called.
He didn't slow down or look back. "Go back to your den Cinderpaw!" He was almost to the fern tunnel now.
"But I can deliver the message while you get the catmint!" she meowed. Didn't Fireheart understand? This was the perfect task for a responsible apprentice like herself.
Now Fireheart came to an abrupt halt. Trying not to crash into his hindquarters, she turned her body sideways and attempted to slow herself down. It didn't work - she stumbled over her own clumsy paws and landed on the wet ground in an ungraceful heap beside her mentor.
Fireheart turned around and looked down at his apprentice. Her thick gray fur puffed out in all directions and her small body lay in a crumpled mound, giving her the appearance of a fluffy raincloud that had fallen to the ground.
He shook his head in exasperation. "Cinderpaw, if there are any ShadowClan warriors in our territory, then you need to stay in camp. Go back to your den."
Before she could respond, he raced out of camp.
She got to her feet and smoothed down a tuft of fur with a quick lick of her chest. Great. Way to make a complete furball of yourself Cinderpaw, she told herself. Her skin felt hot beneath her fur. She imagined she must have looked ridiculous tumbling over her own paws like that. I probably looked pathetic.
She certainly felt pathetic. A fallen little cloud - broken, unwanted. Left in a crumpled heap on the ground. Didn't Fireheart trust her enough to deliver a simple message? Her own mentor, telling her to stay at camp and be useless. Why couldn't he see how eager, how prepared she was? Why does he never notice me? His words echoed through her mind. ...You need to stay in camp...
For a moment, she really considered staying. But then her thoughts began to churn. I could make a difference... I could save our Clan from invaders! Then Fireheart will have to notice me! When would she get another oppurtunity like this? Probably never. Besides, there was no way Fireheart would be able to tell Tigerclaw in time, and ShadowClan could attack at any moment. It was important that Tigerclaw was at camp protecting his Clan, not waititng at the Thunderpath for a leader who would never appear. She had to go. She would make Fireheart proud.
Without attracting any attention to herself, she slipped out the camp's fern tunnel entrance and started through the forest towards the Thunderpath. Excitement coursed through her veins and her eyes were wide with delight. She would prove herself. Maybe Bluestar would even make her a warrior. But a little morsel of doubt still nibbled at her mind. Maybe Fireheart will be mad?
She quickly brushed the thought away. No. He'll thank me later.
AN: Originally this was a prologue. I had a story idea of Fireheart dying in place of Cinderpaw breaking her leg. Then Cinderpaw got to be a warrior, but she had to sort of take Fireheart's place and stop Tigerclaw's madness. Technically "fire" still saved the Clan, because Fireheart pushed Cinderpaw out of the monster's way and saved her life, then she saved the Clan, and...
Anyway. Like most of my story attempts, this one failed miserably. I realized it was just not going to work out and I didn't really want to write it because it was very boring. I'm not particularly proud or impressed with this, but it works just fine as a one-shot. And since I already had this written, I thought I might as well post it :3