This one-shot is actually my favorite. Considering my warrior name is Clawbelly, (but I changed my name to Clawbreeze because Clawbelly sounds like my stomach is being clawed open) I've always felt a special sort of connection to Clawface. Weird? I think NOT!
I loved her.
Did she love me?
The berries growing off the rowan.
Rowanberry.
Oh, her cream and brown pelt, brushing past me. Of course, some might say I was too immature to stand by her.
But then, they would be wrong.
My mentor was Crowtail. She was an old, small, black tabby she-cat. She trained me well, and Rowanberry began to watch me train. I let her, taking no notice of her amber eyes boring into my back.
And then I realized she was watching me more than Crowtail ever did.
I began to hunt with Rowanberry, just as much as my littermate Nightpaw sat in the medicine den with Yellowfang. Ugh. Weak. Although, I always did support him.
Rowanberry always seemed like she had to be on whatever patrol I was. I was too dumb to face the truth.
:::::
That one fateful night. Before my warrior ceremony, I was out hunting close to Carrionplace, near the marshes. I was creeping up on a dull-looking toad. And before I could react, I was bowled over by a huge animal.
The scent of fox filled my nose as I struggled to stand.
In the dim moonlight, I could make out the bloody red muzzle of a female fox. My head was whirling as I spun around. There was some rustling and a male fox emerged from the bushes.
Two foxes! How could I survive this?
The female lunged at my leg, and I leapt back, only for the male to bite my forepaw and flip me over. I hit my head on a root and black spots appeared before my eyes. The female slashed at me, and I was too slow to react. I let out a painful screech as blood filled my eyes, my nose, my mouth. Before unconsciousness folded over me, I saw a cat, screeching and fighting two large foxes ferociously.
:::::
I woke up in Yellowfang's cave, with Nightpaw bending over and coughing as she gently fed him herbs. He walked out, not even acknowledging me slightly. I don't think he noticed I was awake.
My face was pounding. I felt like there was a burning line streaking across my face. Then I realized there was. Yellowfang turned around.
"About time you woke up," she grumbled like her normal self. She dropped a meager toad by my paws, and I quickly gobbled it up.
"What happened?" I tried to ask, but it sounded more like a croak.
"What happened?" Yellowfang began to speak as she organized herbs. "Oh, Rowanberry found you lying in the stream, kind of in a puddle of red..." Rowanberry!
"Can I see her?" Whoa. I don't know how in the name of StarClan that came out of my mouth, but it did.
Yellowfang turned around slowly, her mouth parted.. "Right away." She walked out quickly. I think she was mildly surprised.
Whoops. Maybe I shouldn't have said that.
Rowanberry walked in.
"You wanted to see me?" she asked politely.
What do I say? What do I say?
I opened my mouth to say thanks. "Umm…" My throat was closing up, and the black spots were making a reappearance, along with the toad. I swallowed it down.
She turned away. "I'll go…"
"No! Don't go!" I sounded like a mewling little kit.
"Why?" She looked towards me with bright, shining eyes. I loved her eyes. I loved her fur. I just wanted to curl up with her. But I couldn't.
I looked away. Now what? "It's nothing," I muttered.
Rowanberry's amber eyes closed. She turned away. She took a paw step towards the entrance. Then, she paused and whispered. She whispered, "I understand." She was gone.
I sat up. What did she understand? Would I ever know?
:::::
At my warrior ceremony, Cedarstar gave Nightpaw his warrior name as Nightpelt. Then, as I was being called up, she brushed her tail against my shoulder. And I've no doubt that she cheered loudest.
Clawface. In name of the scar across the right side of my face.
Rowanberry walked up to me. "Can we go hunt?" I wanted so desperately to say yes, but I had to sit my vigil.
"Not now," I meowed. It came out sharper than I intended.
So she left.
:::::
I waited until dawn, then I dashed into the warriors den. I looked around until I saw Rowanberry nestled in a throng of cats. I looked around for something. Perfect. A long, thin stick. I grasped it in my teeth and prodded her in the shoulder. She blinked open her eyes.
"Can we go hunt?" I pleaded through gritted teeth.
"Not now," she hissed softly and flopped her head back down.
"No," I retorted. "Now!" I poked her again. She glared at me.
"Fine."
:::::
We hunted once the sun rose. I caught her three frogs.
"Here you go." I pushed all of them towards her. Her luck was dwindling today, as she only managed to catch a meager water vole.
"No. I couldn't." She pushed them back.
"No." I insisted. I pushed them into her paws. "Take all the credit."
She looked at me. Her eyes were shining with tears. I stumbled back. "Why are you doing this?" she croaked. "Could you just stay quiet for once?"
"What do you mean?" Did she not like me?
She pushed at my chest with her paw. "Stop it. What are you doing? I liked you before! And now? Are you trying to make me feel heartbroken?" Her eyes were flooding with tears now.
"No!" I cried out. "I loved you all along! I just… That one time in the medicine den -"
"Stop it, Clawface!" she sobbed. "You're confusing me!" She sprinted off, running up the ridge. I stood there, aghast.
"Wait!" I called out. She halted and turned towards me. "I really meant it."
She turned her body completely towards me. Then she began walking towards me. Then, running, as if she couldn't take it anymore. She crashed into me.
"I understand now." She murmured. I buried my muzzle into shoulder. She rested her her head on my flank.
"I do, too." I purred.
:::::
Cedarstar was dead. So was Raggedstar. Mosspaw, Volepaw, Badgerfang, all gone. Elders, exiled. Marigoldkit and Mintkit brutally murdered. Yellowfang exiled.
And I knew Brokenstar was all in it.
So that day, I requested him to hunt with me. He snarled, and I gave him an even stare.
I never liked him. Cinderfur and Stumpytail were both my sons, and as Stumpytail's mentor, he abused him.
"So what do you want?" Brokenstar growled.
"You," I snarled, looking at him angrily. "Are a crime to all us warriors."
He sneered. "What are you talking about?"
"You killed all of them." I shot back.
He nodded calmly. "I poisoned Cedarstar's lizard with holly berries."
"What?" I shouted. My hackles raised. I was bristling now. "He died because —"
"Because of me, yes."
"No way," I hissed. "The clan will hear."
He narrowed his eyes. "She'll pay. You threaten me."
He ran off.
It wasn't until she was murdered that I realized who he was talking about.
Rowanberry.
:::::
Her mourning was extremely grieving. I was crushed.
Brokenstar walked up to me. "Now what will you do?"
"You killed her," I snarled. He narrowed his eyes.
"That was precisely what I said, no?" He hissed. "You paid… With her life."
I stared at him in horror. "She didn't deserve this!"
"None of them did," he meowed carefully. "Vow to serve me or more will pay."
Nightpelt.
"No!" I choked out. "Stop the madness!"
His eyes gleamed wickedly. "Ah, but you've already predicted it. First, mates go. Then, siblings go." His eyes zeroed in on Cinderfur and Stumpytail crying quietly together. "Then, offspring disappear mysteriously." He cocked his head to one side. "How does that sound?"
"No, please!" I must've looked horrible, with wet eyes, ruffled fur, and hissing at my own clan leader. It didn't matter. "Brokenstar, if you have any mercy —"
"Never!" he hissed. "It is your own fault." He gestured outside of camp to where the elders were. "Nightpelt's life is on the line…"
I vowed to serve him that day.
:::::
My vow cost me life in the Dark Forest.
I died twice, Graystripe killing me both times.
I walked down a dark tunnel.
"Clawface," a voice whispered.
I ignored it.
"Clawface," a voice murmured. It was louder now.
I ignored it.
"Clawface," a voice urgently hissed.
I ignored it.
"Clawface," It was growing louder.
I ignored it.
"Clawface!"
My mind shattered, then blew away and was reborn.
The voice.
That voice.
I know that voice.
It was a cat.
It is a cat.
A cat I loved.
A cat I will always love.
A cream and brown she-cat walked out of the darkness to me.
"Rowanberry!" I cried out in joy we ran towards each other. I stopped. "You should be in StarClan. With all the 'good cats'."
She shook her head sadly. "Brokenstar killed me as I attempted to protect Pinenose's kits. He killed me again. Slashed my throat open." Her eyes were amber pools.
I nuzzled her warm fur. "But you're here with me." A light was appearing out of the darkness. We continued to walk down the long tunnel. The light was brighter now.
She looked at me. She looked afraid. "What do you think is beyond StarClan?"
I shook my head. "I don't know." She appeared to panic. I pressed my nose into her ear. "Whatever happens, I'll always be with you."
She gazed at me. "Always?" she whispered.
I looked back at her. We looked at each other for a long time, unable to turn our gazes away, amber eyes into amber.
"Forever and always." I breathed into her ear.
Tails twined, we strolled into the light.
For the record, I am perfectly aware that the fighting scene with the foxes was really short. Anyways, like it or not? R&R! And, P.S., I actually like flames. It makes me a better writer. So if you could, please tell me all my mistakes for future reference. Thanks!
~ClawbreezeTheCat