(AN: I wrote this on the train; just a mini story. It's pretty cheesy. But read it anyway!)
"Huh?" A loud, obnoxious noise woke Bramblestar.
He padded out of Firestar's-no, his, den, finding out that the loud, obnoxious noise he had heard was just Squrrirelflight setting the hunting patrols.
"Dovewing, Foxleap, and Sorreltail, you'll head to the Twoleg nest. See if you can scare up some squirrels. Lionblaze, lead a patrol near the Wind Clan border and take Cinderheart and-"
Bramblestar nodded at her (although he'll have to talk to her later about being so loud and obnoxious) and bounded down the rocky path, heading for the medicine den.
He pushed past the fronds and meowed a greeting to Brightheart.
"Hi, Jayfeather's in back sorting herbs. Did you want him?"
"Well, yes and no. I was actually looking for a pair of ears to confide in."
"Confide to me! It'll be a while before Squirrelflight's done with patrols, and our medicine cat is in a crabby mood as usual..." Brightheart tossed a mossball into the air and caught it with her claw. "Well?"
Brambleclaw sighed. "It's hard," be admitted. "Not the responsibility-and-looking after-your-clan part, but the getting-over-your-really-awesome-leader part. The clan loved him, and, well, I guess i saw him as a father of sorts, my own being-" he grimaced-"absent. I owe him a lot. "
Brightheart glanced at him. "Liiiiiiike….. what?"
"Like... being my mentor. Like standing up for me but letting me prove myself. He understood me, how hard it was to get cats to beileve in me, because it was nearly the same for him. For saving me from a burning tree as a kit when the ravine burned down."
Brightheart looked astonished. "Firestar saved you!?"
"Yes. But he was Fireheart back then."
"Big deal. Lots of cats save lives every day. Anything else you supposedly owe Firestar?"
Bramblestar, absolutely serious, continues. "Too much to count. Even though i've been to the moonpool, even though it's been half a moon since the battle, I keep thinking about him. He was an amazing leader. I'll never be as good."
Brightheart started giving him a you-really-need-to-go-hunt-or-something-you-shoudn't-be-allowed-to-think look.
"You don't owe Firestar ANYTHING!" she meowed. "He was just an amazing cat. That's it. End of story. Do you know, that Cinderpelt once told Jayfeather, that Firestar had doubts of his own that he confided to her?"
Bramblestar shrugged, finally sensing Brightheart's overwhelming sarcasm. "Every leader does."
"Exactly. Now go do your leader things while I finish my exercises."
"Listen, have you been getting sarcasm tips from Jayfeather or something?"
She ignored Bramblestar and started stretehing and Bramblestar walked out of the den, feeling a little better, thanks to aforementioned Brightheart.
He passed Sandstorm and Dustpelt, the latter trying to stuff a bit of food into the former. "Dustpelt, have you seen Graystripe?"
"Nah, he went off with Millie."
"As long as he doesn't have any patrols, that's fine."
Dustpelt nodded and resumed trying to stuff vole into Sandstorm.
I'm worried about Sandstorm, he thought. Graystripe, Dustpelt, and Millie are doing everything they can. I'm even surprised that Dustpelt is helping. Poor Ferncloud... What would I do if Squirrelflight died? Even though I was really, really mad at her for the last 12 moons or so?
He approached Squirrelflight. "Hey, want to go hunting?"
He knew how hard it was for her. If it was this hard for him, it was so much harder for her; he was her FATHER.
"Are you okay?" he whispered, rubbing against her flank.
"I'm fine!" She shook out her pelt and entwined her tail with his. "Quit worrying about me. Let's go hunting. I could use a break."
"From what," Brambleclaw teased, "standing there?"
Suddenly, Graystripe padded into camp, dragging a round, yellow Twoleg food, imprinted with squares.
Everycat who saw, of course, crowded around.
"What is it?" Lilykit asked.
"It," Graystripe grinned, "is a waffle."
"Wa-ffffff-ulll?" Lilykit stretched her tounge out. "what a weird name!"
"Twoleg food?" Squirrelflight asked.
"Yeah. Very good too. Firestar tried one when he was a kittypet, and, well, he didn't like it. But I love it! Millie introduced me to them." Graystripe promptly took a big bite and gave one to anyone willing to try it.
"Trust Graystripe to brighten everyone's day." Bramblestar purred into Squirrelflight's ear.
She purred back. "So hunting or not?"
They padded, step in step, tail entwined, into the forest.
(an: give me your thoughts! If you don't get the waffle reference, type firestar doesn't like waffles into youtube.)