A/N: so, we've got another one-shot challenge-ma-bob here. this time around, i had to put my Ipod on shuffle and, for each song that came on, write exactly one story. the hard part? i could only write for the length of the song. yeah, it was pretty fun.
it was also for the Warriors Challenge Forum, which is a pretty cool place. i suggest you all check it out!
Ain't No Right Way by Toby Kieth -
"This isn't right." says Cloudpaw softly, light green eyes wide with horror.
Before her, the Clan is gathered at the High Rock. Foxstar is perched on the top of it, dark ginger fur fluffed out. There is hate in her eyes and death on her claws, as the scrape over the smooth rock that she sits on. ThunderClan yowls agreement to all of her words and announcements, just as furious as their leader.
Behind the young medicine cat apprentice, Leafpatch gives a slow nod. Her white and brown pelt is tinged grey with age but her eyes, dark blue and deep as the streams that run through RiverClan, are serious.
"I know it isn't, Cloudpaw." she says. "But we cannot stop them."
"I know but...Can't we try and tell them?" Cloudpaw asks, voice pleading. "Can't we try and let them know that fighting isn't the answer?"
"No." says Leafpatch, eyes locking onto the frail form of her brother in the crowd of pelts. He is an old thing, but she knows that he will still fight. Always for his leader, always for his Clan, always for what he knows is wrong. "There isn't a right way to do the wrong thing, Cloudpaw, and there isn't another path that Foxstar will take. They will fight ShadowClan this evening and the only thing we can do for them is have our herbs ready for those who return."
Survive by Rise Against -
He doesn't want to fight. Not now, when his Clan should be focusing on hunting. When his deputy knows that few cats will survive this fight. When even StarClan is trying to get him to stop, because they see this battle as futile. As a waste of life and energy and effort.
But then, StarClan aren't living in the forest right then. They see a perfect world, a perfect day, where the Clans are getting along. When the only problem is the lack of prey - but then, they don't see that as an issue. It's typical leaf-bare problems, after all.
That is what StarClan sees.
They don't see the same threats as Owlstar, who has been listening to ThunderClan patrols for moons. Who knows that, if WindClan doesn't strike first, there will be no chance of survival for any cat.
So he chooses to fight, even though he doesn't want too. Even though StarClan has told him he will die in that battle, slain by nothing more than an apprentice.
Because that's the type of cat he is.
Full-time Job by Gretchen Wilson -
"Rock-kit! Pebblekit!" Lightstream calls, a tinge of anger to her voice. "Get over here, now!"
Several of the warriors in the Clan freeze, eyes going from their fresh-kill to the white she-cat ambling across the clearing. The queen's fur is rumpled and clearly ungroomed, bits of moss and tawny feathers clinging to her fur. Three young kits, all she-kits, scramble around her, weaving in and out of her paws and batting at her tail as she moves.
The warriors of ShadowClan let out mrrow's of laughter and shake their heads, then go back to their prey.
They miss out on seeing the two toms bound across the clearing towards their mother, one with a bundle of moss clamped between his jaws, and the playful swat she gives to both of them.
They ignore the tired look in their only queen's eyes, seeing only love.
Poker Face by Lady GaGa -
When they look at their medicine cat, they see hope. And she knows that, knows it's what they want to see, what they need to see, so she allows it. Her maw slackens, her amber eyes lighten, her body relaxes. They enter her den and she greets them with sweet words and soft encouragement.
at night, her dreams are filled with blood. she can hear her Clan-mates yowling as stranger's sink their claws into soft flesh. as life is ripped from them and they leave to walk with StarClan. she is shown the future in her dreams, where RiverClan becomes nothing more than a memory. where no cat is safe.
They ask if StarClan has spoken too her. She knows what they want to hear, and so she tells them. That everything is fine and StarClan is happy with how they are living. That they see no upcoming conflicts in the Clans and, yes, Leafstar will soon bear her kits..
in her dreams, they warn her. to run. to abandon the Clan, because they cannot be saved. but her? StarClan says that she can be saved. but only if she runs.
Each morning, she wakes up and looks out at her Clan. At the kits and warriors and elders. And she knows, deep in her heart, that she cannot leave them to die on their own.
What The Hell by Avril Lavigne -
Emberstorm has lived her entire life soley for her Clan. Daughter of the leader, grand-daughter of a legend, and niece of a medicine cat. She was expected, from the very start, to be perfect.
And she was.
Perfect perfect perfect - but now? Now, she has decided to live her own life.
They want her to mate with Greyfoot, a respected warrior. But she can't, because she doesn't love him. Doesn't even like him. No, she's in love with Ravenfrost.
A WindClan tom.
A cat in a seperate Clan.
And her mother? Her Clan? They think that she's gone crazy.
The truth is that Emberstorm has just stopped caring.