Violetbramble's Rejection

We Should Hate Love Challenge for the Descendants of the Clouds forum

Author's Note:

I suggest listening to 'Tell Your Heart To Beat Again' by Danny Gokey, before, while, or after you read. It fits well with this song. Enjoy.

-Diana

ShadowClan camp

You can do this, thought Violetbramble, peeking out from the warriors' den. The sky was covered with grey clouds, sending a refreshing breeze throughout the forest, whispering through the pine wood, calling out to the creatures in the forest. She smoothed out her bramble-colored pelt and washed her face with a white paw. She glanced outside again, seeing Darkmoor's handsome brown pelt near the freshkill pile. Just go up to him and confess your love, she thought, anxious. Just go say it! Mouse dung, Violetbramble, why do you have to be so wimpy?

She narrowed her violet eyes as she saw Foxswift, a fox-colored she-cat with captivating amber eyes, approach her love. She saw Darkmoor nod at something the she-cat said and they both headed outside of camp and into the beckoning pine woods. Violetbramble felt dismay fill her, and she cursed. Mouse dung! Why does my timing have to be so bad? She maneuvered her paws towards the stocked freshkill pile. She saw delectable frogs, delicious crows and tasty looking mouse. Craving for feathers today, she picked a crow and sat in a spot near the entrance of camp, to keep track of when the two come back. As she munched on crow, her fellow friend, Ashreed, a dark grey tom with green eyes, joined her with a frog of his own.

"Hey," he said and lay down beside Violetbramble. "Hey, Ashreed." she said with a dip of her head. "What's up? You were in the warriors' den for some time. You okay?" asked Ashreed, studying her with concerned eyes. "I'm fine," huffed Violetbramble. "I was late last night, so I overslept."

Ashreed purred. "You know Nightember won't like that." He gestured to the sturdy black-pelted deputy. Nightember was carrying out orders, his ember eyes in their usual sour expression. Violetember smiled. "Eh, who cares what that mouse brain thinks." Ashreed nudged her in shoulder, laughing. "Vi! Don't say that!" He leaned in closer, whispering, "More importantly, don't let him hear that."

Violetbramble purred. "Next time, I'll say it to his face." Ashreed smiled. "Don't you dare," he mewed. "Oh," said Ashreed, looking at something farther away. "There's Darkmoor and Foxswift."

"Where?" Violetbramble instantly swerved her head the other way, noticing Darkmoor and Foxswift entering the camp. Something was different about them. Darkmoor's eyes were twinkling and Foxswift's expression was bright with happiness. What exactly were they doing outside of camp? thought Violetbramble, suspicious. "Every cat, please hear our announcement!" called out Foxswift. One by one, cats turned their attention to Darkmoor and Foxswift. Soon, the two had the entire camp listening. Violetbramble and Ashreed stayed where they were, listening intently.

"We're becoming mates!"

Two Moons Later

Violetbramble hissed her annoyance. "Mouse dung!" she cursed out loud, seeing her prey escape. Ashreed, who was a couple cat lengths away, purred. "Come on, Violetbramble. It was only a squirrel."

"A good squirrel. Something to feed the Clan, Ashreed! Geez, why do you need to be so dumb?" snapped Violetbramble. Ashreed looked hurt. "I was only trying to-"
"Well, stop trying!" retorted Violetbramble. She faced her back towards her friend. "Forget it. This two-cat hunting patrol just isn't working. I'm hunting on my own."

"But Vi! You used to like these patrols together," protested Ashreed. "Yeah well, I hate them now," said Violetbramble in a vexed tone. "Just leave me alone, Ashreed." With that, Violetbramble padded away, her heart hard as stone. As she hunted, her mind drifted back to the day her love announced he and Foxswift were becoming mates.

It was the worst feeling ever. Her heart cracked, tears swelled in her eyes and a lump formed. The void she had been so desperately trying to fill will never be filled. She had to watch her Clanmates surround the new couple in hurrahs and congratulations. It could have been me! ME! thought Violetbramble. If only I was a little faster...Violetbramble remembered how she was in the warriors' den, getting ready and gathering up courage to confess her love to Darkmoor. Stupid Foxswift! blamed Violetbramble angrily. You ruined everything! I hate you! Violetbramble realized she hadn't caught anything at all. Good riddance, thought Violetbramble. I don't feel like hunting anyways.

She walked back with a sour mood. She had caught nothing and Ashreed had gotten on her nerves. She entered camp and saw the prey pile nice and stocked. She saw Foxswift and Darkmoor sharing tongues, basking in the sun. Resentment started to rise, but she bit it back down. She turned her attention away from them and decided to get a frog from the prey pile. Violetbramble sighed and plopped to the ground, picking away at her food.

"What was that?" asked a voice, a voice she so easily recognized. "What?" huffed Violetbramble. Ashreed rolled his eyes. He was standing in fron of her, demanding answers. "You know what I mean. Calling some cat dumb isn't going to help your current status," he meowed. Violetbramble rolled her eyes this time. "Oh yeah? What's my current status?"

"Mean, cold and unforgiving," answered Ashreed bluntly. Violetbramble hissed. "Shut up!" She nudged Ashreed hard as she got up and made it to the warriors' den in smoldering anger. She entered the den and curled up, eventually falling asleep.

Violetbramble stretched. It was a clear, beautiful morning. She padded outside and saw Ashreed near the medicine den. "Hey!" she called, going over to her friend. Ashreed turned around and dipped his head. "Good morning," he said. When he raised his head back to look at her, something changed about him. She noticed the golden specks in his green eyes, his bold jawline and lean body. She saw how well kept his fur was and how it shined in the sun. Why haven't I noticed this before? wondered Violetbramble, heat suddenly creeping into her cheeks. She widened her eyes in shock.

Do I...love him?

Violetbramble felt a wave of emotions hit her. At first it was confusion, then horror, followed by consideration. Just maybe...she thought, looking at Ashreed.

NO!

Don't you dare fall in love again! Do you want your heart to break again? What if Ashreed says no? You need to let it go. Let it go. Don't even think about it. Don't let your heart to love.

"Violetbramble?" Violetbramble snapped back into attention. She realized she was staring at him the entire time. "Did you want to tell me something?" he asked, his eyes always concerned. Violetbramble blinked.

"No. Forget it."

Violetbramble turned around. She knew she was turning away from a future she could have had, she knew she was turning away from something special, she knew she was turning away from something that could of changed her life forever.

But she just never took it.

The End