A/N Well, this is my first fan fiction. It's set just after Sunrise in the Warriors series, when Squirrelflight is struggling with Brambleclaw's rejection for lying to him. I just finished reading Sunrise, actually, which is why I chose to write this. Just a quick one-shot to get warmed up for many more (hopefully) fan fiction stories. This story has a bit more of a depressing tone (at first), but I don't always write like that =P
I'd also appreciate any reviews I get!
Warning - If you haven't read Sunrise yet, this contains spoilers and may be confusing
Disclaimer - "Warriors" belongs to Erin Hunter. Not me.
The sky was inky black, as if a raven's wing swathed the heavens. Stars were dusted across the sweep of darkness, glittering coldly down upon the Earth. The moon was almost full, a great white orb that hung in the sky and shed its pale light onto the treetops of the forest below, turning them silver. Despite the moonlight, however, the stone hollow that cut into the ground was thrown into shadows, a pit of black.
In the midst of the still Thunderclan camp, movement stirred. A ginger she-cat slipped out of the recesses of the quarry, her bright pelt shining like a flame struggling to survive amongst the deadened remains of a fire. And very much so, that was what Squirrelflight and her clanmates were. Torn apart by lies and betrayal, their spirits were fighting to remain alight in the shadows of uncertainty and despair.
Squirrelflight had taken a heavy hit when the great secret of "her" kits' true birth had been revealed. She had lost everything – the love of Lionblaze, Hollyleaf and Jayfeather, her clanmates' trust, and her own mate. Brambleclaw had turned his back on her when he had found out, asking why she hadn't told him. She had been helpless too answer, too confused to explain.
Her green gaze darted towards the medicine cat's den. It had all been for nothing, anyway. The secret had gotten out, and now her and her sister's lives were all but torture; and Hollyleaf…poor, dear Hollyleaf. Squirrelflight bowed her head, padding towards the camp entrance. She needed time to think, to be alone.
The flame-colored warrior emerged into the forest. Beside the entrance, Sandstorm sat on guard, her pale ginger tail curled around her paws. Her eyes were sympathetic and gentle as she stretched towards her daughter, brushing her muzzle against Squirrelflight's cheek. "All will be well, little one." She murmured. Squirrelflight didn't reply.
Harsh leaf-bare wind blew in gusts, cutting through her fur. Patches of moonlight illuminated the ground, falling upon frost-encrusted leaves that crunched beneath her light paw steps. The air smelled bitterly cool and fresh, yet each inhale felt as if a series of thorns were piercing Squirrelflight's lungs.
Despite the chill, Squirrelflight pushed on, clambering up a slope until she stood atop a ridge that looked over the lake. The water moved peacefully, lapping at the shore and reflecting the starry sky.
At the sight, Squirreflight felt anger rise up in her chest, trying to force its way out. "Why, Starclan?" she yowled at the heavens. "You have allowed so many deaths: Ashfur, Honeyfern, and now Hollyleaf. You stood back and allowed the clan to shatter into pieces without as much as a warning!" Breathing hard, she glared accusingly at the pinpricks of light that marked where her warrior ancestors lay. She suddenly sat down on the hard ground, staring at her paws. "And now Brambleclaw is gone." She whispered, her heart ripping apart all over again.
A gusty sigh came from behind her. "How many times do I have to tell you, Squirrelflight, that I will always be there to protect you?" Squirrelflight whipped around, her eyes wide. "Brambleclaw?" she breathed.
The huge brown tabby tom pushed his way out of the undergrowth, stopping a tail-length away as he regarded her with his calm amber gaze. "And how many times," he continued, "Have you nearly clawed my ears off for suggesting such a thing?"
Squirrelflight's breath caught in her chest. She searched wildly for words to apologize for everything, to explain to him why, and most of all to beg for him back. Before she could utter a sound, however, Brambleclaw stepped forward so that their pelts brushed. "I know," was all he said.
Squirrelflight hesitantly leaned into him, his warmth seeping through her fur. To her delight, the tabby tom didn't pull away. He pressed closer, twining his tail with hers. "It is a time for forgiveness. None of this would have happened if the ability to forgive and forget hadn't been abandoned." He meowed quietly.
As he spoke, dawn light suddenly broke through the branches of the trees as the sun appeared over the horizon in a magnificent display. Brambleclaw's purr rumbled in his chest as he pressed his muzzle against his mate's. "See that? Dawn – a new day, and a time for new beginnings."
Squirrelflight looked up at him, her eyes glimmering softly in the rays of the sun. "A new beginning for the clan, or for us?" she mewed. Brambleclaw looked down at her, his tail curling around her in a loving embrace. "Both."
Hope you liked it =] Nothing special, but I tried to highlight (at least a bit) the sort of non-verbal connection that Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight have.
I also had to write this because I was so agitated at the end of Sunrise when Brambleclaw turned away from Squirrelflight. Writing this helped to relieve those feelings, and it shows what I hope will happen.