Bluestar's Prophecy Alternative Ending - Thrushpelt's Chance
It starts from the fist line of Page 382
"You've had a lot to deal with," His gaze grew soft. "I think you'd make a great mother."
Bluefur's pelt grew hot and she glanced at her paws uncomfortable. She was vividly aware of his stare burning into her pelt. Her thoughts were a blur as she forced herself to look up and meet his gaze. The words were stuck in her throat like a bad piece of fresh-kill.
"I think you'd make a great father." Her voice was surprisingly steady and she saw Thrushpelt blink in surprise. Was he happy? As she met that gaze in that endless moment all thoughts about Oakheart dissolved. Her life was here. With a cat who could love her without breaking the warrior code. Tearing her eyes away from his amber gaze she hastily spotted her denmate walking past with a vole dangling from her jaws, "There's Rosetail," she hastily padded away towards her friend. The red tailed warrior dropped the vole on the fresh kill pile and turned to face Bluefur. Her face was lit with happiness.
"You and Thrushpelt make such a good couple."
Bluefur glanced at the grey warrior over her shoulder and a tiny thrill ran through her as she saw him still watching her. She met his gaze for a second or two and once again her thought seemed to blur.
"Hello?" Rosetail flicked her tail in front of Bluefur's face. "You're worse than Snowfur was," she shook her head crossly.
"What?" Bluefur asked her thoughts clouded.
"You and Thrushpelt. You're such a good match."
"Yeah," Bluefur nodded absent minded, her thoughts still thinking about the grey warrior.
"Tawnyspots is ill again. Maybe he will stop being deputy." Rosetail's chatter focused Bluefur's thoughts.
Is that my chance?
"Sunstar has to appoint a new deputy if he gets worse," Leopardfoot added padding towards them. She glanced up at the High rock. "By the way where is Sunstar?"
Her words fell on unhearing ears. At that moment Bluefur was once again thinking about Thrushpelt.
She might has well have been blind before.
"Let all cat old enough to catch their own prey gather hear beneath the Highrock." Sunstar's call rang out around the clearing. Leopardfoot gave a contented purr and raced of towards the nursery. Bluefur was barely aware of Tigerkit come stalking out of the nursery, his tabby coat shining in the dim leaf-bare sun. Thrushpelt had padded up behind her and she was wreathed in his comforting scent. It soothed all her other thoughts and helped to concentrate on what Sunstar was saying.
"Tigerkit has reached his sixth moon and is ready for an apprentice. Thistleclaw, you have already proved yourself to be a warrior and you will mentor Tigerpaw."
Why Thistleclaw? Bluefur's doubts about the spiky furred warrior nagged at her mind. Why had Sunstar given Tigerpaw to Thistleclaw.
So he can be deputy.
But that was her destiny, not his.
"Tigerpaw, Tigerpaw." The young apprentice was positively glowing from all the attention. He mewed something to his proud mother who was licking him happily. Bluefur's gaze wandered across to the empty apprentice den which hadn't seen any apprentices since Lionheart and Goldenflower. Bluefur turned away from the commotion and headed towards the nursery. Whitekit was waiting for her to visit. She remembered with shame how she had almost given up on him after her sister's death.
"Before you go," Sunstar's cry turned everyone's attention back to where he was still standing on the Highrock.
"Poppydawn has decided to move to the elders den."
Bluefur blinked. She hadn't realised how old the ginger queen was. Her muzzle was flecked with greying hairs and Bluefur recalled how she often was at the back of patrols. Poppydawn walked forward and bowed her head.
"I am grateful for my chance to rest and am happy to have served my clan for many seasons."
As one, the clan rushed forward to brush muzzles with the elder and to whisper their luck. Bluefur was aware of Thrushpelt leaving her side.
"Finally, Adderfang will stand in as deputy while Tawnyspots is ill." Sunstar's final announcement made Adderfang stand taller and straighter with pride. Bluefur spotted Tawnyspots in the shadow of the warrior den, his flank heaving and his ribs showing.
He's worse. Bluefur realised with a shock how much she had missed while she had been mourning. Whitekit bounded to her side. I bet he didn't understand the call. Old enough to catch their own prey.
"Will Tawnyspots get better?" he squeaked. Bluefur glanced up at the senior warriors who were gossiping. She didn't need to hear their optimistic answers to tell her what they thought.
"Of course he will," she insisted.
He has to. I don't have an apprentice yet. And Thistleclaw…
She forced the spiky furred warrior out of her mind and her thoughts instead wandered to Thrushpelt. She thought of how he had always been there for her and hopefully always would be.