Spotted Fire

Summary

What if Spottedleaf had survived and saved Frostfur's kits before they were kidnapped by Clawface? And what if Spottedleaf was willing to break the warrior code in order to be with Fireheart?

Rescuing Frostfur's Kits

My heart pounds in my chest. My breathing is heavy. My paws are moving quicker than a lightning bolt. I ran as fast as I could with the kits safely on my back. Me and Firepaw had chased after Clawface and we managed to fight him off and we got the kits back. The little gray furred molly, Cinderkit, was really fond of the ginger furred apprentice.

Frostfur was lying down in the clearing when the rescue patrol returned, her head resting sadly on her paws. As soon as she spotted the returning cats, however, she rushed forward and nuzzled her kits.

"My kits!" She purred happily as all four crowded around her, even Cinderkit. She licked them all furiously, trying to comfort all four at once. As me and Firepaw padded into the camp, the white-furred queen glanced up at him. She didn't say anything, but the gratitude in her eyes spoke more than any words ever could.

As I walked back to the medicine den to get some much needed rest, a certain ginger-furred tom came to the for-front of my mind. I thought of calling out to Firepaw, but he too, needed his rest.

However, later that night, I found myself unable to sleep so I decided to go out and collect some herbs. As I walked through the lush, green forest, I stood and looked up at the sky. The stars were silvery, sparkling sapphires in the sky, and the moons silvery glow shined down, casting a glow on my dark colored pelt.

A handsome, dark, flame-colored tabby, and emerald green eyes I got lost in each time I looked into them. He's always so shy, so brave, but he breaks the code often. Each time he's done it, it's been a good reason. I know it has. He had arrived in the clan only a moon ago, and he was known in the clan by everyone already. No one has seen him in the way I do.

Suddenly another cat plagued my mind, and it made my blood run cold with memories and fear. A large, spiky furred, gray-and-white tabby tom, and sharp amber eyes.

Thistleclaw

As a kit, he always had an eye on me, and as an apprentice, he confessed he loved me. What I wouldn't give to feel love like his again. If only he chose me over the Dark Forest, our paths could be so different. But Firepaw, oh this tom... I want him so bad. He could be what me and Thistleclaw could've had, but better. The thought of Firepaw made my core grow wet, and my medicine cat duties became harder the more often I thought about him.

I shook my head as I scolded myself. "You're a medicine cat! You had you're chance, and now it's gone. Your heart belongs to the clan, not to a tom." I said out loud. But Firepaw could make us happy. "If he could make us happy, then so be it. But a medicine cat isn't supposed to have a mate. Oh StarClan, I need answers. Why has this only just happened now? Hasn't my heart been dragged through enough?" I muttered to myself, as I stared up at the star-covered sky where Silverpelt was located.

Suddenly the bushes rustled. I spun around calmly, and saw pale-blue fur and ice blue eyes pad out, with a sleek, pale-blue tail emerging last, then drawing around her paws as she sat down. "What's troubling you, Spottedleaf? I could hear you talking to yourself out in the middle of the forest. A leader should be able to have a conversation with her medicine cat without needing to leave the camp." She mewed.

"It's a personal problem, Bluestar. Once Goosfeather told me when I was a warrior apprentice, that I'm a cat who loves foolishly. I never understood what it meant, until I learned what Thistleclaw was really like." I confessed with a soft sigh.

"Every cat noticed you were after him. It sickened me to see Snowfur with him, but also made me happy to see her happy with Whitestorm. You were happy with him, so what happened that changed this all?" Bluestar inquired, tilting her head.

"Thistleclaw trained with the Dark Forest. He chose an evil destiny over love. I loved an evil cat, Bluestar. Now, I think I'm falling in love again, and these feelings are so hard to control they interfere with my medicine duties." I meowed, frowning slightly as I stared at Bluestar with sad eyes.

"And you're asking StarClan for the answers rather than searching for herbs tonight?" She turned her gaze to the stars. "The coming battles over Sunningrocks with RiverClan and our border scrimishes with ShadowClan mean we need our medicine cat to be focused, Spottedleaf. I can't have you being moody over a tom when a cat could be bleeding to death." Bluestar narrowed her eyes as she turned to me. I lowered my head as I felt my ears grow hot.

"Yes Bluestar, I understand. May I go to the Moonstone tomorrow? I thought I would ask StarClan what is best. This isn't going away anytime soon, and I think they might hold the answers." I asked, and Bluestar nods her head in response.

"If you're going to the Moonstone, you're not going alone. take a warrior and an apprentice. We need our medicine cat safe at a time like this. Would you have anyone in mind?"

Firepaw

"No one I can think of, Bluestar. Who do you suggest I take?" I can't give away that I like Firepaw, Bluestar will think I'm mousebrained.

"Well... I need Tigerclaw here... How about you take Lionheart and Firepaw?" Bluestar asked, and I surprised a trill of happiness. I can't let my leader know.

"Firepaw's a bit young for the Moonstone journey, isn't he?" I inquired. I mentally kicked myself at the horrible excuse. 'Oh StarClan, what is wrong with me? Is it wrong for me to feel this way about Firepaw?'

"He's as old as the other apprentices. Would you rather take a different one?" Her gaze was boring into Spottedleaf with curiosity, making her feel slightly uncomfortable. "Do you have a reason for not wanting Firepaw to make the journey?" She pressed.

I'd love for him to come on the journey, but I don't trust myself being alone around him... Then again, Lionheart will be with us... "I guess I kind of wanted to take Ravenpaw. He's so jumpy, maybe seeing the Moonstone will show him what kind of life he could live." That wasn't entirely a lie. Ravenpaw is very jumpy at the moment, especially around Tigerclaw. Maybe it's best to keep those two apart.

"Tigerclaw would have to go with you instead of Lionheart then, and I need Tigerclaw here because of RiverClan. Lionheart and Firepaw will accompany you to the Moonstone. That's my final decision, unless you have another reason for speaking against my order." StarClan please let me control myself around him.

"None Bluestar, Firepaw and Lionheart will accompany me to the Moonstone." I echoed, lowering my head to hide my blush.