Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors.
Just an FYI, I changed my penname from Feathercloud13 to Roseheart59.
Chapter 21
Clovernight hobbled out of the medicine cat's den and sat down right outside of it, balancing on her three good legs and holding up her bad one. It was wrapped with cobwebs and bark to keep it straight so it would heal properly. She was constantly eating poppy seeds and dozing off, and she had only gone out of camp twice so far. Fortunately, it was new-leaf, so she could go and rest outside. But another bad side to that was that Cloudstorm would leave soon, without her. He'd have to find someone else to go with him.
She sighed and laid her head on the ground, closing her eyes. She heard some soft sighing and looked up, blinking.
Eaglepaw was sitting close to her, his head bowed down as if in shame.
Clovernight turned away, a low growl rising in her throat. That apprentice was always annoying!
"I'm sorry, Clovernight," Eaglepaw mewed softly. He had been trying to apologize for a while, but Clovernight had kept ignoring him.
She snapped, "Eaglepaw, I understand that you're sorry for what you did, and I accept your apology, but sorry doesn't mend broken bones!"
The gray tom looked crestfallen. "Well, I'm sorry!"
She sighed. "I know."
What he said next surprised her. "You'll never love me now." She had known that he liked her, but loved her? This cat was mousebrained!
"Eaglepaw, you can't make someone love you by annoying the to death!" she growled. "And I'll never love you! You have it all wrong! Go try some other she-cat!"
The gray tom raced away wordlessly.
Clovernight rolled her eyes and began grooming herself, keeping away from her leg. Pretty soon, she felt a shadow drape over her and looked up.
Feathercloud, her belly kind of swollen with kits, was looking down at her. "Are you feeling all right?" she asked softly, her eyes full of hope.
The hope in her blue orbs vanished immediately when Clovernight hissed back in a cold voice, "I'm fine."
"Oh, well… if you need anything, like fresh-kill, or…"
"I'm fine," Clovernight spat. "Why don't you just go and cuddle up with Thorntail in the nursery?"
Feathercloud, taken aback, bristled. "Don't speak to me that way! I'm your mother!"
"Well, don't lie to me, I'm your daughter!" Clovernight retorted.
At that, Feathercloud took a step back, then hissed. But she didn't look angry, she looked broken-hearted. She padded away, her tail drooping.
Clovernight felt miserable inside, but Feathercloud thought she could get away with whatever she wanted! She let out a sad sigh and looked around. Cloudstorm and Lightheart were sharing tongues right outside the warriors den, Snowstorm was eating at the fresh-kill pile, Birdwing was grooming herself, and Ashenfur was emerging from the warriors den.
Clovernight sighed and hobbled back into the medicine cat's den. She lapped up two poppy seeds that were sitting in front of her nest, then curled up to sleep.
***
Cloudstorm nuzzled Lightheart's flank, his eyes bright. She purred and nudged him, rolling over and batting his nose at the same time. He licked her ear and settled to grooming her sleek gray fur.
"So when do you have to leave?" Lightheart asked, her green eyes wide and curious.
Cloudstorm shrugged. "I don't know. It's getting warmer, so I'll go pretty soon. Clovernight was supposed to come with me, but she can't anymore. I'll have to find someone else to accompany me." He hoped Lightheart would offer to go, but she fell silent. Hmm… that's strange. She never goes silent at times like this. I thought she'd offer to go, or suggest someone to ask.
They sat in silence for a while until Cloudstorm meowed, "Are you okay?"
Lightheart shrugged, but that was the only reply he got. After a while, she said, "Um, I have to go see Mosspelt. I'll see you later."
Mosspelt? Is she sick? "What's wrong, you're not hurt or sick, are you?" he called after her.
"No," she replied, flicking her tail. Soon, she disappeared into the medicine cat's den, her gray fur mingling with the dark shadows inside, then vanishing.
Cloudstorm heaved himself up to his paws. Why is she acting so strange? He shook his fur and went over to the fresh-kill pile and picked a mouse. Snowstorm was eating a vole.
"Um, Snowstorm?" he meowed to his former mentor.
"Yes?" the she-cat mewed. She was Lightheart's mother, perhaps she'd know something.
Cloudstorm sighed. "Lightheart's been acting strange lately. Do you have any idea as to what's going on?"
Snowstorm looked him in the eye. Her green eyes seemed to say, Do you really not know? After a moment of silence, she answered, "Well, when she's ready to tell you, I'm sure she'll let you know. For the time being, don't worry about it, okay?"
Cloudstorm dipped his head as Snowstorm walked past him, her meal finished. She-cats. They're so secretive. He finished his mouse and buried the remains, then wondered who would be a good traveling companion for him.
***
Dewleaf winced when she heard another loud yowl erupt from the nursery. Petailtail was giving birth to her kits, and she was obviously in a lot of pain. Redfur, Petailtail's mate, was sitting outside the nursery, looking nervous.
Dewleaf padded over slowly, her fur bristling at the nervousness and tension.
Redfur flicked his ear, acknowledging her presence. His eyes widened with worry when another screech split the air.
Although she herself was scared and worried, she mewed, "Don't worry, I'm sure Honeytail knows what she's doing."
Redfur let out a deep breath, then nodded. "You're right, she probably does." But his tail was still flicking from side to side with anticipation.
After a while, Honeytail emerged from the nursery. "Congratulations, Redfur, you're a father."
Redfur's tail flew up. "Really? That's great, thank you! How many kits are there?"
Honeytail's whiskers quivered. "Well, three, but one… he died."
"Oh," Redfur mewed, his eyes clouded. He padded into the nursery, disappearing into the den made of fern and bracken.
Dewleaf glanced at Honeytail. "How is Petaltail?"
"She's fine. A bit strained, I suppose, but she's very happy," the golden furred medicine cat replied, her tail flicking happily. "I remember a long time ago, when I actually helped deliver Skyfur's kits, Petaltail and Stormpelt." Her eyes were wide and reflectful. She let out a soft purr and padded away.
Dewleaf glanced at the nursery once, then padded off.
***
"Eaglepaw, both Feathercloud and Leafdapple agree that you are ready for your warrior name. From now on, you will be known as Eagletalon." Smokestar gazed down at the young gray cat, whose eyes were gleaming with pride. He dipped his head respectfully, then stepped back.
Smokestar's eyes turned to Stonepaw. "Stonepaw, Berrytail also says that you have proved yourself worthy of this name: Stonefoot."
The silver-gray tom dipped his head and flicked his tail.
"Falconpaw," Smokestar meowed, resting his blue gaze on the ginger tom. "You have learned loss, when you lost your mentor. But you've picked up well with your new mentor. Forestlily agrees that you're ready for your warrior name. You will now be called Falconclaw."
The ginger cat dipped his head, then raised it proudly, his blue eyes gleaming with pride.
"And Flightpaw," Smokestar purred. "Whitepelt tells me that you've trained very well. So from now on, you are worthy of being called Flightfur."
The ginger and white she-cat purred and dipped her head, just as her siblings had done.
Slowly, the Clan began to chant, "Eagletalon, Stonefoot, Falconclaw, Flightfur!"
When the cheerful chanting ceased, Smokestar announced, "As you may know, you four must sit vigil tonight."
The four new warriors nodded, glancing at each other with excited looks on their faces. Cloudstorm purred happily for them.
***
Clovernight sighed and shifted in the moss bed, yawning. She was still in the medicine cat's den, but her leg was healing rapidly. Mosspelt looked up at her, then purred.
"You're up. How are you doing?" the medicine cat asked, padding over to her with some herbs in her mouth.
She shrugged. "Fine, I suppose. My paws are itching to go out and hunt!"
Mosspelt purred. "Yes, it's getting much warmer now, and your leg is healing well. Perhaps you can go for a walk later." She spat out a single poppy seed. "Here, chew on this."
The black, gray, and white she-cat sighed and lapped up the seed, almost resentfully. She'd had enough of herbs, she wanted to get out of this stuffy old den! Grr… if only it weren't for Eagletalon…
She settled down, curling her tail around herself, her leg awkwardly placed straight out in front of her. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes. Not long afterward, someone shuffled into the den.
Her ear twitched as she heard Frostpool mew with surprise, "Oh, hello, Eagletalon. What brings you here?"
"Fresh-kill," the tom replied.
Clovernight heard a soft thud, probably some fresh-kill being dropped to the ground.
"Thank you," Mosspelt purred. "It's enough for all three of us."
"Is Clovernight here?" the tom asked anxiously.
Mosspelt nodded. "Yes, actually. I think she's resting. She's in the den back there."
Clovernight stiffened and tried to remain still. She felt eyes pierce into her back, and she let out small sighs, acting as if she was asleep.
"Well, I shouldn't wake her," Eagletalon said. "Enjoy the fresh-kill. Could you tell her I was here to see her?"
"Sure."
There were more sounds, and obviously, Eagletalon had left. Clovernight's eyes fluttered open, and she slowly got up.
"You were awake, weren't you?"
Clovernight lifted her head, meeting Mosspelt's even gaze. "Y-yes, I was," she admitted.
Mosspelt sighed. "Clovernight, it's apparent that this tom cares a lot about you."
She rolled her eyes. "No, he doesn't! He just has an apprentice crush that hasn't worn off!" Indignantly, she reached over to snatch a mouse from the fresh-kill that Eagletalon had left and went back to her nest and tore into it, glaring all the while.
Frostpool let out a soft purr. "Clovernight, you're so---"
"Just leave me alone!" Clovernight hissed. "Why can't you just let me be? I'm in a bad enough state already!"
Frostpool flinched back, but Mosspelt didn't seem deterred.
"Clovernight," Mosspelt mewed. "Would you like to go for a walk with me? Perhaps you'll feel better."
Clovernight nodded reluctantly. "Fine."
Mosspelt turned to Frostpool. "Stay here and sort some herbs, alright? I'll go with Clovernight, and maybe collect some rush on the way."
Frostpool nodded.
"Come on," Mosspelt mewed, turning back to Clovernight.
The dark-furred she cat stood up, wobbling on three legs. Slowly, she padded forward. "What's rush for?" she asked once they were out in the forest.
"Rush is good for binding broken bones. However, there isn't much around ThunderClan territory," Mosspelt explained. "If we find some and apply it to your leg, perhaps it'll speed up your recovery."
"Oh," Clovernight replied. "What does it look like?"
"It has lavender colored stalks," Mosspelt said as she looked around.
Clovernight hobbled around the territory, sighing happily. She felt much more calm and less stressed. And the weather was pretty warm now…
***
"Nice catch," Cloudstorm purred.
Falconclaw nodded. "Thanks." He dropped the thrush on the ground and kicked some dirt over it.
Cloudstorm flicked an ear in reply and sniffed around. He scented a mouse nearby, and looked around. A mouse was sitting at the roots of a tree, scuttling around. He dropped into a crouch and crept forward silently, then lashed out. He bit its throat, then buried it.
"I heard that you were going to leave soon, to find Dewleaf."
"Oh, yeah," Cloudstorm replied. "I am. Clovernight and I were going to go, but she can't. I'll need someone else to go with."
"Have you found anyone?" Falconclaw asked.
Cloudstorm shook his head. "No. I was hoping Lightheart would come with me, but I'm not sure. She hasn't been herself lately. We were best friends, but now she's acting strange around me." He looked at Falconclaw and mewed, "I don't know what's going on."
Falconclaw shrugged. "Maybe she doesn't want to go. I honestly don't know, she and I barely know each other."
Cloudstorm shrugged. "Smokestar wants me to find someone willing to go, and I haven't had much luck in doing so."
Falconclaw nodded and flicked his tail, but he didn't say anything else.
Cloudstorm sighed. I have to go soon. I need to find Dewleaf.
"If you want, I can go with you," Falconclaw offered.
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