A contest entry. UwU

word count - 1337 words


For Her


Sneezeleap growled as he lunged for the running rabbit for the umpteenth time, frustration prickling at his pelt, irritated. His claws, despite how outstretched and accurately aimed it is, missed the rabbit by mere mouse-lengths. With great gratitude – or is it mockery – the rabbit rapidly bounded away giddily from the imminent harm. Violent anger and dread filled his heart as he watched the lucky rabbit escaped. A prey escaped, again.

This solo hunting patrol was great so far. Very great in fact, that he decided to just ignore the way he was being extremely bitter about everything – and sarcastic, too. He sighed, and along with a heavy heart, he trudged back home. Contemplating about the events of today, and the last half moon, that managed to riled him up so much.

"Be a warrior for me…will you?"

He stopped dead in his tracks as memories resurfaced. No. No. No.

"Goodbye…dear brother. Please…"

Tears prickled his eyes and he slowly collapsed. No. Nonononononononono.

"Fulfill…my dream…"

He let out a muffled sob as he remembered her last words. Her last wish. One he can't even fulfill properly. A wish his dying sister left, that hang empty in the cold, cold air. I'm sorry, I'm trying. I'msorryI'msorrypleasedon't leavemeMallowpawnonononononono—

"Sneezeleap!" He was jolted out of his stupor when Sunfeather shook him like there's no tomorrow. The panicked look on Sunfeather alone can tell that his face is marred with tears for his deceased sister. The medicine cat's eyes roamed around him with pity and sadness in silence. "You caught nothing again, did you?" He said nothing, which only evoked more sympathy from the ginger cat.

"…It's Mallowpaw again, isn't it?" Wordlessly, he nodded. Sunfeather's eyes glistened with empathy; she heaved a sigh and pulled him closer, laying her chin on the top of his head. "You poor, miserable thing." That's the only thing she said, and they stand there in silence. Sneezeleap seeking the comfort he needed from the older she-cat, his former mentor.


When they returned to the camp, Sneezeleap was quick to excuse himself to the warriors' den. Sunfeather's gaze followed the young warrior until he's out of sight. Guilt and remorse wormed unrelentingly in her subconscious. It's been too long. And the emotional strain is too much. That's when her line of sight was interrupted by the one cat that might make everything better; Mallowpaw's former mentor. "Hollyfrost!"


Following the pale grey and white warrior is no easy task for even the experienced Hollyfrost, let alone Sunfeather, but they're trying their best as Sneezeleap padded forlornly along the night forest. A sigh escaped him, audible even from their place. Hollyfrost gave the warrior a sad glance once, before turning to Sunfeather. "Are you sure we should interrupt him? I mean, he's probably reminiscing the good times between him and Mallowpaw. And I wouldn't want to put even more pressure on him, He's already so fragile if you ask me."

Sunfeather makes a distressed noise from the back of her throat. "But the pain won't ebb away on its own, if we don't do something about it. He has to let go."

"I don't know, but—"

Sneezeleap jumped the moment he heard them and whirled around to face the two crouching she-cats, surprise wide in his teary eyes. "Hollyfrost?! And Sunfeather too!? I, what, I—" Quickly in an effort to calm himself down, he took in a deep breathe, and tried to calm himself. He let out a shuddering breath, one that clearly conveyed his pain and fears, but the next second, he masked it with a cheerful smile – almost like nothing ever happened. "What were you two doing here? I guess Sunfeather might be lonely without me, but hanging out with you is not really lighthearted, you know? I mean—"

"Sneezeleap," Hollyfrost suddenly interjected him, determination shining in her bright green eyes. "This can't go on, and you know that." The instant that was spoken, the whole forest shushed itself, turning eerily quiet without a sound except the cats' breathing, and Sneezeleap's wide cheery eyes dimmed. He resignedly hung his head.

"I know."

That seems to hit Sunfeather in the face, and she cried in anguish. "Then why?! Why would you hurt yourself this way!?" The hopelessness she experienced must has taken its toll on her as well, Hollyforst noted. "She'd wanted you to be happy, despite its being her wish, she would want you to be happy, so why?!"

The addressed tom said nothing, instead, he gestured around the area with slow, saddening movements. "This whole big forest." He began. "This whole land, I only have my sister, who died because of my incompetent. Maybe if you were taking care of her, Sunfeather, she wouldn't have died." He slowly lost control over his emotion, and soon tears were flowing down his face freely, shamelessly. "I can't even be a decent medicine cat apprentice, Sunfeather! I can't even remember the use of Tansy! I may as well make her happy, if my life's nothing either way!" The now sobbing tom shouted, all his muddled up emotions all came crumbling down. The ginger medicine cat looked more devastated than ever. And Hollyfrost had enough.

"And do you think she's happy now seeing you being a sobbing mess over her wish?" She asked sternly, like the way she used to do with Mallowpaw. Something that made vague wistfulness crept on to her spine.

Sneezeleap stubbornly nodded. "She deserves better."

"I don't think my apprentice is going to rest peacefully when her brother is practically writhing in pain." She growled. "Listen, she wouldn't ask you to fulfill her wish if it's killing you. Do you think being a warrior is going to make you happy later in life? Is that where you want to be? If no, then that's it. You can't change your mindset and lifelong goals just for someone."

Tears threatened at Sneezeleap's eyes when he realized that, yet he desperately croaked out. "But I can try."

"You can, but you're just pushing it now!' Sunfeather gritted her teeth, barely holding anything back. "You're just going to ended up lifeless and mentally dead! What you're doing now is surely not where you'd like to ended up in the future!"

A tear dropped form Sneezeleap's eye to the ground. He started sniffling. "But, Mallowpaw—it's her wish! I can't abandon her like that!" He shook and growled at himself in helpless fury, which was soothed by Sunfeather's slight touch to his shoulder. "She would be happy if you're happy."

"But—"

"What would she do if she found out she caused you immense unhappiness?" Hollyfrost asked calmly. The asked tom blinked once, and twice. "She would blame herself so much, I guess?"

The pure black she-cat shrugged as she explained. "Your sister is no selfish cat. She would be devastated, and she would really blame herself." Hollyfrost narrowed her eyes at this. "So you do know what she intended, yet why are you pushing yourself this way?" Sneezeleap looked away from her glare, and he spoke softly this time. "It's the only thing I can do for her. I-I—" He sniffled and stuttered, but he went on. "I-I am hopeless, I'm nothing, she-she's everything. I can't even save her. Think about what'd mom and dad say up there in Starclan." At this, he mustered up a mirthless laughter and threw his head up towards the starry night sky, where seemingly three stars shone bright. And slightly, he let out a wistful smile.

Hollyfrost lightly nudged Sneezeleap, along with Sunfeather. "Everyone wants you to be happy, I know that. Now go, pursue your dreams, become a medicine cat." And she gazed at him again, gently this time. "I promised Mallowpaw will forgive you."

Sneezeleap gazed back at Hollyfrost, then the enthusiastically beaming Sunfeather, and he slowly, hesitantly, nodded, but with a hopeful expression on his face. "I..I'll believe you." With that, he smiled. A smile of relief none have seen for a long time since Mallowpaw's death.