Warriors: The Forbidden Fruit - Chapter 7
Briarlight POV. Next chapter Jayfeather goes to the Moonstone! :D
I do not own Warriors, it belongs to Erin Hunter.
Chapter 7
"Who made up all the rules?
We follow them like fools,
Believe them to be true,
Don't care to think them through
And I'm sorry, so sorry
I'm sorry it's like this
I'm sorry, so sorry
I'm sorry we do this"
"They" by Jem
Briarlight
Briarlight was waiting patiently for Jayfeather's return in their den. Brightheart and Cloudtail had visited her earlier in response to her request to train with them. Cloudtail said that he would have to ask Bramblestar if she could even start training. Briarlight frowned at the memory. What is freedom if you cannot do your own will and make your own choices? Briarlight chose to train… and she also chose Jayfeather.
Why was everyone against them? The warrior code and the medicine cat code didn't allow for this sort of relationship to be occurring, but it was… Rules were made to be broken, Briarlight's rebellious side said. Still, she couldn't bear to think about what the other warriors would think of all of this. She thought of her mother and how disappointed she would be. Would she hate me? Briarlight wondered fearfully.
As if on cue, Millie waltzed into the medicine cat den. Briarlight was somewhat surprised, but at the same time knew that it was common for the warriors left behind to remain awake and wait for the others to return from the Gathering. "Hello, precious," the tabby she-cat purred, nuzzling her ear. "Are you feeling alright? Are you hungry?"
Briarlight sighed and shook her head. "No, mother. I'm fine," she meowed somewhat dejectedly.
Millie took a step toward her and sniffed her hesitantly. "Are you sure? You don't look well! Should I go get Leafpool? Are you feeling dizzy at all? Or queasy? Jayfeather will be back any moment—"
"Calm down, mother," Briarlight hissed, getting annoyed with her mother's constant worry. "I'm fine… just tired," she lied.
Her words did little to console her mother. "Are you sure?" she asked for the thousandth time.
"Yes!" Briarlight growled. "I am fine! I'm not a helpless kit mother! I can take care of myself for StarClan's sake, so can't you get off my back?!"
Millie backed off, her eyes wide with shock. Even Briarlight was surprised by her own sharpness. She didn't know what came over her—something inside just snapped. All of her emotions were being contained in one taught rubber band that just couldn't take the stress any longer and broke, stinging those around her. Briarlight looked at her paws. "I'm sorry, mother… I'm just so… so overwhelmed right now. So much is going on and I'm just… confused and scared I guess."
Her mother immediately softened. "Oh, darling, it's alright," she soothed, licking the space between her ears gently. "I understand that you're going through so many things right now, and… and I know that I can be overprotective of you. I know that I can be more of a burden than a blessing, but everything I do I do with your best interest at heart, sweet pea. I love you more than anything and I don't want anything else bad to happen to you again."
Briarlight felt reassured by her mother's words and leaned into her, enjoying her sweet scent. For a moment, she imagined herself back in the nursery with her littermates snuggling beside her, suckling from their mother's belly.
The shout of a warrior from outside made Briarlight snap out of her reverie. "Bramblestar, what happened?" Bumblestripe inquired from outside.
Millie bid her a quiet farewell before exiting the den to see what had gone on. For a moment, Briarlight was unsure whether or not she wanted to face Jayfeather. After a moment's hesitation, she rested her head on her paws, closed her eyes, and pretended to be asleep. It didn't take long for her to hear the footfalls of her favorite medicine cat. A moment later, his familiar scent washed over her, soothing her nerves.
A moment later, Briarlight's heart leapt into her throat as she felt Jayfeather's soft tail run along her flank. Blood roared in her ears as adrenaline pumped through her. Why was it that this tom's touch sent an electric shockwave through her entire body? Why did he have such a massive effect on her?
Briarlight didn't hear anyone approach, but Jayfeather's jump told her all she needed. "What do you want?" he hissed at the unknown cat.
Leafpool let out a sigh. "Jayfeather," she meowed, her voice sounding tremendously strained. "Please do not make the same mistakes I made. Please. I couldn't bear to see you in my situation."
Briarlight's heart beat accelerated as she waited for Jayfeather's response. Memories flooded back to her of the fateful day when Hollyleaf, Jayfeather's own sister exposed their secret to the Clans—they were the kits of Leafpool, the ThunderClan medicine cat, and Crowfeather, a WindClan warrior. That day was burned into Briarlight's mind; even though she had been fairly young, she remembered every detail perfectly.
"It won't get that far," Jayfeather finally answered, but there was a sense of uncertainty in his tone. Briarlight knew that he didn't believe his own words—if her assumptions were correct, he cared for her and they were both in over their heads in this inconceivable affair.
"That's what I told myself," Leafpool murmured, her voice coming out half-strangled. "And look what happened."
Briarlight could hear the growl rising in her lover's throat, but he controlled it and pushed out of the den, leaving the two she-cats alone. She listened with a heavy heart as the gray-furred tomcat's footsteps faded away. An icy fear ran its way down Briarlight's spine as she struggled to keep still and pretend to be asleep. Leafpool wasn't leaving. Would she see that Briarlight was faking her peaceful slumber? Would she demand answers to this whole charade? Would she try to convince her to abandon the love of her life?
"I know you are awake, young one," she finally sighed. Briarlight felt the ground tremble slightly as the former medicine cat sat back on her haunches. "Your breathing is too irregular."
Biting back a sharp retort, Briarlight allowed her eyes to open. She braced herself for the fury—both Leafpool's and her own but they never came. The two just sat there, gazing at each other with solemn faces. Finally, Leafpool broke the uneasy silence. "Briarlight," she began carefully. "I am not here to yell, or berate you. Consider this a persuasive conviction if you will. You know my story, Briarlight. You were not so young that you did not learn of my 'betrayal' to the Clans."
"Falling in love shouldn't be considered a betrayal," Briarlight muttered, her anger flaring. "How can we control our feelings? What if it was meant to be? What if we were just… I don't know programmed to be in love with that cat? I mean… they say to put your Clan above everything, but what about your own happiness? All of the Clans want the same things: happiness, good lives for their kits, survival… why can't we all get along?"
Leafpool gazed at her kindly. "Briarlight, for being so young, your wisdom surprises me. You speak the truth, yes, we all want the same things in general, but we each have our personal desires as well. The Clans were divided long ago for their differences. We can coexist to some extent, but in the end, it is our differences that separate us."
"But it shouldn't be that way!" Briarlight protested. "Besides, this isn't even about stupid Clan rivalries! This is about Jayfeather and me, and that isn't even any of your business!"
The former medicine cat let out a sorrowful sigh. "I am only trying to help you, Briarlight. I know what it is like to go through this and it is not something that you can shrug off. Jayfeather says that it is not serious, but I believe that it is. I know what a foolish, carefree, passionate romance can turn into. I've lived it, Briarlight. I don't want that to happen. It's not a pleasant experience in the least."
Briarlight refused to look at her and focused on a beetle crawling across the floor of the den. "I'm not stupid and I'm not going to make the same mistakes you made. Jayfeather and I are careful, and it's nowhere near that serious!"
Leafpool shook her head tiredly. "Are you sure there is nothing I can do to dissuade you from this?"
The crippled warrior nodded. "Nothing you say will stop me from loving him."
The brown tabby nodded gravely. "I respect and regret your decision. I just pray to StarClan that you two know what you are doing." With that, she left Briarlight alone in the den, waiting for Jayfeather to return.
A/N: So what'd you think of this chapter? Leave a review and let me know! If you've liked what you've seen here and you wanna see more, click on my username to see more! :D