Warriors (Fanfic):Moonpaw's Destiny

Chapter 4

This story is unedited, so prepare yourself for many grammatical errors. Happy almost Wattys!

~xXGRXx

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"Do you hate me, StarClan?!" Moonpaw screamed to the raining sky. A flash of lightning and a crack of thunder was all that answered her. Moonpaw slunk under a holly bush and sighed. She had told Bloodshed she didn't feel well enough to continue the Gathering. Which was true if she thought about it. She did feel sick. Lovesick. 

Sunstrike offered to come and escort her home but Moonpaw had refused her offer politely. 

That was before it started pouring. 

Moonpaw couldn't stop thinking about Stromclaw. She couldn't stop thinking about his clever jokes the day they'd first met. She couldn't stop thing about his soft grey pelt and ice blue eyes. She couldn't stop thinking of his little amused purr. 

Oh, why did he have to be from another Clan?! Moonpaw crept out from under the holly bush and started for home. She caught a bedraggled mouse near camp and slipped into her den after wolfing down the mouse.

"How was the Gathering?" Sunpaw asked immediately. Moonpaw grunted and flopped into her nest. Sunpaw's excited expression faded when Moonpaw didn't answer but she didn't have enough energy to even feel sorry. She drifted off into haunted dreams where her Clanmates tormented her for loving a CloudClan warrior. 

"I'm sorry," she whispered in her sleep. In her dream, Moonpaw seemed to be protecting something. Kits! Stormclaw was screaming to leave her alone and there was blood everywhere. 

"My kits!" he wailed as Moonpaw was flipped on her back and the kits were exposed to the merciless claws of her Clanmates. 

"No!" she cried out as her kits were killed. She woke with a start. Moonpaw found she was sweaty and breathing roughly. Her head was spinning and it seemed impossible to go to sleep. She slipped out of her den to the medicine den. 

"Peaceheart?" she whispered to the inky blackness that lay inside. As her eyes got used to the darkness, she saw something stir. 

"Moonpaw?" Roundpaw had woken up. 

"Oh . . .Roundpaw. Is Peaceheart here? I don't feel very good." she mewed. 

" Peaceheart is in the nursery with Leaftail. Let me check you for any sign of sickness", Roundpaw replied as he made his way towards her. "Looks like you have a fever. I'll get you some herbs." 

"Thanks, Roundpaw." She felt better with the herbs in her stomach, but she couldn't stop thinking about her dream. Is that really how her Clan would react if they found she was in love with a CloudClan warrior? She was hopeless. She was angry at the world and at herself for falling in love with a CloudClan warrior. She let the thoughts drift away as she settled down to sleep. She didn't dream about anything, which relieved her. When she woke, her head felt clearer and she felt refreshed. She decided not to wake Peaceheart to tell her she was going outside. Roundpaw's nest was empty and cold, indicating he hadn't slept in it for a while. Leaftail's kits were born at moonhigh the night before and Moonpaw was eager to see them. Then she thought not because she could still be sick. Rather be safe than sorry, she thought to herself. Moonpaw went outside for a walk instead. Now that her head was clearer, she could think better. 

Why not give him a chance? she thought. If we kept it a secret, it'd cause no trouble at all. She pondered over the subject endlessly. She came to a decision. 

I'll give him a chance, she thought. Just a chance. If I started to feel uncomfortable or guilty, it'd be over. It comforted her to think if she didn't want to go on with their relationship, she didn't have to. So for the rest of the afternoon she fished in the river that bordered CloudClan and DeathClan territory, hoping she'd see Stormclaw. She never did. Moonpaw came home disappointed, but carrying a load of fish. She had to make two trips to take it all home. 

Leopardpaw was giving her the cold shoulder and all the other apprentices seemed to see her as an ill-tempered badger. She was miserable. There was only one person in the Clan who actually liked her; Redfur. He was always nice to her and always tried to include her in things. Moonpaw was grateful for that, she really was, but one out of twenty-eight couldn't make a difference. Could it?

"Hey, Moonpaw!" Redfur called.  

"Oh, Redfur. Hi," Moonpaw greeted the tom unenthusiastically.  

Redfur looked slightly discouraged at her lack of emotion, but soon recovered from his uncertainty and continued. 

"I overheard Darkstorm and Bloodshed talking, and you and Leopardpaw will be made warriors today if you pass your final assessment!" 

"What?! Are you serious?!" Moonpaw exclaimed excitedly. 

"Of course I am, you mousebrain!" he said affectionately, licking between her ears, 

"You're the best, Redfur! Thank you so much!" Moonpaw meowed. She gasped.  

"I need to practice right away!" She started to spin around. 

"Wait, will you please, please, pretty please help me train some more? Softfoot and Oceantail are both busy," she begged, turning to Redfur. 

"Well, now, I guess-" He started to meow. 

"Thank you!" Moonpaw interrupted. "Let's go!" 

She raced off towards the camp entrance, Redfur on her heels.

"Moonpaw, please step forward." Darkstorm's voice echoed around the camp. Moonpaw shakily stepped towards her leader. 

"You have trained hard to understand the warrior code, and I commend you a warrior in turn. From this moment forward, you shall be known as Moonrise," Darkstorm boomed. 

"Leopardpaw, step forward. You have trained hard to understand the warrior code, and I commend you a warrior in turn. From this moment forward, you shall be known as Leopardblaze," he meowed. 

"Moonrise! Leopardblaze!" the Clan cheered. 

Moonrise felt a wave of joy and pride crash over her.  

I'm a warrior, she thought excitedly. 

"Congratulations, Moonrise," Redfur purred. 

"Thank you so much! You're the reason I passed my assessment!" Moonrise responded. She quickly rubbed her muzzle against his. He returned it unquestionably, but there was a blush forming on his cheeks.

"I'll see you later!" she called back to him.

Moonrise raced through the tunnel entrance. There was something she had to do. She ran to the CloudClan border. 

"Stormclaw?" she hissed. Moonrise could barely resist the urge to yowl out loud.

A dappled grey head popped up from the undergrowth in the bushes. 

"Moonpaw?" he meowed tentatively. 

"Yes, you big lump of fur, it's me!" Moonrise mewed teasingly. "But I'm Moonrise now," she added proudly.

"You were made a warrior! Great!" Stormclaw meowed with fake enthusiasm.

"Stormclaw. . ."  Moonrise looked deep into the CloudClan tom's eyes. "Please. . . I'm sorry, I was stupid, and toungue-tied, and. . ." She took a deep breath.

"And I love you, Stormclaw. Will you be my mate?"