Warriors Short Stories | 2020

Blessed | Short Story

What if leaders were born with their nine lives?

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Pebblestream glanced up as a rustling of branches stirred her from her thoughts. A young tom approached her, his jaw full with herbs, his dark sandy pelt soaked from the drizzle that dripped outside. His rosetted tabby pattern was distinct against his darkened fur, and as he stepped into the cover and warmth of the medicine den, he shook his entire body to dry. Small droplets of water landed on the ground and herb storage as the apprentice vibrated violently.

"Hey!" Pebblestream teased, pacing forward to take the leaves from his mouth and place them in their correct spots. Her apprentice had collected a good, fortunate amount, especially with leaf bare drawing near. "Elkpaw, you're soaking the herbs!"

"My bad," Elkpaw apologized, shivering. "It's freezing out there today!"

"Yes," Pebblestream agreed, her mind elsewhere. "Let's pray to StarClan that no one gets ill this year." The she cat traced her paw over the storage. It would sustain them if a pawful of their Clanmates caught whitecough, but nothing more.

Elkpaw nodded, walking deeper into the cave and to his nest, where he twirled around before finally resting into it. "It's horrible that Hawkstar won't allow you to go to the Mooncave anymore."

Pebblestream sighed. "I thought we weren't going to talk about this anymore, Elkpaw." The tyrant leader, Hawkstar, had only just risen the ranks a few moons ago, but already his cruelty had great consequences on the Clan. Hawkstar, a bold, large black tom had slaughtered their old leader just to take power, even though he wasn't the rightful heir, StarClan hadn't blessed him as a kit with nine lives. Hawkstar claimed that his son would be the leader after him, though the entire Clan knows that Falconstrike is as unfair as his father. And worst of all, Hawkstar forbid any cat to travel to the Mooncave, and that communicating with StarClan was just to set any cat's paws off their track. Pebblestream was furious with the leader, but their was still hope in her small body. Their real leader was yet to be found.

"I'm sorry, but it isn't right to let Hawkstar or Falconstrike bully us into following them," Elkpaw growled. "You should be visiting the Mooncave, just like every other medicine cat has."

"You would think this is a horrible topic," Pebblestream grumbled, trying to focus on her chores. She had to be loyal to Hawkstar, even if she hated him with a passion, he was still her leader and she was to serve him. "Since Hawkstar murdered your father and all."

"My father was fair and kind, and he listened to his Clanmates. He was, by far, a better leader than Hawkstar or his son could ever be!" Elkpaw stated, standing up. "Someone needs to set him straight!"

"Hush, Elkpaw!" Pebblestream looked around frantically, her heart racing. "I know you mean good intentions, but if anyone hears us talking about Hawkstar and Falconstrike so negatively, who knows what will become of us."

Elkpaw stuck up his nose. "Yeah well, I'm not afraid of him."

Pebblestream chuckled at her defiant apprentice. "You don't have any warrior training, how would you ever face one, let alone a leader?"