Brambleberry's Path

Chapter 14:

Brambleberry wasn't the only one to notice the change in Hawkwing's mood. She had started to become more withdrawn from her friends, hunting alone and leaving camp to walk around the territory to 'clear her head', as she called it. Brightface and Birdpaw were worried about her, but they didn't push her to tell them what was going on. Brambleberry, however, wasn't so patient.

"Hawkwing, can I talk to you?" He asked the light brown she-cat as he padded up to her. Hawkwing looked at him before staring down at her paws.

"I just want to be alone right now, if you don't mind." She mewed softly, turning away from him and padding towards the camp entrance. Brambleberry growled softly.

'I do mind', he thought, but he bit his tongue to hold that retort in. The last thing he needed was to start a fight with her. All he wanted to do was help.

"Well, you can't go out alone. Sandclan could attack again, and what chance would you have fighting them off alone?" He mewed, sprinting to catch up to her. Hawkwing sighed and looked over at Brambleberry with dull emerald eyes.

"Fine. But only because you bring up a good point." She mewed. Brambleberry felt his heart soar and he smiled at her. They passed Brightface and Blazepaw, who both looked at them with wide eyes full of confusion and disbelief. Brambleberry shot Blazepaw a smirk of triumph before they left camp.

They padded along silently, Hawkwing staring at the trees and Brambleberry staring at her, trying to figure out what was wrong with her.

"Hawkwing, why do you want to be alone all the time?" He asked. She blinked and looked at her paws.

"I just need to think things through." She mewed softly. Brambleberry narrowed his eyes at Hawkwing and stopped, making her halt in her tracks. But she didn't turn around to face him.

"That's otter-dung and you know it. What's going on with you, really?" He asked her, sounding more harsh than he wanted. Hawkwing shook her head and kept silent.

"Hawkwing, I'm just trying to help you! Why can't you just tell me?!" He hissed at her with frustration. Hawkwing twitched before she whipped around, fur bristling and eyes narrowed in dangerous fiery slits. Her claws were unsheathed, tail fluffed out, and her fangs were bared at him.

"WHY DO YOU CARE?! I'M SORRY I'M SUCH AN INCONVENIENCE TO YOU BECAUSE I MISS MY FAMILY!" She screeched before whipping around and racing off. Brambleberry stood there, frozen with shock, before he shook his head and chased after her.

He wished he could have held his tongue.

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He couldn't find her anywhere, so he gave up his search and padded solemnly back to camp, sulking all the way. When he got into the camp, Blazepaw and Brightface met him, both bombarding him with questions.

"Where's Hawkwing? Is she ok?!" Both asked at the same time, exchanging glances. Brightface stepped up to Brambleberry and her fur started to bristle.

"What did you say to her?!" She demanded, sapphire eyes blazing. Brambleberry kept his ground and stared at her.

"I just asked her what was wrong with her." He growled. Blazepaw stepped closer to Brambleberry with narrowed emerald eyes. The ginger and white blotched apprentice was almost as tall as the dark tabby warrior.

"Did you pressure her into telling you?!" He asked. Brambleberry glared at Blazepaw and his fur started to bristle. But before he could retort, Brightface hissed with frustration and whipped around, stalking towards the camp entrance.

"Where are you going?" Brambleberry asked her. She whipped around and glared at him angrily.

"I'm going to fix whatever you did." She hissed before she went to go look for her friend.

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Brambleberry rested his chin in his paws and watched for any sign of Brightface and Hawkwing returning. He sighed and closed his eyes for a couple of seconds, but they snapped open when he heard a relieved mew outside the den. His head shot up from his paws and he leapt to his feet when he saw Brightface enter the camp with Hawkwing beside her.

The two she-cats were talking quietly, but Brambleberry could tell from where he stood that whatever Brightface said to Hawkwing had worked. She looked more energized and a bit happier than she had been since the battle with Sandclan. Blazepaw and Pebblefoot padded over to them and started chatting with the two she-cats.

Hawkwing glanced over at Brambleberry, and their eyes met for a brief moment. He felt his heart rise in his throat and then felt it crash back to his stomach when she looked away from him with emotionless emerald eyes and replied to whatever Blazepaw had asked her about. Brambleberry turned away and went to his nest before curling up into it and resting his head on his paws, glaring at the wall.

He messed up big time.