Shattered Clans- A Warrior Cats Fanfiction

Chapter 27

Thank you for 2K reads on this and 150 followers! :D Sorry it took me so long to update 

Cranefrost marched into the medicine cat den, where Aldercoat and his new apprentice Mistlepaw  (who had been apprenticed early because Aldercoat had too many cats to heal), healed cats. It had been one day since the battle.

"Aldercoat." She hissed. Aldercoat looked up, not sensing the anger in the voice. "Are you injured too-"

"Why did you let Acornshine go!? She was hurt- you were supposed to heal her!" Aldercoat turned to her. 

"She sneaked out. I didn't realise until it was too late-"

"LIAR!" Cranefrost yowled. She unsheathed her claws and she leapt at the poor chestnut brown medicine cat, pinning him down.

"Cranefrost? What are you doing?!" Snowfall barged her way in and jumped between them. Cranefrost froze. Then, she ran. No one would ever understand her. 

She would never be happy again.

***

A small, ginger and white she cat with huge hazel eyes approached Cranefrost. She was in the forest, in Thunderclan camp. But it was deserted. There was no cat there apart from Cranefrost and...

"Acornshine?" Cranefrost meowed, staring at her in disbelief. She thought she would never see the small, mischievous she cat again. 

"Cranefrost." Acornshine purred. She trotted to her former mentor and they touched noses, Acornshine pulled away after a few heartbeats. "I've come to tell you not to blame Aldercoat or yourself. It was my choice to sneak out. It was my choice to fight. And I don't regret my decision."

"But why? You were so young!"

"Every cat, no matter how small or unneeded they think they are, have their destiny written in the stars. They all play an important role in the life of the clans. It was my time to go." Acornshine explained.

Cranefrost bowed her head, ashamed.  Why had she acted like that? "I will still miss you, though." She whispered, staring at the floor. 

Acornshine purred. "I'll visit you sometimes. And when it is your time, you'll join me. But enjoy your life. Maybe your kits will take your mind off stress."

It took a few moments for Cranefrost's mind to process what Acornshine had just said. "Kits?" She echoed, shocked. But Acornshine was already fading away.

"What..? Come back, Acornshine! How do I have kits?!"

Cranefrost awoke. She was expecting kits! Her heart surged and she felt excited. But she remembered what Acornshine had said "maybe they'll take your mind off stress". Cranefrost vowed that she would never let anything make her forget about her noble apprentice. Why did she have to have kits now?

Eventually, Cranefrost decided to tell Jackalflame. She traipsed through the forest and hesitantly crossed the Shadowclan border. Fortunately, Jackalflame was hunting by himself near the border, so she didn't have to venture very far.

"Jackalflame!" Cranefrost hissed. The black cat looked up, his amber eyes on high alert. His fur bristled with hostility as he saw Cranefrost's silhouette, but flattened as he realised who it was.

"Cranefrost? I thought you mated with that other cat- I mean, what are you doing here?"

"Jackalflame! I didn't meet up with you because I had to go to Bubbles' camp! I never stopped loving you."

"I tried to get a mate from Shadowclan, but I couldn't stop thinking about you! I thought... you abandoned me." Jackalflame meowed. 

"Oh, Jackalflame! I'd never do that! The reason I came is... Let's go for a walk." 

Cranefrost and Jackalflame walked together, stopping at the place they escaped a gathering together. Cranefrost sat in a huge pile of the huge, green leaves.

"Ok. Well... I'm expecting kits." She meowed.

"Ours?!" Jackalflame cried.

"Yes, you mouse brain!" Cranefrost replied.

"That's great!" Jackalflame mewed, licking her ear.

"No, it's not! Can't you see? They'll find out we are mates! Who will be the father?" 

Jackalflame's face fell and Cranefrost instantly felt bad.

"I'm sorry. It's just... my father and mother and apprentice died in the battle and now I'm expecting kits. It all happened so hard and I don't even know when they're due and-"

"Cranefrost. Calm down. There's no rush. We'll find away, but right now can we enjoy the moment? I haven't seen you in so long."

"Oh," Cranefrost said, looking at the Shadowclan warrior. She moved closer to him. It felt good to let go of all her worries, her fear and anger and sadness.

"Sometimes I just wish things weren't so complicated." Cranefrost meowed, her voice sleepy. Jackalflame licked her lovingly. "Me too, Cranefrost, me too."

In the morning, Cranefrost said her goodbyes to Jackalflame and promised him she'd meet him the next night. She made her way back to the camp, feeling a bit happier than when she'd left it yesterday.

Cranefrost decided she wanted to go back to her life before the battle. Even though important figures like Brackenshade and Acornshine were gone, she still tried. First she went hunting with Leafshade, and then settled next to her sisters as they ate together.

"Leafshade likes you for sure." Cleardawn meowed. Cranefrost blushed.

"Is it really that obvious?" Snowfall nodded, and Cranefrost looked away, debating whether she should tell them the news or not.

"Wellll..." Cranefrost started, "I'm kind of... expecting kits..." She said.

"Leafshades?!" Snowfall gasped.

"Of course not! Jackalflame's!" Cranefrost blurted.

"Congratulations!" Cleardawn purred. "But who will you say the father is?"

"Weeeeeeeeeeelllll..." Cranefrost said for the second time. She looked at the dark brown warrior with green eyes as he entered the clearing, picked a small sparrow to eat and sat down next to Leapmist and other warriors. Snowfall followed her gaze and gasped again.

"No! I already see where this is going! You can't pretend that he's the father! That's just cruel!" She cried.

"Cruell is going to the enemies side secretly, killing an innocent cat and then becoming deputy of the group that killed multiple cats." Cranefrost growled under her breath. Cleardawn heard her and stared at her with a warning look, but luckily Snowfall seemed like she hadn't heard it.

She talked and had fun with her littermates for the rest of the day. Maybe she'd get over the death of her beloved apprentice...

Or maybe not?

Sorry for not updating!!!