Entry for HollyAndJay's Writing Contest

Spottedleaf

Spottedleaf padded out of her den, she stopped to scent the air. Was that ShadowClan scent? She sniffed the air again and headed towards where it was coming from. There was a ShadowClan warrior sneaking out of the nursery with some kits.

Spottedleaf bared her teeth at the warrior as he spotted her. The warrior let out a growl and launched himself at her. He lunged for her throat and gripped it in his mouth. Spottedleaf let out a screech and clawed at the tom. This was not how she'd die!

The kits let out wails and Spottedleaf heard confused mews. Spottedleaf kicked against the ShadowClan warrior and heard a yowl of fury. Spottedleaf heard paws pounding toward her and a flash of bright ginger fur passed before her eyes as Firepaw bowled the warrior over.

"Leave her alone!" Firepaw growled, raking his claws down his sides and giving him a fierce bite. The ShadowClan warrior let out a menacing growl and glared at the apprentice. "Kittypet!" He sneered, head butting the ginger tom.

Spottedleaf scrambled to her paws and watched Firepaw in amazement as he flung the tom off him and tackled him, clawing his belly. Tigerclaw bounded over to them and flung Firepaw off the tom. "Clawface!" He growled.

Tigerclaw bit the tom and he let out a screech. Clawface hissed at him and raced out of camp. Firepaw padded over to Spottedleaf, "Are you okay?" He asked her. "I'm okay," She told the handsome ginger tom. "Are the kits okay?" She asked.

"They're fine," Bluestar told her, padding over to her.  "Good," Spottedleaf mewed. She'd check on the kits in a little bit. She sniffed Tigerclaw's pelt, looking for any wounds, he didn't have any. Then she checked Firepaw for wounds. She let his scent fill her nose and let out a soft sigh.

She padded back to her den to check her own wounds. Luckily she only had one or two deep scratches. She mixed up a herd pulp and put some on her scratches. She padded over to her nest and curled up to sleep.

Her dreams were filled with images of Firepaw. The handsome ginger tom staring into her eyes. His beautiful green eyes, shining as he watched her. Spottedleaf let out a purr and rubbed her muzzle against hers.

Spottedleaf froze. She realize what she was feeling and backed away. She couldn't be love! She was a medicine cat! And Firepaw was only an apprentice! Spottedleaf grabbed her head in her paws. "No!" She breathed, looking away from the handsome tom.

Spottedleaf wanted to wail aloud, she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. She couldn't fall in love! This couldn't happen! But it had. And now she had to find a way to live with it.

. . .

Spottedleaf blinked her eyes open. She hadn't slept good, she had kept thinking of Firepaw. She scrambled to her paws and padded out of her den. At that moment, Bluestar leapt up onto Highrock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath highrock for a clan meeting!" She yowled, leaping down.

The clan began the spill out of their dens and crowd around highledge. "Today two apprentices will be made warriors," she announced, beckoning with her tail for Firepaw and Graypaw to pad up. Spottedleaf could tell how excited the two apprentices were.

"Graypaw, Firepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to defend your clan even at the cost of your life?" Bluestar asked.

"I do!" The two apprentices mewed.

"With the power I have as clan leader, I give you your warrior names. Graypaw, from now on you will be know as Graystripe," Bluestar told him. She padded forward and rested her muzzle on Graystripe's head, and he took a step forward and licked her shoulder.

"Firepaw, from now on you will be known as Fireheart," Bluestar told him, and just like she did for Graystripe, she rested her muzzle on Fireheart's head, and he licked her shoulder.

"Graystripe! Fireheart!" The clan chanted. Spottedleaf joined in, she couldn't help staring at Fireheart as she chanted his name. He's beautiful... Spottedleaf closed her eyes for a brief second before padding up to congratulate him and Graystripe. I'm sorry, StarClan.

. . .

Spottedleaf looked up as Fireheart padded into the medicine cat den. His eyes met hers for a brief second before he dipped his head in greeting and padded over to where Cinderpaw lay. "You'll get better soon," he murmured to her.

Spottedleaf padded over to him and rested her tail on his back. Fireheart looked up at her, Spottedleaf saw the love in his eyes as he looked at her. Spottedleaf closed her eyes and looked away. Fireheart loved her.

Spottedleaf checked that Cinderpaw was still asleep before pressing her muzzle against Fireheart's. "Fireheart!" Whitestorm called from somewhere in the clearing. Fireheart pulled away from Spottedleaf and stared into her eyes. "Goodbye," he murmured before padding out of the medicine cat den.

Spottedleaf let out a sigh as he padded away, she knew he wouldn't be gone for long, but she would miss him while he was gone. I never expected to feel this way about someone, She thought as she watched his tail disappear as he padded out of the den and out into the clearing.

Spottedleaf turned and went to check her supply of herbs. She couldn't let anyone know how she felt about Fireheart, she knew he wouldn't tell anyone how he felt about her.

. . .

Spottedleaf padded out into the forest, Fireheart was beside her. She let out a purr as they ran through the forest. It was night, prey was sleeping, her and Fireheart were alone.

The two cats slowed down as they neared Sunningrocks. Spottedleaf sat down and stared out at the stream, Fireheart sat beside her. She leaned into his warm pelt and let out a sigh.

Fireheart purred and rested his muzzle on her head. Spottedleaf stared out at the stream as water flowed over rocks and pebbles, flowing around the stepping stones. The gentle lapping of water at the edge of the shore. Spottedleaf didn't want this night to end.

Spottedleaf laid down beside Fireheart, she glanced up at his beautiful green eyes. She rested her muzzle on her paws and closed her eyes for a brief moment.

When she opened her eyes again it was dawn. Spottedleaf jumped to her paws and poked Fireheart with a paw. "Wake up!" She mewed. They had stayed out all night!! Fireheart blinked open his eyes, for a heartbeat he looked confused, then he realized where he was and sat up. "We have to get back now!" She whispered, spinning around and racing through the forest with Fireheart behind her.

She stopped to grab a couple Marigold leaves so they would have an excuse for being out. She gave some to Fireheart and then they padded into camp. Luckily no one seemed to notice they had left and Fireheart quickly headed into the warriors' den while she went back to the medicine cat den.

I can't believe we just did that! Spottedleaf buried her face in her nest as guilt washed over her. How could she be in love? She never meant to fall in love with Fireheart, it had just happened. I'm so sorry, StarClan! She wailed, closing her eyes and slowly drifting off to sleep.

• • •

Okay this one got pretty long lol, I didn't mean to make it this long but that's okay... Well this will be all for this chapter. If you haven't already then you should go follow HollyAndJay ! She's amazing and truly deserves all her followers! Again this is a writing comp entry for HollyAndJay 's writing comp. Okay I hope you enjoyed this chapter,

~Snowy <3