Warriors: Leafpool's Choice

CHAPTER 3: BRAMBLECLAW

BRAMBLECLAW STIRRED AWAKE, and a newfound ecstasy rushing through him. And he confidently shook Leafpool, she woke after a few tries, her amber eyes were glazed over, and her pelt was ruffled from a fitful sleep. "Brambleclaw...Hollyleaf...she died in my dream again." She muttered. "Leafpool," he licked her between the ears comfortingly and sat down beside her, not wanting to stick in the warriors' den for too long. 

Leafpool got up after a few words of encouragement from her friend and she traipsed out of the cave, Brambleclaw followed her. "Have you set the patrols?"

"Before dawn, I did, Leafpool," he reassured her, giving her cheek a quick lick before spotting Firestar underneath a low-growing juniper. The orange tomcat was grooming his pelt, Sandstorm behind him, blinking thrice at Brambleclaw. "Brambleclaw," once the luminous tomcat spotted him, he dipped his head, "have you set the dawn patrol?"

"I sent Spiderleg, Thornclaw, Whitewing, and Brightheart for the border patrol, and Lionblaze and Jayfeather for gathering herbs, Leafpool and I are going hunting." Brambleclaw told his mentor and leader. Firestar nodded, "good," he hesitated, "soon as we figured out Hollyleaf killed Ashfur...I feel we should have been on high alert. But now that the truth is out and Hollyleaf is dead...I guess we can just...you know, relax?"

Sandstorm nodded in agreement, "relaxing isn't as easy as it seems, the instincts and worries are still there." 

Brambleclaw doffed his head impatiently, "Leafpool and I ought to be going."

He and Leafpool side-by-side walked out into the forest. They tramped along, the tall trees surrounding them and the sun's light slicing through them and a bokeh glowing on the bark, the weather was perfectly sunny, and Brambleclaw was ready to talk with Leafpool. "Hollyleaf...she was screaming at me to eat the Deathberries..." she stammered, and Brambleclaw rested his tail on his friend's shoulder. 

She was so beautiful, and her chest fur was like soft duck down, how could Leafpool ever underestimate herself? Brambleclaw padded to match her footsteps, and Leafpool met his gaze. "You don't deserve to go through grief like that," he began gently, "you should never doubt your decision, you were only trying to protect your Clan. That's what all good medicine cats do."

"I'm not a medicine cat anymore," Leafpool sighed, leaning against Brambleclaw. He felt butterflies in his stomach and tried to act like her therapist more. "That doesn't mean your calling isn't a medicine cat, you are more than what Firestar booted you down to. You still have the useful skills of a medicine cat. Don't worry."

She looked up at him, and Brambleclaw felt another jolt of butterflies, but pushed it back. "We should go hunting,"

Leafpool shifted her paws, and glanced at her friend, "would you like to come with me?" she asked him, and Brambleclaw nodded, feeling the escalation of a relationship. "Sure--I mean--of course," they trailed deeper into the woods, and Leafpool's instincts kicked in once a vole skittered across the leaf mulch, and she finally sprang forward and sank her teeth into the vole's throat like a flash.

Brambleclaw stared at the former medicine cat with disbelief, "what's the matter?" she queried through a mouthful of vole fur, "ever seen a medicine cat hunt?"

"You're...you're great at it!" He complimented, "not that you wouldn't be."

Leafpool smiled at him and flicked her tail welcomingly to her side, and Brambleclaw happily joined her. At the point of the border, there was a kestrel at the other side, picking at his thigh below his wing. Brambleclaw decided to impress Leafpool by hunting at the other side without being caught. After all, this was WindClan's border, they weren't very watchful of who was there or not. If he masked his scent it'd be okay. 

Brambleclaw rolled about in the mud and jumped over the border, startling the kestrel to the point of almost flying away, but halfway up into the air, Brambleclaw leaped skywards and hooked the male kestrel's wing with one paw and raked down till it fell to the ground. "Shouldn't you be more mindful of borders, Clan deputy?" Leafpool taunted in a teasing fashion. 

Brambleclaw sheepishly walked over the border with his catch. "Should we get back to camp?" he asked her with reluctance, "yes...Sandstorm will be worried."

"Or Squirrelflight," he grunted, "she's being too overprotective over you," 

"I wouldn't say that, Brambleclaw, she's just...a bit naive sometimes," Leafpool corrected him, but he went on, scoffing, "a bit? She was always naive, as well as clingy, I'm happy I divorced her," he glanced at her, and the brown tabby widened her amber eyes, "I-I wouldn't say that, Squirrelflight's always been a bit...you know, naive? But I wouldn't say that."

He sighed, "I'm sorry, Leafpool. It's just--Squirrelflight caused me lots of pain, and I don't want that to happen again. Forgive me."

"Yes, I forgive you," Leafpool was the first to make a move, she brushed against him and gave him an affectionate look over her shoulder. Brambleclaw made the next move and dashed ahead, "I'll race you to ThunderClan's camp!" 

"Oh, you!" Leafpool and Brambleclaw ran together, the gentle slopes and breeze was creating chemistry between the two, they obviously loved each other, there was no refrain or nothing stopping them. Not even Squirrelflight could stop them, officially, they were mates, it escalated too quickly. Perhaps Leafpool's love was only genuine by grief, and perhaps Brambleclaw's was to control someone, to get over his divorce quicker. For this love was only a coping mechanism.