The Looming Darkness (A WARRIOR CATS FANFICTION)

Chapter 7

It had been several days. Brambleclaw, although weak, was able to leave the medicine den. He still had a faint cough, but Alderheart deemed it was safe for his father to return to the elders' den. 

He was not going out much in the day. He preferred to leave the den at night, enjoying the quiet of the evening. Only the crickets were heard, and a few squeaks of mice. It was during these evenings that Brambleclaw had time to think to himself.

His life had changed so much since he had found Jessy. After the death of Ashfur,  he had retired to the elders' den and given up on most of his life. The trauma of Ashfur had drained some spark out of him, and he couldn't get it back. Now that Jessy was with him, the tabby tom had  changed. He felt different, as if there was some hope, and he could start fresh.

He sat munching on a squirrel under the cold blanket of a foggy sky. He could hardly see anything around him, but he heard everything with pricked ears. 

How is Jessy going to affect my relationship with Squirrelstar? Should I let it? Does it really matter to her if I find another mate? 

His thoughts paused. He heard the prey rustling about further away, as the fog continued to grow like a thick smoke around him.

"Brambleclaw-"

Brambleclaw turned in the other direction. It was Jessy. She looks so lonely.

"This is the first time I have seen out of the elder's den." She padded over to him to rest beside him. "It's good to see you. I am so relieved that you were finally able to leave the medicine den. I was very worried about you." She began to lick her paws.

"Well, several of the cats were able to leave the medicine den, not just me. Some cats are just able to recover from greencough better than others."

She looked at him innocently. "Brambleclaw, what you went through was more than any other cat! I mean, Crowstar was attacked and  killed. But you were being hurt by a cat, targeted, many times, and we couldn't even stop her!" She sighed. "We tried to, but not enough ears would listen."

Brambleclaw's head popped up, alert. "What do you mean? I don't remember any cat trying to hurt me in the medicine den. Did it happen when I was very ill?"

"No cat tried to hurt you specifically. But she tried to stop you from getting herbs." She was very confident in her speech. "It all started when I saw Squirrelstar taking the feverfew from the medicine den. I told the other cats I saw her, and you even said you saw a she-cat's figure, but they wouldn't listen to me. Then after that, the catmint you needed was found trampled on where Squirrelstar had hunted. Again, she was trying to stop you from getting the herbs you needed. Thankfully, you still were able to get better, but it was too close-" She paused. "I still can't believe she got away with doing it."

Brambleclaw was thoughtful. "I do remember the she-cat, but I didn't see her face. I just thought she was a cat trying to give herbs to a sick cat. I can't believe it was Squirrelstar. I mean, it is possible you were mistaken, but then when the other herbs were trampled on in her hunting area, that is very suspicious."

"I am not mistaken." Jessy said sharply. "I know what I saw. You don't understand, Brambleclaw. Squirrelstar has tried to hurt you two times now, and she has gone unpunished. I am afraid that you are not safe. She will try again. What is there to stop here? She has so many of her kin backing up her statements. Even the cats who know she is guilty can do nothing. It's not safe for you here."

"Squirrelstar would not harm me." Brambleclaw's breath blew mist in the air. "That is extreme. She would never harm any cat. She might betray me," he added thoughtfully, "but she won't hurt me. I am sure that when she had the herbs, she had them for a reason."