Warriors: Powers of The Clans ~ Paws of Life (Book 2/6)

Chapter Eighteen

Dockfoot shook out her fur as she sat down in the familiar clearing of the gathering. It would be her first as a full medicine cat, and her heart beated excitedly. The leaders began to speak about their Clans, as Dockfoot began to zone out, unintentionally. A murmur she recognized caught her attention, and she pricked her ears to a bush not far behind her. There were two cats, a male and a female speaking quietly, and nobody else seemed to notice. Dockfoot carefully krept towards it, attempting not to startle the cats behind it. She peeks through the bush, and recognizes the face of Marblefeather, and Mothpaw, the tom that they had spoken to moons ago. An uncomfortable feeling pricked her fur as she watched the two. Are all my friends going to break the warrior code? Dockfoot held in a groan, and pricked her ears.

"Mothswipe, I...I really want to, but I can't break the warrior code. I love you too much to get you in trouble. We will meet again in StarClan." Marblefeather frowned as she spoke.

"I love you enough to want to get in trouble with you..." Mothswipe pleaded. "Maybe if one of us moved Clans? Then we wouldn't be breaking any codes!"

"Mothswipe. You know that you would never leave ReedClan. And I love ForestClan." Marblefeather reasoned, her eyes wide with pain. Dockfoot felt slightly relieved that the two wouldn't meet anymore, not that Dockfoot had even known about it in the first place.

Mothswipe growled. "StarClan!" He spat, almost too loud. "If only we could have been born in the same Clan..." His voice quieted as he softened his eyes in sadness. Marblefeather nodded in agreement.

"But Marigoldpelt seems to have wanted to take you on as a mate. Be happy with her." Mothswipe froze as the she-cat spoke.

"So this is it then.." Mothswipe choked, glancing up at her.

"I suppose it is." Marblefeather shook her head, frowning. Mothswipe pelted off in the direction of his Clan, frowning. Marblefeather sighed as she padded out of the bush. Dockfoot clenched her teeth as Marblefeather spotted her, and began to turn around when a snap stopped her.

"Dockfoot! Were you eavesdropping?" She hissed. Dockfoot stuttered. She ducked her ears, sighing.

"I-I didn't mean to..." Dockfoot shook her head, knowing her best friend had just gone through a heartbreak, so she tried to cover it up softly. "I'm sorry...seriously I am."

"Don't tell a soul, Dockfoot. I mean it. I can't get my reputation ruined if I want to survive. And especially not Wintermoon. He seems to be wanting to take me on as a mate, and I...I want kits. Even if they can't be with Mothswipe." Marblefeather replied, slanting her eyes sadly.

"I won't." Dockfoot swore, shaking her head. "Do you...do you love him?" She whispered in a quieter voice, glancing around warily.

"I...I did once. And I think part of me might always love him, but I need to push the past behind me, and focus on creating a life within the borders of my own Clan." Marblefeather said, her voice firm, but her eyes told a different story.

The gathering had come to a close, but the Clans enjoyed the surprisingly warm night, and settled in groups to chat. Dockfoot walked, staring at her paws as she limped through the clearing, unsure of where she was going. Dockfoot stumbled as she bumped into warm fur, shaking her head and glancing up. A larger tom stood before her, growling at her.

"Watch where you're going, apprentice!" He hissed. He smelled of SpruceClan, and was speaking to a few other cats from different Clans. Dockfoot gulped. He was much taller than her, but not quite as tall as the toms her age back at home.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. And I'm not an apprentice." Dockfoot mewed crossly. She backed away slowly, and began to leave.

"Go back to where the weak medicine cats belong under the great tree!" Before Dockfoot could respond, she felt a tail rest on her back, and she glanced up to see Mossflame staring at the tom.