Warriors AU: Skyclan's Destiny

Chapter 26

The sun had dipped below the level of the gorge, casting long shadows over the rocks. Poppystar padded across to the fresh-kill pile and dropped her squirrel on top of the rest of the prey. Her belly was still churning after her conversation with Echosong; she felt as if every hair on her pelt were a pricking claw, reminding her of her duty as Clan leader.

As she turned away, Rainfur looked up from the vole she was gulping down. "Hi, Poppystar. Do you want to come and eat with me?"

"No, thanks," Poppystar meowed. "I'm not hungry."

She noticed a flicker of surprise in Rainfur's eyes. "Is everything okay?" the light gray speckled she-cat asked.

Poppystar was in no mood for her Clanmate's concern. "Everything's fine," she snapped. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Stalking toward the trail that led up to her den, Poppystar was relieved that there was no sign of Leafdapple in camp. I hope he's gone back to his housefolk with Snookpaw.

But as she began to climb the trail, she heard the mottled pale cream and brown tabby tom's voice. "If you twist like this as you leap, Snookpaw, you'll throw your enemy off balance."

Looking down, Poppystar spotted Leafdapple a few fox-lengths farther up the gorge, demonstrating a battle move to Snookpaw and Sparrowpelt.

"That's a great move," the dark brown tabby she-cat meowed. "Can I give it a try?"

Poppystar didn't stop to watch any more. Instead, she leaped up the last few paw steps to her den and bounded inside, letting out a breath of relief to be on her own at last. Her mind whirled with unwelcome thoughts. Part of her was angry with Echosong, but mostly she was afraid that the medicine cat was right. Would it really be wrong of me to become Leafdapple's mate?

Gazing out at the darkening sky, where the first warriors of Starclan glimmered over the trees, Poppystar remembered Sandstar explaining how her ancestors had marked her out as the leader of the new Clan.

"You told me plenty about Starclan," she growled softly. "But you never told me this." Fury tore through her like a stab of lightning, and she scraped her claws across the floor of her den; if Sandstar had been there, she might have raked them across his sandy-colored pelt. "Why didn't you tell me that I'd have to put the Clan first, before having a mate or kits? You have Fireheart. Is it so different for she-cats? Why did you make me a leader?"

But even as she spoke, she knew she was being unfair. It was Starclan who had chosen her to be leader, after they sent the sign of a storm of poppies to Echosong. They trusted me to be the best leader, she thought, sighing as her rage ebbed away. I can't let them down.

Curling up in her mossy nest, Poppystar fell into an uneasy sleep. Mist surged around her, and she found herself stumbling over rocks, with looming cliffs of black stone on either side. She struggled against panic, knowing that this was a dream, but unable to shake off the feeling that she was trapped in an unfamiliar place.

"Are there any cats there?" she called out.

There was no reply, nothing but the echoing sound of water dripping from the rocks.

"Poppystar! Are you okay?"

The voice cut through Poppystar's dream. She struggled back to wakefulness to see Leafdapple at the entrance to her den, outlined against the twilit sky.

I must have only slept for a few heartbeats, but it felt like seasons.

"I'm fine," Poppystar replied, rising groggily to her paws and padding over to him.

"I wanted to ask you if you'd like to come with me to the Twolegplace tonight," Leafdapple went on. "We could look out for Cherrytail and Haze leading one of their patrols." When Poppystar didn't reply right away, he added, "Besides, it would be nice to spend some time away from the Clan for a while."