Warriors AU: Skyclan's Destiny

Chapter 35

Poppystar sensed silver light all around her, encouraging her to open her eyes. She found herself sitting on the edge of the woods, bathed in the warm rays of the rising sun. Battle still raged in Swift's camp, and on the far side of the ditch, cats were gathering around a hunched shape lying on the ground—something Poppystar couldn't see clearly. Leafdapple and Sharpclaw were there with Rockshade, and as she watched, Cherrytail came racing up.

She tried to hear what they were saying, but their voices were oddly muted, and however much she strained her ears she couldn't make out the words. For some reason they seemed to be very distressed. Leafdapple was crouched on the ground, his head flung back and his jaws parted in a soundless wail.

Then the crowd shifted and Poppystar gasped in horror as she saw her own body stretched lifeless in the mud at the edge of the ditch. The cream-colored tom was standing triumphantly over her.

No!

Poppystar jumped as she felt a tail stroke her flank. She turned her head to see a tortoiseshell tom sitting beside her, a look of compassion in his gorgeous amber eyes.

"Spottedleaf?" she rasped.

"Don't be afraid, dear one," Spottedleaf reassured her. "You are losing a life. You will return to them soon."

Poppystar became aware of another cat sitting on her other side, and glanced across to see the light brown tabby pelt of Birdstar. The former Skyclan leader licked the top of her head as if she were a troubled kit.

"We are here," he murmured. "We will keep you safe."

"Did I do the wrong thing by bringing my Clanmates here?" Poppystar asked. "This isn't their battle!"

"But you have skills that you can give these cats to live in peace from now on," Spottedleaf told her.

"And you and Cherrytail have fought together as a leader and deputy should," Birdstar added, wisdom shining from his amber eyes. "Don't keep doubting him, Poppystar. He is as loyal to you and to Skyclan as you could wish."

Poppystar longed to accept their reassurance, but the anxieties of the last moon had sunk into her too deeply, like leaves trapped in the ice of leaf-bare. "It's been so hard!" she whispered. "I don't know what our destiny is!"

Birdstar bent his head toward her. "Your destiny is what you make it, Poppystar."

Spottedleaf's sweet scent wreathed around her, stronger than the smell of blood and fury. "I gave you a life for healing wounds caused by words and rivalry," he murmured. "Use it now, Poppystar."

His voice faded as he spoke, and the shapes of the two Starclan cats dissolved into the surrounding woodland until they became no more than a frosty glimmer, and then were gone.

Poppystar's eyes blinked open and she saw the anxious faces of her Clanmates staring down at her.

"Oh, thank Starclan!" Rockshade's voice rose to a squeak.

"We hoped you were just losing a life," Sharpclaw meowed. "It was scary, though!"

Poppystar stretched her limbs and managed to sit up. "Is the kit okay?" she croaked.

"Yes." The tortoiseshell king replied. "My kits are all safe on the other side of the ditch."

Poppystar nodded thankfully, then looked around until her gaze met Leafdapple's. The Skyclan warrior's eyes were full of love and pain; after a couple of heartbeats he turned his head away, his claws kneading the ground.

We will talk later, Poppystar promised him silently.

She became aware of the screeches of battle still coming from the other side of the ditch. Poppystar struggled to her paws. "We must help them," she wheezed.