Warriors: What Is There To Do?

Chapter 43- It All Clicked

Moongaze stared at her in awe as she studied Sharpstar's drawings.

"Do you think they're anything important?" he inquired, tilting his head to try and decipher the squiggles and marks on the shriveled leaves.

"I don't know. They could be anything,"

"Or, in fact, nothing at all," Mintbreeze commented, bowing his head slightly as he entered the rather large cave.

Splitstar raised her head with an irritated look. "You're quite the pessimist today, Mintbreeze, although let me tell you, it's not appreciated."

She winced as his eyes widened slightly in shock.

She didn't mean to be so rude, but given the circumstances with a war looming over her head, along with the job of saving innocent souls and bringing peace to the forest on one of the youngest leaders — if not the youngest — is quite the burden. She hadn't asked for any of this! Sure, she wanted revenge on Riverclan. Who didn't? But becoming deputy and then leader in two heartbeats, warriorhood gone in one deathly action... it was starting to rush her, and Splitstar wasn't sure if she would stay standing.

Moongaze pressed comfortingly against her shoulder, gesturing with his tail for Mintbreeze to go do something important. Didn't he have 'paws to lead or something?

Splitstar's head swam. "I think I need to take a walk," she muttered, licking her mate's ear before brushing past both of the toms and leaping down to the clearing a tail length below. Her Clanmates looked at her, some bowing their heads or giving small smiles, although by now most of them had left on patrol.

Lost in her train of thought, Splitstar jumped when Driftswipe came up alongside her, tail wrapping comfortingly around hers.

"I know a spot in the forest that the patrols won't bother us," she whispered, and gratefully Splitstar followed her Partner into the woods.

The forest was alive with sounds of life. Squirrels leapt from branch to branch, collecting nuts and being squirrels. The smell of adventurous mice and birds daring to swoop over their heads made her mouth water as sunlight filtered down through the pine needles and the few broad leafed trees that populated Shadowclan's land. Wind blew softly, bringing the warmth and promise of a sweltering Green-leaf to come, and little sprouts dotted the ground, reviving the undergrowth and crawling up trees and across the dirt.

"My kits will be born in such a good season," the queen mused, gazing around with life and contentment in her green eyes.

"They will indeed,"

It was quiet once more, until a little brown form shuffled through the moss on a nearby tree. The two instantly dropped to their hunting crouches and Driftswipe circled around, struggling to keep her growing belly from brushing the ground and alerting the mouse to their presence. Splitstar went in the other direction just as silently to intercept the creature as soon as her partner scared it... now!

Driftswipe nudged a leaf, making a barely audible crack, and the mouse took off, right into Splitstar's waiting claws.

She cracked it's tiny neck and sent a silent thanks to Starclan. Driftswipe came over, sniffed, and nodded happily.

"It's nice to hunt again," Driftswipe stated, settling down to take a small bite. "Bonerun wants to keep me inside the camp at all times! He is such an overprotective tom, but I love him."

Taking a bite herself, Splitstar just nodded, lost in her thoughts. Leaves and charcoal marks and a feeling in the back of her head that she just couldn't identify.

Their day together was mostly comfortable silences, each deep in thought but keeping the other company. It was nice.

On the way back to camp, the sun was beginning to set and they each carried a mouse for the fresh kill pile.

And it hit her.

It finally made sense.

Not speaking a word, she dropped her mouse and bounded the rest of the way to the camp, barreling through the briars surrounding the camp and leaping up into her den. There she splayed out the leaves, marks in the corner up and all pointing forward.

It still didn't look like anything important, but she she closed her eyes and remembered, it all clicked into place.

Sharpstar had left battle plans.