Warrior Cat One-Shots

Never Fall Again *WattyWarriors Contest*

For WattyWarriors 's contest about a cat with a disability.

-

"I'm not sure that we should be here... You know there're horses here?" A small black-and-white she-cat glanced around, stars reflecting off her yellow eyes.

"Of course, why else would we come here? Horsepaw should get to see what she's named after!" A mostly black tom replied, thin-furred tail waving. "Isn't that right, Horsepaw?" A golden-brown tabby she-cat glanced up aloofly, her eyes slightly distant.

"Right, Ivypaw." She agreed. The black tom gave a satisfactory purr.

"See? The horses should be just up here-- I can smell them..."

"It doesn't matter anyway, you can barely see anything it's so dark! Why'd we have to go at night..!" The black and white she-cat whined. Ivypaw rolled his eyes, lightly shoving the shorter she-cat.

"Obviously because we can't go during the day, Duckpaw. We have training and Mossclaw hates it when Horsepaw does anything without his permission--" Ivypaw was cut off by a shrill screech. Ivypaw and Duckpaw whipped around, pelts on end.

"Horsepaw!" Duckpaw cried out, a sickening feeling dropping on the she-cat as her eyes fell upon a bloody sight.

The thin-furred brown tabby she-cat was still letting out loud broken yowls, her eyes wide with pain.

     "HORSE!!" Ivypaw screeched in a loud hiss. The shadows wrapped around the animal, but the moonlight lightly traced an outline around their broad shoulders and huge flanks.

"I...I think it stepped on her!" Duckpaw wailed. Horsepaw hadn't moved, blood pooling on the ground around her front left paw. She looked up, golden amber eyes full of fear at the massive beast: wide nostrils flaring as it reared up in surprise for a second time, huge hard paws ready to strike another cat.

       "Move!" Ivypaw dove in, grabbing the other apprentice by the scruff and toppling them both into a mass of cool, tall grass. Horsepaw sucked in a mass of air as she felt a surge of pain shoot up from her paw. "Come on, Horsepaw!" Ivypaw was already scrambling to his paws, ready to run, and Duckpaw was streaking away in a black-and-white blur. The dark horse was also dashing off in the opposite direction. "Come on!"

     

      Horsepaw shifted slightly, not willing to look at her leg that was stretched out of her feather-lined nest. She glanced over to where Beetleleaf was, humming the names of herbs quietly while pulling some out herbs the apprentice didn't recognize. I hope Furzestar doesn't make me become a medicine cat.. The tabby shut her eyes tight, not wanting to look down at her paw.

"Let all cats gather below the High Mound for a BurrowClan meeting!" The call of the leader sounded, and Horsepaw whined softly, knowing what was coming. Beetleleaf was already calling to her brightly.

"Come on, Horsepaw! It won't be so bad, I promise!" She purred. She's only being nice to me because she wants me as an apprentice... I don't think Furzestar has even told Beetleleaf what's happening with me. Horsepaw huffed and got to her paws. She kept her forepaw off the ground, causing her eyes to fall to the deep, perfectly curved scar marring her paw, making her toes splay out and her claws stay retracted.

Keeping her weight off the permanently useless paw, she stumbled out of the den. Sunlight beat down on her, hot but not quite as uncomfortable as what her clanmates were making her feel. Every BurrowClan cat was gathered by the High Mound, and every cat had a softened expression that were locked on her. She kept moving, past Ivypaw, who was keeping his eyes trained ahead on Furzestar, and Duckpaw, who also couldn't bear to meet her eye. She noticed the black-and-white pelt of Mossclaw, her mentor, who was eyeing her with dark eyes. He looked away. Everyone is acting so weird around me now-- they all are forcing on these fake faces.