Sparrowleap's Story {Warriors CloverClan Fanfiction} (On Hold)

{twelve}

A clap of thunder sounded above the roof of the medicine cat den. Owlpaw squirmed in his nest from the heat coming off the earth, although no sun shone. A storm was on it's way. The brown mottled Tom shut his eyes tight, trying to keep the images of the horrific badger out of his mind. Paw steps threaded through the entrance of the medicine cat den and the presence of another cat became aware to him, their pelt dripping with rainwater.

"Owlpaw?" A familiar voice sounded at the entrance of the den.

The injured apprentice opened his eyes to see the silver figure of Hawktail.

"Hawktail, congratulations on your warrior ceremony." Owlpaw replied cooly, his eyes narrowed. He didn't see the silver Tom the same way he saw him when he was an apprentice. Hawktail seemed to have changed, he more noble and brave, and Owlpaw wondered if he had changed since, the..accident.

"Thanks Owlpaw, how's your f- er..injury?" Hawktail meowed awkwardly, not looking at Owlpaw's face.

"Fine." The apprentice muttered.

Hawktail looked up a Owlpaw, his eyes pleading, "Owlpaw I'm sorry, I tried to convince Ryestar to wait to make me a warrior until you were better but she said that you're recovery was unpredictable-"

"So that's it then, I can't become a warrior, everything I always dreamed of just because of some stupid injury?!" Owlpaw growled though he couldn't help surpress the feeling of bitter disappointment in himself.

"No! I'm sure you'll become a warrior at some stage, she just doesn't know when is the right time." Hawktail persisted, but Owlpaw noticed how he stared at him with ghastly eyes.

"Just leave me alone," Owlpaw growled turning his head away so Hawktail could no longer stare at him. He didn't want anybody's sympathy, it only made him feel more like a kit than a warrior.

"But-" The silver Tom gave in. Head down he padded out of the medicine cat den without another word.

Owlpaw didn't look to see his friend go, he just wanted to be alone in the darkness, where no sympathetic or fearful eyes could stare at him.

******

Sparrowleap stretched his hind leg in and out, testing it. Acornwhisker had removed the bandages that coated the wound, which was now cleared up after a quarter moon. A quarter moon since my encounter with Fernwhisker.

"There, it's all healed up. I suppose you can continue on with your warrior duties, just try go easy." Acornwhisker said meowed, his old voice crackling in his throat.

Sparrowleap gave the medicine cat a sufficient nod, then turned and padded out of the den at a slow pace, glancing over at Owlpaw who lay curled up in his nest. The young Tom refused to talk to most cats, including Hawktail and Sparrowleap himself. The warrior sighed, hoping the apprentice would retain his boastful humour.

Batpelt fidgeted in his nest, looking longingly at Sparrowleap, it was not until another half moon until the black warrior could be relieved from the medicine cat den and his paw would be fully amended.

There was a light rain outside, dark clouds spread across the sky and an occasional clap of thunder sounded. Sparrowleap didn't mind the rain on his pelt, he was just glad to be out of the cramped den, the awful pungent of herbs keeping him awake at night.

Sparrowleap sat just outside medicine cat den, not knowing where he should go. He was slightly sheltered by the honeysuckle bush, and watched the clan silently.

Hailkit and Sweetkit stuck their noses outside the nursery, watching the rain form puddles across the camp. Their mother, Dewfoot, quickly scolded them and told them to come back inside with her gentle voice.
Sparrowleap himself never really liked the idea of kits, always getting under cats' paws, so loud, so annoying, he grumbled.

Across the camp Hawktail was chatting with Ambereye by the elder's den since it provided a large amount of shelter. Not too far away from them Silverpaw and Garlicpaw were by the fresh kill pile. The two sisters quickly plucked a random piece of prey out and ran towards the apprentice den in an attempt to get out of the rain before their long coats got too wet.

Sparrowleap sighed. He felt a slight sense of loneliness creeping upon him. He didn't know wether he should confront Rowanheart or not or if there's was still a cloud of tension between the two of them.

Standing up he cleared his mind and walked over to the willow tree which made up Ryestar's den. Rounding the corner he peered down into the gap between the large entangling roots.

"Ryestar?" He called her name and after a few moments did the small figure of the leader's grey head appear from beneath. "Come in." She meowed simply before disappearing. Stepping down the hole, Sparrowleap managed to squeeze through and the den opened up to a wide space underneath the base of the tree with the roots supporting the dirt walls.

Ryestar sat neatly in her moss nest that was tucked in one of the corners of the den, she looked at him expectantly waiting for him to speak.

"Acornwhisker has relieved me of the medicine cat den and said I can continue on with my warrior duties," the Tom meowed sitting down and tucking his tail around his paws, "as long as they're not too laborious." He added quietly, since he didn't want to seem weak in front of the leader.

"Alright, I'll make sure Needlepelt assigns you to a patrol starting tomorrow." She dismissed him with a wave of her tail and Sparrowleap stood up, but before took a step toward the den entrance he turned his head back to the leader.

"What about Owlpaw?"

The pale grey tabby narrowed her eyes, thinking. "What about him?" She inquired.

"When will he become a warrior? I've been training him for six moons, and he passed his warrior assessment, but I can't spend another six training him again because of his, injury." His tone was solemn but his green gaze pleading as he waited for the leader's answer.

"Train him for another moon, then I'll make my decision."

The brown tabby nodded solemnly, knowing the leader had no more to say to him. As he walked towards the entrance where raindrops dripped through the hole, he felt a sickening feeling that if Owlpaw didn't meet up to a warrior's standards, that he would never become a warrior himself.

AN:
This is a minor chapter tbh, and nothing much really needs to be said here. But as always I love to hear your feedback, suggestions, and thoughts!

~Melodic