A Star Forgotten - Warriors Fanfiction

Chapter 5

In the blowing greenleaf wind, three young apprentices sat with each other, gossiping about the Clan. Ashleaf poked her nose through a patch of grass silently, eavesdropping on the young cats' conversations.

"....Choose as deputy?" Ashleaf caught one of the apprentices wonder. 

"If you want to bet," Snorted a rather plump yellow tom, "It'll be that Lilyblossom. She's always been Ashstar's favorite. But I honestly believe that Panterstep would be a better deputy."

"You merely want the deputy to be your mentor!" Another small yellow she-cat teased. The yellow tom swatted at a stray fly playfully.

"Ashstar will select who she believes will be the best fit for StormClan," Mewed the smallest of the three apprentices. "We will all respect her decisions."

Hearing this, Ashleaf's heart was filled with something she couldn't understand. Dread? Responsibility? Too much honor? These young cats seemed to have a bit too much faith in her. Ashleaf shrugged it off and walked away from the apprentices. 

The sun was beginning to set slightly, and upon her arrival back to the center of camp, she was once again approached by the cat supposedly named Mudfoot. Mudfoot dipped her head and began to speak. "Hello, Ashstar. You have not appointed a deputy yet, so we need you to arrange the evening patrol for tonight."

"Oh," Ashleaf shifted uncomfortably, "Send...," She searched her mind for names of cats she had heard recently, "Pantherstep, Lilyblossom, and..." She gazed over the camp, noticing out of the corner of her eye the yellow tom walking away from the other apprentices, "Him!" She signaled with her tail towards the yellow cat.

Suddenly, Mudfoot snorted with laughter. "Sunpaw?!" She meowed, "You want him on patrol?"

"Why not?" asked Ashleaf curiously.

Instead of replying, Mudfoot strode away, purring in amusement, "If you say so, Ashstar. But don't be surprised if a rogue or two attacks in the night." She teased. Before Ashleaf could protest, the muddy brown cat had already darted away.

The leader analyzed this Mudfoot's personality. She seemed to be fairly responsible, as she wanted to arrange the patrol as soon as possible. However, Ashleaf pondered, Can I trust her?  Mudfoot seemed to be a bit teasing, but she appeared to respect Ashleaf's decisions. 

Let's keep looking. 

Ashleaf explored the camp a bit more and learned a bit about different territories. There was a green pond in the left corner of the camp, many grassy areas, and a few oak trees. Out in the distance, Ashleaf could faintly spot a cluster of trees, but she could not see farther than it. 

She decided to go visit Lilyblossom, the gray cat she had seen earlier. She spotted the green-eyed feline lounging next to the fresh-kill pile along with a thin tabby similar to herself. Ashleaf felt her stomach rumble, realizing she hadn't eaten in her recent memory at all!

She sat down next to the mound of prey and selected a vole. As soon as the tabby was going to take a bite, however, she realized that the two warriors adjacent to her had silenced. She looked up from her snack to find both cats staring at her, surprised.

Lilyblossom, the cat in gray, cocked her head in confusion. "What are you doing, Ashstar? If you wanted a vole, you could have just asked one of us and we would have brought it to your den," She mewed softly.

"Oh," Ashleaf mewed awkwardly, not knowing that the leader had this honor of having cats bring her food. She hoped she hadn't offended Lilyblossom. "I'm sorry, I'm just not used to being leader."

Lilyblossom's green eyes still carried hints of confusion. The tabby lying next to Lilyblossom spoke up. "It may take time to get used to it, Ashstar," She rasped, "But in time, you will become the greatest leader ever known to StormClan. I'm sure of it."

"Thank you," Ashleaf sighed. "I don't need to back to my den," She turned to Lilyblossom. "I like it here just fine."

The gray warrior still stared at Ashleaf, bewildered for some unknown reason. Ashleaf sat down and began munching on her plump little vole. 

~

The tabby leader listened intently on Lilyblossom and the other cat's conversations. By doing this, she quickly learned about these two cats. Lilyblossom appeared to be a bit of a perfectionist, rambling to the other cat, Pineneedle, as Ashleaf had learned, about how distraught she was about blundering only a tad on her last hunting mission. She was also a bit jumpy and nervous. Ashleaf caught several times the unnerving glances sent by the gray she-cat. 

Pineneedle, the cat that looked similar to Ashleaf, as she had found out, was Ashleaf's mother! The leader had tried not to seem so surprised when Pineneedle mentioned herself nursing Ashleaf as a kit, but inside she was as shocked as ever. 

The older tabby she-cat was a thin, but not a gaunt, strong warrior. Despite her size, the old warrior carried many tales of victories through her scars and her fierce disposition.

"Can you tell me where Pantherstep is?" Ashleaf asked at last, after finishing evaluating Lilyblossom and Pineneedle. She tried to think of all the warriors she had heard mentioned, and he was the last one. She had heard a lot about this Pantherstep, so she was now eager to meet him.

Lilyblossom, with a strange tone in her voice, mewed, "He's training with Sunpaw in the Great Clearing, Ashstar." She dismissed her leader with a slightly friendly flick of a tail. 

Ashleaf walked off into what was apparently called the Great Clearing. Two toms sat in the center. One was Sunpaw, the apprentice she had appointed to patrol, and the other was Pantherstep. Pantherstep, crouched down in the clearing, had sleek fur as black as night, and was mottled with brown spots. He was small, but had broad shoulders a strong figure. His amber eyes shone in the greenleaf sun, and Ashleaf couldn't help but marvel at him.

"Pantherstep!" She forced out, at last, breaking away from her amazement, "Are you faring well?"

The tom looked up, anger blazing in his eyes. Ashleaf almost stumbled in alarm. "Why would you care? It's not like you've bothered before!" He spat.

The leader blinked in bewilderment. In all her time in StormClan, she had received praise and love from the other cats. This was the first time she had received an insult like this. Even if she had not been the leader, this is not the way to treat any sort of authority. 

"I'm sorry?" She asked.

"Go back to your flea-ridden den!" Pantherstep hissed, rearing up. "I don't want you here!"

In utter surprise, Ashleaf backed away. With a feeling of dread, she couldn't help but wonder if Pantherstep's bitterness had something to do with her past life. She took a deep breath, re-analyzing her options for deputy.

Suddenly, it came to her. She knew who to select.

Ashleaf walked back to Snowsong's den, ready to discuss who she had chosen for deputy. "Snowsong!" She meowed. The leader was greeted by the snow white she-cat she was beginning to grow very fond of. 

"Yes?" Snowsong mewed, walking up to the moss guarding her den. 

"I believe I have decided on a deputy," Ashleaf mumbled.

"Wonderful," Snowsong mewed, "Come in my den. Let me teach you how to perform the ceremony."