Warrior Cat Short Stories!

Darkstripe's Regret

Darkstripe, alone, was curled up on the misty damp ground, his tail-tip touching his nose as he buried it. Sadness overpowered him more than anything and more than he had ever felt, making him feel like drowning into the forest floor. No light cracked through the trees that seemed to climb up into the dark sky, their branches bare and thin.

He let out a sigh. How could I be so mousebrained? he asked himself. I should have known Tigerstar was using me for his own sake. Anger clouded up in his belly at the thought of the dark tabby he had always looked up to, who seemed to be like a real father to him.

"Darkstripe!" Darkstripe's head lifted at the call of his name which was familiar. Straining his eyes to look ahead, he saw a pair of unusual blue eyes flashing, and soon a grey pelt emerged from the mist. Instantly rising to his paws, Darkstripe felt happy as he knew this cat well enough. Willowpelt.

Behind her, however, was a cat Darkstripe couldn't seem to recognise. He had a light grey tabby pelt, his fur ragged while his ears were tufted. He had the same amber eyes as him.

"Willowpelt," Darkstripe purred as his mother reached him, her star-lit pelt shining. He couldn't help but look at the tom, wondering who he was.

Willowpelt blinked and casted a glance to the tom. "That's your father," she told Darkstripe. "His name is Tawnyspots." The name was familiar to Darkstripe. He remembered Willowpelt telling him how his father died just before he was born. Darkstripe didn't have any thoughts of him since Tigerstar seemed to act like his real father ever since he was a young kit.

"Why are you here?" Darkstripe asked his parents. "StarClan cats aren't allowed in these parts. I was banished here for a reason." He was slightly surprised they weren't angry at him for attempting to kill Firestar. It seemed like moons since Darkstripe was in the Dark Forest, having to spend the rest of his days alone for good.

"There's been a debate in StarClan," Tawnyspots explained.

"About you becoming a member or not," Willowpelt added.

Darkstripe sighed. "I appreciate it, I do, but I'm afraid it's too late for me," he answered. "Tigerstar lured me here like a fox going into a fox-trap. I was fed lies all because of him." He frowned. "I'm not worthy of being in StarClan."

"You are," Willowpelt argued. "Mudclaw wanted to kill Onestar like you wanted to kill Firestar. If StarClan can let him in, you'll be allowed in too. I won't rest until you're in StarClan, your true home." They must care about me a lot, Darkstripe thought.

"It'll take more than that to convince Bluestar to change her mind about him," Tawnyspots sighed. "It's Thistleclaw all over again."

"Wait, you mean Thistleclaw was in StarClan?" Darkstripe asked, surprised.

Tawnyspots nodded. "Indeed. Just because of Bluestar, he was casted out of StarClan. Honestly, I don't care about her opinion. I just want my son to be in a place he deserves to be in."

"The Place of No Stars is my home," Darkstripe argued. "StarClan will never accept me and I must deal with it. You should, too."

"Nonsense. It'll take more than words to stop us."

"I almost fed Sorreltail with deathberries, okay?!" Darkstripe yowled. "I don't need to go to StarClan. I tried doing a crime against them so now you must live with it. Go before you get into more trouble and stop being so stubborn."

"Darkstripe, why do you have guests?" A low voice sounded. From the mist, a huge dark brown tabby tom emerged, his amber eyes flashing with a chilling look. His gaze locked onto Darkstripe's parents, not looking pleased. "You must be so scared to bring your parents into the Dark Forest."

"I'm not scared," Darkstripe replied. "They came to send me to StarClan."

"You're going nowhere. As for you two, why do you wish for a worthy Dark Forest member to go to a pathetic place? This is his home and it always will be."

"They were just leaving," Darkstripe told Tigerstar.

"We were," Willowpelt mewed. Darkstripe knew Tigerstar could sense her fear by the look in his eyes.

"Scared, eh?" His eyes gave a thoughtful look. "Why don't I kill you two for trespassing? Sounds good to me." Darkstripe immediately leaped in front of his parents.

"You're not going to kill their spirits," he growled. "If you want that, you have to get past me first."

Tigerstar gave a roll of his eyes. "Defending two StarClan cats," he mewed with disgust. "Your loyalty stands with me in the Dark Forest. If you mean that loyalty, you do not go talking to StarClan cats and protecting them. You never care for your kin."

He wouldn't know, Darkstripe thought. His only kin most likely left as soon as they casted a single glance at him. He knew he hated Tigerstar now for using him and wanting to kill his kin. If there's something I have to do, it'd be to plot revenge against Tigerstar.

"I'll be loyal if you don't attack them," Darkstripe replied. "I don't want to kill just yet."

"Fine," Tigerstar spat. "If I catch you doing this again, you'll regret being born." He turned and headed back into the shadows, his tail whisking into the darkness before he completely disappeared.

"Thank you," Tawnyspots thanked. "We appreciate this a lot."

"You better go back to StarClan," Darkstripe sighed. "There's no way you can stay here for any longer." The two cats nodded and began to walk away. Now Darkstripe knew he would truly be lonely without any cat to talk to.

Perhaps I deserve this, he thought. Maybe I should never have left ThunderClan because of Tigerstar. I should have stayed with Longtail instead. What a mouse-brain I am!