Warrior Cats; Night Secrets #4

Chapter 10

"Well I never expected you to push me in," Sheercliff grumbled, batting Brightleap on the head.
The black warrior flicked an ear,
"You called me fish-face,"
"You're more of a frog-face," she teased, grappling with the sleek warrior. A paw jabbed her in the gut. The sand clumped in her fur.
"You're getting dirt in my fish," Troutfin snapped, curling his tail protectively around a carp. The dawn sky was bright. Clouds littered the horizon, the trees seeming neon against the grey.

"Shame," Brightleap stopped, a paw on Sheercliff's throat, "give us some, I'm starved,"
"No you're not," Troutfin glared, his white and ginger pelt was soaking from a light smattering of rain that had passed in the night. The leaves were glistening with silver droplets.
"Get off me fish-face," Sheercliff wriggled, reminding herself not to hurt Brightleap.
"Sorry frog-face," the weight lifted, and Sheercliff scrambled to her paws. She shook out her fur, and her pelt flooded with embarrassment, Palestar had just watched them fight and was purring with amusement. She shook it off, she was allowed to have fun.

Birchstripe was padding up to her. His pale pelt was sleek, groomed. He cut across the camp with awkward movements.
"Good morning dear," he mewed, slowing to a stop. Sheercliff's mind raced, she'd heard that before. Glancing around the camp as she rose to her paws, unwillingly, she felt she'd lived this before. She touched her nose to his shoulder in greeting, nothing else, just the mark of respect a warrior would give a senior warrior. "It's such a lovely day," he gazed up into the sky, leading Sheercliff towards the Clan exit, "would you like to come for a walk?"

She had been here. Sheercliff couldn't talk, a grief was welling up in her throat. Her pawsteps felt forced, she was acting out something set for her. Like Oakpaw's death, MistClan's sickness, BreezeClan's flood, this has all been planned for her. She shivered, Birchstripe's tail tip touched her flank. Ferns and reeds brushed her sides, soft, but they felt like the claws of enemy warriors, dragging through her pelt.

Brightleap and Troutfin didn't notice her leave, dragged by some force. Her pawsteps felt heavy.

"This leafbare has been hard, but StarClan has blessed us with newleaf," the forest overwhelmed her, willows scraping down her back. Ferns tripping her, the ground dangerously unfamiliar. Birchstripe looked at her, green eyes frail. His voice was thickened with emotion.

"I know how you feel, I'm sorry it happened to you my dear," he mewed. She had been here, she knew exactly what he'd say next as she buried her muzzle in his shoulder fur, unable to speak. She sought comfort in his white fur.
"Why don't we try hunting landprey? Addershade would fancy a squirrel or a blackbird," and she was supposed to try hunt a mouse, Moon had showed her, but she refused.

"Addershade?" She hissed, stepping back. Birchstripe sighed in exasperation. Why Addershade? Did he think they were mates? She gagged, she'd only been on patrol with him once.
"Sheercliff, you need to stop this,"

"And what is this?" Her hackles raised. What did StarClan have planned for her now? She didn't want any part of it.

"Oakpaw is dead," Birchstripe mewed tensely, "you have to move on," Sheercliff felt stunned. Lightening had just struck her, freezing her to the earth.

"That's your kit too!" She blurted, angry, furious even. Her fur rose, prickling down her spine.
"And death is part of every warrior's life," he explained, snapping, "you have to move on!"

"Why?" She challenged, feeling Flashtail brush her pelt and stalk away. The forest closed in.
"Stop being selfish-"
"Selfish? What have I done that's selfish?" Claws scraped the ground, tails lashed.
"You're avoiding your duty to the Clan-"

"Oh you want me to have kits do you? Is that my only purpose?" Hot rage surged through her. How dare he. Her own father. Did the whole Clan think she was supposed to have kits? What about Shimmerfrost and Brightleap? Were they destined to have kits? She would have kits if and when she wanted them, not when StarClan said she had to.