The Darkest of Nights: A Warrior Cats Fanfiction

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own the warrior cats. Please vote and/or comment! It would make my day if you take a second to press a button or jot down a quick comment. Thanks, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Cinderheart POV

Watching Jayfeather and Snowpaw work on Lionblaze was like being clawed a thousand times, except there was no physical pain, only the pain of her heart. Even before they had become mates, Lionblaze had been one of her closest friends for moons. Jayfeather looked at her with his sightless blue eyes and meowed, “Go to your nest and get some rest, or go hunting. There’s no need for you to stick around to watch.” The she-cat wordlessly followed his orders, padding out into the clearing.

The second she emerged, Leafpool jumped up from where she had been waiting next to the medicine cat den. The light brown tabby asked worriedly, “Is he okay? What’s going on? Is he going to live? What is-?”

Cinderheart shut the former medicine cat up by interrupting, “I don’t know. Jayfeather and Snowpaw are doing all they can” With those words said, Cinderheart dashed towards the entrance before Leafpool asked any more questions.

She let out a sigh of relief at finally being alone, but that feeling did not last long. Before she had walked a fox-length, paw steps sounded behind her. Another sigh escaped- it was probably Leafpool, here to ask more questions. Cinderheart whirled around angrily to yell at the tabby, but the cat facing her was not Leafpool. It was Poppyfrost, her beloved sister. This was one cat she could deal with hanging out with for a little while.

Poppyfrost began to lead the way into the forest without a word, and Cinderheart eagerly followed her. Her blue eyes scanned the forest out of habit. As expected, leafbare was beginning. Leaves were falling off of trees, and there was a distinct chill in the air.

Cinderheart’s attention turned back to her sister when she whispered, “You go get the mouse under that rock over there. I’m going to cut off its escape.” The gray cat nodded and sank into the hunting crouch. She slowly began to inch forward, growing closer to the unobservant mouse that was about to be prey for the Clan. One more step would bring her close enough to pounce, she decided. To her dismay, her tail brushed against a long strand of grass, alerting the mouse to her presence. She leaped forward, but the mouse ran straight past her outstretched claws. “Mouse dung!” she screeched in frustration.

She watched the mouse as it ran right into the claws of Poppyfrost. “Nice catch,” she called out to her sister.

“I couldn’t have done it without you messing up first,” Poppyfrost purred with amusement. Cinderheart took a fake swing at her sister with a sheathed claw. Poppyfrost’s eyes lit up as she jumped on Cinderheart back and began play-fighting. They rolled over each, each taking mock-swings. By the time they fell apart gasping, Cinderheart’s worries had begun to disappear slightly.

Poppyfrost meowed jokingly, “You fight like a RiverClan cat, plopping its weight all over its opponent.”

“You fight like a WindClan cat, so weak that you couldn’t knock over a dying mouse,” Cinderheart retorted. Both the cats stood up and began walking back towards the camp, chatting under the shining sun.

As soon as they pushed their way through the tunnel, Jayfeather darted up to them with happiness on his figures. He meowed, “Lionblaze is awake and doing well, considering what just happened. Oh, and he wants to see you Cinderheart. After you talk to him, Bramblestar wants you in the den to discuss what happened.” Jayfeather looked so happy that his brother was alive, and Cinderheart suspected she looked the same. Cinderheart walked towards the den with excitement charging through her paws. He was alive!