Protection: A Warriors and Object Shows Crossover Fanfic

Chapter 4

"Honestly, Brooktail. I'm feeling much better now," Firespark protested, shivering as a cold breeze blew past.

Brooktail had always joked to her sister Icefrost about Firespark being an apprentice instead of a proper warrior because of his immaturity.

She snorted. "You're not going anywhere. Yellowfur isn't going to send you on any patrol today. And you're still weakened by Copperheart's attack. Even if you don't die of infections you'll die of the cold." she caught sight of her best friend Shattershade trotting back to camp by herself. It was still early in the morning, dawn-time, actually. So why was Shattershade out on her own?

The red she-cat looked tired and worn-out, as if she had been fighting. Brooktail gave Firespark a last look before pelted out of the den with dock leaves in her mouth.

Suddenly, she was plunged into a memory. It took her some to figure out that it was Shattershade's warrior ceremony. Bluepaw and Rubypaw next to Flamewood and Firespark, their respective mentors. 

Graystar had given Bluewhisker her warrior name, Flamewood was beaming with pride beside her newly-made-warrior-former-apprentice (A/N: Wow, that's sure a mouthful XD). 

Firespark looked shattered. Brooktail remembered seeing his dull amber eyes that day. And suddenly... A dark tabby with eyes redder than Flamewood's appeared. Brooktail doesn't remember ever seeing that cat before at her best friend's warrior ceremony. She looked closer and saw that the dark tabby was semi-transparent and fading. She watched as the tabby goes up to Rubypaw and whispers something into her ear and faded away.

For some reason, although Brooktail was standing in a faraway distance, she heard what the tabby had told Rubypaw.

"Look, your mentor feels so shattered."

Those words means nothing to Brooktail, that semi-transparent cat was just telling a fact, but she can see that Rubypaw's eyes stretch wide when she heard the tabby's words like she had just realized something. 

"-I name you Rubyshard." Graystar was saying as all those things were happening, clearly unaware of the dark tabby's appearance. Brooktail reckoned that the mottled-and-spotted gray she-cat hadn't even seen that fading cat.

Rubyshard cast a glance at her mentor as Graystar announced her new warrior name. Firespark was grinning, but his eyes appeared very dull next to Flamewood's glittering eyes. Leafstrike was still on his mind.

Rubyshard took a deep breath, and spoke in a slow and steady voice to Graystar. "I am honored to be named Rubyshard, but I request to change my name, if that's okay."

Brooktail heard several cats gasping at Rubyshard's request. Greenpaw and Russetpaw's gasps were the loudest.

Russetpaw turned to Pinkcloud. "Is that even allowed?" he asked his mentor.

The fluffy pink-tinged white she-cat rested her tail on her apprentice's shoulder. "Shh, I think it's okay," she reassured the golden-brown tom.

Greenpaw leaned close to Brooktail. "I wonder why she's doing that?" he whispered, half to his mentor, half to himself.

Brooktail, who already saw the answer, remained quiet as Rubyshard was renamed as Shatter-shade.

And she was quite sure, that when Shattershade was renamed, she could hear the dark tabby murmuring.

"Thanks a lot to my sister,"

Then that's when Brooktail realized something.

That the cat who had told Shattershade to change her name was Leafstrike's dead sister.

Scarletleaf.

The fresh scent of mouse hit Applestem's nose when she sniffed around for any prey. Leaf-bare was right around the corner and prey was scarce. She tracked the mouse down and saw it nibbling some grain.

She crouched down and leaped for it. 

And missed.

Just as she was about to reach it, the mouse snapped it's head around, saw Applestem leaping for itself, and scrambled away just in time as the ginger she-cat plunged onto the ground.

"Fox-dung!" the warrior cursed as she spat dry leaves out of her mouth. Cherryflick padded up to her, a blackbird in his jaws. He dropped it on the leafy forest floor in front of Applestem and smirked.

"Leaves do make a great catch, don't they?" the red tom teased. Applestem rolled her eyes,  growl rose from her throat.

Cherryflick seemed satisfied that the ginger she-cat was annoyed. He picked his catch back up, spun around and left.

Applestem watched as the red warrior left with obvious triumph radiating from his pelt.

She clawed the ground.

Was it just a miracle that made her past her assessment?

Leafstrike's POV

A leaf-bare night. Mist and fog weaved around the almost leafless trees. The wind was freezing, chilling. And Lemonheart was my only company, as always.

She knew that I was having Firespark's kits very soon. I promised her that I will name one after her. And maybe one after my sister and one after Firespark.

The cream she-cat knew the basic things of herbs and kitting, as she always spends her spare time digging deep in Snowberry's herbs as an apprentice. 

"What shall we do with them when they are born?" We were outside of the Clan's territory. Lemonheart and I were sharing a vole that she had caught inside of OrangeClan's territory. 

I had though about this question for a long time. Ever since I felt the squirming inside my belly I had asked myself, "What would become of them?"

But I had the answer as well, so as I held back a hiss of pain from a kick in my belly, I swiftly replied to her, "I'm sending them back to the Clans,"

She looked startled. "They wouldn't take them in."

I looked away, avoiding her bloodshot green gaze. "At least I can try," I muttered.

Suddenly, I had a question: Which Clan will I send the kits back to?

It certainly cannot be GrayClan, because their father is so mouse-brained he had forgotten me.

OrangeClan really needs warriors, because they only have two... But will Snowberry be happy to foster the kits apart from hers?

BrightClan may be a good choice. But they live on top of a hill, and I don't want the kits tumbling down the hill and hurting themselves, even though the hill isn't really that high, just about half the height of an average oak tree.

StripeClan's warriors aren't so friendly, especially the sarcastic deputy, Rockheart, and the complete definition of a fox-heart, Sharpsnarl.

PrimClan though... I don't see any bad in taking the kits to PrimClan. Primstar is a noble cat, Copperheart had always started fights with Firespark on patrols, but he's a kind and caring tom when he isn't clawing my mate's face.

Needlefrost though... we had never gotten along during Gatherings, or when she came over to GrayClan for assistance. She really likes pawing cats that calls her "Needy" as a nickname, including me, a deputy! But she seriously is a nice she-cat to cats who doesn't call her "Needy". She is the medicine cat, after all. She will be caring to my kits, I'm certain of that.

The decision is made.

I will be sending Firespark's kits to PrimClan after they are born. At least, I will try.

And I will watch them grow everyday into strong warriors.