𝓈𝓂𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒻𝓇𝒶𝑔𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈

↳ chapter one.

The tom growled at him, teeth bared. "Get up, you lazy rock! Try again!"
Russetfire had his head facing away from the tan marble tom. In this lighting his pelt looked so dark, but he knew what Fennelshade really looked like.
Handsome, muscular...
His thoughts trailed to an end when Fennelshade went into a hissing fit. "Get up!" he yowled.
Russetfire heaved himself to his paws, dismissing the sudden pain in his back leg. Fennelshade studied him. "Attack me."
"What?" I could never! I don't want you hurt!
"Attack me!" He boomed. Russetfire bunched his muscles together and pressed himself to the forest floor. He wasn't going to lay a claw on him, despite the numerous times his pelt got beaten up, ruined and stained.
"Do it!" He screeched. Russetfire shook his head. "Why?"
"This is battle training, you can't ask someone why they're attacking you!"
I understand that. But if it means attacking you, I'm not sure I can do it.
"But-."
Fennelshade leapt into the air, twisting himself onto the poor tom's pelt. Russetfire yowled and sliced his hind claws through his belly. The pain in leg made him jerk to the side, leaving Fennelshade to screech in pain. He tumbled off Russetfire, laying lump on the ground. The red tom gasped. "Are you okay?" he shrilled.
Fennelshade slowly brought himself to his paws, his breath very heavy. He charged at the small red tom, knocking him over. His claws tore up his pelt in a mass of hissing and spitting. Russetfire didn't fight back. He let himself get bruised and bled. He couldn't fight him. He loved him.
Ever so slowly, he felt his vision fade away until he saw nothing but darkness.

✕ ✕ ✕

"Russetfire?" a distant voice echoed in his ears. It seemed too far away to reply to. His thoughts swirled around like a bee looking for the perfect flower, but just couldn't find the right one.
"Russetfire!" the tom shrieked at the sudden scream. An ache in his head struck him hard to force him to lay back down again. Russetfire let out a soft moan.
"Russetfire, are you okay?" the sound wasn't as loud, but was trembling with fear. He grunted.
"Please wake up, Russetfire. You're scaring me."
Russetfire pushed himself up, his bones immediately feeling tired and sore. "M-Mintsplash?
The grey she-cat brightened and licked his face. "You're okay!" she paused, "Right?"
Russetfire rubbed his eye. "Yeah...I think so."
"You don't look okay," Mintsplash said, worry itching her tone again.
"I'm good."
Mintsplash looked doubtful. "Can you stand?"
Russetfire pressed on all fours, properly standing upright. He swished his long red tail.
"See? I'm perfectly fine."
"Great, now you can walk to the medicine cat den with me."
Russetfire drew his lips back in a snarl but didn't protest. He wouldn't admit it, but his legs did hurt. Getting out of the den was harder than actually walking.
"You're bleeding!" Mintsplash cried. Russetfire flinched as she softly rubbed the bridge of his nose. She scanned his matted pelt. "You're bleeding everywhere. We have to see Hollowbreeze."
The red tom padded into the medicine den, expecting the goldenrod-colored marble tom to be waiting for them. However, no one was inside, except for a small tan and grey tom. Ferretpaw, Russetfire's little brother, was sorting herbs before he saw the pair walk in.
"Russetfire!" he exclaimed, a ray of sunshine appearing on his face. The tiny apprentice met them by the entrance. "Hollowbreeze is out getting tansy. Can I help you?"
His voice brightened and his tail quivered as if he hadn't tended to anyone in moons.
Mintsplash spoke before Russetfire could even take a breath.
"Yes, please. Russetfire has a few wounds."
"Wounds?" Ferretpaw meowed quizzically, "What from?"
"I guess there were a few thorns in my nest," Russetfire murmured. The excuse was overused, but he wasn't going to admit that he was battling in the Dark Forest. Relief swept over him when Ferretpaw stopped asked questions and picked up a bundle of orange flowers.
"This is marigold," he said, chewing off the stem, "It helps the cut not become infected."
He applied the juice across his nose and his shoulder blade. "It stings!" Russetfire dug his claws into the floor.
"It shouldn't hurt any more than those thorns," Ferretpaw meowed sourly.
He doesn't believe me.
Russetfire remained silent as Ferretpaw pressed cobwebs onto his pelt.
It didn't make sense how Fennelshade would attack him. Not without warning at least. When he charged at me, he looked like a monster craving prey.
Russetfire dismissed the thought. Fennelshade wasn't a monster! Fennelshade was the best tom a cat could have.
If only he would notice me back...