turtlepaw: warrior cats oneshot

turtlepaw

edit: added a song to give a little atmosphere :))

n: minor blood warning !!

if you get triggered by the thought or mention of blood please refrain from reading this oneshot for your own safety.

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Turtlepaw, a small medicine apprentice, laid in the grass, little strength ran through her limbs as the blood seeped from the open wound that cut through the side of her throat. The small she's breathing was beginning to grow shallow. Surprisingly, considering she came to the conclusion she was more than likely to die here, she knew that Lionjaw wouldn't be sad that she was gone, or even angry that she is gone either, nor will he be sad that she will die. Her thoughts came to the conclusion after their argument that he would be better off if she were dead and gone.

She smiled, although her heart was surely breaking. Tears burned down her cheeks. The air beginning to feel thin to her. And with that, her vision began to blurr every now and then as her eyes started to droop shut. Tired, as she may be from trying to escape the loner which had left her here, weak, vulnerable and out in the open. The words she wished she could tell him one more time. She wanted to be strong for him, though being strong at all seemed impossible now.

The shrubs that lead towards the direction of camp behind her rustled. Steps of a cat came closer and closer to her bleeding body. Her first thought came to thinking that the loner has returned to finish the deed to which he has done on the small she cat. To finish her off and send her off to StarClan. Her thoughts shook that idea away and next came to think it was Raindapple, a she who she knew had stuck by her when she had been down, sticking by her when she had felt no one else would. Either her or maybe her other close friend, Ferretmask, to which she had confided in about her situation with Lionjaw as he was in a fairly similar one with her mentor, Gorsepath. The steps that approached her were heavy, not an apprentice's pawsteps, that's for sure. They weren't Raindapple's or Ferretmask's as they were very sleek in structure, slender too. But, Turtlepaw could definetely confirm that these steps were those of someone who is old enough to be a warrior.

The unknown presence stepped out into the open. Turtlepaw tried to gather any last bit of strength to move her head to see who had come to, hopefully, help her, but all her energy seemed to be draining. All forms of movement felt like a chore, a pointless effort which she really shouldn't put any motivation into doing.

Her mind stopped to see a familiar large, golden paw step infront of her. She didn't want to believe he had turned up to help her, but it really was him. Her green eyes shifted up to see Lionjaw, staring down at her with a straight face. He didn't seem to care at all that it was her laying below him, slowly dying infront of him.

Raindapple was crouched in the bushes as she observed the scene unfolding before her eyes. Turtlepaw was overwhelmed, surprised to see that Lionjaw had come to find her. She tried to gather some air in her lungs so that she could speak, her lip wobbled as more tears filled her eyes. "Li-..Lionjaw..?" Turtlepaw mewed, staring up at the golden tabby tom. The medicine apprentice couldn't begin to explain how happy she was to see him again. Her paw slowly, shakily reaching out to Lionjaw's much larger one. She was cautious with this movement, expecting the older tom to move away in disgust and spitefulness of the blue tortoiseshell-she. But, to her delight, her paw touched his and he gave her the smile she fell in love with. His broken jaw began to move as he spoke, "Don't run off like that again..." He began in a soft voice. This, to Turtlepaw, has been the softest he has ever spoken to her in a long time. So long, Turtlepaw doesn't even remember the last time he has ever spoken this softly. "You made me worried sick..." Lionjaw added.

Raindapple finally emerged without a word from the shrubs with some cobwebs and other bits of herbs to patch up Turtlepaw's wound so that she wouldn't bleed to death. Turtlepaw was in shock. She didn't think he would even care that she had left. Her muscles found new strength for her to respond to him, "I-I thought... Leaving was the only way for you to actually be happy..." Turtlepaw began, trying to force herself to not break down into tears. Her throat burned as she fought the urge back before continuing, "I made you angry... I caused the argument that we had-... everything that happened between us is-... all my fault." The small she whimpered, heavy tears finally breaking through to stain her soft cheeks. All her emotions were beginning to spill out in hot, burning tears. "I thought... You wouldn't even care if I had left..." She sobbed. "That you wouldn't even notice that I had left," She added, her voice cracking a little. The more she spoke at this point, the more memories flooded back through her mind. She felt her heart break more and more, reopening wounds in her soul to which she thought had healed enough for it to not hurt anymore. All the things to which Lionjaw had said to her, had said about her. "We say a lot of things when we're angry..." Lionjaw mewed, lowering down to her level. "But you were right..." Turtlepaw cried softly. "You were right... about me being overly-sensitive about things. I hate that about myself just as much as you do... Not only that but also the fact that I take everything to heart... I'm a mess- I hate everything about myself just as much as the way you portrayed it in the way you spoke to me the last few moons.."

Lionjaw closed his eyes. He began to slowly shake his head, "I was wrong to say those things about you... I was angry, I should've had more self control to not say those hurtful things to you..." The tom sighed, pressing his nose to her shoulder briefly before retracting his head slowly. "I still love you, Turtlepaw.. I never stopped."

"If you loved me, you wouldn't knock me down like this... I have no faith in myself because of you." Turtlepaw frowned. "Then believe that you are great... Believe in yourself, Turtlepaw.. I know you can do great things for our clan and for other clans. You're caring, you're sweet. Everything I love in you are all the things that maybe others won't love, but they don't matter, okay?" Lionjaw smiled, purring softly. Turtlepaw blinked, a little unsure at first. She pressed against his fluffy pelt, sighing into the warmth of contact. "Okay.." Turtlepaw mewed finally, smiling softly. "I can try.. to have a little more faith.. But, I just need you here now.. I want this to heal. To try and build our trust with each other again.. okay?" Turtlepaw looked up to his warm, sunshine coloured eyes shyly. The tom looked back at her with a fond nod, wrapping his large tail around her. The sun wasn't dappled by clouds anymore. The light beat down on the two cats gratefully with a gentle breeze to compliment the atmosphere now.

~

Word count: 1244 words.

Thank you for reading !!

How are you today? I hope you all are drinking plenty, eating enough and also getting enough sleep. Ily all!

Edit; (11th July 2019)
made a few tweaks with the wording, going back over it now i saw a few grammar mistakes so I've tried to correct them.