Widowed Leaf (Warriors Story)

Widowed Leaf

  The forest around Leafgaze was dark and foreboding. The small brown warrior with bright green eyes was padding stealthily through the forest. All around her she could hear the scuffling of small animals. She parted her jaws and breathed in the air. As soon as she smelt a vole, she dropped into the hunters crouch. She silently stalked through the undergrowth until she came across the small creature scuttling around at the base of an oak tree.

    She pounced on it, but before her paws could send the final blow to the rodent, it vanished into a puff of smoke. Confused, the she cat sat up, “Where am I?” She asked herself, looking around the strange dark forest. She then looked up at the sky and let out a gasp of horror. The sky was pitch black and had no stars, “What happened to Starclan?” She breathed out, horrified.

    She then looked back down and was startled to see the shape of a golden tom with magnificent sky blue eyes, “Lionfang!” She called, “What is going on? Is this Starclan?” She asked him. She began padding up to him only to see that his left flank and belly was covered in blood. She let out another horrific gasp, “Oh my Starclan! You look just like the day you died..”

    “Leafgaze…” The golden tom finally breathed out, “I was hoping I’d never see you here.” He whispered, barely audible enough for Leafgaze to hear.

    “What do you mean Lionfang?” She asked him.

    Lion fang just shook his head and walked up to her until he was nose to nose with the she cat, “Leafgaze, this is the place of no stars… It’s where all bad cats go when they die.. I was one of them..” He explained to the she cat.

    “That’s mouse-brained! You were the most loyal cat in the clan, Lionfang, and you know it!” She argued. She then sat by him and put her paw over his and pushed her head under his chin, “The cat I fell in love with doesn’t belong in such a place.”

    Lionfang shook his head, “I’m sorry Leafgaze… but you don’t know my full story… I did love you with all of my heart but I had a dark side..” He explained to his living mate carefully, “I was jealous of Frecklestar, and that jealousy turned to anger. When I was around you, you brought out the best of me, but every time I looked at Frecklestar, hatred pierced my heart like a thorn and I couldn’t escape it..”

    “Lionfang, your brother was just luckier than you… it wasn’t your fault you were hurt when he was made deputy… If you weren’t you knew you would have been made deputy.”

    “No, that Leafgaze was what started it all. He made me feel weak and he had stolen what was rightfully mine..” He growled.

    Leafgaze was startled at his harsh tone, “Lionfang… I loved you..” She breathed as she began shrinking away from her deceased mate.

    “And I still love you, Leafgaze..”  He sighed, “But we unfortunately aren’t meant to be.. I don’t know why you came here but it’s time for you to go back to the waking world.” Lionfang spoke softly before giving Leafgaze a gentle lick on the cheek, “And tell our kits I love them as well, please.”

    Leafgaze just shrunk back from her deceased mate more.. Tears brimming her eyes. She turned and ran through the dark forest until the waking world slammed down on her like a truck and she was in her nest again. She shot her head out of her nest and and flinched back as the bright morning sunlight glared into the den. Her muscles ached as if she had been running all night.

    She lifted her head to see a brown tom pushing his muzzle into her shoulder fur, “Leafgaze are you alright?” He asked, concern brimming his eyes, “You were thrashing around all night..”

    She looked at the tom with warmth in her eyes, “Yes Barkfur, I’m fine.. I just had a nightmare..”

    “Was it about father again?” He asked.

    Leafgaze let out a sigh, “Yes.. I miss him very much.”

    “We all do. I don’t know what I would do if I lost Hollyclaw..” Barkfur sighed, thinking about his own mate.

    “The life of a warrior is very difficult” She said to her son as she reached up to lick his forehead, “But we always persevere.”

    “Yes we do… Shall I fetch Maplepool?” He a sked, glancing out the warriors den, “Perhaps you could use some more comfort.” He suggested.

    “No, let your sister get along with her warriors duties. I’m fine. Go and see your mate and your kits, Barkfur, im sure they miss you.” She replied in a soft voice, “I’ll hollar for you and Maplepool when I need help making my new nest in the elders den”

    Barkfur gave his mother a nod before squeezing out of the warriors den.
You raised them well.
A soft voice spoke in Leafgaze’s ear. She just purred and watched through the den entrance as her kit ran of to be with his own family,
Yes, I did.