Warriors: Deserve's Beginning (Short Story) (COMPLETE)

Chapter 12

Deserve sat outside the nursery, looking at the cats in the clearing as the sun set over the camp, casting dark shadows across the ground. Beside him, Boost and Song were sharing a mouse. He felt much better than he had earlier after Snakekit pushed him into the thorns. He felt little to no pain. Medicine cats sure are useful.

Cobratail, the clan deputy, was standing by the side of the clearing with several other cats. "Silverblossom, when Crowmask's patrol returns, I'd like you to lead a border patrol."

An older she-cat purred. "Of course. Shall I bring Copperpaw?"

At the mention of his name, the golden brown apprentice raced over, his amber eyes lighting up. "Yes, you shall!"

They chuckled in amusement, and Cobratail nodded. "Of course," He purred and scanned the clearing. "Rosebreeze! Poppywing! You can go as well."

A cream tabby and a red tabby she-cat padded toward the deputy.

"Can I come too?" Rainheart padded after them, looking at Cobratail hopefully.

The black and red tom hesitated. "I think four cats is enough. And I could use you for a hunting patrol later on."

The gray tabby's tail drooped. "But I don't want to be away from Poppywing for one moment!" 

Poppywing let out an amused purr and turned to him. "Rainheart, I'm not leaving forever, you know!"

"But I'll miss you." He stared at her sadly.

She let out a purr, her blue eyes softening. "I'll be back," She promised and nuzzled him. "Then we'll have the whole night to ourselves."

"Okay..." Rainheart gazed at her warmly. "I love you."

Poppywing licked his ear. "I love you more."

"Not as much as I love you!"

"I love-"

"Ew!" Copperpaw looked disgusted, his tail swishing back and forth. "For StarClan's sake, we get it!"

The warriors chuckled in amusement, and Silverblossom covered her apprentice's eyes with her paw, laughing. "You'll understand when you're older."

By the elder's den, an older tom snorted. "Those two are going to have a ton of kits in the nursery by morning if they keep that up!"

"Buzzardglare!" A ginger she-cat shoved him playfully. "We were young like that too once."

Clan life is so... Different. Deserve thought as he watched the cats in the clearing. It's not like life in the barn, where it was quiet and peaceful... Here, it's busy and organized. He remembered how he'd imagined forest cats before; as evil shadowy cats with glowing red eyes. Savages and murderers. It's not like that.  However, his thoughts darkened as he thought of Snakekit, Blackkit, and Brownkit. Some of them though...

He saw movement by the camp entrance and turned his head to see what it was. Crowmask's hunting patrol had returned. The black warrior was holding a frog in his jaws. He was followed by Bloomfire and Maplefur, who each had two mice, and Poisonedsap, who was holding an impressively large thrush. Silverblossom dipped her head to them before leading her patrol out of camp.

Wow! What a catch! Deserve thought as he stared at the dead bird. She must be a great hunter!

"Wow!" Even Cobratail seemed to be impressed by it. "That's a great catch."

Poisonedsap dipped her head and deposited the bird on the fresh kill pile. "It's nothing."

"Nothing?" Maplefur exclaimed. "She climbed straight up a pine tree and got it! You should have seen her." He gazed at her proudly. "She's the best hunter I've ever seen."