Short Warrior Cat Stories

"One Wish"

Word Count: 987

Characters:

Main:

Kestreltuft: A dark brown tabby tom with dapples of darker brown and white paws. He has a greying muzzle and yellow eyes.

Warmthroat: A pale brown she-cat with a white shape on her throat. She has a grey patch in her back and a bushy tail.

Minkpaw: A light brown tom with darker dapples and a cream underbelly and paws. He has a short tail and amber eyes. (Loner)

Beetle: A black tom with green eyes, a long tail and short fur. (Lives with Minkpaw)

Minor:

Amberstar: A pale ginger she-cat with glowing amber eyes and long fur.

Quietblossom: A white she-cat with patches of grey, Green eyes. (Mother of Minkpaw)
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    Kestreltuft padded back into camp with a single squirrel clenched in his jaws. He looked at the other warriors, who had been on the same hunting patrol, and noticed that they had caught much more prey than he had. He sighed and dropped his squirrel onto the fresh-kill pile. As he walked off, he could feel the gaze of his Clanmates piercing into him, whispering about his mere catch. The tabby tom was getting old and every day his muscles seemed to ache a bit more; Kestreltuft knew that he would have to retire into the elders den soon.

   Yet, There was still one thing he had to do first.

                                   ~

   The brown tom sat facing the she-cat, his eyes giving away little emotion.

“Amberstar…” began Kestreltuft, “I have come to a decision about my retirement.”

   The leader flicked her light ginger tail, signalling for him to go on.

“Before I retire, there is one thing I need to do. One wish I need to fulfil. I must see my son a final time.”

                                     ~

   Kestreltuft sat by the camp exit, waiting impatiently for his daughter to finish her fresh-kill. He watched the young she-cat briefly touch her nose in farewell to her friends. The tabby tom couldn't help but purr in amusement as he noticed the shy expression on her face as she said goodbye to an attractive tom.

   As he waited for her, he found himself staring at the she-cat who he had once loved: Quietblossom. Her white fur glowed in the sunlight as she sat in the other end of the camp, sharing tongues with her sister. The more that Kestreltuft gazed at the she-cat, the more sorrow and anger he felt.

   Many moons ago, he had been her mate and  they had even raised their two kits together. However, from birth their son, Minkpaw, had always been anxious living in the Clans, fearing that danger was only a word away. Despite the fact that he was completely Clan-Born, he had never felt quite at home with the large group. For Minkpaw, when an enemy Clan attacked their camp in revenge, it had been the last-straw. After the fight, the young tom had left the Clans to live near the horse-place as a loner.

   Because the apprentice had left whilst the Clan was weakened and injured, Quietblossom had been distraught and had stated that Minkpaw had betrayed the Clan. She had disowned the tabby and refused to talk to him ever since he had left.

   Since he had left, Kestreltuft had only seen him once and that had only been because he had found some herbs that were hard to find in their territory. Even then, when Minkpaw had been helping, Quietblossom had been unwilling to talk to him.

   Kestreltuft sighed in frustration, wishing that his past mate would listen and realise that their son hadn't betrayed them.

   His gaze snapped away from her as his other kit, Warmthroat, approached him. When Minkpaw had left, she had been rather upset but much more understanding; she had agreed to come with Kestreltuft to visit him.

   “Ready?” she asked with an eager yet nervous look in her eyes.

   He nodded and rested his tail reassuringly on her back for a moment. With a final glance at the camp, they padded determinedly through the forest, towards the border of the Clan.

                               

  ~

   Kestreltuft raced passed the Horse-Place, his daughter just a few fox-lengths ahead. He silently cursed his aging muscles as he fell further behind, struggling to run at such a quick pace. Warmthroat seemed to notice and despite her excitement - and slight nervousness - to see her littermate again, she slowed down a bit.

    A dash of brown up ahead stopped them in their tracks. They watched as the unclear figure emerged from out of a clump of tall grass with a plump body hanging limp in its mouth. The shape seemed to notice them too because after a few moments of staring, the it bounded closer, until he could make our the lithe shape of a light brown cat. The cat ran closer and Kestreltuft took a few steps forward. Now he was certain that they had found what he had been looking for: They had found Minkpaw!

   “Kestreltuft! Warmthroat! It's great to see you! Come with me. What you doing here?” Minkpaw stopped Infront of them, dropping a small yet plump mouse. Despite the a slight anxious glimmer in his eyes, he looked pleased to see them.

    Whilst they were walking, Kestreltuft began to explain about his retirement and coming to visit him a last time. The brown-pelted kin walked in silence for a while, simply enjoying each others presence.

    Minkpaw halted as they reached what seemed to be an small, unused twoleg nest. Waving his tail to show them it was safe, he slid through a crack in the nest, the others trailing after him. It took Kestreltuft a few moments to adjust to the darkness and he glanced around.

   A noise alerted him.

   He turned swiftly around to see a small black tom. The cat padded towards Minkpaw, purring loudly. He suddenly stopped as he saw the other two cats with him. Minkpaw looked slightly embarrassed about the affection that the other tom has directed at him.

   “This is Beetle, He's a good friend of mine. He actually lived here first” The dappled tom quickly explained.

   “Nice to meet you, Beetle. I'm Kestreltuft. Minkpaw's father,” he introduced himself and dipped his head respectfully to the lithe tom, wanting to come across as friendly. Although he suspected that his son and Beetle were more than just 'good friends', he kept the thought to himself and listened as they exchanged stories.

   A rush of contentment filled Kestreltuft as he sat with his kin and beetle. He was ready to join retire and the ranks of StarClan.