Warriors - A New Tale

Chapter nine

Nutpaw's eyes went wide in shock. "You're my mother?" Is what she tried to say, but Mudspeed cut her off by running in front of her. "Get away, rogue!" He hissed. Nutpaw's mother unsheathed her claws. "Why should I? You're the one who took my kit away from me!" Nutpaw sat down. She had never been more confused. Mudspeed hissed again. "She belongs to Greenclan!" Nutpaw stood up. "Stop!" She yowled. Both the cats looked at her. "Don't fight over me. It's true, I am loyal to Greenclan. But can't I at least have a connection with my own mother?" Mudspeed looked shocked. Was he impressed on how Nutpaw defended herself, or was he angry with her? Mudspeed looked around for answer. "V-very well then" He said, clearing his throat. "You may speak to Flowerfox whenever you run into her."
Flowerfox got near Nutpaw. "Goodbye, my daughter. I hope we'll meet again soon" she mewed as she slipped away into the darkness. Nutpaw stared after her. "So," Mudspeed meowed. "I guess this is the end of your assessment" Nutpaw looked up at Mudspeed. "Am I in trouble?" She asked, eyes full of worry. Mudspeed flicked his tail. "I think you did okay." He mewed. "Every cat must know who's kin they belong to." Nutpaw felt a bit less scared. "And... I also said I was loyal to Greenclan" she praised herself. Mudspeed couldn't help but chuckle. "Yes, you did."
They started walking back to camp together. "And besides," Mudspeed mumbled. "Gloomstar's too soft to punish you anyway." Nutpaw's eats went back. "W-what do you mean by that?" She asked her mentor. He didn't respond.
Soon, they arrived back at camp, Nutpaw had already collected all the prey she caught. Gloomstar was sitting down, enjoying a squirrel with Stormclaw and Swiftsky. "Oh! Nutpaw, how'd your training go?" Purred the leader. Nutpaw purred back. "I caught some prey" she mewed. Mudspeed nodded. "She did fine." Stormclaw was staring at Nutpaw. "Did I do good?" Nutpaw looked for more praise. "Sure" Stormclaw meowed a little passive aggressively. Nutpaw felt a stab of pain. Didn't the deputy like her?
She pushed those thoughts aside and ran towards the elder's den. A very elderly looking she-cat greeted her. It was Sunrise, the oldest she-cat in Greenclan. "Hello there, young one" She rasped. Nutpaw nodded her reply and placed down the prey she had caught. Sunrise seemed like she wanted to say more, but she lay down and nibble on the food instead. "See you, Sunrise!" Nutpaw mewed, dashing to the medicine cat den. She was glad to see no one blocking her. She saw Treestump helping Laketoes and Brownpaw handing her some herbs. "Hi, Treestump!" Nutpaw purred. "Is Laketoes doing alright?" Treestump turned around. "Oh, fine" The medicine cat mewed. "She just has a bit of muscle pain. Do you want to talk to her?" Nutpaw nodded happily. Treestump nodded back and went to treat another cat, Brownpaw following her. "Oh, Nutpaw! It's you!" Laketoes purred. Nutpaw purred back. "How's it going, Laketoes?" She asked, sitting down. "I'm okay, just in a bit of pain. I'm an old cat" Laketoes replied, placing her head on her paws. "But aren't you the youngest elder in Greenclan?" Nutpaw teased. Laketoes chuckled. "Does that mean I'm not allowed to feel old?" She asked, still chuckling a bit. "I guess not" Nutpaw admitted with a shrug. Laketoes purred and raised her head to lick Nutpaw's forehead. "So, did you bring any prey?" She asked, yawning. "Oh, I forgot!" Nutpaw mewed. "I could go get you some now." Laketoes shook her head. "No need," She mewed. "I'd rather company over food." Nutpaw was a little confused, but she nodded her head simply. She lay down next to Laketoes, cleaning her own paws. She suddenly felt sleepy, sharing Laketoes's body heat. "Tired?" The eld She cat asked, reading Nutpaw's face. "A bit, I guess" she admitted giving a small yawn. Laketoes waited till Nutpaw stopped yawning, and asked "what did you do today?" Nutpaw remembered her meeting with Flowerfox. "I... er.... had my assessment" she replied. "That explains it" the light grey she-cat mewed. "You should get some rest." Nutpaw felt a bit of gloomy sadness. "B-but... I can't leave you!" She mewed, louder and sharper than she intended. "I'll be fine, just go" Laketoes purred. Nutpaw got up slowly. "Okay... I'll see you soon, Laketoes" she mewed, walking at a slow pace out of the medicine cat den. She looked over her shoulder and Laketoes seemed to already be asleep. I guess I'm not the only one who's tired she thought. She looked up at the sky. It was almost full moon! Will I get picked to go to the gathering? She thought excitedly. "Hi, Nutpaw!" A mew sounded behind her. She turned around. "Smallpaw!" Nutpaw purred. "I heard it was your assessment today! How was it?" Smallpaw asked, sitting next to Nutpaw. "Oh, fine..." she said, realizing that Darkenedpaw and Smallpaw, two cats she thought to be her brothers, weren't related to her in any way. "That's great," the small black and white apprentice mewed. Nutpaw nodded, suddenly feeling tired again. "I should really get to bed though" she told Smallpaw. "Oh, of course! Let's get some shuteye!" He purred, following Nutpaw happily. She walked to the apprentice den, and saw Darkenedpaw laying down, but fully awake. "Oh hey, Darkenedpaw" said Nutpaw, feeling sad at the sight of her 'brother.' She lay down in her nest, falling asleep almost immediately. She woke up in a meadow. She knew where she was and sighed in frustration. Starclan. She saw Longclaw approach her, purring. "Nutpaw!" Nutpaw took a few steps back. "Why didn't you tell me?" Longclaw's expression suddenly turned dark. "Who told you? Was it Mudspeed?" Nutpaw perked her ears. "What? Mudspeed has nothing to do with this! I met my real mother in the forest!" Longclaw's eyes were full of dismay. "I see..." she sighed. "Please know that I will love you just the same..."
Nutpaw's head jolted up. Why did she always have to wake up at the worst times?