Warriors - A New Tale

Chapter twelve

Nuttree woke up near the beach. Why am I in Dawnclan territory? But she knew the answer, she was dreaming again. Then she saw Dawnclan's powerful leader, Lionstar sitting on a big log. Then her eyes drew to Flowerfox. My mother? But she's a rogue! Lionstar hopped off the log and nuzzled with Flowerfox. She was extremely confused. "Lionstar, I'm going to have kits!" Nuttree was even more confused. How could she hear them from so far away? Lionstar looked happy. He purred and licked her cheek. Then Nuttree felt herself drifting off, and waking up in the real world again. It was the middle of the day. She decided to get up and walk out of the warrior's den. She realized she needed to talk to Flowerfox. She was leaving the camp, but then she saw Smallpaw and Leaffall. "Nuttree!" Smallpaw mewed. "I got prey for the elders" he meowed, showing off a blackbird. "That's great!" Nuttree realized that Smallpaw and her had similar personalities, even if they weren't really related. "Where are you going?" He asked, placing the blackbird on the ground. "Oh, just going out to hunt. Now that I'm a warrior, I can go out by myself!" She bragged. "Yeah, that's cool."
"Come on Smallpaw, let's bring the prey you caught to the elder's den" mewed Leaffall. Nuttree nodded. "Awe, okay. Bye, Nuttree!" He said, running off to the elder's den, his mentor chasing after him. Even though Smallpaw lived up to his name, he balanced it out with his swiftness. Nuttree padded out of camp. She caught a squirrel and buried it for later. Then she looked for her mother. "Flowerfox! Flowerfox I'm here!" She called out. Soon enough, Flowerfox appeared. "Hello... you never told me your name" Nuttree giggled. "I'm Nuttree" she mewed. "You're a warrior?" Flowerfox asked tilting her head. Nuttree stood proudly. "I became one yesterday!"
"That's awesome" she purred, sitting down. "Was that what you called me for?" She asked. Nuttree looked down. "N-no... there's something else..." she sat down and sighed. "Is Lionstar my father? Am I a Dawnclan cat?" Flowerfox looked sad. "Yes, he's your father. How did you find out?" Nuttree remembered her dream, but she didn't feel certain she should tell Flowerfox. "I... just had a hunch..." she mewed. "Why aren't you still in Dawnclan?" Flowerfox's eyes clouded with grief. "Oh... um... I'm sorry if it's too hard to explain..." her mother inhaled and exhaled. "No, I'm just too weak to explain." Nuttree felt pain from Flowerfox's expression. "You're not weak, mother-"
"I am. But I think it's time you went back." Nuttree felt sadness. "Oh... okay..." she said, getting up and touching noses with her mother. "Bye, I love you" she mewed, running to the place she left her prey. She picked it up and padded back to camp. She dropped it in the fresh-kill pile. She couldn't help but feel proud of herself. I became a warrior faster than the other apprentices! she thought to herself. She ran to the elder's den. She thought it might be weird being a warrior and going there, but she didn't really care. Laketoes and Spottedpelt were sharing tongues. "Oh, Nuttree! What're you doing here?" Nuttree sat down. "You didn't expect me to stop talking to you just because I'm a warrior now, did you?" Spottedpelt gave a raspy chuckle. "You're a strange one, Nuttree." Nuttree purred. "I know, she mewed happily. Laketoes purred back. "I really appreciate your company, Nuttree. But maybe you should spend more time making friends your age." Nuttree felt sad, but she understood what the eld she-cat meant. "Okay, see you around, guys" she meowed, heading out of the den and to the fresh-kill pile. She picked out a mouse and sat down. She finished it and lay in the sun. Then she saw Mudspeed and Orangepelt sharing tongues. Mudspeed seemed flustered as Orangepelt brushed his fur with his tongue. Nuttree was a bit confused, but she wouldn't judge her former mentor, nor Darkenedfur's. Then suddenly Snowpaw sat next to her, a sparrow clamped in her jaws. "What're you doing here?" Nuttree asked. Snowpaw seemed a bit embarrassed. "What? You think that just because you became a warrior earlier than me, that you are superior?" She growled. Nuttree was surprised. "Er, no, of course not!" She mewed. Snowpaw seemed to realize she could have worded her sentence better. "Good..." she mewed, biting into the sparrow. "So, what is it like being a warrior?" She asked, finishing her sparrow. "Uh, well I've only been a warrior for a day, but it's pretty good." Snowpaw nodded. "That makes sense..." she seemed a bit sad. "Hey, Snowpaw? You'll probably become a warrior soon, you just need something to prove yourself" Nuttree mewed, licking Snowpaw's ear. Snowpaw seemed comforted by Nuttree's words. "That is true... thank you, Nuttree."
Suddenly, Darkenedfur came. "Oh, hi, Nuttree! Hey, Snowpaw." He said Snowpaw's name in a different way then he said Nuttree's name. "So, how are you two doing?" Darkenedfur meowed. Nuttree noticed he was looking at Snowpaw only. Nuttree felt a flash of anger burn in her chest. "I gotta go" she meowed, getting up. "Awe, so soon, Nuttree?" Snowpaw mewed. Nuttree didn't understand why she cared so much. "Uh, maybe Stormclaw'll pick me for evening patrol" mewed Nuttree, dashing away and looking for Stormclaw. She continued walking until she spotted the deputy. "Hey, Stormclaw. Can I lead the patrol this evening?" Nuttree asked. Stormclaw gave an amused glare. "Uh, sure... but can you take Gloomstar with you?" Nuttree was a little confused. "Okay, but why?" Stormclaw glared toward the leader's den. "Well, he's barely been out his den today" she mewed. "I think it would be good for him to stretch his legs." Nuttree nodded. "Sounds good. Can I take..." she thought of someone. "Can I take Sparrowwing as well?" Stormclaw seemed like she wanted to object for a second. "F-fine. Take Gloomstar and Sparrowwing with you." Nuttree nodded. "Thank you, Stormclaw!" She mewed, zooming away from the deputy. She quickly padded to Gloomstar's den. "Gloomstar?" She called into the den, peeking in to see him with his head lowered and his eyes closed. He wasn't sure if he was asleep. "W-what? Sorry..." he mewed, his eyes popping open. "Stormclaw told me to fetch you and Sparrowwing for evening patrol?" She mewed to the Greenclan leader. "Oh, okay" he replied, getting up. Nuttree smiled. She rushed over to the warrior's den to fetch Sparrowwing. "We're on evening patrol, Sparrowwing!" She mewed quickly. Sparrowwing got up rather slowly. Gloomstar waited near the exit of the camp. Sparrowwing padded out of the den. Could you be any slower? She thought angrily. But she didn't say anything and waited for the she-cat. As soon as Sparrowwing caught up she sighed. "I'm sorry, I should've said something earlier" she mewed. "I'm having kits. Maybe I should move into the nursery already." Nuttree's anger immediately turned into delight. "You and Leaffall? Awe, that's great!" She purred. Gloomstar nodded. "You can go and do that then, Sparrowwing. I'll find another warrior." Nuttree was a little confused at how emotionless Gloomstar was acting, compared to his usual self. Sparrowwing seemed to notice this too. "A-alright, then" she mewed, padding over there. "So, who are we getting to replace her, Gloomstar?" Nuttree asked him. Gloomstar shook his head. "There's... actually no need for that." Nuttree tilted her head in confusion. "But... why?" She asked, knowing she should probably not judge her leader's decision. "That is just how it is, I suppose. Now let's go."
He ran out of camp. He's acting really strange... she thought. But she followed him. He padded through the forest, slowly heading to the river. Nuttree caught the smell of mouse. "Mind if I hunt, Gloomstar?" Nuttree asked him. "Of course," he mewed, looking into the water. So she stepped towards the heavy scent of prey. She dropped into a hunter's crouch as she spotted the mouse. It was a plump one, it would be delicious. It started washing itself. Nuttree unsheathed a claw and picked the mouse up. She killed it quickly, feeling proud of herself.
A wail of pain rose in the air. She rushed to the source of the noise. It was Gloomstar! He was being attacked by another cat. Nuttree dropped the prey and raced towards the cats. When the rogue was on top, Nuttree launched herself toward him, claws unsheathed, ripping the black rogue of her leader. Nuttree could hear Gloomstar coughing, but she was too busy fighting his attacker. She was on top of him, and she scratched him across his eye. He had closed his eyes so he didn't go blind, but she still left him a nasty scar. The tom pushed Nuttree off of him with great force, throwing her into the nearby river. It was freezing cold, being leaf bare. She jumped out of it. The rogue was on top of Gloomstar, getting a strong grip on his throat. "Get off of him!" Nuttree spat. The rogue looked at her and slowly backed away. She saw a flash of guilt in his gaze. He fled into DawnClan territory. Nuttree could honestly care less. She rushed to her leader's side. "G-Gloomstar! I'll... I'll go get Treestump."
"Don't"
"What?! But... you're about to die!"
"It's alright, Nuttree. I don't deserve to be leader anymore, nor do I want to. I don't want to live anymore, either."
Nuttree's face molded into a look filled with horror. She would never expect to hear this from any warrior, let alone a leader. "Gloomstar, get up. You'll be fine if we get to Treestump soon enough" Nuttree chuckled sadly. Gloomstar didn't listen. "Are you trying to give orders to your leader?" Nuttree looked down. "Um... but your about to die though..." she mewed. Gloomstar smiled, but it made Nuttree depressed and unsettled that he was happy about his death. "Nuttree, can I have one last wish?" Nuttree lowered her head closer to Gloomstar. "Of course. What is it, Gloomstar?"
"Would you talk to me for a while before I finally die?"
Nuttree sat down next to him. "S-sure... What would you like to talk about?" Gloomstar thought about it. "Hm... about this prophecy I got from StarClan about the same time you joined the clan." Nuttree was interested. "Oh, okay."
"Rosethorn, a former elder of the clan came to me. She said I should look up in the day time to see the trees. To look up in the night to see the stars. I never really found out what it meant, but I think it's about you, Nuttree."
Her ears perked. A prophecy about her? "Really?" Gloomstar didn't respond. "Gloomstar?" His eyes were closed. "Oh no.." Nuttree whispered. She wondered what to do. I won't tell the clan what I just heard... I won't tell them about Gloomstar's deppresion.
She ran into camp, tears clouding her vision. She let out a howl. All the cats looked to her. The cats in the dens hopped out and stared at her. Whitestripe was the first to say something. "What are you doing alone? Where's Gloomstar?" Nuttree blinked out tears. She raised her voice for everyone to hear. "Gloomstar is dead!"
All of the cats looked shocked. All cats except Stormclaw, who jumped onto the rock. Nuttree could even see a hint of amusement in her glare.