Tales From The Broken {COMPLETE}

Poppyfur's Betrayal -Chapter 8-

Poppyfur swept up the stray herbs with her tail, moving them to a small pile beside the herb store. Leafbare had been kind to the Clans, prey wasn't running too low and no cat had caught any major sickness. Windflight complained of a cough and runny nose but she was quickly treated with some tasny. Dovekit was holding strong and fighting off sickness and Stormwind kept her out of the cold.

There was peace in SunClan camp, but a storm raging inside Poppyfur's heart. She hadn't slept much the night before after her conversation with Branchfur about her moving to LichenClan. She wanted him, but she wanted to stay a medicine cat. Which one do I want more? Poppyfur questioned herself over and over again, but she was never able to decide. She thought it would be easy. Her heart wanted Branchfur, but she knew that she belonged in SunClan. I fought so hard to become a medicine cat, am I really willing to throw all of it away?

"Poppyfur!" Honeywing's voice snapped Poppyfur out of her thoughts, she turned to face her mentor who was looking at her with concern in her green eyes. "Are you doing okay? You seem more distracted than usual."

"Sorry, Honeywing." Poppyfur dipped her head. "I didn't get much sleep last night, I'm worried about sickness coming back."

"This has been the easiest leafbare I've seen in my entire life." Honeywing mewed. "I'm sure that everything will be fine." Honeywing rested her tail across Poppyfur's shoulders. "I haven't seen you look this distracted since you were a warrior apprentice, you're not thinking about going back to being a warrior are you?"

"Of course not!" Poppyfur defended herself. "This is the life I chose, it's the one I want. I would never turn my back on being a medicine cat." Suddenly, Poppyfur had answered her own question. She stared at Honeywing. Did she know? Poppyfur sighed and let out a laugh, trying to lighten the mood and change the subject. "I worked too hard for this, plus I would have to go back to being an apprentice, I would be the biggest apprentice in the forest!"

Honeywing laughed and her gaze lightened. "Well work harder or I will send you back to being an apprentice." She nudged her. "Keep your head up, Poppyfur. You will get through this rough season, just as we have done for generations." Honeywing began walking away. "Bring Stormwind some boarge, with low prey she will need help producing milk. I'm going to get more tansy."

Honeywing left the medicine cat and Poppyfur stared after her. Honeywing hasn't said anything about knowing. Poppyfur thought. And yet she seems to know exactly what to say to help me. Poppyfur sighed, regardless she had found her answer. Her destiny was in the medicine cat den, not with Branchfur and kits. I love him, but I love SunClan more. Poppyfur picked up some boarge and quickly crossed camp to the nursery. Inside Stormwind was talking with Snakewhisker while Dovekit slept peacefully at Stormwind's belly.

"Hello, Poppyfur." Stormwind purred upon seeing the medicine cat. "Is that more borage?" She looked at the star-shaped flower.

Poppyfur nodded and set it down. "We want to make sure Dovekit has as much milk as possible."

"I'm okay with that." Stormwind looked lovingly at her kit. Poppyfur felt a twinge of jealousy. That will never be me. She withheld a sigh. But I will get to help so many kits come into SunClan, someday I'll get my own apprentice and maybe that's all I need. She cherished the relationship she had with Honeywing, and she hoped to have one with her own apprentice. Poppyfur left the nursery, tonight she would tell Branchfur, no matter how much it would hurt. It's the best for both of us. Even if it doesn't feel that way.

Once again Poppyfur arrived in the gathering hollow before Branchfur did, she waited for him with anxiety ripped through her entire body. I'll be okay. Poppyfur told herself over and over. Branchfur will find a new cat to love...and have kits of his own. The thought hurt Poppyfur more than anything, she didn't want him to find a new mate, but she wanted him to be happy. And to do that I have to hurt him first.

After what seemed like ages, Branchfur finally showed up. He was never late, she hoped no one had caught him. Branchfur entered the hollow, dragging his paws and looking slightly agitated and worried. Did someone see him? Poppyfur stood up and faced up. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." Branchfur replied bluntly, he reached and Poppyfur and instead of his usual greeting of touching his muzzle to hers he locked his gaze with hers. His dark amber eyes burned with intensity, something was bothering him. "Poppyfur, do you love me?" He questioned, thought it felt more like a demand.

"Y-yes..." Poppyfur stammered. Something is off. She knew that right away. "I do love you."

"Then come back to LichenClan with me." Branchfur said urgently. "I love you, and I want you to come back with me."

"I--" Poppyfur choked on her words, she hadn't been expecting this. "What's going on? Why are you acting like this?"

"I need an answer!" Branchfur shouted, Poppyfur flattened her ears. She hadn't been expecting anger from him, it made her feel uncomfortable.

"You told me it wasn't a decision we had to make right away!" Poppyfur reminded him. Why did he have to do this tonight?

"Well it is now." Branchfur's voice had a low growl to it. "I need to know, are you willing to leave SunClan and come live with me?"

"I--" Poppyfur froze in place, this wasn't what supposed to happen! She couldn't speak, her paws trembled. For once, she actually felt scared of Branchfur. His eyes were burning with anger.

"Answer me!" He shouted louder, Poppyfur flattened herself to the forest floor.

"No!" She cried out in fear, closing her eyes. There was a painful silence, Poppyfur slowly opened her eyes and looked at Branchfur. His body was rigid, his amber eyes were wide. They filled with pain and betrayal. I'm so sorry, Branchfur. Poppyfur's heart began to ache, she hadn't felt such a pain before. "I-I can't, Branchfur." She kept her voice low, just above a whisper. "I can't leave my Clan."

"But you said..." Branchfur's voice shook, Poppyfur couldn't tell if it was anger, pain or both. "You said you loved me."

"I do love you." Poppyfur urged. "But my destiny is to be a medicine cat, I can't turn my back on it."

"Your destiny?" Branchfur's claws began tearing into the frozen ground. "What about my destiny? What about me?" He began shouting again, Poppyfur took a step back. "What about everything we had talked about? Does none of that matter to you?" His eyes filled with burning anger.

"Of course it does."
"Liar!" Branchfur spat. "If it did then you would be coming home with me! How could you do this to me? All I wanted was you!"

"Branchfur--" Poppyfur whimpered. "Please, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but I just can't give up my Clan...my duties. I love you, I just--I can't."

"I don't know why I ever loved you." Branchfur's voice went low, Poppyfur felt her heart shattered into pieces. "Elmstar was right about you."

"What?" Poppyfur stared in horror at Branchfur.

"Elmstar knows about us, and he told me to ask you to come. He told me that your true feelings would come out, and I should've listened to him." Branchfur lashed his tail. "I wasted countless moons on a she-cat like you when I could've been serving my Clan!" His words cut deeper than any claws could, Poppyfur closed her eyes, wincing at each word. "You will regret this Poppyfur." His threat echoed in her ears. "I promise that you will." He turned away, Poppyfur opened her eyes slowly meeting his hate filled gaze. "And unlike you, I won't change my mind."

Branchfur took off without another word, leaving Poppyfur feeling broken. She curled up on the frost floor and cried out in pain. This isn't what I wanted. She didn't want to feel this way, her heart ached. I ended things, so why do I have to feel this way? Poppyfur had to force herself to stand up, she felt like all of her energy had been sapped from her body. I'm sorry Branchfur, I'm so, so sorry. She made her way home through the silent forest, she didn't want to reach camp. She didn't want to wake up in the morning, she just wanted to turn back time. She wanted to go back and stop herself from falling in love with him, but she couldn't. The only she could do was live with the pain, praying that someday it would go away.