Warriors | Broken Spirit (Draft 1)

Prologue

SilverStar and HoneyWhisker quietly wandered their south border. Their paw steps silent on the mud beneath them, hardened by the snow that coated the landscape. The two were quiet, the only sound escaping their lips was their lungs swallowing down the freezing air around them. The stars of silverpelt twinkled down at them, their spirits encouraging them to speak.

"SilverStar, we need to stop and talk about this," HoneyWhisker finally spoke, her creamy tail waving behind her as she dug her heel into the dirt behind her. Her soft emerald eyes gleamed in the moonlight that escaped through the leaves of the mangrove trees around them in little slithers of light.

"Talk about this? What is there to talk about?" The grumpy grey tabby grumbled, her mouth curling upwards to espouse her sharp teeth. She continued to walk, the silver cats muscles rippling under her pelt as she crossed a frozen stream, the water gushing underneath.

"What is there to talk about? Silver are you serious?" HoneyWhisker gasped, her perked ear against her head. She skipped forward to catch up. "You had a vision, for stars sake! Why won't you tell StoatSpot? Maybe even BrindlePaw? They're our medicine cats, just tell them!"

"No, HoneyWhisker, it was just a dream. Besides, I can't tell them."

"You're always so stubborn," HoneyWhisker jabbed back, stopping again and stomping a little louder this time. SilverStar stopped this time, her tail flicking back and forth in annoyance. "Why can't you tell them? Give me a reason!"

"I am not telling them. That is final," The she-cat snarled over her shoulder, her ears perked high, listening intently for eavesdroppers.

"Well I guess I'll just have to then," HoneyWhisker snapped.

SilverStar spun around suddenly, her spidery limbs raking across the ground as she approached her deputy quickly. She bared her fangs and raised her hackles, hissing loudly.

"If you tell them I swear to the stars I will make sure MurkyKit SageKit and LurkKit never become apprentices," SilverStar threatened, her spit landing on HoneyWhisker's face. The creamy she-cat didn't flinch, instead just twitched her ear in the direction of an ice shard falling from a tree and smashing on the ground. Her gaze didn't falter, and SilverStar lowered her hackles once she realised her intimidation wasn't working.

"Silver, you must tell them. If what you told me is real, then they deserve to know." HoneyWhisker paused for dramatic effect. "The fate of the gulley is in your paws."

SilverStar softened, her hackles dropping and shoulders loosening. She collapsed onto her hind legs, propping herself up with her forelegs weakly. Although she was still taller than her deputy, she seemed so much smaller like this. A small whimper escaped her lips, a cold tear rolled down her cheek and onto the dirt below them.

"I'm afraid, Honey."

HoneyWhisker loosened and shuffled closer, wrapping her tail around the older she-cat and nuzzling in close. She buried her face in the short grey pelt of the lanky molly, grooming her fur comfortingly.

"I know, I know. You have every right to be," She purred - her voice acting as she was named for, warm and smooth like honey. "But we can get through this, you, and me, and the clans. We can do this, if you'll just tell StoatSpot."

"I can't, they'll think I'm a horrible leader," SilverStar sobbed. "I'm trying my hardest. It's just so difficult. If StarClan won't have faith in me, why should the clan?"

"Listen, hey shh, the most important thing is that your trying. I'll always have faith in you," HoneyWhisker continued to groom her pelt, now licking her ears like a mother comforting her crying kit. "No matter what. I'm with you until our souls depart from the stars."

"Thank you, Honey." SilverStar breathed out, the whimpering fading away as she rebuilt her emotionless facade.

"So you'll tell them?" HoneyWhisker mewed in anticipation. SilverStar paused, going silent for a heartbeat or two.

"Yes."

HoneyWhisker breathed a sigh of relief, melting a little with the weight lifted off her shoulders a little more.

"I love you," The creamy she-cat mumbled.

"I love you too."