[OLD AND OUTDATED] Warriors: Mistleheart's Sorrow

Chapter 19

Mistleheart felt her fur burn with anger, her hackles rose. Cats scrambled out of her way when they saw her. Lilyheart was crouched by the fresh-kill pile, she prodded the pile, choosing something tasty to eat. It seemed as if she didn't notice Mistleheart, or—Mistleheart thought she was ignoring her.

A juicy scent of mice swirled in Mistleheart's half-open mouth, she felt hungry—and yet she had eaten not so long ago. When she took a step closer, the fullness came back to her in her stomach. She could hear her stomach grumbling, but not with hungriness.

"Mistleheart is that you!" Lilyheart looked up from the pile, she swallowed, a vole Mistleheart had not seen was half way done. "Do you want the rest of my vole?" her tabby fur glinted in the sun, Lilyheart's eyes glowed as if nothing happened.

Taking a step back, Mistleheart looked away. She didn't feel like talking, she wanted to be left alone. "Aren't you scared . . . or angry at me?" she stammered. "It's as if nothing happened!"

Lilyheart looked bewildered. "I know what happened." she shot back. "I know this isn't you." That's what everyone says! Mistleheart wanted to tell her, but she knew there was no point in arguing with her.

Lilyheart's fur rested on her shoulders, her tail swished around calmly. Mistleheart watched her finish the vole, once she had finished, Lilyheart shot her a disgusting look. She padded away, greeting her mother, Streamcloud.

Mistleheart slept peacefully in the warriors' den, her sleek tail covered her nose. Even though no cat slept beside her, Mistleheart felt warm. Lightspark had squeezed into the den, not even she wanted to sleep besides her.

Mistleheart growled, her fur bristled. The next morning, Mistleheart ventured back to the Thunderpath, she had not eaten because she did not feel hungry. The wind ruffled her fur, it was a cold day today. She scrambled onto the Thunderpath, the acrid stench of it made Mistleheart feel sick.

She stepped onto the moor, searching for Twolegs. Today there weren't any, maybe it w-

as the cold. Yet, she stopped herself from continuing her journey to the Moonpool. She wasn't sure why.

Mistleheart turned away, she drew a long gusty sigh. There was anger burning inside her, she wanted everything to go back to normal, she didn't want everyone to think she was crazy. But what could she do except going to the Moonpool? No StarClan cat would speak to her in her dreams which made Mistleheart frustrated, right when she needed them the most.

When she returned to camp, she held a plump rabbit and a shrew in her jaws. Crookednose was sitting besides Bumbletail, his paws tucked under his chest.

"Can you believe it?" the old tom spoke. "Mistleheart hunting for her Clan! What a lie! I bet she ate all the prey she could find and just got the old weak ones for us." Crookednose snorted.

Bumbletail cuffed Crookenose's old tattered ears, her eyes narrowed. "Hush you!" mew-

ed Bumbletail. "She's just having a rough time, she's your Clanmate for StarClan's sake!"

Crookednose shifted. "My Clanmates know respect." he spat, eyeing Mistleheart.

Mistleheart ignored Crookednose's temper, she padded over to the fresh-kill pile, dropping the prey hastily. Smokeleg scrambled out of the medicine cats' den. "I see you did some hunting." he mewed sitting down. "Want to share prey with me?"

"I'm fine." Mistleheart sneered. "I ate all the prey I could find and left the old weak ones for you guys." she murmured what Crookednose's said.

"Good to know you're cheering up!" Smokeleg meowed, he lifted his gray paw. "So—is it a yes?"

Sighing, Mistleheart agreed. They sat by the tree Foxclaw had hid those objects for her and her Littermates, the warm sun made Mistleheart drowsy. Together they ate a robin, Mistleheart swallowed her last mouthful and looked away. She could see pity in Smokeleg's eyes even if she wasn't looking.

"I'd like to be alone now," she mewed.

At first Smokeleg looked hurt, but he shrugged, his blue eyes gazed around camp. "Whatever you say!" he called back as he ran off.

When the sun started setting again, Mistleheart was standing by the gorse tunnel, her ears pricked. She felt like stepping out to the forest again, but something told her not to.

A few rustles from outside made Mistleheart's fur stand on edge. Her claws unsheathe to attack the enemy—or enemies. She knew these weren't her Clanmates, yet they didn't smell like any cats. Kind of like a loner, a few jingling from outside could be heard. Mistleheart spat, waiting to swipe at their face as they entered. A dark brown muscular tom came first. Mistleheart hissed and spitted as she leaped on him, her claws dug his face.

The cat yowled with surprise. Mistleheart flung him, next came a plump black she-cat. But before Mistleheart could attack her, Sunstar had leaped onto the MeetingBoulder and hissed at Mistleheart, "stop this nonsense at once!" she spat, "we know these cats! They're friendly to us!"

Mistleheart stepped back, her pelt hot with embarrassment. The black she-cat stepped away, padding over to the tom. Then a dark gray and white she-cat came, along with a pale ginger tom. They spoke hastily to each other in low tones. Mistleheart swallowed, these cats seemed so familiar—Then she thought of . . . Dovetuft! Duskfall! And Talonclaw! These were their family?

"Dove, Talon, Claw, and Bingo." Sunstar nodded. "It's good to see you."

Bingo shifted, but Talon held his head proudly. "Hello Sunstar." He purred. "We thought we could visit."

Dove let out a wail. "My kits! Where are they?"

Talonclaw stepped out of the nursery, followed my Icefrost who held Brightkit in her ja-

w. Dove's eyes grew wide, Talon pressed his muzzle comfortably on Dove's cheek. Soon, Dovetuft and Duskfall ventured out.

"My kits! Oh how you've grown!"

"I'm not a kit anymore." Duskfall mewed. "I'm a warrior."

"And I don't know your names! Tell them! Please!" Dove meowed hastily.

Dovetuft stepped up. "Mother." she whispered, then she glanced at Talonclaw. "Father." Dovetuft's eyes were wide with love. "I missed you, it's me, Dovetuft."

Talonclaw nodded briskly, while Dove's eyes watered. Talonclaw came next. "I'm Talonclaw." he looked at Talon. "This is my mate Icefrost, and our kit Brightkit."

Dove seemed as if she wanted to yowl with delight, but she kept still, glancing at Icefrost. Icefrost hesitated, and dropped Brightkit so Dove could see her. Talon purred. "You've grown. The first time I saw you, you were more than a ball of fur."

Besides Talonclaw, was Duskfall. Duskfall grunted. "Hello." he mewed. "I'm Duskfall."

Dove purred, lapping Duskfall's ear. "Where is Foxpaw? I need to thank her!"

"Foxclaw." mewed Mistleheart sternly. "But she's dead, I'm Mistleheart, Foxclaw's daughter." Lightspark was sleeping by the SharingRocks and had not noticed them. "That is my sister Lightspark." she pointed to the rocks, "and my brother Pinefrost left to live in CliffClan."

Dove gasped, Mistleheart dropped her head and looked away. "I better go." she murmured. She stepped away before they could object.

That night, Mistleheart was trotting in the clearing. Fernleaf and Talonclaw were help-

ing the kittypets—loners get comfy in their new bedding behind medicine cats' den. Talonclaw pressed his muzzle on his mother's face. "If you need anything, tell me." he mewed to his parents.

After a while, he stepped away, meeting up with Icefrost. Mistleheart yawned, she padded over to the warriors' den, her muscles aching. She took her spot away from the cats and wrapped herself into a tight ball to sleep, this time, Lightspark slept besides her. Mistleheart felt glad she could feel her sister's warm thick fur, closing her eyes, she fell asleep.