Jadewood's Jewel | a warriors fanfiction

𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

Jadewood's pelt prickled with anticipation as she stared at the huge feast laid out in front of her. Mollies-in-waiting and lower servants were all bustling around, carrying pieces of prey around.

Jadewood's green eyes widened as a servant placed a piece of strange-smelling meat in front of her. She bent her head curiously to sniff at it.

"That's deer," Brightspring meowed. "Sometimes Stonestar send out special hunting patrols."

"Deer?" Jadewood gaped. She had occasionally seen deer near her old home, but they never attacked cats. They were big, brown creatures, with strange thick paws and a very short tail, and sometimes the males had branches sticking out of their foreheads. She remembered her father calling them antlers. "Surely they are too big?"

Rosespring, on the other side of Jadewood, shook her head. "Most patrols are made by twenty strong, heavy-set warriors. But it's a real hassle getting it back here, so we cut it up and take it back."

"That is amazing," Jadewood breathed. She was about to take a bite when Rosespring flicked out her fluffy tail and pointed towards the senior cats.

The watching cats fell silent as Stonestar stood up. Her deputies, Fairstone, Calmstone and Peacestone sat on one flank of the line of cats, while their mates, Phoenixblaze, Silkpearl and Pebblespring sat on the other. They looked serious and solemn, except for Phoenixblaze, who winked at Jadewood.

"I would like to officially welcome Jadewood, my darling grand-daughter, to the hunting grounds of StoneClan." Stonestar's voice reverberated in the clearing, and Jadewood felt every cats' gaze scorching her fur. She managed to dip her head in acknowledgement. With a tremble, she realized that the cats were still watching her. A maid in the back let out a purr of amusement.

"Go ahead and bow your head," Rosespring hissed.

Embarrassed at making a fool of herself, Jadewood stumbled to Stonestar, and dipped her head. Stonestar flicked out a paw and held her muzzle, forcing Jadewood to meet her eyes.

"Welcome to StoneClan," Stonestar whispered. She touched her nose with Jadewood, who flinched at the cold feeling. Jadewood pulled her head back, as Fairstone stood up and touched noses with Jadewood. Calmstone and Peacestone did the same, while Phoenixblaze, Silkpearl and Pebblespring licked Jadewood's shoulder.

When no other cat came forward, Jadewood staggered back to her seat.

Sweetcloud, on the other side of Rosespring, nodded encouragingly. Jadewood managed a smile.

Stonestar flicked her tail, and two servants made a piece of stone smack into a strange metallic hollow, making a bong.

Jadewood jumped, and Rosespring purred in amusement. "That's the dinner gong. When you hear it you can start eating."

When Jadewood looked around, all the cats were indeed eating. Brightspring was tucking into a rabbit, while Rosespring nibbled at a sparrow's wing. Sweetfur, a vain white-and-ginger she-cat, was lounging with another tom, batting her lashes flirtingly at the buff tom. Gingerleaf was busy having a friendly debate (no doubt about the Emperor) with Sweetcloud, while several of the mollies-in-waiting, Snowsparrow and Violetwing included, were sharing a deer leg. Up at the main seats, Stonestar was chatting with Calmstone while his brothers shared a pheasant. Phoenixblaze was telling a joke to Pebblespring, while Silkpearl, half-listening, toyed around with a mouse.

Jadewood swept the crowd for Jadestone. She hadn't seen the brown tabby tom since that afternoon's tea, but she only spotted Leafstone and Briarstone, two arrogant warriors who thought they were the best.

"Are you gonna eat that deer?" Brightspring mumbled with her mouth half-full, nudging the deer longingly. "This rabbit is all bones."

Jadewood was about to push the meat over to Brightspring when the calico she-cat caught her mother, Pebblespring's eye. The brown tabby seemed to be warning Brightspring, and she flattened her ears.

Jadewood took a bite of the deer. A warm and rich texture enveloped her taste buds, which wasn't at all what she expected. She thought it would be slimy and tough, but it exploded with the taste of woods, grass and a strange scent. "It's amazing!"

Brightspring looked longingly at Jadewood. "Lucky," she muttered.

"Share?" Jadewood meowed. She pushed the piece of deer towards Brighspring, who nodded gratefully.

As Jadewood relaxed in the evening air, she heard some whispers and murmurs.

A black cat raced towards the main seats, as the banqueting cats stopped talking.

"The Heir is coming!" He panted. "He's in a mood."

The cats began to twitter nervously. Why was the Heir, whoever that might be, in a mood? Had something happened?

Jadewood peered over the cat's heads. "Who is the Heir?"

Rosespring almost spat out her pheasant. "So that's what he likes to call himself nowadays."

"Who?" Jadewood asked again.

But she didn't have to wait for an answer, because immediately she scented a familiar scent and a moment later she saw a brown tabby tom sauntering towards the main seats. Cats moved aside as Jadestone stepped over their dinner, his pelt smoothed and groomed and his long tail whisking the she-cat's faces.

Jadewood turned her gaze onto Stonestar who looked amused, and at the three deputies. Peacestone, Jadestone's father, had a storm of disapproval on his face, while Pebblespring smacked her face with her paw.

"Oh dear, he must have had too much fresh-kill," Rosespring hissed, as Jadestone started to touch noses with every she-cat watching.

"Out! OUT!" Peacestone snarled at his son. Jadestone jumped as two servants wrestled him out of sight.

Jadewood realized that she probably had a scandalized look her her face. "Does that happen often?" She meowed.

Brightspring nodded sadly.

Just then, Stonestar rose up again and the cats began to disperse. The eldery tabby turned to her sons, talking in a grave and urgent tone.

"Come on, let's go to bed," Violetwing had sneaked up to Jadewood unnoticed. She steered Jadewood away from the dining clearing, and into a row of dens. Jadewood recognized her den.

"Easy there, miss." Violetwing whispered as she mixed up the usual herbs for the white molly. Jadewood curled herself into her comfy, warm nest.

As Violetwing fed her the bitter herbs, Jadewood thought about the wild day, starting from the departure from her home to the latest commotion at dinner. Her eyes closed, and she fell into a deep sleep.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

wow. i told you guys the next chapter would be out in what, a few weeks, and here it is. i'm actually proud.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃