Cinder

Chapter 24

    "Briarthorn, take out a border patrol to ThunderClan's border. Take Mosswhisker, Shellspot, Woodclaw and Featherheart." Cindercloud ordered the brown warrior. Briarthorn dipped his head and gathered the warriors. Cindercloud purposefully added a lot of cats in the patrol. She didn't want them to be ambushed with few warriors. She watched as they cleared the camp, before she spotted Creekpelt sitting on her own watching the camp. She padded over to her mother and sat beside her.
    Creekpelt purred as her daughter sad beside her.
   "I'm proud of you." Her mother said.
     "I think Falconstar made a mistake. How was I his first choice as new deputy? There are so many other cats more qualified. Like... like Thistlewing. He's a great cat, and he's wise and has experience." Cindercloud mewed. Part of her also felt guilty. She was not the loyal cat everyone thought she was. She had a mate in another clan, and the clan that is bitter enemies with everyone else for that matter. Her three best friends were in different clans. The guilt was heavy on her chest. That was one of the reasons she felt she was not qualified for the job.
    "Oh Cindercloud. You don't give yourself enough credit. You're loyal, hardworking, and don't let clan rivalries define you." Creekpelt meowed.
    "But I'll never live up to Heronwing." She croaked.
    "Heronwing is a great cat, but you will be a great deputy because of who you are. It is not fair for yourself to compare yourself to others." Her mother meowed.
     "Thanks Creekpelt."
     "And your father is proud of you too." Her mother added.
    "He has a weird way of showing it." Cindercloud grumbled.
    "I had a talk with Patchfur. He wants to try and have a relationship with you. He realizes the error of his ways. He wants to strengthen our relationship as mates as well. He... he isn't sure how to be a father..." Creekpelt looked over to where Graystep was play wrestling with his three kits as Heatherfall watched fondly. Then she looked toward Falconstar, who was sharing tongues with Leafstrike while Hawktalon sat with Splashtail nearby.
     "You loved him. You still do don't you?" Cindercloud asked, half to herself. Surprised pricked from Creekpelt. Then she sighed.
   "Yes. A part of me will always love him. But it wasn't meant to be. He was to invested in being deputy than having a mate. And I love Patchfur, even if my love for him is not as.... playful and young as it was with Falconstar. Leafstrike is good for him. He raised a fine son as well, while his other watches over all of us." Creekpelt meowed. "I valued my relationship with Falconstar, but I don't regret not being his mate. I wouldn't have had you as a kit otherwise."
     "Falconstar has been more of a father to me than Patchfur." Cindercloud growled.
    "Falconstar treated you like a daughter from our past relationship, and he sees you as a valuable warrior and deputy." Creekpelt meowed.
     "I figured that out."
     "I promise Patchfur will try harder to be a father to you now. Just give him some time, you'll see." Creekpelt stood and padded over to Patchfur, who was sharing tongues with Thistlewing. Cindercloud watched them with a frown before padding over to Hawktalon and Splashtail.
"Want to go on a hunting patrol? Heatherfall's kits could use some fresh rabbit. Well... er... Heatherfall could use it." She mumbled. She felt uncomfortable with Hawktalon glowering at her. Splashtail stood.
"Sure!" She said cheerily. Hawktalon stood more slowly, his lean muscles rippling beneath a brown tabby pelt. He didn't speak as she lead the way out of camp. The moor was warm and welcoming, the grass glowing bright in the sunlight. Splashtail dashed off almost at once, in pursuit of a huge rabbit. Hawktalon stood with Cindercloud and watched her dash off.
"She's quite impressive." He murmured, half to himself. For some reason, Cindercloud felt a glimmer of jealousy.
"She loved Talonpaw." Cindercloud murmured.
"Talonpaw's not here anymore." Hawktalon mewed, voice cracking with grief. Cindercloud didn't reply. She watched as Splashtail chased the rabbit in their direction. Cindercloud was about to finish it off when Hawktalon sprang ahead of her and landed on top before finishing the job.
"Awesome Hawktalon!" Splashtail purred. Hawktalon brushed up against her.
"Ah but it was you who did all of the work. You deserve the credit." He mewed, voice smooth as honey. Cindercloud scowled as she watched them, feeling a pang of loneliness. They seemed to get along well together. Perhaps they would even be mates. She thought of Ravenclaw, her own mate, in their most hated clan. What if they were caught? How could they work out, especially now that she was deputy? She shook her head sadly, longing for the companionship with a mate from her own clan. Could that be Hawktalon? Was she developing feelings for him? Was that why she was being so jealous? She shook her head. She hated the arrogant furball!!!
She padded over to Splashtail and laid her tail on her cousins shoulder.
"Good job! Heatherfall will love it!"