Magpie Flying Alone- a Warriors Fanfiction

Chapter 5- Hopeless

Magpiepaw woke up with the same lifeless feeling that she had felt every other day since the battle. Even after half a moon, the feeling of pain, grief and guilt hadn't faded, and it still seemed like there was an empty black hole in her chest, waiting to swallow her up. Her eyes were dull as she pulled herself out of her nest to discover she had once again overslept.

"Magpiepaw! Magpiepaw!" The squeals of kits caught her attention. Cloudykit and Heronkit blundered over to her, their kit-blue eyes shining. "Can you play with us? Northkit betted that we couldn't catch as many butterflies as him, so we need someone big and strong like you to teach us!" Despite how cute they were, Magpiepaw was too tired to deal with kits, and she was so hungry. She scanned the camp desperately for an excuse. "I'm just going to have some prey... why don't you go ask Elkheart and Twigfall to teach you?" Elkheart, previously Elkpaw, had recently received his warrior name, and smiled warmly as he saw Cloudykit and Heronkit coming towards him. The kits love him. Magpiepaw's own thought surprised her. We haven't really been mean to each other since the battle. I guess that's what losing Blossompaw did to us.

"All cats old enough to hunt gather beneath the Leader's Perch for a clan meeting!" Shadestar called, and Magpiepaw joined the rest of the clan, abandoning her wishes of breakfast. "Lorikeetkit has reached the age of six moons and is ready to be apprenticed. Our medicine cat has had a sign from StarClan. Please tell us about it, Lavendersong. The silver tabby nodded and leapt up beside the leader. "In my dream, there was a huge elk. On its back was Shadestar, and a bunch of young kits and apprentices. Shadestar looked proud, and the elk was leading them through a healthy, lush forest. I spoke to the other medicine cats last night at the half-moon meeting, and they agreed with me that it means Elkheart is going to do good for our clan and should be a mentor."

There was a murmur of chatter that rippled through the gathered cats, but none of it hateful of negative. Elkheart looked completely shocked, but Shadestar glowed. "I think despite how young he is, Elkheart has proven to be a very capable young warrior. Lorikeetkit, from this day on until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Lorikeetpaw. Your Mentor will be Elkheart. I hope he can pass on his nobility and bravery to you." The small tortoiseshell she-cat beamed at her new mentor and leant in the touch noses with a still-shocked Elkheart. "Lorikeetpaw! Lorikeetpaw! Lorikeetpaw!" The clan chanted. He's doing great. Magpiepaw thought warmly. And Lorikeetpaw seems so happy to be his apprentice.

"This ceremony is not finished!" Shadestar announced, and StormClan diverted their attention back to him. "Figpaw and Emberpaw, please step forward." Happiness for Figpaw exploded in Magpiepaw's chest as she realised what was happening. "Emberpaw, you have trained very hard and, according to Lightningfrost, have been an excellent apprentice. StormClan honours your strength and spirit. From this day on, you shall be known as Emberblaze. Figpaw, Flintshard has trained you well, and we honour your resilience and courage. From this day on, you shall be known as Figspot."

Magpiepaw started walking over to Figspot, ready to congratulate her friend, but before she could, Figspot leapt up beside Shadestar and whispered something in the leader's ear. Shadestar nodded, and got the attention of the clan once again. "Figspot would like to announce that they are not a tom or she-cat and would like to go by they and them pronouns. I respect their identity, and everyone else should too. Meeting dismissed."

Magpiepaw bounded over to Figspot, her mind full of questions, and spotted that Fireflytail was already with them. "Figspot! I love your name! Why didn't you tell us about your gender?" Figspot looked down, their tail curled with Fireflytail's. "Thank you. I didn't... I wasn't fully sure, until now. But now I feel more like me." Magpiepaw watched as Fireflytail beamed and rubbed her head against their shoulder. "Are you two...?" "Yes," Fireflytail answered without having to hear the whole question. "We're going to be mates." Magpiepaw purred. "I'm so happy for both of you."

As Fireflytail and Figspot talked and laughed, Magpiepaw couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. The cats around her were getting their life together so well, becoming warriors, getting an apprentice and finding a mate. She turned her head, and saw that Hazelthorn was looking her dead in the eyes. Her mother's eyes flicked over to Elkheart, then Emberpaw. There's still time. she mouthed, before narrowing her eyes and turning abruptly away. Still time for what? Magpiepaw thought, but answered her own question.

She approached Emberblaze, who was receiving the last of his congratulations. "Emberblaze!" She called to him, and took a deep breath as he bounded over to her. It's okay. I can do this. Magpiepaw could see how his eyes were bright with hope . "I was wondering if now that you're a warrior, maybe we could go hunting later?" Discomfort squirmed in her chest, but she forced it down stubbornly. This is normal. I'm just nervous, she convinced herself. "Of course! we don't need mentors now. Let's go at sunrise tomorrow, because tonight I have to sit my vigil." Magpiepaw tried to feel a tenth of his excitement. Her mother gave her a tiny nod as she walked away from the tom, and Magpiepaw tried to ignore the stone of discomfort and dread in her heart.