Shorts Stories

Palepounce's Problem

    Palepounce trotted alongside Hawksight, hunting in the forest. She hadn't told him about Streamfrost yet, nervous as to how he'll react. Watching him split from the Wild Ones was heartbreaking, his siblings seemed like they were going to be broken forever. It made sense for them to, they had already lost their sister Palepounce had never met before, and now they were losing their only brother. He did promise to visit them at some point, which seemed to calm them down a little bit. It has been a while since then, and Palepounce still hasn't told Hawksight about Streamfrost. She shifted her paws, hoping this wouldn't make anything awkward. Hawksight stopped, looking back at her.

   "What's wrong?" He asked, his mew worrisome. Palepounce shook her head, "oh, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to talk for a second." Hawksight stared at her, then let out a long sigh, "I've been needing to talk to you too." Nervousness prickled along her spine, what did he need to talk about? Now she was worried. Hawksight sat down, waiting for Palepounce to do the same. Once she was on the ground, the tom let out another sigh. "Palepounce, I don't really know how to tell you this, but I like Burningheart." What? Palepounce leaned in, "you like Burningheart?" Hawksight nodded, "I know that you think I still like you, but I'm over that now. I know that I never would have won your heart, not with Ivypaw or Streamfrost. I understood why Ivypaw grew so cold to me when we first met, he was jealous that you didn't like him, or, not anymore at least." Palepounce shifted her paws, that was true. "I started feeling that way when we got back to the clans when you were always talking and hanging out with Streamfrost. You two grew up together for a while, so you two already had some sort of bonding attachment. That fight we had on the rocks changed my perspective. I talked to Burningheart about it and she agreed that it would be for the better if I let you go. She was right, after not stressing myself out to get you to like me I finally got to understand Mistclan better." Palepounce nodded, a bit confused on how she never saw him talking to Burningheart. "I started to like it here, which is what made me stay. I started talking to Burningheart a bit more and found out from her that Streamfrost really, really liked you and always has. So, I assume you two are mates now."

    Palepounce nodded a little, awkwardness from the situation burning off her pelt. "Well, I soon learned that I was starting to gain feelings for Burningheart instead of you, and decided it was best if I let you and Streamfrost go together. Burningheart and I have decided to become mates, so you won't have to worry about me liking you anymore." Palepounce waited for him to continue, but assumed he was finished when he had no more words coming out of his mouth. It was her turn. "Well, I'm glad you told me this because I was about to tell you how I feel about Streamfrost. Congratulations between you and Burningheart by the way," she mewed, her voice as warm as she could get it to be.

    Hawksight dipped his head, "thank you. I hope that we can get over all this tension and awkwardness and stay friends, would you want to?" Palepounce nodded, "of course. Just because we had this issue doesn't mean we can't stay friends, we are clanmates after all." Hawksight gave a pleased nod, "good. I may not like you the same as I did when we first met, but I still don't want to lose you as a friend." Palepounce let out a small purr, "don't worry, I felt the same way." The two cats let out a small sigh together, relieved to get all the weirdness between them out of the way of their lives as warriors. "Well, let's hunt," Hawksight mewed, getting to his paws. Palepounce bounded away, "first one to catch something wins!" "Oh it's on!" Hawksight called as she charged away.

   Palepounce ran through the forest, shaking off all the embarrassing feelings off of her. She crept through the forest, sniffing the air for any sign of prey. She was watching her footsteps, making sure she didn't make a single sound to scare off the prey. She was nearing Fishing Pool, which gave her an idea. If she caught a fish she would win this competition with ease. She trotted over to it, stopping at the edge of the small pool of water connected to the Running River. She crouched, watching the fish inside swimming about. She waited, her tail twitching with anticipation each time a fish swam close to the edge. Finally, a big one came close enough for her to reach without falling in. Quickly, she tossed her top half of her body into the water, grabbing the fish in her jaws and wrapping her paws around it. She hauled herself out of the water and took a couple of pawsteps backwards, making sure that if she dropped the fish it couldn't get back into the water. It didn't take long for it to stop moving in her jaws though, and soon enough she was trotting back to hers and Hawksight's spot.

   She waited for him there, sitting and placing her fish at her paws. She had a lot of time to think, but what to think about? The thought of Ivypaw struck her head first, making her heart ache. She missed him. She may not have been able to see him everyday, or even be friends with him anymore, but the thought of him not being here anymore hurt more than anything else. He never got his warrior name, Palepounce thought to herself, she knew how bad he wanted it. Everyone knew how bad he wanted it, how he earned it. That was the one thing he was scared of going back to the clans, Springstar refusing to give him his warrior name. Springstar is such a fox-heart. She swished her tail angrily, how can a cat be cruel enough to punish a warrior that was told to do what they did by their ancestors?

"Palepounce?"

   She lifted her head to meet Hawksight's gaze. He had a fat rabbit clamped in his jaws, a questioning stare slapped across his face. Palepounce shook her fur out, "I won." Hawksight let out a sigh through the fur of his rabbit, "of course you did. You cheated though, going fishing instead of hunting." Palepounce picked up her rabbit and shrugged, "I'm just smarter." She trotted past him. The tom let out a snort then followed her back to camp.

   They pushed their way into camp, and Palepounce was greeted by Swiftkit and Whitekit. "We'll bring that to the fresh-kill pile for you, Palepounce!" Whitekit squeaked. Palepounce placed it in front of the two toms, "you go for it, it was hurting my jaws." The two kits let out excited squeals, then worked together to draw it over to the pile. Sunnyeyes came padding over with a deep purr, "they look up to you so much. Swiftkit is always talking about how he wants to go on a big journey just like you did." Palepounce gave her chest a couple of embarrassed licks, "he won't want to when he's older." "Sure he will, they'll always want to be like you. In their eyes, your the greatest and toughest warrior out there, exactly what they want to be." Sunnyeye's words made Palepounce feel pride in herself, she really was a good warrior wasn't she? "Oh Whitekit fell into the pile, here we go again." Sunnyeye's rolled her eyes, then waved her tail farewell to Palepounce, leaving her to fetch her kits playing in the pile. Palepounce glanced around until she caught sight of Streamfrost chatting with Toadvine and Stonestripe, staring at Pebblestripe and Brightsky.

 Palepounce thought about walking over to the group of toms, but decided against it. She might as well let the kin talk, they probably have a lot to talk about. However, Streamfrost's call to her made her stop and turn back around. The tom came trotting over, his tail held high in the air. "Where were you going? Didn't you just get back?" Palepounce shifted her paws, "you were talking with Toadvine and Stonestripe, so I decided to let you all bond." Streamfrost let out a playful sigh, "you're too nice, Palepounce. I want to be with you now though. Are you hungry? I can fetch you something from the fresh-kill pile?" Palepounce stared at him, his eyes were full of love as he glanced at her up and down. "I would love that, Streamfrost. Get something we can share, and thank you."