Warriors: Pebblescar's Reality

Chapter 7

Blaze is gonna try since she was around when this was first created and she has yet to contribute.

Chapter 7

Pebblescar padded through the forest, eyes scanning the trees with determination. Even just having this beautiful she-cat next to him was enough to make him flustered.

Why does she like Reedstorm? What does he have that I don't? He considered the dark brown tom, thinking foully of his torn ear. He wasn't overly strong or intelligent. In fact, Pebblescar could recall times during their apprenticeship where Reedstorm had broken the Warrior Code and made a fool of himself. So why did she like him over other cats in the Clan?

He kicked a rock angrily with his paw, ignoring the pain that sparked there. It flew away from him, nearly hitting Minnowfrost on the nose.

"What's got you all worked up?" she asked, surprise coloring her tone. He let out a small sigh.

"I'm just. . . I'm a little confused." A thought occurred to him then, and he tilted his head, ears flat against his skull in a show of confusion. "I'm having a little bit of trouble with something. I was wondering if you could help me with it."

"Yeah, sure! What is it?" Minnowfrost responded brightly. He paused to think for a moment, phrasing his questions in his head to make them less. . . personal.

"I have. . .  a friend in the Clan, who let me in on a little secret. He told me that he wants to mate with a certain she-cat in our Clan, but he thinks she has a mate already and he doesn't know what to do. I want to give him good advice. You're a she-cat, maybe you could shed some light on the situation."

She cocked her head in thought. They spent a few moments walking in silence. After a few long moments, Pebblescar's patience began to run thin. Just as his tail began to lash with annoyance, Minnowfrost let out a little sound.

"Did this tom actually ask the she-cat whether she actually had a mate or not? That would solve a lot of his problems," she asked. Pebblescar just blinked. Why did she-cats have to be so perceptive?

"Well yeah, he knows that she really likes that other tom. Do you have any advice that I could tell him?" he meowed impatiently.

"I still think he should talk to her. Maybe he is just misunderstanding things. Maybe they are just really good friends. Perhaps he has a chance." Minnowfrost mused. "Or maybe he should just move on. It really depends." Pebblescar turned his head to glare at the nearest tree, unwilling to form a response.

"I am scenting a mouse by this tree. I'll be back." Minnowfrost whispered suddenly. He watched her stalk towards a nearby tree, disappearing in the bracken. Now with her gone, his tail lashed even more. He breathed in and out, harsh breaths filling the air. The tom closed his eyes and dug his claws into the ground, trying to get a handle on his anger. 

A few moments later she came back with a mouse dangling from her jaws. He unstuck his claws from the dirt before she could see.

"Good job!" he told her enthusiastically. She nodded in thanks and went to dig a hole under a tree. As she did a group of cats popped out from the bracken beside them. Pikenose and Featherlight emerged with Salmonpaw, Minnowfrost's apprentice, between them.

"Hey you guys! Troutstar sent us out here with Salmonpaw to find you. It's time for his assessment so we need you, Minnowfrost," Featherlight said. Pebblescar dug his claws into the dirt again. Why did fate never allow him and Minnowfrost more than a moment alone together? 

"Oh! Well, alright," Minnowfrost told them. "I'll meet you at the training hollow." Pebblescar watched in disbelief as Minnowfrost remained by his side, watching the warriors escort her apprentice away.

"I'm sorry, Pebblescar. I did want to hunt with you today, but I need to do this for Salmonpaw," Minnowfrost explained the second they were out of earshot.

"Oh, well it's alright. I don't mind," Pebblescar lied through his teeth.

He froze suddenly as she padded up to him and nuzzled his head. "I promise I'll make it up to you!" Her scent filled the air in front of him, and for a moment all he could smell and see was her.

"T-thanks," he stammered. He almost couldn't stop himself from following her as she padded away. 

Pebblescar picked up the mouse, which still hadn't been buried, and carried it back to camp. The gray tom walked with his head in the clouds, thinking nothing but her and their interaction. Did she like him? What was that all about? 

As Pebblescar deposited the mouse on the fresh kill pile, he felt a heaviness in his limbs. A warm ache of exhaustion weighed down on him, and he felt himself longing for a nap. He went to sleep in his nest with a strange feeling of hope in his heart and a small chill in his mind.

When he woke, he blinked with slight confusion at the empty den. Where was every cat? Then the day's events flooded back to him, and he let out a satisfied purr. Minnowfrost surely had to be back from Salmonpaw's assessment. Maybe they could hunt now!

As the gray tom bounded out from the warriors den, he almost slammed head first into a dark brown tom. It was Reedstorm, the cat who kept replacing him at everything.

"You!" Pebblescar cried out. "Why d—"

"Pebblescar, good! You're here." Reedstorm cut him off. "I need some cat to do a quick patrol over by Twolegplace. Recently we've been scenting some weird things. We didn't want to rile up the Clan so Troutstar figured you could take a look, seeing as. . .well seeing as you were the deputy so you already know what is happening."

Pebblescar opened his mouth in disbelief. "What do you mean that I was the deputy?" But Reedstorm already walked away, ordering other cats around the camp. Pebblescar was left with a sour taste on his tongue. I thought that was a dream! He mused.

Any happy feeling that he previously had flew from his mind. The gray tom stalked out of the camp, tail lashing and eyes darkened.