A Star Forgotten - Warriors Fanfiction

Chapter 21

"Pineneedle?" Ashleaf's meow rang out at the break of dawn.

The skinny tabby was indifferent to her daughter's summon. Tail erect, she continued to pad out of the StormClan camp.

"Pineneedle, where are you going? You're supposed to be resting!" Shaking her head in exasperation, Ashleaf trailed after her mother. It had only been three-quarter moons since her mother rose from the dead (in a sense), and despite the miracle that had occurred, both Snowsong and Ashleaf had resolved that Pineneedle should not strain herself ever again with the injuries she'd obtained. But Pineneedle was quite obstinate - so obstinate Ashleaf was tempted to rip out her fur.

As Ashleaf approached, Pineneedle's soot-colored back fur bristled. "Keep your nose in your own business, would you?" She rasped.

Indignant, Ashleaf leapt in front of her, intercepting her path out of camp. "It is my business, for your information! I'm your daughter, and this is my Clan if you recall!"

"Just let me go," Pineneedle muttered and attempted to brush pash Ashleaf, but Ashleaf retaliated with a sharp prod backward.

"No," Ashleaf mewed, in a softer tone than before, in the hopes of suppressing Pineneedle's desire to leave, "Pineneedle, for your own well-being being, I implore that you remain in camp to ensure your complete recovery." Ashleaf stood rigid, praying to StarClan her words would penetrate. The compassion she was trying to show felt empty, leaving a knot in her stomach, but she knew the Clan would deem Ashleaf irresponsible if she were to allow a wounded cat out of camp. So she was left to play this role of the concerned daughter.

Pineneedle had no response, she merely glared at Ashleaf with a cold, hard, unreadable glare. She looked as if she could yowl a million cries up to Silverpelt, yet she remained idle, staring her daughter down with chillingly menacing eyes. At last, Pineneedle broke eye contact and dropped her gaze to the earth. "Fine," she huffed, and sharply turned her back and limped in the direction of the medicine den.

~

The sun was at its peak before Ashleaf dared approach Pineneedle again. The old cat was curled up in a tight ball, her brooding aura rippling off in sheets.

A pigeon dangled from Ashleaf's jaws. She warily dropped it at her mother's paws.

Pineneedle didn't even lift her head to sniff it. "I'm not eating that," she snorted.

"And why ever not?" Ashleaf retorted impatiently, "Our warriors worked diligently to catch that prey for you!" She scratched at the earth with unsheathed claws.

"Exactly the point," Pineneedle grunted, burying her nose in her paws. "I can't hunt. If I didn't catch it, I don't deserve to eat." The old cat said with such conviction it made Ashleaf's heart wrench.

"That's not true in the slightest," Ashleaf had been in StormClan long enough to know this to be certain. "You've done more than enough in your moons in StormClan to deserve care when you're physically unable to carry out tasks. Please, take this fresh-kill." She nudged the prey towards Pineneedle.

She leapt to her shaky paws with a hiss. "Get that StarClan-forsaken bird away from me!"

Ashleaf flinched, as the outburst had been quite unanticipated. Pineneedle narrowed her eyes and then swiped Ashleaf across the nose. Tail lashing, Ashleaf hissed as pain pricked across her muzzle.

"Don't look at me like that, you mouse-hearted excuse for a cat! Quit acting like a newborn kit and act like the leader I raised you to be!" Pineneedle was trying to carry out her fierce demeanor, but Ashleaf didn't overlook her strained expression and the way her legs trembled beneath her. Ashleaf could almost hear the creaking bones. "You're glaring at me as if I'd just shoved you into a gorge."