Warriors || Aspenrose's Goodbye

Chapter Twenty-Eight

     Stars twinkled above the lake territories. The purple sky was dark and beautiful, yet most of it was blotted out by dark heavy clouds. Aspenrose padded over the familiar tree-bridge which led to the Gathering island, where peace was made once every moon.
       The black water lapped heavily at the fallen tree. The warm wind rustled the undergrowth on the island. Aspenrose padded into the clearing, the great oak towering in front of her.
       She didn't know why her paws had taken her here, she wondered if they just needed... perhaps, peace. Aspenrose scanned the shadowed clearing, recognizing the thorn bush she and the other medicine cats usually sat near during Gatherings. Undergrowth and pine trees surrounded the clearing, blocking the edges of the shore from view.
       Aspenrose squeezed under the nearest bramble thicket, pushing her way through the thick undergrowth. She wanted to get a glimpse of the sky, for she wasn't used to trees blocking everything out overhead.
       She came out on the other side of the undergrowth, thorns tangling in her fur. A small strip of land from the undergrowth to the water was covered with grass, and nearer the water, pebbles lined the shore. Aspenrose stepped over the pebbles to sit with her paws at the water's edge, so that it lapped lazily at her claws.
       Aspenrose looked out over lake; she was facing the moor. Between the island and the opposite shore, glowing bugs danced in a group out over the water. Their light reflected on the lake, setting the wonderful scene aglow.
"Fireflies," Aspenrose almost jumped when she heard a voice sound behind her, smooth as honey.
She turned to see the undergrowth rustle, trying to keep calm. A tom padded out of the shadows, making his way slowly toward Aspenrose. She felt herself grow stiff with foreboding, but made herself remain silent.
The tom smelled strongly of ShadowClan, and Aspenrose squinted through the darkness, trying to make out his identity. The tom padded closer, pebbles clanking softly beneath his paws. He sat beside her, curling his tail neatly over his paws. He didn't meet Aspenrose's gaze but stared out over the lake.
"Beautiful, aren't they?" The tom motioned toward the fireflies. Aspenrose took the chance of shifting her gaze from the tom to the dancing bugs.
After a moment of sitting beside the mysterious tom, Aspenrose glanced back to meet his gaze for the first time. The clouds moved away from the moon, reveling who this cat was.
His handsome amber eyes glittered; his gray pelt shone silver in the moonlight, and a white patch spotted his chest. Aspenrose recognizes him from Gatherings, but didn't remember his name.
"What are you doing here?" Aspenrose finally broke the silence, voice soft.
The tom gave a small smile. "I could ask you the same thing," he looked back at the lake, and Aspenrose followed his gaze to the fireflies again.
"My name is Darkmoon, if you were wondering," he said warmly. "I needed a break from my Clan."
Aspenrose perked her ears in surprise. That's why I'm here, too. She gave a quick glance at Darkmoon, urging him silently to go on.
"My father is Rainstar, and all he wants me to do is follow in his footsteps; become leader after him," Darkmoon explained. "'Darkstar, leader of ShadowClan,' can you believe it?"
His gaze fell. "But of course you wouldn't understand."
Aspenrose felt sympathy flow through her. She wanted to say something, but she remembered her promise to keep her feelings hidden away. She gazed up at the tall tom.
"Actually, I do understand," Aspenrose whispered. Darkmoon returned her gaze, clearly surprised. "My father, Jaywatcher wanted me to become a medicine cat. I didn't want to let him down, so I did. I enjoy it but..."
Aspenrose thought of Addertuft and how happy she was with Jaggedswirl. Maybe I don't truly want Jaggedswirl, but maybe I want what him and Addertuft have together.
Sympathy showed in Darkmoon's amber gaze, and something more. Aspenrose stared into his eyes, wanting the moment to last forever. She had never met anyone more relatable and understanding. He reminded her of herself.
A hard warm wind blew, and soon the fireflies surrounded them. The twinkle and glow of yellow set Darkmoon's eyes shinning. Something lit up inside Apsenrose, something she had never experienced before, but she recognized it and embraced it immediately: a small glimmer of hope