"Softwing, I think you should join a patrol today."
Softwing woke up. Her leader, Darkstar, loomed over her. The she-cat groaned with frustration and she rose to her paws. "I suppose it'll keep my mind off of my mate," she murmured.
"That's the point. You've spent enough time grieving, Softwing. I gave you more than enough time. You need to start helping your clan again. I'm sure Heatherstep is watching you from StarClan."
Sorrow filled Softwings's mind.
I hope so.A mouse fell at her paws. Littlepaw fidgeted his paws, looking at her anxiously. Softwing was frustrated with him getting in her way. "Why did you bring me this?" she snapped. "I'm not hungry."
"You haven't eaten." Their main medicine cat, Jayfrost, padded over to Littlepaw and Softwing. "I've been keeping an eye on you, Softwing. You're too focused on your own thoughts. As your medicine cat, I want you to focus on you and your clan today. You need to get better to keep the clan going."
Softwing growled with annoyance.
"Don't give me that attitude." Jayfrost narrowed his eyes. "I'll bring something for your heartache. Littlepaw, make sure she eats." The tabby tom went inside his den. Littlepaw stared at Softwing, looking uncomfortable. "Sorry. You need to eat."
Softwing let out a huff and took a bite. Perhaps if she ate a little, he'll leave her alone. It was annoying to have the entire clan watching over her. She appreciated their concern, but she wasn't a kit.
Littlepaw continued to watch her until she ate half of her mouse. "I'm done." Softwing joined Millie's patrol. She talked to the she-cat about where to hunt today.
"Let's hunt by the mouse nest," Millie suggested. "A mother mouse gave birth to new mice babies. I think they'll make a good meal for the clan." The she-cat gathered two more cats for the patrol and left the camp with Softwing following them.
Softwing sniffed the air and smelled squirrel. Her mouth watered and she looked at Millie. "May I hunt?" Millie gave her a look of sympathy and nodded. This annoyed her.
Stop treating me like a kit! Huffing, she padded over to the squirrel. It was by a tree trunk, eating an acorn. Softwing crouched and stalked her prey, leaping and killing it with one bite. She carried it over to Millie, putting it down.
"Good job! Bury that and we'll find those mice." Millie and the two other warriors padded away to search for the nest.
Softwing buried her prey and headed after her friends. She eventually spotted a brown nest full of sticks and feathers underneath the abandoned building. Softwing let out a threatening snarl.
Millie hissed and charged toward the mouse nest. Three mice quickly ran out, and Petalsong and Bluefang both bit their necks as they blocked their paths. Softwing grabbed the other mouse that tried to escape. Millie purred with satisfaction, grabbing Softwing's squirrel before going back to the camp. The warriors dropped their prey into the fresh-kill pile before sharing tongues.
Softwing looked around. She wanted to talk to someone. She padded over to Millie, who was talking to Sleekfur, one of the clan elders.
"So I stalked this rabbit, and it ended up kicking me in the face," Sleekfur mewed, glancing at Softwing. "Hey! How are you doing? I haven't heard from you in a moon or two. Are you still grieving over Heatherstep?"
Millie let out a gentle hiss.
Softwing felt sorrow waving her all over again. She hadn't thought of her mate in a bit. The hunt distracted her. "Yes, I'm still grieving." Her voice was barely more than a whisper.
"I'm very sorry," Sleekfur mewed. He wrapped his tail around Softwing. "You'll find another mate. I know you wanted a family, dear."
Softwing nodded.
"I'll leave you two alone." Millie headed out of the den.
Softwing leaned onto Sleekfur. She enjoyed the comfort of being next to someone. Sleekfur purred, licking her ears. "There, there," he murmured. "You'll find someone else. He died bravely, protecting his clan."
"It didn't have to happen!" Softwing wailed, memories searing through her brain. "Heatherstep didn't need to die. Why couldn't it have been a BreezeClan warrior instead?"
"Don't wish death upon someone else." Sleekfur murmured. "You're better than that." He continued to lap at her ears. "I'll tell you a story," he mewed, "about Heatherstep, when we were apprentices together. Do you want to hear it?"
Softwing pricked her ears with interest.
"Now," Sleekfur murmured, "Heatherstep and I always had a competition with each other. We both wanted to be leaders, so we challenged each other over who the next best warrior we would become. Heatherstep was always so good at fighting. He always saved my life, multiple times." Sadness wept through his eyes for a moment, and a tear fell. Softwing forgot that they were friends. Perhaps she'll visit Sleekfur more often to hear stories of her mate.
"No." Sleekfur mewed, giving her a stern look. "I know what you're thinking. Don't go to me to hear a story every time about your mate. You need to move on, Softwing. I want you to be happy with your life, and you can't be happy if you keep thinking about Heatherstep."
"It's hard." Softwing's voice cracked. "I loved him so much, and I miss him."
Sleekfur wrapped his tail around Softwing and purred gently. "I know. I know." He leaned his chest against her own, purring. Softwing appreciated the comfort.
"Help!"
Softwing looked up. Sleekfur gave her a worried look and headed out of the den. She followed him.
Littlepaw was crouched down, his face twisted in pain. The tom cringed as he had his paw in the air. Softwing padded over to him. "What's the matter?"
"What's going on?" Darkstar padded over to Softwing and Littlepaw. "Are you okay? Where's Jayfrost?"
"Looking for herbs," Littlepaw mewed. "My paws hurts!"
"Here." Softwing looked at his paw. A thorn was stuck in it. "You only have a thorn!" She chuckled, gently twisting it out of his paw and spat it on the ground. "Give yourself some herbs and lick the wound." She gave his paw a lick. "You worried everyone with that paw! I thought someone was dying!"
"I was!" Littlepaw leaned on his side, rolling onto his back, revealing his belly. Darkstar and Sleekfur both purred with amusement.
"Get that paw fixed." Softwing was stern now. "You're our medicine cat, and I don't want you to get sick."
"Thank you, Softwing!" Littlepaw purred with appreciation. Softwing didn't like the glitter in his eyes.
What was that all about?Littlepaw raced to his den. Sleekfur purred and mewed, "That's the warrior I know. Fierce, and protective over her clanmates."
Softwing looked at the elder with confusion.
"You need to focus on your clan. Stop grieving over Heatherstep. You'll see him one day again, in Starclan. I'm sure he wants you to be happy. I want you to be happy. Try to move on, dear. You need to focus on you and your clan again." Sleekfur gave Softwing a lick before heading to the den.
"I agree with Sleekfur." Darkstar purred. "No more grieving, Softwing. This is your last day. Tomorrow I'll put you back on duties so you can focus on something else, alright? Take the time you need to grieve today. But everything must be back to normal tomorrow." Their clan leader headed back into her den. Softwing stared at the ground. She didn't want to do duties, but she knew she couldn't grieve forever.
I'll focus on my clan. I'm sure Heatherstep wants me to be happy. Softwing looked up at the night sky.
I'll try to move on. I won't grieve forever.