falling petals | warrior cats story

nineteen.

nineteen.
lilystem.

Morning came too quickly.

By the time I woke, everyone else was already up for the day. I yawned, stretching in my nest.
My pelt must have looked filthy from last night. Oh Starclan, how I'm dreading to face Scorchfur and the others today.

I stepped out into the clearing, the cloudy day not allowing for the sun to shine upon my pelt. The grayness of the day sure represented how I was feeling.

Antstar's figure was the first one I saw, as his tail flicked over towards the side. His eyes made contact with mine, and I realized he was beckoning me to talk to him. My paws scampered to follow him.

Apparently, we were all meeting in the medicine cat's den. Once I stepped inside, I met the faces of several cats. Driftingsky, Scorchfur, and an awake Mouseberry. Antstar kept by my side as we entered.

"You're awake," I observed, looking to Mouseberry.

"And feeling better." Driftingsky spoke for his sister, beaming as he looked over to her.

Scorchfur cleared his throat. I glared at him.

Antstar acknowledged his impatience. "I believe we have some things to discuss. Now that Lilystem has joined us I believe that we should continue our conversation." He said, his yellow eyes flickering to mine.

"What do you know," I asked, though it sounded more as a statement rather than a question.

"Well," he began, "I know that the night patrol caught two warriors and the medicine cat taking a stroll by the stream, and witnessed them being attacked by a badger. Already, I'm not seeing any good choices here." Antstar examined, brow raised.

"I told you. We were there for personal reasons. Mouseberry needed to tell Lilystem something." Driftingsky told Antstar, standing to his feet.

"Then why were you needed?" Scorchfur interrogated, his tone stern.

Driftingsky only gave him a look.

Antstar brushed the two off. "What was the personal matter?"

"It's personal." Driftingsky repeated in my defense.

"I'm asking Lilystem."

I dragged my focus onto Antstar. "It's personal." I didn't have to look at Driftingsky to know that he was smiling. Perhaps I've been hanging around him enough that I'm inheriting his sense of humor.

"Personal enough that it led Mouseberry into danger?" Antstar fired back.

"S-stop." Mouseberry's quiet voice somehow demanded silence over the rest of us.

"I-I will tell you everything I k-know." Her words were directed to not just Antstar, but to me as well.