Ashleap's Fall

Promises

I never get to talk to my brother anymore. Usually, he has up to three she cats trailing him, but today it's just Sharpkit, who is clearly a veteran at haggling him. I don't like to admit it, but sometimes, I feel jealous of my brother. It burns like a fire in the pit of my throat, an unquenchable envy that I never asked for.

Novakit can not always be by my side. I can't always be lost with him or in my own mind, trying to consult... them.

Parts of me whisper about him without my permission.

He could be lying about the songs.

He could be lying about everything.

He just loves the attention, nothing more.

Most of me denies it, knowing my kindhearted brother would never lie to anyone. Even if it's weird, I have to believe him.

Another part of me... isn't so convinced.

"Watching your brother?"

My fur prickles as I turn around to see Knottedstar eying me with interest. I try not to seem startled and resume licking my paw.

Her knowing eyes, which are a vivid brown, fix on my paw, then she sweeps around to stare me in the eye. "You know, there are many ways to gain the respect of your clanmates. Training is one. Making new friends is another. Sitting in silent envy and letting yourself drown in negativity is certainly not one. However, I'd like to help you. Why are you jealous of your brother?"

"He has a lot of friends... and I'm not jealous." I say plainly. I feel bad just saying it, because I am jealous and Knottedstar seems to get this immediately.

She gives me a curt nod as she replies, "Well, so do you. I've seen you kits play. Where are Nettlekit and Novakit?"

"They're both..." I look towards the nursery. They said they had something they wanted to do up there, a 'tom thing' that probably involves a ploy to get out of camp. They both know I can't join them in anything risky, lest the Shadowstar incident begin to look like anything besides an unlucky coincidence. "Busy." I finish.

"Ah." She says. "Titanfoot?"
Titanfoot's ears prick. She's sitting with Jade, who is eagerly chasing Titanfoot's flicking tail. Jade's fur rustles when she sees me. "Is there a problem?" asks Titanfoot.

"Are you training that kit battle moves?" Knottedstar says dryly.

"She wanted to learn how to be an asset to the clan. She's a natural!" Titanfoot boasts. An enthusiastic Jadekit puffs her throat out. "Yeah!" she says with a purr. "I am a natural, aren't I?"

Knottedstar nods profoundly. "Absolutely. You'll fit in fine with Rushkit here. She's a natural fighter as well."

"Me?" I ask. "I mean, yes. Me."
"Yes. She is under my tutelage. We will be training together." Knottedstar says. "Come along." She tells me in a muted tone, bringing her head closer to mine. We walk off and I feel warmth rising within me at the quiet admiration the leader is giving me. She stops at a knotted tree at the edge of camp. "I've been watching you, golden eyes."

My snout scrunches up and my fur prickles in fright. Was all of that a ruse to get me over here? Is she angry? "I didn't- I'm not-"
Knottedstar looks stern. "You're not what? Not the cat in the prophecy? You have memories that go back beyond your own life. Souls tossing within your mind. Only a few rises and falls of the moon you could hear Shadowstar's soul and find out about WillowClan."

"But then... she died. A prophecy cat wouldn't do something like that. They don't do bad things."

"So we wish." Knottedstar's tail swings. She turns around, and seeing no one within earshot, continues, "They only tell the good stories. All clans have failed legends. Mistakes. Shadowstar letting it go vocal was the first problem, naturally. DragonClan used to have swarms of cats with irregularities. In my youth, I encountered quite a few, including DragonClan's last leader, Crabstar. He and one of my predecessors, Oliveblaze, were very close."

I tilt my head at the name. Even though Shadowstar's leadership had been short, rarely was her father's name passed around. "Was something wrong with him?"

"Well, some would say he kept his emotions guarded. Others believed that his heart was literally torn from him in his youth during a mishap in the tunnels. There were accounts of him showing no reaction after extended exposure to pain, being incapable of smiling, even some as drastic as being slashed in the heart and not bleeding."

"So he was a monster, like me?" I ask, concerned.

"You very well could become a monster, Rushkit. Luckily for you, you could also be like Crabstar. He ended up leader and in time learned to love. Some say the tunnelkeeper found a way to cure him. However, you don't know if someone will be around to fix you, so... I guess I'll have to teach you to fix yourself."
"You can do that?"

"Yes. Can I count on your cooperation?"

I look into her eyes, certainty flooding my heart. "Whatever it takes."

(oh man is this one short. sorry guys, really really sorry. I've been a huge asshole as of late and I've really fallen out of writing to boot so I'm going to try to get back on the writing train. hopefully this worldbuilding will appease the audience)