Chapter Five
“Look at her eyes, they’re so red.”
“Seems she’s been crying all night. I could hear whimpers last night.”
“StarClan help her, she looks dreadful.”
As she strode through camp the next morning, tail and ears drooping limply, Starfleck could hear the mutterings drifting through her eardrums as though they were speaking normally.
Dragging her paws through the camp sand, eyes burning as she refused to meet anyone’s gaze, Starfleck was in an irritable mood
Waking up to find Nighthawk gone from his moss bed, and not seeing Kestrelkit nowhere to be seen, she assumed that they had left very early in the morning before she had even risen up with the others. Another blow to add to the growing ache inside of her.
Not even a goodbye from either of them, another poke at the inferno in her heart. Head still reeling from the previous night, Starfleck didn’t see Midnightstar approaching from the opposite direction.
Not until she slammed face first into the soft jet black pelt of the larger she-cat.
Starfleck froze, heat rushing to her ears as the ThunderClan leader’s silver eyes lowered onto her. For a moment, neither cat spoke.
Starfleck’s breath came ragged, her heart hammering against her ribs as she staggered back, shame burning hotter than any flame.
“Well, this is a rather odd way of saying good morning, isn’t it, Starfleck?” rumbled that sweet motherly voice Starfleck had grown to love.
Eyes softening at the expression of one of her warriors, Midnightstar walked up a bit closer to her before laying the tip of her tail gently onto Starfleck’s left shoulder. This caused the latter to partially glance at her.
“Whatever happened, Starfleck, let it go,” Midnightstar whispered with a soft coo. “I’m not saying forget about it, but just let your emotions go. Even if it’s in front of your clan mates.”
Inclining her head a little bit, ears pushing themselves backwards, Starfleck sucked in a sharp breath while flashing her fangs. Irises began to thin as her emotions threatened to boil over.
‘I don’t want to cry. Not in front of everyone else,’ Starfleck thought with shattering composure. ‘I…I’m a warrior for Starclan’s sake! Crying in front of the others, especially Midnightstar…that’s so embarrassing.’
Her chest heaved, every breath sharp. She wanted to collapse, to sob until the earth swallowed her whole. Instead, she pulled her lips into the brightest smile she could manage.
Midnightstar would look at her smile, seeing it twitch every single second, and knew that she was trying to put on a brave face. But, she didn’t push her.
“You know,” Midnightstar mewled as a soft purr began to rumble through her body, “In times like these, I find it relaxing to go on a run. Doing so by oneself, is really clarifying to say the least.”
Giving Starfleck a light wink, the leader of Thunderclan hummed as she walked right past the former.
One ear lightly flattening itself against her head in confusion, Starfleck stared at the swishing tail of Midnightstar. Staring at her paws, unsure if she should, Starfleck decided to take her advice.
Slipping into the tunnels before pushing past the hidden entrance of brambles, Starfleck was slammed by the fresh scent of plants of the wild filling her nostrils entirely. The sun that she had greatly ignored since this morning, now bathed her in warmth.
Such sensations slightly eased her current mood, and as the wind howled around her, Starfleck began to run across the land. She had no destination in mind, no purpose for it, but she just wanted to get away from it all.