After His Father (short story)
Stormstar’s steps were hard and his legs rigid all through his walk to Fourtrees. His anger only flared up more like a lost ember meeting a dry log when he spotted Tunastream sitting calmly in the center of the clearing, her tail wrapped neatly around her paws.
“Are you an idiot?” He demanded her, before leaping down the slope and snarling a whisker from her face.
Tunastream rolled her eyes. “It’s been seven moons since we met up together, and that’s how you say hi to me?”
“Do you want me to get caught?” Stormstar pressed, pacing to and fro, shoulder blades itchy with the heat of rage. He thought of the gathering the night before, when that new Riverclan apprentice was introduced to the Clans. Stormstar tried then not to let his rage show, now he allowed it to burst forth.
“Whatever do you mean?” Tunastream tilted her head innocently.
Stormstar lunged forth, stopping mere inches short of sinking his teeth into her muzzle. Tunastream’s only reaction was to give Stormstar a hard stare as she said, “forgive me for wanting to name my son after his father.”
“He’s not my son!”
“Really?” Tunastream pulled back. “Could have had me fooled, considering I birthed him and all. Oh, and the fact that he’s the spitting image of you.”
“Which brings me to conclude you as a complete idiot!” Stormstar’s voice was low, growing to a shout as he spoke. “He already looks like me, and now you’re naming him ‘Storm’paw? The way the other leaders looked at me! You completely undermined my authority.”
Tunastream bared her teeth. “You heartless–”
Stormstar swung his claws at her, smacking her face so hard her whole body followed, laying on the ground with the air knocked out of her. “I will not have my leadership questioned because of your pettiness!” He sunk his claws deeper into her cheek.
Tunastream’s head twisted with a snap. In an instant, her teeth were wrapped around Stormstar’s leg and pulling him to the ground. She was on him before he could realize what was happening, glaring slits right through him. “If that’s all you can care to think about after seeing your son for the first time,” she hissed, trembling, before whirling and padding away, “then I’m glad we broke this off. Stay away from me, and stay away from Stormpaw. You’re right, you’re no father of his.”
Stormstar growled a response, but couldn’t formulate one through words before Tunastream disappeared among the undergrowth. He had half the mind to chase her down and teach her what it meant to toss him around. But rumours were already spreading because of her stunt, he couldn’t risk being seen hurting her the night after it all started. He was a leader, too. His priority was his Clan.
But the red remained tickling his vision and sliding across his mind. It sparked up when he noticed his Clanmates watching him and whispering, when he heard them talk about ‘Stormpaw,’ and it sparked when Maplefall told him that his son–actual son–Aldereyes, had conversed with some Thunderclan apprentices, whos mentors happened to be other mistakes of his.
He would have to have a talk with his kit, and make sure no interaction between him and that Clan–or any Clan–would continue.
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--Surprise prequeal!
--@elementaldeityoffood
