The Ending

Sprucebark was assigned early patrol.  He was a very orderly and timely. So at the crack of dawn he was ready to go with his patrolmates... who were still asleep?? ughh... causing delay they were gonna make them all late.  He quietly awoke the other warriors and sighed as they slowly got ready. He was even more in a rush now that they would be late, he wanted to have time in his busy day to have time to go visit his mum in the med den.

He tapped his paw impatiently on the forest floor waiting just outside the camp exit for the other warriors to finally get their tails in gear so they could go... ughhhh everyone always so late, was it really so hard to be on time?

When they finally got there it felt like they could have been halfway through the patrol by now if they had started on time.  A bit annoyed he led the way to the territory borders.  They finally finished marking the borders and making sure that no one had crossed over to their side.  Sprucebark kept looking at the sun creeping higher and higher into the sky.  At sunhigh he was signed up for hunting patrol.  If he hurried he could still get back and spend some time with his mum before then.  He had felt so terrible that she had gotten so sick from overworking and overstressing herself and he wanted to be there for her but warrior life was keeping him very tied down.

His ears flicked when one of his patrols let out a hiss of pain.  He whiped around nervous that something attacked, the predators were really a problem and that is what his mind first went to.

However, as it turned out, his patrolmate had stepped on a sharp shard of glass that had been busted and laying on the ground cutting her paw pad deeply.  He sympathetically helped her best he could by letting her lean on him as they hobbled her back towards camp.  The sun was getting higher and higher and although he knew that going slowly now was the right thing to do for his injured clanmate he groaned internally knowing now there would be so little time before he would be called up for his next patrol.


The patrol finally got back to camp and he and another unhurt warrior helped their companion to go see sandy and dove in the med den.

Once she was taken care of, he rushed over to the warrior den, spotting Poppyshine he purred softly and smiled going to her.

"mum!  he purred softly nuzzling gently into her shoulder. "Are you feeling better? he asked

He felt so bad that he hadnt been around more to try and comfort her after her faint but the busy schedule he had was very tight on time.


"I was so scared I lost you" he meowed quietly as he settled in next to her brushing against her comfortingly.

He leaned against her gently so happy that she was okay and still here.



Pawsteps approached from outside and a warrior poked his head in "Sprucebark!? of all the warriors to be late you were not who I expected come on everyone is waiting for you on our hunting patro--" the warriors voice cut off seeing poppyshine here too as he stood there akwardly realizing he probably interrupted ...

His mum still looked so tired and exhausted. He settled in close to her purring a little but even with her reassurance of being alright he couldnt hide his worried look seeing Poppyshine in this weakened state. "We worry about you because we care about you he said quietly.

Thinking about things, he was so glad that she was okay of course. However, in some ways, a silver lining of the dark cloud of it all was that everyone saw how much they all cared for Poppyshine and how devastated they would be if she were gone it made him appreciate the times he had with her and realize that maybe it was okay to slow down at times and focus on what actually mattered.

He realized he was so relived when Poppyshine waved the other warrior away, thankful that he could relax for once and spend time with his family. The other warrior nodded and left quickly, they would find someone to take Spruce's place for this patrol knowing that Spruce probably needed some time with.


"Auntie Dove and Sandypaw are a really good team. he agreed knowing that she was in good care with those two.


Sprucebark had always been very open especially to Poppyshine, he told her pretty much everything about his days and how he felt of things and how he was feeling and was just all in all very open about such things. He never really hesitated to tell her anything. Until now...
"Erm uhh he started shifting on his paws a little nervous.

He didnt really know how to say it or how she would even react to it. He felt his ears go hot with nervous energy and for some reason a tad bit of fear. He knew that the fear was misplaced, she would love him no matter what right? He knew he was overthinking this but even knowing that it was hard to combat the fear of if things changed once he told her.

Still it was there, the fear, he had never felt this way before and it felt so foreign.

"Mum?" he said in a voice that was on the verge of cracking. "How did you know Rush was right for you?" he asked quietly.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes "because... I think I love someone now too and... I dont know how to tell him that or if I should. The words were off his chest now but they still felt heavy in the air. He was scared to open his eyes again but he didnt know why. Poppyshine had done nothing but to always be there for him loving and supporting him all the time like the best mother she was. But right now he felt like a shivering kit with not a clue of what to do or what was right.

(For some reason this was a difficult post to write so sorry if it doesnt read well I tried to revise it several times but never got the flow to really work it just never flowed well idk. I tried)

Sprucebark was able to relax a little more now knowing she was probably right, he hoped that one day maybe Rush would come home, for poppy ... and so he could maybe meet his dad one day.

He knew it was hard for mum to talk about him but her advise was helpful and needed. He scooted closer giving her a small hug/nuzzle. "Thanks mum.. he purred quietly.

"I promise Ill always be around no matter what! he purred very confiently.

He had no clue just how wrong he was. That in a couple days he would be washed away down the river after the earth moved and would be lost and seperated for her for a very very long time. But for now everything was right in the world. He rested his head down next to hers and allowed himself to rest and relax finally.

"Its Frostclaw by the way" he said with a little yawn. "the one I like. It was easy enough to see why, the pair made an excellent team on patrols and Frostclaw was also very orderly and structured similar to himself. They got along really well and Sprucebark got a happy warm fuzzy feeling when Poppyshine told him to go for it, who knows.. maybe Frost and him could be mates, that would make him so happy.

Daydreaming he slowly fell asleep into a nice afternoon nap. It was one of the last times he would get to see Poppyshine for a long while