Warriors by Grace Mattox (best motivational books txt) 📕

 Marshpaw sighed as she used her paws to sweep some green leaves into a pile. This is my destiny, She told herself. I need to be more happy.

"Doing okay?" Snowtuft asked gently from where she was busy picking black seeds from brown ones.

"Im fine." Marshpaw lied as she buried her muzzle into the leaves, inhaling the fragrance. "This is catmint right?"

"Borage," Snowtuft corrected easily. Marshpaw could feel Snowtuft's ice blue gaze on her and suddenly felt hot.

"Oh," She mewed softly.

"Marshpaw, are you sure your feeling okay?" Snowtuft pressed gently. "Why dont you go find your sister? Ill take care of the herbs." She added.

Marshpaw looked up at her kind mentor, feeling a flow of guilt. She's so nice, its not right to show her that i dont like this. Nodding carefully, she stood up and limped out of the den. She inhaled the sweet air of morning, then froze as a piercing wail split the air.

"Who was that?" Snowtuft darted from the den, hackles up, to her apprentices side.

"Starpaw!" Marshpaw screeched, hurling forward, wincing as her leg bumped against the ground. Ignoring the pain, she raced out of camp as fast as her paws could carry her.

"Help! Theres a kit in the river!" Starpaw's wail sounded by the gorge.

Marshpaw reached the gorge, her injured paw now throbbing. She reached Starpaw's side. "Where?"

Starpaw lifted a paw and pointed into the river, beside a root that was dangling down. Sure enough, a small gray head was trying desperately to thrust its muzzle above the water for air.

Marshpaw, knowing the risks, launched herself into the river. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she swam strongly to where the kit was.

"Help!" The kit squealed as it saw her. "I cant stay u-" His words were cut off as his head went back under.

Marshpaw swallowed her fear, then gasped in shock as a wave pushed her down. She grasped the kit's scruff and jerked her muzzle above water. She held the kit up, letting him get some air as she tried desperately to swim to Starpaw, who had crouched on the bank in horror.

"Quick!" Starpaw yowled. "Pass the kit to me!"

Marshpaw forced herself to swim faster. The kit was wet, which did not help her lift it up. But finally, she made it to shore and set the kit gently beside Starpaw before climbing up herself.

"Whats your name?" Marshpaw asked, shaking her fur out.

"Stonekit." The trembling kit looked gratefully up at Marshpaw. "Thank you for saving me."

"Yes, well, someone had to do it." Marshpaw muttered. "What Clan do you come from?"

"ThunderClan." Stonekit mewed.

"Marshpaw," Starpaw's voice was distressed. "How are we supposed to-"

Her voice was cut off by a furious yowl from across the river.

"What are you doing with him?!"

 Marshpaw looked up in pure terror, then arched her back. Three ThunderClan warriors had made they're way to the other side of the river and stood glaring at them with undisguised hatred.

"What are you doing with Stonekit?" One asked in a snarl.

"Give him back!" Another wailed.

"Now!" The last demanded.

"We saved him!" Starpaw hissed. "You should be grateful."

"Yeah, right!" The first one scoffed. "You couldnt save a mouse."

Starpaw bared her teeth, but MArshpaw silenced her with a look. She dipped her head to the other warriors in respect. "This kit was drowning in the river." She meowed. "He would have died if Starpaw hadnt of yowled for help. Here," Marshpaw gently grasped the kits scruff and padded forward to the edge of the river.

Startled, the first tom leaned forward and took him.

"Oh, thank you!" The second cat, a she-cat purred, licking the kit frantically.

"They saved me!" Stonekit mewed.

"Did they?" The first one meowed, his gaze traveling from Starpaw to Marshpaw and back again. "Well," He meowed grudgingly. "Thanks." And with that, he turned and padded back to his own territory.

Marshpaw was silent as she turned back around, preparing to walk to camp.

"Marshpaw," Starpaw mewed softly. "Im really proud of you."

MArshpaw turned around and pressed her nose to her sister's gratefully. "Thank you." She mewed softly.

Starpaw closed her eyes. "Come on, lets go back to camp." She mewed.

But Marshpaw's thoughts were far off, distanced. She nodded vaguely as she followed her sister on numb paws.

This is my destiny. She realized. Helping other cats.

 By the way, the two pictures are not mine, i found them on Google.

Publication Date: 09-25-2015

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
Credit to Erin Hunter for the idea of Warriors