Brackenfur's Heartbreak is a BrackenXSorrel short story written by Turtledapple. It was requested by Flowermistle one time Turtledapple opened up short story requests.
Brackenfur couldn’t stop thinking about her. Sorreltail... his mate... gone forever.
How could she be dead, among the ranks of StarClan? Shouldn’t she still be alive and well, like she was only a few days ago?
Brackenfur felt so heartbroken. He couldn’t eat. He couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t even focus on his warrior duties. All he could think about was Sorreltail, and how much he missed her.
It wasn’t fair that she died. Brackenfur had always thought that he and his mate would become elders together, and watch their kits’ kits play at their paws.
But that would never happen now. Sorreltail was gone forever, and there was nothing Brackenfur could do.
His sorrow did not go unnoticed by his Clanmates. They tried to comfort him, tried to soothe his broken heart.
They had good intentions. But what Brackenfur really wanted was for Sorreltail to come back- something he knew could never happen.
That night, Brackenfur curled up in his nest. Going to sleep had never been the same since Sorreltail died- she wasn’t there by his side anymore, lovingly murmuring “I love you, Brackenfur” into his ear before going to sleep.
Despite feeling upset, Brackenfur managed to fall asleep.
When he opened his eyes, he was still in the warriors den. But something was different.
Sorreltail stood before him! Stars were shining in her tortoiseshell fur, and her amber eyes twinkled lovingly.
“Brackenfur, my love,” she purred.
“Sorreltail... am... am I dreaming?” Brackenfur asked.
“Yes. I’ve come from StarClan to see you,” meowed Sorreltail.
Brackenfur buried his face into his mate’s fur, softly mewing, “I’ve missed you so much, dear.”
“And I’ve missed you,” Sorreltail said.
“Sorreltail, I... I don’t know how to go on without you. Every single day without you is... is like a nightmare I cannot wake up from.” Brackenfur meowed, his voice shaking.
Sorreltail intertwined her tortoiseshell tail with Brackenfur’s golden-brown one. “I will always be watching over you from StarClan. I promise.”
“Do you have to go?” whispered Brackenfur, knowing his mate was saying goodbye.
“I have to. But I’ll forever be in your heart. Take care of our kits, my love.” Sorreltail softly mewed.
Brackenfur touched noses with his mate. Then the word starting to look blurry, and slowly fade away...
He woke up in his nest, Sorreltail’s sweet scent surrounding him- or perhaps it was his imagination? He wasn’t sure.
But at least one thing was for sure: Brackenfur would always love Sorreltail, and he looked forward to the next time his mate visited him in a dream.
But until then, he would keep her memory alive by telling his kits, Lilykit and Seedkit, stories about Sorreltail when she was alive.
And maybe... maybe that would be enough to help Brackenfur through his heartbreak.
THE END