Requested by: Tigerspark

Length: 500 words

Pairing: Blackstar x Tallpoppy

Blackstar shot up, his breathing heavy. Another Nightmare. He shook off his fears. That dream was not real, he told himself again and again as he left the leaders den. A night hunt might clear his mind of this stupid thing. Nodding to his deputy, Russetfur, as she kept watch, he walked out of the camp and into the pine forest that made up Shadowclan territory. He followed the scent of a toad and started to stalk it, eventually finding the prey in a swamp. Licking his lips, he crouched into his hunting crouch and started to slowly move to the toad, a snap broke the silence, alerting the toad. "Foxdung!" Blackstar hissed under his breath then pounced at the toad…only to land face first into the swamp, the toad hopping away.

Growling as he slowly got up, he thought about the things he was going to say to the cat that dare interrupt his hunt, before he heard what, in his opinion, was the most beautiful thing to one's ears. "Oh Starclan, Blackstar I'm so sorry that the toad got away." The bushes gave a rustle as a long legged brown tabby she-cat with green eyes walked out of them. Blackstar relaxed, smiling as he saw his former apprentice, and mate, walk toward him. "I was trying to get it too, but I was too clumsy and I snapped the twig. I didn't mean to-" she was cut off as Blackstar gave her a lick on her head.

"It's fine. It was a stupid toad anyways, there are dozens more just like it in these marshlands." He said, before going back to giving her soothing licks, trying to calm her down. As he groomed her, he picked up a strange scent, yet it was so faint that he didn't recognize it. He shrugged it off, probably his imagination at work. "Now, tell me why you are out here this far past moonhigh." He asked her, his tone going serious as it always did when t came to protecting his clan and especially his mate.

"I had to think." Tallpoppy said. Blackstar raised his eyebrows, asking her to continue. Sighing, Tallpoppy continued. "Littlecloud told me something that made me want to think about us and our future Blackstar." She said before her ears perked up. "Why are you out so far past moonhigh?" She demanded. Blackstar purred in amusement.

"Other than I'm your leader and I can leave camp whenever I feel like it?" He asked slyly as Tallpoppy batted at his ear, muttering a small 'shut up' and rolling her eyes. Taking a position next to his mate, he continued. "I had a dream. I figured a stroll in the dark would help me clear my senses." Blackstar said, looking into the vivid pools of green that were Tallpoppy's eyes. "Obviously it's helping quite a bit." He smiled.

"Are you having those dreams again?" Tallpoppy said, unfazed by Blackstar's attempt to woo her to not ask questions. He hang his head in shame, knowing that there was no real way for him to lie to her. As he nodded, Tallpoppy shook with rage. "How dare you think you are on the same level of those tyrants?" She was talking about Tigerstar and Brokenstar, two previous Shadowclan leaders. His nightmares had always been him turning tyrant like those two and killing Tallpoppy. "You are the best leader one clan could ever ask for and you can't keep having these thoughts when you are only moons away from becoming a father!" Tallpoppy shrieked out that last line, making Blackstar freeze. What did he just hear? Was he about to be a-? "You're going to become a father, Blackstar. Littlecloud told me earlier today." Tallpoppy purred.

"T-That's Great, Tallpoppy." Blackstar said, nuzzling his mate lovingly at the news. They stood there for a moment. "Tallpoppy." Blackstar whispered, Tallpoppy made a questioning grunt. "I love you."

"I know that, mousebrain." Tallpoppy said before separating from her mate. "Now let's go back before Russetfur looks for us." She said and started to walk away when Blackstar nodded.

Smiling, Blackstar followed her. He may have nightmares about becoming like those two tyrants from time to time, but with Tallpoppy, he knew he wouldn't be able to turn out like them. And he had a new thing to hope for, his kits. As he started to walk towards the camp, he filled his thoughts with himself playing and training his kits and him and Tallpoppy just cuddling under the moonlight