Royal Pains

"Do you call this clean bedding?! Fetch me more!" A voice screeched from the apprentices' den. Poppypaw scampered out of it and raced over to the medicine den to beg for more moss from Princess Leafpool and Prince Jaypaw.

"I hate monarchies," the tortoiseshell muttered to herself as she left the medicine cats and headed back to the pouty princess in her den.

"Tell me about it!" Brackenfur grumbled, sitting outside the warriors' den. He was kneeling in front of Princess Squirrelflight, massaging her paws.

"OW!" the ginger monarch squealed. "You scratched me!"

"Sorry, your Highness, my mistake," Brackenfur meowed, rolling his eyes when the princess wasn't looking. His daughter purred in amusement and entered the apprentices' den.

"Get me another mouse, Honeypaw!" Prince Brambleclaw commanded, lounging at the edge of the clearing. He looked quite fat and well-fed.

"But you've already had 47!!" the tabby she-cat he was addressing exclaimed. "We haven't enough for the queens!"

"Are any of the queens royal?" the fat tom demanded. "The only queen YOU should worry about is Queen Sandstorm, and she's fine! So more mice, by order of the prince!"

"'By order of the prince!'" Honeypaw mimicked as she stalked off to the fresh-kill pile.

Up the rocky stairs to King Firestar's den, there was a line of cats. They all looked very humble and pitiful. Birchfall stood on guard outside of the royal cave. As he nodded, Ashfur entered King Firestar's dwellings. The king sat up very tall and proud by Queen Sandstorm in his nest.

"Your Majesties," Ashfur said grandly, crouching before the monarchs. "This poor old peasant would like to ask for-"

"Ask for?!" Queen Sandstorm interrupted. "I thought you were here to bring us presents! BIRCHFALL!" she hollered.

At once, the light brown tabby appeared in front of the ginger she-cat and bowed as best as a cat can. "Yes, Queen Sandstorm?"

"Take him away!" the monarch yowled. The guard nodded, sank his teeth into Ashfur's scruff and dragged him out of the den. Birchfall reached the edge of the Highledge, and threw Ashfur off it with all of his might.

"What was THAT for?!" Hazeltail asked, who was now at the head of the line. She stared down in horror at Ashfur, who was twitching on the ground.

"He didn't bring any presents," Birchfall said simply, as if that explained everything. Almost immediately, all of the cats in line to see Queen Sandstorm and King Firestar ran out of camp to find gifts for their monarchs.