Well… I did promise two chapters a month of something? Heh….Anyway, I have to get ahead in school (I'm homeschooled) because one of the gifts I got for Christmas was a trip BY MYSELF to see my best friend in Illinois for a week, starting on the thirteenth! I can't wait!I also got a bunch of other stuff including Darkest Night and Tigerheart's Shadow! So now I am caught up! Yay!What was your favorite Christmas (or whatever you celebrate) gift/meal/tradition? Answer down in the reviews (Yes, I'm looking at you people who, in fact, read my stories but never let me know because you don't review.)Anyway, here's some Nightcloud bitter-sweetness!
Chapter Two
Nightcloud sat by herself, shoulders slumped forward. Her eyes stayed close as she breathed heavily.
"Nightcloud?" A voice called from the medicine cat den.
Her amber eyes fluttered open as she glanced back toward the voice. She spotted her dark furred mate. "Yes?" She breathed.
"Are you alright?" Darkfang padded to her side carefully. His wounds were doing better but they still were pretty bad.
"I wish I could say I was." Nightcloud flicked her tail.
"What's bothering you, love?"
"Crowfeather's dead corpse. I feel…. Guilty." Nightcloud admitted to the tom.
"Guilty?" Darkfang perked his ears in surprise. Why would she feel guilty about that? It wasn't her fault.
"I used him… I used him so I won't get caught in our forbidden love." Nightcloud's amber eyes clouded with guilt and sorrow. "I was glowing close to him but my love for him wasn't as strong as one feels for his or her mate. We stopped meeting and I was expecting…. I found out early and… and did things to convince him they were his…. He never truly believed me. I know he didn't. Crowfeather never truly liked Breezepelt... I didn't know if it was because he knew Breezepelt wasn't his or if it was because my son wasn't the kit of… of Leafpool or.. Or that Feathertail she-cat he mewed about in his sleep…"
"Oh, Nightcloud…" Darkfang started, not sure what to say. He didn't know she felt this way.
"I clinged to him, hoping I would fall completely in love." She continued softly. "I pushed away what I felt for you. I acted… immature to so many cats… And after you came to camp… I couldn't help but show where my heart truly lied. Then everything got so out of paw."
Darkfang stayed quiet, listening to her silently. He twined their tails together comfortably.
"Did I help drive Crowfeather into whatever he was in?" She glanced over at her mate.
"I-I don't know Nightcloud." He admitted. "But I do know that you should stop thinking that way… I am sure it isn't good for you."
"I know…"
"How about we think about Breezepelt's kits? Darkfang suggested. "Have you met them yet?"
"Not in awhile…" Nightcloud informed him, smiling slightly.
"See! I have good ideas!" Darkfang puffed out his chest. He winced. "Ow."
"Darkfang!" Kestrelflight started to scold the full grown warrior like he was a kit. "What are you doing out here? You're supposed to be resting! You are going to open your wounds. Starclan, what am I going to do with you?"
Darkfang chuckled lightly, rolling his eyes. "Well, I better get back to the den and help calm him down. Love you." He carefully leaned to lick her ear.
"Love you too." She responded, relaxing some. The she-cat watched her mate get up and enter the den that smelled of herbs and blood. Nightcloud shifted her gaze toward the nursery and she couldn't help but giving it a bitter-sweet smile, remembering her own time there. The warrior pushed herself to her paws and padded to the nursery.
"Brindlekit! Stop biting your sister's tail!" A voice scolded the kit from inside.
Nightcloud peaked her head into the den, spotting the light brown tabby looking down on a mottled brown she-kit who was looking at her sheepishly. "It looks like you got your paws full."
Heathertail looked over at her, ears perked. She smiled. "You don't know half of it."
"Nightcloud!" Smokekit's eyes lit up. "Hello!"
"Hello, little one."
"Come in, come in." Heathertail invited her into the den.
Shadekit glanced up at her. "Hello." He responded calmly.
Sedgestorm waved her tail at Nightcloud. "Welcome to the nursery! What brings you here?" She smiled.
"I came to see the kits. How are yours doing?" The warrior looked over at the queen with a smile.
"Bronzekit and Pebblekit? Well, they are finally calming down some and their personalities are balancing out more so their defining characteristic isn't crazy anymore." She laughed lightly. "I still can't believe Emberfoot convinced me to have a third litter."
"Well, that's good!" Nightcloud shared her laughter, deciding not to add anything to that last part.
Heathertail groaned lightly. "I hope that'll happen for my kits soon." She glanced over to her daughters.
"Hey!" Her gray furred daughter exclaimed, giggling.
"I haven't seen Bronzekit or Pebblekit lately… how are they doing?" Nightcloud settled down, curling her tail around her paws.
"Well, Bronzekit has been taking an interest in battle skills and training. He even convinced some of the warriors to teach him some moves!" Sedgewhisker's whiskers twitched in amusement, her eyes bright as she talked about how her kits were doing. Yes, she could get annoyed and grumpy at times but she did truly love her family. "Pebblekit has calmed down some but she still can get hyper, especially when she hangs out with Fernfeather. Speaking of which, I think they are both out with Fernfeather right now."
"Mama!" A kit yelped, ears flattening.
Three sets of eyes snapped over to the mottled brown she-kit.
"What happened?" Heathertail nudged her kit toward her.
"Smokekit bit my tail!"
"You bit mine earlier!" Smokekit protested.
Shadekit watched them, looking unamused. "Mama?"
Heathertail glanced over at her son, curling her tail around her other kits. "Yes, Shadekit?"
"Can I go visit Whitetail?" The dark furred tom asked curiously.
"Of course. Go along." Heathertail relaxed some, turning her attention back to her kits as Shadekit scampered off.
Nightcloud glanced at Heathertail. "You look like you could use a break. How about I take care of the kits and you can go hunting or go see my son."
"Oh, yes please." The light brown she-cat with blue eyes breathed, looking relieved. "Their yours."
The other light brown tabby got to her paws as well, stretching. "I'll come with you."
Nightcloud watched the two Queens leave the den before looking down at the two kits. "Now you two are going to take a nap."
"What about Shadekit?" Brindlekit whined.
"Yeah!" Smokekit frowned.
"Well, you two are extra special. You get to sleep next to me. Shadekit hasn't done that yet!" Nightcloud settled down in Heathertail's nest, hoping she won't mind. "Now come on."
"Race you!" Both kits cried in unison, running to her side. They bumped into each other and into Nightcloud's side.
"Oof, calm down you two." The black she-cat licked their heads. She curled her tail around the two kits and rested her muzzled on her paws. "Sleep tight."
