Chapter Two
Bumbleberry gave Swanwing a startled gaze. Her gaze back answered any questions Bumbleberry may have had.
''I trust you to take care of our kits,'' Swanwing said at last. She looked at Foxchaser with a loving gaze. Purrs rumbled deep in their throats. They abruptly stopped when Swanwing began to speak again. ''Deep times of darkness are approaching. Green leaves bring more threats of death than bare branches. Beware the signs.'' Tulipstorm nodded to Bumbleberry as she whisked away like smoke. Foxchaser left after her, and finally, Swanwing vanished.
Bumbleberry woke abruptly next to the Moonpool. Her vision was sharper than ever, fear allowing her to see and hear every detail. A twig snapped behind her. Bumbleberry whipped her head around to see who had come. Rabbitleaf stood there, looking guiltily at the twig he had crushed under his paw.
''Sorry to startle you. Gingerfur told me you were here,'' He paused. ''Why weren't you at the last Gathering? I missed you.'' Rabbitleaf stared at his paws. Bumbleberry just stared at the brown tom.
''Ashenflame was kitting the night of the Gathering. But,'' Bumbleberry gazed into Rabbitleaf's pale leaf-green eyes. ''other than that I would have loved to come.'' They both stood in silence.
''Well, we'd better get going.'' He lifted his head and stared up into the sky. She could tell that he didn't want to leave anymore than he did. The sun was beginning to come up, staining the sky with red and orange streaks. Bumbleberry knew he was right, but…
''What could a few more minutes do to the clan?'' Rabbitleaf stared at her, his gaze agreeing with the thought.
Bumbleberry said goodbye to Rabbitleaf at the border.
''See you at Half-moon!'' she called to the tom as he ran back to his territory. She almost felt sad that he had to go so didn't know if he heard him, but she didn't care. The sun was up to its highest point and she needed to get back to her clan.
The morning had gone by way too fast. The two medicine cats had been chatting, bringing each other up to date in their clans. They had shared tongues, but what harm could that do. Finally, the voice she had been pushing out of her head all morning, invaded her mind.
But is has everything to do with the clan…Bumbleberry shut her eyes tight as she picked up pace until she was running through the forest. When she opened her eyes, the camp entrance was five fox-lengths ahead of her. Graywind was on guard.
''Hi Graywind,'' Bumbleberry called out. The gray she-cat looked at her and let out a small gasp.
''There you are!''
''What do you mean?'' Bumbleberry padded closer to the gray she-cat.
''The clan has been searching for you all morning. Dovestar knew it didn't take that long to get back from the Moonpool.'' Bumbleberry felt the guilt suddenly weigh down on her. She knew she should have been back sooner. Rabbitleaf must've known too. She hung her head. Graywind let her pass and inside camp, Bumbleberry could tell that the clan certainly had been searching all day. The Fresh-kill pile was low, despite the new-leaf prey. At her appearance, some of the warriors stopped searching and stared.
It was many heartbeats before someone spoke. ''Look! Bumbleberry's back!'' It was Oceanpaw. Bumbleberry felt her skin begin to heat up in embarrassment. She licked her chest fur down. Many cats began to gather in the camp clearing.
A pebble fell from the top of High-ledge. Everyone looked up. Dovestar stood there, a look of rage on her face. ''Bumbleberry,'' she called sharply. ''I need to speak with you. Privately.'' She turned and disappeared back into her den. Bumbleberry leaped up and followed her in, leaving the looks of her clan mates behind.
It took Bumbleberry a minute to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. ''Where have you been?'' Dovestar's voice sounded more like a snarl than a mew.
''Starclan's message was longer than I had anticipated.'' The lie tasted bitter in her mouth, but Dovestar seemed to believe it. She shuddered at the thought of the bone-chilling prophecy.
''What did they tell you?'' Dovestar asked, her voice full of worry. Bumbleberry hesitated. Ashe didn't fully understand the prophecy, but she should be honest with her leader at least once today.
''They…they said that 'deep times of darkness are approaching. Green leaves bring more threats of death than bare branches. Beware the signs'.'' Bumbleberry stared at Dovestar, waiting for a reaction, but she only gazed at the medicine cat, pondering about the information Bumbleberry had just given her.
''I'm sorry. We assumed the worst when you weren't home the time you usually were. I guess I didn't think that Starclan's message may have been longer than usual.'' Guilt stabbed at Bumbleberry's heart. Not just that she had told the lie, but also that her leader had believed it.
''Well…I better go check on the kits.'' As she left the den, the prophecy nagged at her. What could Green leaves and Bare branches mean…
''You're back!'' Bumbleberry was pulled from her thoughts. Ashenflame was sitting in her nest with six kits suckling at her belly. Darkmoon was curled up tight in her own nest, attempting to sleep.
Bumbleberry smiled. ''Do you know what you want to name the kits?''
''Yes, the tom is Skykit. The black she-kit is Darkkit. The darker gray she-kit is Whisperkit. And the pale blue/gray she-kit is Echokit.'' Bumbleberry gave a purr. Deep down in her gut, she knew these kits were destined for something great.
Bumbleberry woke with a start. She was sitting peacefully in her nest. A yowl came from outside.
''Bumbleberry!'' Bumbleberry could recognize Ashenflame's scared shriek. ''Bumbleberry!'' Bumbleberry emerged from her den. Ashenflame was standing there with five kits behind her. ''It's Oceanpaw, she…she's disappeared with Tigerkit!''
Author's Note
I had some trouble with this chapter. After all, you need a plot! I am still looking for warrior names. thanks to ObSeSiVe BoOkWoRm for the three she had given. the next 7 will be used. I will also look at any storyline Ideas, no promises though. :)