POV Mapleleaf
PoppyRitz- hehe... yeah. It might not be the best thing to mention that the next fanfic of this 'series' I guess that's what it is... (P.S, I will pretty much have to completely rewrite the next one, as it was my first ever fanfiction, written before I even knew what fanfiction was I think, and isn't that good, especially in earlier chapters) is kinda (like very heavily) based off the first three/four series...
AN: The term 'Rubbing nettles in the wound' will be used in this chapter. It basically means the same thing as 'Rubbing salt in the wound' but... cats mainly only know of salt through blood, (and sometimes rocks???) So How would they know that it could sting? Nettles would make far more sense, as they are a known stinging herb to these cats.
I gazed outside the nursery; the sun was beginning to set.
I turned my attention back to my two-moon-old kits. Gingerkit and Stonekit were play-fighting with Firekit and Foxkit. Frostkit was grooming her long fur, to the point it was beginning to gleam in the evening light.
She didn't like play fighting as much as her littermates, so it was possible she might become a medicine cat.
"Hey, Heatherpelt?" I questioned my only denmate. "Yeah, Maple?" She replied.
"I'm going to ask to go to the gathering tonight, can you watch the kits?" I asked. "Of course!" She meowed with a smile.
"Thanks!" I mewed. Before I turned to leave I took a moment to watch the kits' play-fight.
Stonekit was pinned down by Firekit, and Gingerkit and Foxkit were glaring at each other, fur fluffed out.
Gingerkit crouched down, seemingly about to pounce on Foxkit. She did pounce, but it was on a unsuspected target.
When she leapt up, she was headed straight for Foxkit, but in midair she turned so that she knocked Firekit off of her brother. She then quickly turned and pounced on Foxkit.
"We win!" She exclaimed, pinning down Foxkit as her brother pinned down Firekit. I smiled. Gingerkit had the potential to be an amazing warrior, and maybe even leader one day with that kind of strategizing.
I padded out of the nursery and towards my brother's den. I stopped right outside. "Oakstar?" I asked. "Mapleleaf? Come in." He said.
I padded inside. "May I come to the gathering tonight?" I meowed. He tilted his head. "What about your kits?" He said. "Heatherpelt agreed to watch them. Besides, they're starting to eat prey now, so they don't need my milk." I answered.
"Then of course you can come to the gathering." He meowed. I dipped my head in thanks.
———— A Bit Later —————————
I padded out of camp with the other cats who were chosen to go to the gathering.
Oakstar, our deputy Raventalon, and Doeleaf, of course, along with myself, Birchpelt, Snowcloud, Darkstorm, Hawkfeather, Redpelt, Silverpaw, and my mother, Iceleap.
When we got to the gathering I was glad to see it was just WindClan there, and I quickly picked out the gray tabby form of Featherbreeze among the rest of them.
There was only one thing...
He was talking to another she-cat!
Although I knew I was being unreasonable, I couldn't help the stab of jealousy.
I also couldn't help but notice the she-cat's swollen belly.
Or the way she was acting so... flirtatious around Featherbreeze.
The only normal reason for pregnant queen to be flirtatious around a tom was if that tom was her mate.
I glared at this queen, taking in every aspect of her cream tabby fur and her white tail, until I recognized her. It was Windytail, a cat that had always, for as long as I could remember, had a very obvious crush on Featherbreeze, and no matter how many times he had told her he wasn't interested, she refused to move on.
I realized this was likely my fault, as I had told Featherbreeze something along the lines of not wanting to see him for awhile, but I didn't mean for him to go and get a new mate!
It had only been four moons! A little over one season's length! I knew that I still loved him! Did he feel nothing for me and our kits?!
I was so caught up in my jealous thoughts, that I didn't notice Birchpelt padding up to me.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
I was so startled that I practically jumped out of my pelt. "Y-Yeah..." I muttered.
I walked off before Birchpelt could say anything else, towards my ex-mate and his new mate.
"Oh! Hi Mapleleaf!" Windytail called out to me. "Hi, Windytail." I murmured.
"Have you met my new mate, Featherbreeze? Oh, that's right! You two are friends! That's great!" She rambled excitedly.
I wasn't sure if I had imagined the emphasis on 'mate' or not. Either way, it felt like they were trying to rub nettles in the wound. "I'm expecting his kits! Or... kit. Lightblossom thinks it's only going to be one." She kept rambling happily.
I had to force my hackles to remain down. "Congratulations." I meowed through clenched teeth.
I knew Featherbreeze could sense my jealousy and anger; even if his new mate was oblivious to it. "I'm going to go talk to Mapleleaf, Windytail. See you later." Featherbreeze told her.
She looked confused for a moment but then quickly bounded off to talk to other cats. Featherbreeze and I walked away from all the other cats.
"How are the kits?" He asked, likely trying to break the silence. "They're fine. Stonekit looks a lot like you. Only he's not a tabby, and he has green eyes." I told him.
He didn't respond, and we fell into a silence that was anything but comfortable.
"I'm sorry." He said. It was so sudden that I jumped.
"For what?" I asked, my head tilted in confusion.
"For...well, everything. For not being there for you and the kits, for not trying harder to get you to stay, for taking Windytail as a mate..." He trailed off, dipping his head in apology and shame.
"No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have left, and how can I blame you for taking another mate when we weren't even supposed to be together in the first place?" I murmured.
"To be honest, the only reason I'm with her is because my sister, Palesong, found out about us. She threatened to tell the clan if I didn't prove my loyalty, so I did by taking a mate in the only she-cat I knew would never reject the chance to be with me, or question why I changed my mind all of a sudden." He confessed.
"I understand, it's fine. Anyway, we should probably go back to where everyone else is. I don't want them getting suspicious, and the leaders will start speaking soon." I meowed.
He nodded and we began to pad back towards the rest of the cats.
