Flamestar emerged from the warrior's den to be greeted by a warm breeze. The forest was swaying in the wind as though it were alive. With a deep breath, Flamestar could scent his clan mates as well as the mouth-watering scent of fresh kill. He padded over to the large, flat rock that held any prey the warriors had caught. He grabbed a plump vole and joined Hazelheart and Rockfoot, who were chatting under the shade of a branch.
"Good morning, Flamestar." Hazelheart greeted her brother, "Stormwatcher and Rockfoot had a very successful hunt this morning."
Rockfoot dipped his head in embarrassment. "Oh, it was nothing."
Flamestar took a mouthful of prey, grateful his clan members were getting along so well. He spotted Smokepelt and Cloudsong make their way into the camp with even more prey dangling from their jaws. The clan would have full bellies that day.
Once Flamestar had finished his meal, he waved his tail in a goodbye to Hazelheart and Rockfoot. He joined Smokepelt and Cloudsong in their conversation.
"I think along the river will be our best bet to hunt when it begins to draw closer to leaf-bare." The large gray deputy meowed through a mouthful of shrew.
"I agree. We had quite the generous catch this morning." Cloudsong had also chosen a shrew to munch on.
Flamestar sat next to the she-cat, "Hopefully the forest stays plentiful, even through the colder moons."
Nods of agreement came from the eating cats. Flamestar looked up to see Leafbreeze making her way towards them with a mouse dangling from her jaws.
"I don't mean to interrupt, but I was hoping to have a word with you about Hazelhert, Flamestar." Leafbreeze had sat next to the leader and dropped her mouse at her paws to eat later. "I believe she is very close to kitting."
Delighted purrs came from the three cats. "That's great news. Having kits in the clan will liven up the place." Flamestar meowed as he glances toward his bloated sister.
"It will be fun to have some kits running around." Leafbreeze nodded. "However, I don't have the herbs I need yet. I want to be well stocked as soon as possible."
"Flamestar, if you want, I'll escort Leafbreeze wherever she needs to go to gather her herbs." Smokepelt meowed as he licked his muzzle clean from his eaten shrew.
"Thank you Smokepelt. Leafbreeze, when you are ready take him with you and collect what you need."
Satisfied, Leafbreeze picked up her mouse and padded over to lay next to Hazelheart and tuck in to her food.
Flamestar purred as Cloudsong leaned into him, their pelts brushing and tails twining together. He breathed in her sweet scent and gave her an affectionate lick between her ears.
"Whoa there, lovebirds. Get a den!" Smokepelt chuckled, pushing Cloudsong to topple into Flamestar.
"What do you say the two of us go for a run in the forest? Renew some scent markers, maybe hunt a little…" Flamestar tried to hide his embarrassment from the she-cat.
Cloudsong purred in amusement. "I would love to."
Jumping to his paws, Flamestar beckoned for her to follow him. "I bet you can't keep up!" He meowed over his shoulder as he raced into the forest, Cloudsong hot on his paws.
The two cats streaked through the undergrowth, dodging trees and leaping over brambles. Flamestar led the way toward the river that flowed along the border of their territory, Cloudsong keeping pace with him. He slowed to a walk as they approached the river, and he playfully flicked a pawful of water toward her.
Shaking the water from her pelt, Cloudsong's tail thrashed in playful anger. "You have broken the first rule of the warrior code! You have betrayed your clan by bringing this water to my pelt!" Cloudsong jumped toward Flamestar, pushing him into the river.
Flamestar's pelt was instantly soaked and he pulled himself from the sparkling water. He stalked up to Cloudsong and sprang on her, covering her with his dripping wet pelt. Pushing him off, Cloudsong snorted in disgust as her fur was now completely drenched.
With a triumphant purr, Flamestar flicked her ears with his tail. The padded down the river together, pelts brushing as they walked. Every few fox lengths, Flamestar would stop to renew a scent mark along the border.
As the pair of cats drew close to the large flat rocks that covered the ground near the river, Flamestar picked up hushed meows coming from inside their border. Quickening their pace, Flamestar nearly ran into a stocky gray tabby she-cat and a smaller white tom. These two cats were definitely trespassing on Flameclan territory.
"What do you think you're doing?" Cloudsong had instantly gone on the offensive, her white pelt standing on end.
The gray she-cat unsheathed her claws and turned to face Cloudsong. "Exploring Flameclan's territory of course. How are we supposed to know where to fight you if we don't know your territory?"
Flamestar stepped between the two she-cats. "There will be no fighting, especially not here. Now sheath your claws."
"And who do you think you are, mister know it all?" The white tom sneered in his clan mate's defense.
"I'm Flamestar." The ginger tom towered over the two smaller cats. "And who might you two be? From Riverclan, I suppose?"
The two intruding cats' eyes widened in surprise. They obviously never expected to run into a clan leader in their mischevious escapade.
"I'm Hailstripe." The white tom murmured to his paws. "And this is Silverspring."
The confidence the two young cats had shown only moments before had completely disappeared. They both now were staring at the dirt and shifting around their paws. Flamestar felt their discomfort radiating off of them like sharp bramble thorns.
"Go on. Get off our territory." Firestar sighed. "And don't let any of my warriors catch a scent of either of you across our border!"
The two cats stumbled away, eager to be back in their own territory. They slipped into the river and were quickly on the other side, sprinting out of sight into the undergrowth.
Cloudsong gave one of her forepaws a good lick and ran it over her ears. "I would have given them a good clawing or two to prove your point."
Flamestar gave her a gentle nudge. "Nah. The whole clan territories thing is new to all of us. The last thing I want to do I make some enemies the first moon."
Cloudsong just shrugged and the two cats began heading back to camp. As they neared the enterance, Flamestar heard a series of painful yowls coming from the center of camp. As he rushed in to see what was causing such a commotion, he was greeted by the whole clan, gathered around a single cat. As Flamestar got closer, he realized it was Hazelheart. The pregnant she-cat was on her side, shuddering in pain.
"The kits are coming!" Leafbreeze pushed past the clan leader into the center of the crowd so she was crouched over Hazelheart. "Everyone, get back! You're crowding her!" Lashing her tail, the calico she-cat stared down any cat she deemed to be too close.
Flamestar stood back as he watched the medicine cat order around the cats around her to fetch moss soaked in water, different types of herbs, or to comfort Hazelheart. A loud yowl cut through the camp, and Hazelheart's body heaved in effort.
Flamestar looked to Leafbreeze and was shocked to see a small pale ginger bundle dangling from her jaws. The medicine cat beckoned him over with her tail and set the little kit at his paws.
"Meet your niece. And newest member of the clan. Now lick." The she-cat bent down and began licking the tiny kit in the opposite direction of how the fur grew. "Like this."
Flamestar nodded and Leafbreeze went back to work on Hazelheart. He bent of the kit and began licking her fur in the way he had been shown. It didn't take long before the tiny bundle of fur was wriggling under his tongue and squeaking for her mother.
"Flamestar, set the kit next to her mother's belly." Leafbreeze had appeared next to him again with another bundle of dark fur at her paws.
The little she-kit was shown to her mother's belly to suckle and Flamestar returned to Leafbreeze, the little bundle still at her paws.
"This one was already dead by the time he was born." Leafbreeze was staring solemnly at the still kit. "I don't know what I should say to Hazelheart."
Flamestar rested his tail on Leafbreeze's shoulder reassuringly. "These things happen. It isn't your fault. She will understand."
As the medicine cat showed Hazelheart her stillborn son, a low sad yowl filled the camp. The kit was taken by Stormwatcher and Rockfoot to be buried, and Hazelheart and her new kit were moved into the nursery.