Warriors Sky Of Dreams
Chapter 8
Chestfall's eyes gazed through the bushes and spotted a thrush pecking at the ground. He pounced from the bush and landed squarely on top of the bird, killing it with one swift bite to the throat. He picked up his prey and padded back to camp gazing at the warm sky above him.
"Is that for anyone in particular?" Chestfall jumped at the sudden meow from behind him, he turned around and saw Shredflame standing behind him.
"No, I was just going to put it on the fresh-kill pile," Chestfall muttered through a mouthful of thrush.
"Would you mind if I gave it to Ashclaw?" Shredflame inquired. Chestfall placed his thrush at his feet and faced Shredflame.
"Why don't you catch something yourself?" Chestfall asked the tom.
"Splashheart told me to lay off the hunting because of how long I was down for," Shredflame replied.
"What are you doing out here then?" Chestfall fretted.
"I was just going for a walk," Shredflame soothed Chestfall.
"Well here, I heard that Ashclaw was injured badly, tell her I hope she gets better," Chestfall shoved the thrush toward Shredflame with his paw and nodded at the tom.
Shredflame nodded back in reply before racing off toward camp. Chestfall followed him a bit slower and continued staring up at the trees. He saw a spot that was allowing sun to seep through the gap so he padded over to the spot and sun-baked there for a bit.
By the time he had got back to camp he had caught two mice and a vole that he had ordered Springpaw to go and fetch. Chestfall trotted toward the fresh-kill pile and placed his prey on top before finding a nice spot to rest. He was woken up by a sharp prod in his side, he looked up and saw Honeypelt standing above him.
"I have to tell you something," She whispered, Chestfall stood up and stared at his mate with deep confusion.
"What's this about?" Chestfall asked
"You'll find out," Honeypelt was definitely trying to hide something, she didn't gain eye contact with him or show any sign of emotion. Chestfall padded beside her as they made their way to a spot Chestfall had only seen once.
This is the place I admitted to loving her. Chestfall recalled the time when he was an apprentice and he had admitted to loving Honeypelt.
"Okay, sit," Honeypelt ordered. Chestfall sat just across from his mate and waited for her to speak.
"Well?" Chestfall was beginning to become in patient.
"I'm having kits!" Honeypelt exclaimed barely holding her excitement, and changing the mood of the conversation drastically.
"This is wonderful!" Chestfall playfully cuffed Honeypelt's ear and they both played for a while until eventually Chestfall realised that they should go back to camp.
"I am so proud to have more descendants of you, my love," Honeypelt padded right next to Chestfall, their pelts brushing.
"And I'm proud to have kits that belong to you," Chestfall praised his mate, giving her an affectionate lick on the ear.
"I love you Chestfall and I always will," Honeypelt purred. Chestfall looked at his mate and suddenly realised that she was the most beautiful cat there could ever be, her bright green eyes shooting out against her sleek pelt that was covered in perfect spots of black and ginger. How was I lucky enough to have her as a mate? Chestfall wondered.
"Come we must go back to camp and announce this to the clan!" Chestfall meowed in excitement, he pelted off towards camp with Honeypelt at his side.
When they arrived at the entrance they heard nothing except the sounds of a grief filled caterwaul and they both slowly padded in and saw that their kit Hollowtail was lying motionless in the centre of the clearing with Pip at her side. Honeypelt raced towards her and instantly flopped down beside her.
"Mother…father…" Hollowtail gasped, ending in a bout of coughing.
"Oh my sweet kit, what happened?" Honeypelt gave her grown kit a few soothing licks on her forehead.
"I was out…hunting with…" Hollowtail didn't finish speaking she only ended in more coughing; a few drops of blood fell out of her mouth.
"She was out hunting with me, Daisyheart and Ashclaw, when suddenly a huge badger jumped from a bush and slammed her against a tree," Pip explained.
"The badger is gone," Daisyheart added.
"Somebody go and…find Tumblefoot," Hollowtail pleaded, her brother Larchclaw turned away from her and set out to find Tumblefoot. He returned shortly after with Tumblefoot at his side when Tumblefoot saw Hollowtail he fell to the ground and lightly nudged her.
"I'm here, my love," Tumblefoot mewed.
Hollowtail turned her head around and whispered something into his ear, causing him to burst into tears of joy and sadness, she then gave him a lick on the forehead and flopped back down to face her mother and father. Chestfall signalled for her two brothers to come to so she could face them.
"Hollowtail?" Jaypelt leaned closer to she-cat, whose breath was a lot hoarser and her eyes were beginning to cloud.
"Hollowtail!" Larchclaw grieved, they each gave her a lick on the forehead before allowing their mother and father to say their last words to the dying kit.
"Hollowtail, I want to tell you something before you go," Honeypelt meowed, her eyes beginning to fill with tears.
"What...is it…mother?" Hollowtail breathed.
"We are having another litter of kits," Honeypelt explained, her eyes poured out with tears of happiness and grief. Hollowtail gave a little smile and closed her eyes.
"I'll never forget you," Chestfall grieved.
Hollowtail's breathing began to slow and it eventually stopped. When it did all the cats around her lowered their heads and sent a silent prayer to her, hoping she would reach StarClan safely.