AN: I figured I should clarify something, since I don't think I have in any other chapters, but this takes place in the old territory, not the lake.
Chapter 26
Leopardheart woke to the sound of apprentices poking through the nursery. She lifted her head up sleepily and asked, "What are you doing?"
She saw Fadingpaw and Quickpaw prodding the empty moss nests. Hawkpaw circled her before sighing in defeat, "He's not here!"
"Who's not here?"
"Pebblekit!", Hawkpaw said, flicking her tail in annoyance, "We told him since Spottedkit was with Whitefur today, we would play with him. We told him to hide and we'd come find him but-"
Fadingpaw cut her off, "But we can't find him anywhere!"
Hawkpaw kicked up some dirt and said, "Great Starclan, that kit sure is a good hider"
Leopardheart stood up and shook the new found dirt from her pelt, Hawkpaw looked at her apologetically and was about to apologize, but Leopardheart raised her tail to silence her and said, "It's fine. I'll help you find Pebblekit; he's probably trying to convince Nightstorm to let him out of camp again"
They looked all around camp, but had no luck in finding Pebblekit. Leopardheart glanced nervously at the entrance to camp and said, "You don't think he could've gotten out do you?"
Quickpaw;s eyes filled with sympathy for his adoptive mother as he said, "I'm sure he's fine, but we should check if he got out of camp, just to be safe"
Leopardheart nodded in agreement and headed out with Quickpaw. They found that Pebblekit's scent led out of camp just as Leopardheart had feared. Pebblekit's scent took them out near Tallpines. Leopardheart's thoughts were raked with thoughts of what could happen to Pebblekit so close to the Twolegplace.
What if a Twoleg has captured him! Leopardheart thought in terror, What if a dog gets him!
"Pebblekit", Leopardheart shouted, "Pebblekit". Quickpaw raised his tail to silence her; he scanned the trees, ears pricked for any unusual sounds.
"Over there!", Quickpaw said rushing towards a cluster of oak trees. Leopardheart heard it moments after Quickpaw had.
"Help me! Help me!"
Leopardheart rushed after Quickpaw. He was stopped at small oak tree. He nodded up to one of the branches and said, "I think he's stuck"
Quickpaw was right; somehow Pebblekit had managed to climb up onto a high branch and now appeared to be stuck.
"Don't move Pebblekit, I'll come and get you!"
In the distance, Leopardheart could hear a dog. And it was getting closer.
Quickpaw must have heard it too. Because he shouted, "Dog!"
They both scrambled up the tree frantically. The large brown and black dog was now in sight. The tree started shaking from the speed Quickpaw and Leopardheart where climbing.
"I think we're up high enough", Leopardheart called to Quickpaw.
The dog put its large front paws on the trunk of the tree and barked loudly. Leopardheart tried to swipe the dog across the muzzle, but she was up too high.
"I'm going to jump down and distract it, you get Pebblekit and get out of here", Leopardheart ordered Quickpaw. Quickpaw looked like he was going to object, but he just nodded, and started for Pebblekit.
Leopardheart leaped down onto the dog's back. She unsheathed her claws and dug her claws into the dogs fur just as the dog began to shake, trying to get the cat of its back.
She raised one paw and swiped at it ear, over and over, until the dog let out a howl of pain. She jumped off its back and drew back her teeth in a snarl and began swiping at its muzzle.
The dog clamped its teeth around her leg and bit down. Howling in pain, she drew her claws blindly down the dogs face. The dog screeched in pain and withdrew its hold from her leg.
The dog backed away, blood trickling from its eye, and walked slowly back towards the Twolegplace. Leopardheart examined her leg and grimaced when she saw the blood welling around the enormous wound.
She looked up and saw Quickpaw still trying to get at Pebblekit. She hauled herself into the tree, prepared to help Quickpaw, but hauling herself into the tree had caused the tree to shake violently. She watched as Pebblekit's grip on the branch weakened, and he descended to the ground.
Time slowed down. She saw Quickpaw's blue eyes widen and he lurched forward to catch Pebblekit, but he was too far away. Leopardheart lurched forward too, trying to succeed in the move Quickpaw had failed in, but it didn't work.
Pebblekit shot past her and toward the ground, and landed with a thud. Leopardheart sat there in shock, her eyes widening farther by the second. Quickpaw nudged her quickly and said panicking, "He might still be alive, we have to help him"
Leopardheart leaped down, the pain in her leg was numb compared to the pain she was feeling now. She to Pebblekit and knew. The small tom's green eyes where widened in shock, but they were glassy, and Leopardheart failed to see the rise and fall of his sides.
Hot tears flooded her eyes as she whispered hollowly, "No…"
She blinked back the tears and shook her head. First Vixenkit…and now Pebblekit, what would she tell Nightstorm? Would he be angry at her? Would he take Spottedkit away from her?
Quickpaw nudged her out of her thoughts. He looked at her sadly and said, "We should get back to camp"
Leopardheart nodded and tentatively picked up Pebblekit's body, as if she expected him to get up and laugh as if he was playing one of his pranks.
But Pebblekit didn't awaken when she picked him up. She leaned on Quickpaw for support for more reasons than one as they made their way back to camp.
Shrieks of horror rippled through camp as they entered. As she laid Pebblekit's body down in the middle of camp, Spottedstar emerged from his den. He took one look at her and approached her saying, "I warned you not to have kits at a time like this"
Leopardheart snarled in outrage and anger. Spottedstar's gaze suddenly softened and he said, "But I'm sorry your kit had to die"
Nightstorm ran up to her and collapsed beside them with Spottedkit at his side. Her icy blue eyes were puzzled as she asked, "He went to Starclan, didn't he?"
"Yes"
"I knew"
"You did?"
"Yep"
"How?"
Spottedkit shrugged, "I had a dream"
Leopardheart, now very interested asked, "What happened in your dream?"
"I think I was at Fourtrees", Spottedkit started, "There where all these cats watching me, and they all had stars in their fur. Suddenly they all turned to look at one of the trees. There was a fain outline of a cat…it was Pebblekit, and he had stars in his fur too"
"Oh my"
"But that's not all momma", Spottedkit said, "Beside Pebblekit, there was another kit"
"What did the kit look like?", Leopardheart asked. Spottedkit frowned in concentration, "It was a she-cat, she was smaller than me, she had green eyes and…black fur"
Leopardheart sighed sadly, "That was Vixenkit, your sister"
"Sister?", Spottedkit echoed. Leopardheart nodded, "She was a stillborn"
"Oh", was all Spottedkit said before she laid down beside her grieving father.
Goldenstripe came up to her and stroked her shoulder with her tail and said, "I'm so sorry"
Leopardheart nodded and Goldenstripe went on, "I'm sure Hawkwing is taking care of him, just like we took care of her kits"
Leopardheart nodded again. Goldenstripe smiled weakly, "Plus it's not all bad"
"How so?", Leopardheart said hoarsely. Goldenstripe's eyes momentarily light up, "I'm expecting Bramblepelt's kits"
Leopardheart smiled, she had seen how close Goldenstripe had been getting with Bramblepelt over the last few moons. It had been obvious they were going to be mates.
"Have you told him yet?"
"No…", Goldenstripe said sheepishly. Leopardheart rolled her eyes, "Then go tell him"
Goldenstripe looked conflicted on whether to go or not. Leopardheart looked down at her paws and muttered, "I'll be fine"
Goldenstripe hesitantly nodded and went to find Bramblepelt. Leopardheart laid beside her mate and wrapped her tail protectively around Spottedkit. As she groomed Nightstorm's pelt she thought, I will not lose Spottedkit. I swear it by Starclan!
The next day, after Pebblekit was buried, she left Spottedkit with Whitefur and went out training with Brackenpaw. It was effective in taking her mind off Pebblekit. But it brought new worries to her mind as they neared the river.
Leopardheart wondered what Lionstar and Darkheart where planning in Riverclan. She couldn't ask Snowclaw, she hadn't seen him near the border in moons, and she hadn't gone to a gathering since before her kits where born.
"What are we doing today Leopardheart?", Brackenpaw asked eagerly. Leopardheart smiled, "I'll be taking you to the sandy hollow to practice your battle moves with the other apprentices"
Brackenpaw smiled with glee. Leopardheart rolled her eyes and took Brackenpaw to the sandy hollow.
"Go for the legs!", Leopardheart shouted as she watched her apprentice battle practicing with Oakpaw and Stormpaw. Right now, she was against Oakpaw, Stormpaw had already beet her.
"I'm trying!", Brackenpaw growled as she blocked a blow to the head from Oakpaw. Leopardheart noticed how well Oakpaw was doing; there wasn't much more his mentor Sleekpelt could teach him. She would have to talk to Spottedstar about his warrior ceremony, Stormpaw's too.
Oakpaw slammed Brackenpaw to the ground and held her down. Leopardheart stood up and said, "Good job Oakpaw, I'll be talking to Spottedstar as soon as we get back about your final assessment, yours to Stormpaw"
Leopardheart glanced at her own apprentice, "Good job Brackenpaw, but you'll need to hit hard if you're going to take down a larger enemy"
Brackenpaw frowned and said angrily, "How should I have beat him, huh? You've haven't taught me anything since your kits were born"
Leopardheart swallowed the lump of gilt in her throat at the thought of her kits and said, "Well now that Vixenkit and Pebblekit are gone, and Spottedkit's with Whitefur, I can teach you how to respect your elders!"
Brackenpaw backed up nervously and scrunched herself closer to the ground and stuttered, "I'm sorry Leopardheart…I-I d-didn't mean…"
Leopardheart sighed and said, "Never mind, I shouldn't have been so hard on you"
Brackenpaw nodded and stood up taller. She showed a small smile when she said, "So about battle training…"
Leopardheart smiled and lowered herself to the ground saying, "I'm going to show you how to jump and pin your opponent…"
Leopardheart marched confidently into Spottedstar's den. She was going to give him her report on how well the apprentices where doing.
But as soon as she entered the den Spottedstar growled, "What do you want?"
Leopardheart swallowed and said, "I wanted to tell you that I think Oakpaw and Stormpaw should have their final assessment"
Spottedstar thought about it for a minute before finally saying, "No, they aren't worthy yet"
"But Spottedstar-"
"I said no!", Spottedstar said angrily, "Do I have to say it again?"
Leopardheart gulped, "N-no Spottedstar"
"Good, now get out, leave me in peace". Leopardheart nodded and walked quickly out of Spottedstar's den.
Leopardheart hesitantly approached Stormpaw and Oakpaw. The two apprentices were chatting nervously to each other. When they saw Leopardheart they stood up quickly, their tails twitching in anticipation.
"Well?", Oakpaw asked, "When is our assessment?"
Leopardheart looked down at her paws and said, "I'm afraid there won't be an assessment"
"What!", Stormpaw said, her grey eyes wide with shock and outrage, "That's not far!"
Leopardheart turned away from the two apprentices and said, "I'm sorry, but it wasn't my decision to make"
