November, 11th, 2020

The sun's warmth brought new life to the forest. Even in it's barren state, with the sudden wave of heat prey shuffled from their dens and went on a hunt for food.

Icaruswind was in the back of a hunting patrol. In lead was a she-cat named Mistyclaw, three more warriors followed the gray she-cat.

It was a big patrol, and with two more hunting patrols out the Clan should have a feast. He flicked an ear. With so many cats out at once the Clan was left with little inside. Already two border patrols had left, and another patrol that they called an exploration patrol gone out at dawn.

The tom flicked his tail back and forth. If they were all gone at the same time, how easy would it be for someone to attack the camp? He snorted. It was weird how he started to actually care for this camp and their warriors.

Before he had only worried about FlameClan, of course he never knew the difference between them and the others. Crackedstar had made it seem like he got his ideas from everyone else - and that it was just the way things were.

But now he knew better. And a part of him wanted to go back and tell everyone. Yes, some low life toms would want things to stay the way they were. Toms ruled FlameClan, while the she-cats were used to have kits and be play-things of their mates.

Icaruswind flinched internally. No wonder Beepath had been so harsh towards him when they were announced to be paired mates. She probably thought he'd do what she saw everyone else doing.

Beepath. Claws digging into the dirt he snarled. Why did she have to change her name? It was perfectly fine before she went here, what did she think she was to good for it? He was named by Crackedstar, and yet he didn't skip off to Leafstar asking for a new name!

Sighing he narrowed his gaze, his muscles were bunched up, and he felt his claws dragging along the cold ground. Beepath was a strange she-cat, and he knew she never meant to offend anyone by getting a new name.

How does she feel right about now, you foxheart? Walking out after that, she was so happy.. Oh StarClan, what had he done? After the ceremony she looked joyful, prancing around, for once smiling.

Icaruswind let his tail drop and drag behind him. After he left he had went to hunt, but it did little good as he managed to only find a mere mouse. Getting back to camp he met up with Dirtclaw, and the brown patched tom told him how she just left for the nursery after seeing him leave.

"Hey, watch were you're walking!" Snarled a silver tabby tom, his blue eyes burning into Icaruswind's pelt.

The former FlameClan tom flicked an ear. His eye narrowed as he lifted his head, shoulders squaring up as he hissed. "Better keep your trap shut, I'm not in the mood to deal with fluffbrain's right now."

Coldbreeze snorted as he lashed this tail. "Oh I'm sorry, didn't know that the lil' baby needed his spa-" before he could finish his sentence he yowled.

Blood dripped from his muzzle, and a dim pride ruffled through Icaruswind as he glared down the tom. Claws unsheathed, and glittering as crimson droplets stained the snow.

"I told you to shut. your. trap." Shoving past the tom he paused to burn his gaze across each warrior. They watched. Some stiffened up, almost like they were ready for a fight to brake out.

With a snort he turned and took the lead. His tail lashing as he pushed past a barren bush, ears flattened as he heard hushed whispers behind his back.

*

The sudden warmth was starting to irritate her. She felt sticky and sweaty, and with her being stuck inside the overly warm den in her nest she felt like she was having a heat stroke.

It didn't help that she could barely move now. After the naming ceremony she realized just how little she could actually move. And now she was being ordered to stay inside the den, as Mintleaf was worried with her being so small, and what seemed to be having a larger litter than normal, she would get hurt or strained by moving to much.

"Beepath, you alright over there?" A soft meow made her lift her head.

Sourly, she nodded. It was a complete lie, and the split-faced queen already was up on her paws to get Mintleaf. Or possibly Shellwhisper? The young medicine cat seemed to know what she was doing, and many went to her instead of the older, ginger she-cat.

Beepath sighed. Trying her best to stretch out and get comfortable. But to her annoyence it only started to make her pant, sweat now clinging to her pelt as she gave a small whimper.

Why was it so hard to be comfortable? Small waves of pain hit her as she tightly closed her eyes. Tail lashing as she heard the ivy being pushed back and the sound of paws on the cold earth.

A cold nose touched her forehead. And she hissed as more warmth entered the den, making it even harder to breath. "Oh - this isn't good. Chameleaonmock, go get Shellwhisper and Vinepaw. Tell them that Beepath is in labor - they know which herbs to grab."

Labor? "N-no," she gasped, eyes narrowing as another wave of pain, much stronger than before, hit her. "It's to soon!" She hissed, teeth bared as she forced herself to stay calm.

I'm not ready! Fifteen. Even if she was old enough as a cat she wasn't as a human. And that was were her mind was. How could she do this? It would be painful, and she already knew that there was a cruel chance of her dying.

Mintleaf gave a small reassuring purr. "Don't worry, you'll be okay. Just breathe for me, okay?"

Swallowing back a bitter remark she nodded. Pale eyes closing as she tried to relax, only to tense up as another spasm, much worst than before, racked her small body.

It was to much. The heat got worst as she wiggled on the nest, trying to sit up, roll, do something to get out of the puddle of sweat. An the nest. It was made of thorns!

The ginger medicine cat was now joined by two more cats. Vinepaw watched with wide eyes. And he didn't seem to pleased to be in the nursery, tail lashing as he flattened his ears. Shellwhisper looked more calmer, and she worked quickly to tell the young tom to get moss and soak it in water.

With Vinepaw gone, and now both Chameleaonmock, her kits, and Owlpop out of the den, she relaxed slightly.

Beepath was still uncomfortable and sweating But she found it easier to breathe with my more room and less cats around. "Eat these," mewed Shellwhisper.

The queen lapped up the soft leaves instantly. Hoping it would help ease any pains she was experiencing. It did little, but after a moment it seemed to help, if only for a moment.

A mossball was pushed to her muzzle. Water droplets dripped off, and she lapped greedily at the water. It helped her dry throat as she panted. Ears flat with her flinching every few minutes.

How long did she have to go through this? Beepath found her thoughts to be clouded, worry making its way to choke her as pain pusled through her.

Already the two medicine cats were speaking quickly. Plans that sounded like giberish to her buzzed in her ears. Eyes narrowed as the world began to spin, growing blurry as she buried her face into the damp moss.

November, 11th, 2020