Invasion

Summary: Sequel to Sunlit Snowdrift. Windshadow and Dreamcloud must defeat two legs in a new prophecy, and get big news...

Disclaimer: If I owned anyone but... Dreamcloud, Windshadow, Palepaw, Calicofur, Robinpelt, and tons of minor characters, I would be making all of this true in a 4th series after The Power of Three...

Chapter Four: Barn Cats

Dreamcloud opened her eyes. At first she was wondering where she was, but then she heard the mewling of Whiteleaf's kits, and got up, stretching.

"Good morning," She mewed to Whiteleaf, who was frantically trying to manage her kits, Rabbitkit and Acornkit. Both were one moon old. Acornkit was pale gray with white paws, the tom, and Rabbitkit, the she-kit, was all pale gray except for the tip of her tail, which was white. They mainly took after their father, Sootfur, in color.

"They haven't been walking for long, and they're already trying to get out!" Whiteleaf exclaimed, nosing Rabbitkit back into the nest with her brother. Dreamcloud blinked at them fondly. To think that in around two moons, she would have that as well!

"I've got the Poppy Seeds, Whiteleaf!" Came a cheerful voice. Calicofur was walking into the den, her delicate, three-tones paws stepping onto the moss.

"Thanks," Whiteleaf purred to the pretty medicine cat. "Acornkit has a cold, and he needs to sleep," She explained to Dreamcloud.

"He'll be all right, won't he?" The ginger queen asked worriedly.

"Oh, yes," Calicofur mewed as she nosed the gray and white kit. "He'll be fine."

Dreamcloud noticed that the slightly older she-cat looked worried, like she had something on her mind. Her blue(a/n: If I said they were amber, I've changed them) eyes stared at Dreamcloud for a moment. The pale ginger she-cat flinched and looked down. She hated being stared at. It was like the cat staring at her knew everything... including her secret.

"What is it, Calicofur?" Dreamcloud asked politely.

"Would you like to go with me as I gather herbs?" The medicine cat blurted out. Dreamcloud flicked her ears as she thought. Calicofur had to want something. She had never wanted this before... but still... Maybe she was just lonely, or wanted to see how she was doing.

"Sure."

000

Dreamcloud sniffed the air.

"Hmm. Smells like other cats."

"Really?" Calicofur mewed, her nose twitching as she tried to bring up memories of her warrior training.

Dreamcloud mrowwed with laughter. "Just because I'm expecting kits doesn't mean that I can't still use my warrior skills. And besides, you can't even tell that I'm expecting yet. I just moved to the nursery last night."

Her amber eyes grew worried as she wondered about who the cats were. She had never smelled them before...

"Murr-OW!"

A large gray and white tom lept out of the bushes toward her. Remembering her condition, Dreamcloud side-stepped and raked her claws down his muzzle, her fur bristling.

"Dreamcloud, don't!" Calicofur cried.

"He's attacking for no reason!" Dreamcloud protested," We're still on Thunderclan territory!" She opened her mouth to drink in his scent, and her eyes widened in anger. "He's not even a clan-cat! He's a loner!"

She prepared to attack, when a white blur bowled the loner over. Windshadow was standing over him, slashing at the loner with his claws. Just as the tom was about to sink his fangs into the gray and white cat's throat, Calicofur cried out,

"Don't!"

After a moment, Windshadow sighed and got off of the tom.

"Smoky? Smoky, where are you?"

A good-natured looking light brown long-haired she-cat wandered into view, a small gray and white she-cat behind her.

"Who are you loners?" Dreamcloud asked, arching her back and bearing her fangs. As if Calicofur was no longer there, Windshadow pressed his side to hers, copying her movements.

"Please calm down," The gray and white she-cat soothed. "My name is Floss, and these two are my parents, Daisy and Smoky(a/n: Floss is gray and white, and Smoky was protective of her kits...)."

Daisy's hazel eyes widened after she gazed at Dreamcloud. "Smoky!" She hissed to her mate, "You attacked a queen expecting kits!"

The tom looked a bit remorseful. "Sorry," He meowed, "But I was protecting my territory."

"You're loners," Windshadow spat, still unhappy about this cat attacking his mate.

"Windshadow, don't worry," Dreamcloud murmured, her mood suddenly changing. "He wasn't able to lay a claw on me."

Windshadow stared at her for a moment, before deciding that her hormones were awry. Meanwhile, Calicofur was watching the two, a strange look on her face. They seemed to be so close...

Too close.

"We're barn cats," Daisy mewed, "Nice to meet you... though I wish that it was under better circumstances."

"Same here," Dreamcloud said, "But how did you know that I was expecting?"

"Both Floss and I have had kits," Daisy purred, "We can always tell. So, when are the kits due?"

"Two moons."

As the other three she-cats spoke, Calicofur walked over to Windshadow. "Why are you in Thunderclan territory?" She asked boldly. The intimidating Shadowclan deputy turned his pale green gaze bore into her.

"I actually came to give you a message from Littlecloud. He wants to know if you have Coltsfoot here?" He sounded calm, but his eyes now shifted away from her, and Calicofur wondered...

"Yes, we do," She said, "But why didn't he send Nectarfoot for him?"

"Nectarfoot has a cold," He meowed, "Ironic isn't it?"

"Er... yes."

"Well," Dreamcloud mewed after a moment, "We'd better get going, shouldn't we Calicofur?" She turned to the loners. "And nice to meet you." Now to Windshadow. Her eyes met his, and they were silent for a moment before she spoke. "I liked seeing you again, Windshadow."

"So did I, Dreamcloud."

After a moment, he turned and bounded off. With a sigh, Dreamcloud began to pad off, Calicofur at her side.

000

Applebird watched the sleek white cat crouch closer and closer to his prey. Just a bit closer now...

Bam!

Windshadow trotted over and dropped the mouse at her paws. "You haven't been able to hunt all day," He purred, "Want to share?"

"Yes, thanks," She mewed, and took a bite of the mouse. Windshadow looked off in the distance for a moment.

"I've got to go," He finally meowed, "I'll be back soon."

As he padded off, Applebird stared after him, ears pricked. What was he doing? As if she was his mentor again, she followed the tom through the forest, 'til they came to the border.

He'll stop here, She thought.

But he didn't.

Windshadow calmly stepped onto Thunderclan territory, sniffing the air carefully. Finally, a beautiful pale ginger queen padded out of the shadows. With a purr of delight, she pressed herself against Windshadow. Applebird's hazel eyes widened in shock as Windshadow licked her forhead and pressed his head against hers. It was like they were mates.

"How are you and the kits doing?"

Oh.

They were.

Applebird recognized Dreamcloud of Thunderclan, and her claws sank into the ground. Those two had always been close... She pressed her belly to the ground, crouching low, hoping they wouldn't smell her.

"We're fine," Dreamcloud purred, twining her tail around his.

"Good. Nothing out of the ordinary?"

"Of course not. Don't worry, that run in with the loners didn't do a thing. Calicofur checked me over." Dreamcloud's amber eyes narrowed. "I think she's getting suspicious, Windshadow."

He stiffened. "Is she? I'm guessing you two are growing closer."

"Yes. She's almost a friend."

Applebird swiped her tongue over her mouth in agitation. So a cat of Dreamcloud's clan knew as well. Or almost knew. She had heard of Calicofur, the medicine cat apprentice.

Smart cat.

She shifted her weight a bit, and a twig snapped. The lovers froze. Windshadow sniffed the air, and the fur on his shoulders bristled.

"Dreamcloud, go. Now."

The young queen paused, but then touched her nose to his before running off, silently. A skilled young warrior. Applebird admired her. So young, and yet so good.

"You can come out now, Applebird," Windshadow meowed.

Sighing, she crept out from her hiding place.

"Why'd you follow me?" He asked immediately, "I thought we were friends. I thought you trusted me."

A stab of pain hit Applebird's heart. She had felt a bit of jealousy toward Dreamcloud already, and now this?

"Well," She spat, "Apparently there was a good reason for me to not trust you."

Windshadow's leaf green eyes showed anger, and he bounded away, in front of her. His former mentor quickly followed.

"Why are you betraying your clan for this?" She mewed desperately. Windshadow spun on his paws to face her.

"I love her. That's why."

His words hit Applebird like a raking of claws against her face. She had thought it was skin deep... After all Dreamcloud was very beautiful...

"You love her."

"Yes." Windshadow looked her in the eye. "I love her, and she's carrying our kits. There's nothing you can do to stop us from loving each other, or stop those kits from being born. Because I know that you would never kill a queen with kits."

Applebird bowed her head. That was true.

"Fine, Windshadow," She murmured, "I'll keep your secret. Just... be careful. Please."

000

"Hurry, hurry!"

Calicofur lifted her head too find three cats padding frantically into camp. There was Sootfur, Sandstorm, and Spiderleg.

But something was wrong. Spiderleg was being supported between Sandstorm and Sootfur, and limping, his left forleg in the air.

"He was bitten by an adder!" Sandstorm panted.

Calicofur's blue eyes widened, and she rushed forward. Oh, why was Leafpool out gathering herbs?

"All right," She mewed, "Lie down, Spiderleg. We don't want the venom to poison your blood."

The black tom nodded his head, wheezing, and lay down. The two tiny pinpricks were visible, and Calicofur began to bind his leg with cobwebs, constricted the circulation.

"Did you kill the adder?" She asked.

Sandstorm nodded, dragging it over.

"Good."

Calicofur squeezed some venom out onto moss, and instructed Sootfur to soak the moss in water, to dilute the deadly liquid. As he did, she chewed some leaves into a paste, and spat it out on the moss.

"Take as much of this as you can," She told Spiderleg. The tom weakly licked it up, and finally began to sleep.

"He'll be fine," Calicofur murmured, and sat down to wait.

000

A few hours later, Spiderleg awoke.

"Thank you for saving my life, Calicofur," He croaked, looking up at her. Calicofur's pale blue eyes met his amber ones. Both cats' eyes shone with something for a moment before looking down.

"You're welcome," She mewed demurely.

"No, really," He meowed, "I wouldn't be here without you."

She pressed her flank against his so that he would be warm-at least, that's what she told herself-and both cats fell asleep side by side.

000

So... what do you think about Spiderleg and Calicofur? Do they have a thing for each other? Should they? I already have my plans for them out, but vote!