Chapter Eight: Pushing

The white tom yawned, showing rows of sharp fangs. The kits were gathered around him, their eyes wide in awe.

"Windshadow," One asked. "What's it like to be deputy?"

Windshadow stood, carefully stretching his limbs. He winced slightly. The tom was still a bit sore, but that didn't really matter, did it? He could get back to his duties.

Windshadow hated resting.

First and most importantly of all, Littlecloud was always making sure that he wasn't getting up to go somewhere, so he couldn't visit Dreamcloud. Second, Applebird was in charge of everything while he was gone, so she was barking out orders to everyone. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate it, he just like being the authority. And she was always checking on him. ALL THE TIME.

"Treekit," Windshadow began thoughtfully. "It's... interesting. You never have a dull moment."

He touched noses with the little brown tabby kit, Tallpoppy's grandson. "Maybe one day, you'll be deputy."

The kit's still-blue eyes widened in excitement.

Windshadow blinked affectionately at the kits, then prowled toward the entrance of the camp. That's when a familiar ginger she-cat blocked his path.

"Where are you going?"

"Applebird," Windshadow sighed. "I'm better now. I can-"

"I still see a bit of a limp going on," Applebird decided. "Go see Littlecloud and ask him."

Rolling his eyes, Windshadow walked toward the medicine cat den, careful to make sure that he wasn't limping.

"You look b-" Littlelcloud began, but then was cut off by the tom.

"Better? I know. Applebird just doesn't seem to believe me, the bossy thing."

Littlecloud's eyes twinkled. "Well, maybe she has her reasons," He reasoned.

Windshadow felt his heart sinking. "Uh... what do you mean?" He asked feebly as Littlecloud checked him over.

"How would Cinderpelt handle this...?" Littlecloud muttered to himself. "Ah, yes. In case you haven't noticed, Windshadow, Applebird is very fond of you."

Windshadow stiffened. "Is she now?"

That would explain a lot.

"Yes," Littlecloud said. "I wonder who was the father of her first kits."

"I'm only a bit older than them!"

"I wasn't going for that, don't worry."

Windshadow looked down at his paws. This was complicated. Applebird was a great friend, but that's what she was. A friend. Not a cat that he could find himself with, especially since he was in love with Dreamcloud.

That's it.

Visit Dreamcloud.

xxx

Calicofur blinked hard as she chewed on the Burdock root. She hated the bitter taste of the plant, but it was excellent for rat bites.

"Sit still, Cloudtail," She muttered. The tom glared at her.

"It's not my fault that the stuff stings," He meowed.

"Well, it certainly isn't hers," A playful voice shot back. Dreamcloud padded into the den. Her stomach was now swollen-not too much, but a bit-with kits. But she still looked as fierce as ever in her eyes.

Cloudtail flicked his tail affectionately. Everyone seemed to like Dreamcloud, and not just because she was the Clan leader's granddaughter. She was, in fact, Cloudtail's kin, his cousin, and the tom had always spoiled her as if she was his own.

"How are you doing?" He asked.

Dreamcloud grimaced. "Same old, same old. Feel like I'm going to spit my food back out half the time."

Cloudtail purred. "That was what Brightheart used to say to me all the time."

"Well," Dreamcloud mewed, "Let's take the focus off of me. You're the one being poked and prodded by Calicofur. What happened?"

"I found a rat's nest."

"Oh. Enough said."

Calicofur glanced at Dreamcloud. "And why are you here?" She asked.

"I need something to soothe my stomach," Dreamcloud meowed. "Have anything?"

"Sorry," Calicofur purred. "The only thing to help that is getting those kits out of you."

"Another moon of this?"

Sighing, Dreamcloud began to pad off. Cloudtail's dark blue eyes sparkled. "You kind of have to feel sorry for her."

Calicofur dipped her head. But there was something deep inside of her. Jealousy? Was she jealous because Dreamcloud was expecting kits and she wasn't?

Couldn't be.

"There you go," She said to Cloudtail quietly. The tom thanked her and padded off to eat with Brightheart.

Calicofur suddenly bounded up to Dreamcloud's side.

"Where are you going?" She asked. Dreamcloud looked down at her paws.

"Don't follow me. Please."

xxx

Dreamcloud crouched down on the ground, waiting. Her swollen stomach was touching the smooth grass, and she yawned. Newleaf would be a nice time for her kits to be born.

"Dreamcloud?"

She stood at the familiar voice, and trotted up to the tom, pressing herself up against him.

"You're OK!" She purred.

"And you're fat," Windshadow noted. She swatted him with sheathed claws.

"You aren't supposed to say that to a queen, mouse-brain!"

Windshadow laughed, pressing his muzzle against hers. "It's a good kind of fat, furball! And you aren't supposed to swat deputies!"

Dreamcloud sat down and rested her head on his shoulder. "You aren't my deputy, so I don't have to do anything."

Windshadow licked her ear. "Of course." He meowed, deciding not to fight her on that one.

"How're your injuries doing?" Dreamcloud asked.

"Fine," Windshadow sighed. "Applebird's been worried about me." His eyes immediately showed after the sentence that he knew he shouldn't have said that.

Dreamcloud lifted her head. "Has she now?" She asked in a tight voice.

Windshadow shuffled one paw on the ground. "Sort of... you can't blame her. She is a friend."

Dreamcloud flicked her tail so the tip was on his mouth. "Sure," She hissed. "That's all she wants to be."
Windshadow only had one thing on his mind at that moment:

Duck and cover.

"Just calm down," He soothed. "It's all right..."

"I know who the father of her kits is," Dreamcloud said abruptly.

"Who?" Windshadow asked, ears pricked. That subject had always interested him.

Dreamcloud's amber eyes glittered. "Birchpelt."

Windshadow was silent for a moment. "You sure?"

"Yes. She told m-ouch!" Dreamcloud stopped herself and looked angrily at her stomach.

"What?" Windshadow meowed anxiously. "Are you OK?"

"Yes," She sighed. "One of the kits just likes to kick a lot." She glared once again at her stomach. "Stop that!"

Windshadow purred and pressed his head up against her. "You are a very silly queen, you know that?"

Dreamcloud rolled her eyes. "What? You want a couple of squirmers in your belly?"

"No thanks!" Windshadow said quickly.

As they spoke, they had no idea that a pair of eyes was watching them. The watcher sadly slipped away.

Dreamcloud suddenly pricked her ears. "Do you hear that?"

Voices.

Carefully, the two stepped closer to the noises. Three cats were standing atop a hill. The hill was steep, and had rocks at the bottom. Dangerous. It was a hunting patrol, Dreamcloud realized. Sandstorm was leading it, with Ashfur behind her.

Dreamcloud didn't like the look on Ashfur's face. In fact, truth be told she had never liked the tom. Probably because of her family history with him.

"We should call Robinpelt back," Sandstorm said.

"He heard there were more rabbits back there," Ashfur reasoned.

"And he isn't exactly the best rabbit hunter, is he?" Sandstorm shot back. "And you aren't the leader of the patrol."

"That bossy attitude is exactly why I'm doing this," Ashfur muttered. Or maybe he didn't say anything... who knew!

"I'm going to go get those mice," Sandstorm decided, beginning to walk down the hill. But as she was about to say something else, she didn't.

Because her words were turned into a yowl as Ashfur pushed her.

xxx

R and R!