Chapter Thirteen: Envy

"I feel like dirt," Dreamcloud moaned, lying down on her side. "I hate this."

"So that's why I chose to be a medicine cat," Calicofur purred. But as she said this, she looked at her paws. Spiderleg hadn't spoken to her since the day she had rejected him, and she kept seeing the black tom's sad eyes in her head. How they had mirrored her own...

"You know," Dreamcloud whispered, standing and letting her eyes travel all over the medicine cat. "Sometimes, I get scared about this whole thing. Really, truly scared."

Calicofur gently touched noses with her friend. "It's all right," She murmured. "You can be scared. It's natural."

"Not just about the kits," Dreamcloud sighed. "What if somebody finds out about... you know. Like Firestar. I'm his granddaughter. It isn't right..."

"Has Starclan spoken to you about it?" Calicofur asked lightly. She could sense that her friend's job was far from over.

"No."

Shaking her head, Dreamcloud stood and walked off.

"Poor thing," Calicofur muttered to herself.

Poor thing.

xxx

Dreamcloud stepped as lightly as she could, so that she would not be heard. Unfortunatly, she was very clumsy with her swollen stomach. Her eyes lit up in delight when she saw the familiar white tom.

"Windshadow!" She exclaimed, picking up her pace. He seemed dazed.

"It's Windstar," He corrected gently. Dreamcloud skidded to a halt in front of him and dipped her head in respect.

"I forgot."

Windstar's eyes widened, and he pressed his head against hers. "Don't act like that, Dreamcloud," He pleaded, begging her.

"You're a leader," The queen sighed. "I need to treat you with more respect."

Windstar twined his tail in hers. "This is me," He assured her. "Don't worry."

Dreamcloud was still silent for a moment, then looked up, that spark he loved back in her amber eyes.

"Congratulations!" She purred, giving his ear an affectionate lick. "Did everything go all right?"

"Fine," Windstar replied. He looked thoughtful. Windstar knew that he shouldn't be speaking of what happened, but...

So what?

"There was a little something," He admitted. "Just tiny."

"What?" Dreamcloud asked, worry now showing on her face.

"There were two cats who weren't supposed to be there," Windstar meowed. "Brokentail... and Blackstar."

Dreamcloud's eyes got huge. "What?" She cried. "Don't tell me they gave you lives."

"Well," Windstar meowed. "They kind of did."

"There's no 'kind of' to it."

"Then they did."

Windstar nodded.

Dreamcloud slowly sat down. This was not good. Not good, not good, not good.

"How could they have done that!" She cried. "This is horrible! This could cause something very, very wrong-"

Windstar faintly remembered the days that Dreamcloud had been rational. Oh well. Applebird had warned him that this would be happening...

"Are you listening to me?" She wailed.

"Huh? Oh, yes, of course. Continue."

xxx

"Would you like to share with me, Lightfur?" Spiderleg asked tentatively. Calicofur watched, her eyes searing into the tabby she-cat with envy. To her outrage, Lightfur looked delighted.

"I'd love to," She murmured, crouching down so that she was face to face with Spiderleg. Calicofur couldn't help letting a hiss escape her as she turned back to Leafpool's den.

The one problem was that Leafpool wasn't there.

"This isn't right," She muttered, looking all around. Leafpool must have gone to look for herbs... but it still didn't comfort her that she was gone.

"Firestar," She called as the tom walked by. "Have you seen Leafpool?"

His eyes were worried. "I was just about to ask you the same question."

Calicofur kneaded the ground with her paws. She spotted Squirrelflight speaking to Brambleclaw, and padded up.

"Have either of you seen Leafpool?" Calicofur asked.

They both shook their heads.

"I haven't seen her all day..." Squirrelflight's eyes suddenly widened.

"Not again."
xxx

"Windstar!"

Windstar winced-again. He really needed to get cats off of his back about who would be deputy...

"I'M THINKING, OK!" He yowled, whirling around to-

Oh.

Applebird.

She seemed stunned. "Er... I was just going to ask you who you want to go on the hunting patrol."

"Sorry," He meowed, flicking her shoulder with his tail. "How about you go with Adderfoot, Cedarheart, and Treepaw?"

Applebird dipped her head and padded off.

Sighing, Windstar walked up to his new den and lay down. Who could possibly be deputy? Adderfoot would be one of his top choices. The tom was young and strong. But then, he hadn't had an apprentice yet. Applebird was a great warrior, but there was awkwardness he didn't need in making her deputy.

"Windstar?"

A tortoiseshell she-cat that Windstar knew well padded into the den, then halted, her green eyes asking his permission.

"Come in, Tawnypelt," He meowed.

"I was wondering if you would like any patrols sent out to look for Nectarfoot. I mean, I thought it would be best, but-"

Windstar closed his eyes halfway through her speaking. He hadn't told any of the Clan that Nectarfoot was dead.

That Twolegs had killed her.

"Tawnypelt," He began cautiously. "When I was recieving my nine lives, I saw someone there..."

Sorrow entered the she-cat's eyes when she realized what was going on.

"Nectarfoot."

"Yes," He answered. "Just... don't tell anyone yet."

"You have my word."

As the warrior walked out, it hit Windstar. Tawnypelt was the perfect cat to be deputy! She was trustworthy, sensible, intelligent...

In fact, why hadn't Russetstar made her deputy in the first place?

It would make things a lot easier...

After stretching, Windstar bounded out of his den and yowled for a meeting. All the Clan gathered around, guessing what this meant.

"I have spent much time thinking about this," Windstar yowled. "And I have decided that Shadowclan's new deputy will be... Tawnypelt."

Yowls of approval immediatly filled the camp. Tawnypelt looked stunned, but happy.

"Thank-you, Windstar," She purred. "I am honored to accept this position."

As the other warriors congratulated her, one didn't. Windstar avoided Applebird's hazel eyes, and quickly sprinted into the forest, hearing her behind him.

"Why did you choose her?"

A deaf cat could have heard the double meaning in her words. Windstar sighed and turned to face her.

"Which 'her'?" He asked.

Applebird looked at her paws. "Both. But Tawnypelt first."

"I chose Tawnypelt," Windstar said. "Because I feel like she is the one meant to be deputy right now. She has more experience that both of us. And there's also the fact that you... you know."

"And Dreamcloud?" Applebird's eyes showed challenge.

"I chose Dreamcloud," Windstar answered firmly. "Because I love her. It's simple. And there's also the obvious fact that you aren't over Birchpelt yet."

xxx

Who would you like a plushie of most?

A) Windstar

B) Calicofur

C) Dreamcloud

D) Robinpelt

I shall count the votes and then will send out plushies in the order of popularity to anyone who reviews.(winks) But vote, anyway.

ME HAVE GIGANTIC PLUSHIE MACHINE!