Chapter Twenty: Loss
"Ok," Swift muttered to Blizzard through the fence before turning. A glint was in her amber eyes. "I can do that."
"What exactly are we doing?" Windstar asked cautiously as they padded toward the house.
The wolf-dog nosed him affectionately. "You'll see."
xxx
Calicofur watched as Lightfur's body was dragged away. Spiderleg watched, sorrow in his eyes, then shot a glance toward her. The she-cat's pelt prickled. He had every right to hate her.
"It's sad, isn't it?" Dreamcloud asked. The queen looked like she was going to sit down, but then decided not to. Her stomach was huge.
"You seem bothered by something," Calicofur commented, then narrowed her blue eyes. "Maybe I should take a look at you."
"I'm sure it's nothing," Dreamcloud said quickly averting her eyes.
Worry coursed through Calicofur. She had heard stories about queens who ignored the pain of their kits coming because their mates weren't there...
"Just let me have a look at you," Calicofur begged. Dreamcloud looked at her with narrowed eyes. Unbearable pain was there. She had lost her friend and her mate so quickly...
"Fine," She growled. "But nothing's wrong."
"I'm sure there isn't," Calicofur agreed. I might be imagining things, she told herself. After all, I haven't been present at the birth of kits yet. Leafpool's taken care of them. Leafpool had actually been the cat to deliver Calicofur and her sibling. The first litter she had taken care of.
Calicofur looked up at the evening sky, hoping-praying-that Dreamcloud's kits wouldn't be coming. For there was one thing that both she and the nervous queen knew.
They would be early.
And too early.
xxx
This can't be it, Spottedleaf thought as she looked down at the pool. It couldn't...
"Bluestar!" She yowled, rushing towards the gray she-cat, who was speaking to Silverstream.
"What?" Bluestar asked, turning her head.
"We have to send someone to Windstar," Spottedleaf panted. "Now."
Silverstream's green eyes widened as she realized what Spottedleaf was speaking of, as did Bluestar's.
"That poor soul," She muttered under her breath. "Wait-let me stay with her when the time comes. I can send Graystripe."
"He hasn't been sent before," Spottedleaf's amber eyes showed worry. "Should we risk it?"
"For this," Silverstream growled. "He'll be more than ready."
Both she-cats turned to Bluestar. The former ThunderClan leader looked unsure of what to do, but finally dipped her head.
"I agree with Silverstream. Spottedleaf, you know that Graystripe will be swifter than any of our other warriors here in all of StarClan."
Spottedleaf looked doubtful, but finally sighed, "All right. But if he messes up, everything will be-"
"Doomed?" Silverstream's eyes glittered. "I know. But we have to give him a chance-"
"Spottedleaf said she would," Bluestar meowed. "We just need the job done, and we need it done fast."
Silverstream started to turn. "I'll go get Graystripe."
Spottedleaf looked after her, and hoped beyond hopes that they would be in time.
xxx
A prickle ran down Windstar's spine, and he shuddered. What had that been about...?
"Windstar!"
Turning quickly, he found a stocky gray tom with amber eyes. The cat looked exhausted, but their was something else that was noticable about him. Stars shimmered in his pelt, and Windstar knew that this was a StarClan cat.
"I'm Graystripe-"
"The former ThunderClan deputy."
"Yes," Graystripe panted. "And I came to tell you that you need to get back to the forest now."
"Why?" Windstar asked, confused. What could be so extremely important that he needed to get back today? Dreamcloud's kits wouldn't be born for about a week or so.
"I can't tell you why," Graystripe mewed, looking apologetic. "StarClan thing. But if I could, I would. It's invaluable that you get back."
"Who's this?" The familiar throaty voice of Swift asked. Windstar turned, and was surprised that the wolf-dog's amber eyes showed that she could see Graystripe perfectly. "Oh, a StarClan warrior." She didn't seem surprised at all.
To Windstar's even greater surprise, Graystripe dipped his head to her. "Swift. I've heard much. I trust that you'll help Windstar get home?"
"Of course."
With one last nod to each of them, Graystripe began to fade.
"Wait!" Windstar cried. "What-"
But he was gone.
Windstar turned to Swift. "We must leave now," He muttered, striding towards her. Swift looked outside, and he followed her gaze. "Perfect, she muttered. "The carrier is coming." She gave looked him in the eye. "We don't have much time. Listen carefully..."
xxx
"Dreamcloud," Calicofur murmured. "I want you to stay in the nursery."
The queen sat up immediately. "But you said the kits aren't coming!" She protested.
"I said I wasn't sure if they were coming or not," Calicofur corrected. "Now, I want to keep an eye on you..."
Dreamcloud glanced down at her swollen stomach. "The kits aren't coming without their father being here," She hissed fiercely. "They aren't!"
With that, she turned and began to walk quickly out of the den. Calicofur sighed, rolled her eyes, and began to follow, but before she could, an apprentice stood in her path.
"Calicofur!" He mewed. "Rainwhisker hurt his leg pretty badly-it might be broken."
Calicofur looked after Dreamcloud, who was padding towards the entrance of the den. She didn't have the look of a queen kitting... Calicofur had enough time to check on Rainwhisker.
xxx
Windstar watched as the Carrier got closer and closer to their nest, and padded at Swift's heels as she scratched at the door.
"Ok, Gracie," The Twoleg cooed, and the wolf-dog winced visibly as her Twoleg name was uttered.
"Once I'm outta here," She muttered. "With Skypack as my witness," She glanced at the tom near her. "-and Windstar-I'll never be called that wretched name again."
As the Twoleg opened the door, Swift sprung out, Windstar racing with her.
"Snowy!" The Twoleg cried, watching him. Just as the Carrier opened the gate, a creamy white shape bounded out of the nearby woods, his brown eyes gleaming as they met Swift's.
"Get out of her way, Rat!" Blizzard snarled, showing long, gleaming white fangs-fangs at least three times the length of any cat's teeth.
The Carrier had no problem of getting out of the way, running, and leaving the gate swinging open.
"This is it!" Windstar hissed in anticipation, running out to freedom. Swift ran up to Blizzard, and the two ran side by side, Windstar following, until they were well into the woods.
"We did it!" Swift cried. "All of us!" She touched noses with Windstar in celebration, then nuzzled Blizzard. The two bounded around like graceful dancers, their fur like snow flurries, chasing each other and giving happy yips. When they had finally calmed down, Windstar cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Uh-excuse me."
Both turned their heads, and at the same time: "What?"
"Well... there were some cats back at the shelter..."
xxx
Dreamcloud padded through the forest, ignoring that it was getting harder to breathe...
xxx
Windstar looked up at the open window, then at Swift and Blizzard.
"After this," He declared. "You are both welcome to make your home in ShadowClan territory."
Both canines exchanged embarrassed glances at 'you two' and Windstar shook his head, muttering, "Juveniles," under his breath.
"All right," Blizzard finally said. "We'll go provide the distraction."
The two bounded off, and began barking and howling, when a sudden, "Holy... WOLVES!" came in a Twoleg voice.
Hearing the pawsteps of other Twolegs scattering to the front of the shelter, Windstar began to claw his way up the wall to the window, then jumped down onto the cold concrete floor.
"Windstar!" The happy meows of Clan cats, and Brook, came up.
"Ssh!" The tom hissed, and began carefully going to each cage. He remembered faintly something Leafpool had said at a Gathering about when she had been captured by Twolegs...
"Yes!" He growled as the first lock-Palelegs's-gave way to his claws. Carefully, he moved to each one, when he realized something.
"Where's Leafpool?"
All the cats looked around, murmuring worries, when a familiar cry came to Windstar's ears.
Turning, he found a door swinging open, and a Twoleg poised over Leafpool, who was on a table. A thing similiar to the stingers was pointed towards a throbbing vein in the struggling medicine cat's neck.
"No!" Windstar yowled, racing towards the room. The Twoleg, who-thanks to the door not being opened till the exact moment-had not noticed the cats escaping, looked up, and slammed its hand into Windstar. The tom collapsed onto the floor, and could only watch as the stinger was plunged into Leafpool's neck.
The medicine cat began to sink to the table, and the Twoleg began to walk into the room-but the cats were already escaping through the window.
"Leafpool!" Windstar called up towards the table, but heard nothing-not even breathing. A pale tabby paw hung over the edge of the table, limp.
Pain sliced through the tom's heart, but he shook his head. Time to grieve later.
The tom turned, weaved through the Twoleg's legs, and jumped out the window. His legs were at an awkward angle, he knew that a leg would snap.
Gentle jaws grabbed some loose skin, being careful not to break it.
"Come on!" Swift growled, placing him on the ground. "Let's get to your mate."
xxx
Dreamcloud sat down, panting. Even this little effort to go into the forest had exhausted her. Suddenly, a familiar scent reached her nostrils, and a white shape bounded towards her. The queen's eyes widened in amazement.
"Windstar!" She cried joyfully, standing. Purring, her mate pressed himself up to her.
"Finally!" He murmured. "I'm back, and trust me, I'll never leave again."
"What ha-" Dreamcloud began, but then halted with a gasp, sitting down again.
"Dreamcloud?" Windstar asked, nosing her.
"The kits," She whispered. "The kits are coming."
xxx
Dun, dun... DUN! Ok, tell me your opinion: How many, and will Dreamcloud make it?