Chapter Twenty-two: Kits!

Dreamcloud blinked against the sunlight filtering through the canopy of tree branches overhead. She lifted her head from where it rested on Windstar's neck, and heard a soft mewling sound as she moved.

It was almost a surprise to her as she looked down to see the three tiny fluffs of fur nestled up to her body, trying to get as much warmth as possible.

Her kits.

Windstar's kits.

Their kits.

Every muscle in Dreamcloud's body was tired, and she could tell that Windstar was exhausted as well. The usually alert tom was still fast asleep. Turning her head, Dreamcloud saw Calicofur dozing a few feet away. The sight amused and touched her. Calicofur really was a good friend.

Wait...

"Oh!" Dreamcloud exclaimed softly. Her voice jolted Windstar awake, and the tom looked wildly around.

"What?" He yawned, then looked concerned. "Are you Ok? Is Scarlettkit...?" He trailed off.

"All of them are fine," Dreamcloud soothed, giving his forehead a lick. "I just realized that the Clans might be worried about me by now-and you need to make sure yours knows you're alive."

"They do," Windstar assured her.

"How?"

The tom's eyes twinkled. "I enlisted some... friends to tell them."

xxx

(ShadowClan camp, the sunset before)

"Are they going to try to kill us?" Blizzard wondered in an amused tone.

"I'd like to see them try," Swift chuckled.

"No, seriously. Maybe it's a weird ritualistic thing that Windstar didn't tell us about."

"Let's try the universal phrase," Swift decided, watching as Tawnypelt cautiously padded up. "We come in peace?"

"She speaks cat!" One warrior cried.

"Yes," Tawnypelt agreed sarcastically. "I believe that if we understand it, that means she speaks cat. Now. What are you coming for?"

"We have a message from Windstar... he's kind of busy right now..."

xxx

"You met wolves?" Dreamcloud cried, trying to keep her voice low enough to keep from disturbing Calicofur and the kits. Windstar was busy gazing at the kits. When she asked why, he just answered that they were beautiful, which gave her heart that strange warm feeling that it had around him.

Love.

Her mate nodded. "Well," He meowed. "One was a wolf-dog."

"Now, wait," Dreamcloud said. "Did you find the other missing cats?"

"Yes," A soft voice asked. "Did you?"

Calicofur stood, padding to sit down near them. Windstar looked at the ground.

"Yes," He finally answered. "All of them. But..." He looked up to meet Calicofur's eyes. "The Twolegs killed Leafpool. I'm sorry."

Calicofur was silent for a moment. "Oh..." She whispered. "Oh."

"Calicofur..." Pain wracked Dreamcloud's own voice. "I'm so-"

"There's no need to be sorry for me," Calicofur said quickly. "She was your kin, after all. And you shouldn't be worrying about this, you just had a hard kitting last night..."

Suddenly, Dreamcloud's ears pricked, and she tilted her head. "That would be Firestar, my parents, and Spiderleg," She confirmed after a moment. "Looking for us." She twisted her head to see Windstar. "Windstar, you better go. Don't worry, I'll see you soon, with the kits."

"And while she's weak," Calicofur murmured in her shaken voice. "I'll keep you posted."

"All right," Windstar agreed reluctantly after a moment. His eyes were worried. "I don't know how I can be a good father to them if I'm away from them all the time, though."

"You'll see the kits," Dreamcloud promised, pressing her face to his as he stood. "And you'll see them. When they're young, at Gatherings when they're older... You'll be a wonderful father."

Windstar silently looked into her eyes for a long moment before racing off into the bushes.

"Dreamcloud?" Squirrelflight's worried voice broke through the silence. "Dreamcloud, where are you?"

"She's right here," Calicofur called softly. "Be careful."

"Calicofur? Is that you?" Spiderleg bounded into view, Squirrelflight on his heels. Both cats gave sudden halts when they saw the image in front of them, and Firestar and Brambleclaw practically skidded.

"Dreamcloud?" Brambleclaw's voice was faint, and he looked like he could barely stand on his paws.

"What's wrong, Father?" The queen asked innocently.

"Now you know what it's like," Firestar rasped, unable to take his eyes off of the three kits cuddled up to his granddaughter's side.

"That would explain why you didn't come back to camp last night," Squirrelflight muttered, quickly padding over to examine her daughter and grandkits.

"Yes," Dreamcloud lied. "They came a bit earlier than expected-I was lucky Calicofur heard me."

"Thank-you," Brambleclaw dipped his head to the young medicine cat, who could only blink back.

Worry crept into Dreamcloud's heart. Her friend wasn't coping with the death of Leafpool well. Oh, no...

That reminded her.

Dreamcloud knew that her mother and Leafpool had been close...

"The most amazing thing happened!" Squirrelflight exclaimed. "Just after you left, Palelegs came back! Of course, a patrol was sent out and we found Thornclaw quite far off... he was pleased to see her again." Squirrelflight averted her eyes. "They didn't know where Leafpool was." She shook her head, and beckoned for Firestar and Brambleclaw to come back over. "What are their names?" She mewed.

"Birdkit, Rockkit, and Scarlettkit," Dreamcloud purred, touching each kit with her nose as she did. But she didn't miss the worried look in all the cats' eyes as she touched Scarlettkit.

"We'd better get them to camp," Firestar said, padding over. "You seem a bit weak, Dreamcloud."

"I'm fine," She protested. Her legs wobbled as she stood. Squirrelflight rolled her eyes at her father and mate, and Brambleclaw only gave her a look that clearly said 'You were just like that, mouse-brain'.

Gently, Squirrelflight picked up Rockkit, and Brambleclaw followed the motion with Birdkit. Dreamcloud insisted on carrying Scarlettkit-'What kind of mother will I be if I can't carry my own kit?'-but leaned against Firestar as she walked.

Meanwhile, when all the cats but Dreamcloud weren't looking, Spiderleg tilted his head toward the darker parts of the forest, his amber eyes worried. Calicofur shook her head, but still followed as the others walked off.

"Well?" She asked tiredly. Spiderleg permitted himself to touch her shoulder with the tip of his tail.

"Something's wrong with you," He murmured. "What is it?"

"Nothing."

"Please tell me," He pleaded. Calicofur halted, looked at her paws, then finally blurted it out:

"Leafpool's dead!"

Spiderleg's entire body went rigid with shock. "That... can't... be..." He said hoarsely. Calicofur was silent.

"I'll tell the Clan once Dreamcloud and her kits are settled," She sighed, beginning to turn and pad away, but a tail flicked in front of her, and she spun back.

"Calicofur," Spiderleg's words were a jumble, but his eyes were clear as they rested on her. "Lightfur... Leafpool... their deaths have taught me something. We really can't live forever, and we have to take things while we can..."

Calicofur met his gaze. "I know it's wrong," She finally sighed. "But I do love you, Spiderleg. And... I agree. We have to take this while we can." Calicofur gazed at him. "Because I know I'll never love a tom like I love you again."

The tom's tail twined with hers, and a feeling of peace spread over both of them. This was the way it was supposed to be.

xxx

"Dreamcloud!" Whiteleaf trilled, racing up. "You had your kits."

Dreamcloud nodded, carefully setting Scarlettkit down on the bed of moss that was her nest. Rockkit and Birdkit were carefully placed beside her, and she lay down, curling around them.

"They're beautiful." Whiteleaf stated, and they were. Like their parents, the kits were stunning already, even just as little bundles. Even tiny Scarlettkit, as weak as she was.

Dreamcloud's thoughts drifted to Windstar. If only they had been in the same Clans. It was obvious he loved his kits already, and it was a shame that he couldn't raise them...

Dreamcloud turned her head to see Sootfur(AN: I didn't know he was going to die when I first wrote him in) walking in and nuzzling his mate, looking proudly down at Rabbitkit and Acornkit, who were now three moons old.

"Oh," The gray tom meowed when he saw Dreamcloud with her kits. His amber eyes were pleased. "Robinpelt will be happy."

Robinpelt... Dreamcloud had forgotten about him. As if on cue, the tabby tom padded in, sitting down next to her. His amber eyes were fixed on the kits.

"They're fine kits, Dreamcloud," Robinpelt meowed. He didn't sound like a proud father, but a leader, a distant leader. Windstar had told her how beautiful the kits were. Robinpelt could at least act like a father...

There was something about him that was definitely worrying Dreamcloud.

xxx

Yes, I know, FINALLY. Well, R and R! I gave you fluff with both pairings, so I DESERVE IT!

...Please?