Mudpool was shifting her paws all over Tawnypaw as she nervously tried to figure out what was wrong with her. She knew she had to hurry as she wanted to get the camp cleaned up for Ravenstar and Rowanstar's discussion on what they should do with Windclan. Crowstorm stood over his apprentice watching her worried about her safety and making sure the Medicine cat wouldn't harm her. Mudpool soon looked over as she had a nervous look on her muzzle. She was shocked at what she felt.
"What is it Mudpool?" Crowstorm mewed as he nervously looked over.
"This is unusual, her belly is hard that I can't even really touch, whatever she ate must have been puked out thinking the pain would go away but it doesn't. I am not sure what it is that is bothering her, I might want to speak with Shadowstep and Berryshine about this and this is the seventh apprentice that has had this since I was a medicine cat." Mudpool admitted. Her eyes drooped with tiredness as she went to go sort out some herbs. "I've seen healthy she cats come to me to check out their cramps and it's normal for them but apprentices get it far worse."
"Why what happens to them?" Crowstorm mewed. His curiosity was about the apprentices that Mudpool had treated in her time as a medicine cat.
"Not that I really know of for sure, in two moons they go into agony and I have to treat them, out of all the she cats I've treated, only one apprentice had survived the ordeal. The rest died along with their…" Mudpool's voice began to trail off as she lost her sense of thought. Crowstorm sat there confused.
"Their what?" Crowstorm mewed as he was questioning the medicine cat who's voice wasn't on focus.
"Their kits." Mudpool responded, her voice cold as she known many apprentices have died with their kits when dealing with it. "The only surviving apprentice's kit's only made it to less than two moons before they died."
"What happened to them?" Crowstorm asked as he was questioning her.
"The kits were weak and weren't going to survive for very long. Kitting as an apprentice is a very dangerous task because the apprentice is too small for kits and as a result, the kits aren't properly developed and many don't live for very long." Mudpool mewed as she finished her sentence, soon Pebblestar broke in.
"Mudpool, the half-moon meeting is tonight, and so is my meeting with Ravenstar and Rowanstar. I suggest you finish up and get a move on if you want to make it there on time." Pebblestar mewed.
"Oh yes right I forgot, sorry you two, I have to attend the half-moon meeting with the rest of the medicine cats, I suggest you stay here until Rowanstar comes and you can have a safe escort home." Mudpool mewed. She got up as she padded away leaving the two cats in the den alone.
"Where should I take Tawnypaw?" Crowstorm mewed as he felt worried about his apprentice.
"Take her to the nursery; it's safer there than the medicine den since I don't want you messing up my herbs." Mudpool called out as she padded away. Crowstorm grabbed Tawnypaw by her scruff as he slowly carried her to the nursery; she was dragging him down despite Crowstorm being a strong cat.
"You're heavy Tawnypaw; I can't remember the last time I carried you without breaking my neck." Crowstorm mewed.
"That's because I'm not a kit anymore, you can't be carrying an apprentice by their scruff." Tawnypaw mewed as she didn't like being dragged. They soon arrived in the nursery as he puts her in the tight den as he went to go take a break. Tawnypaw laid there confused.
Evening soon came as Ravenstar soon came in as well as Rowanstar and Featherfur. The five cats soon came in as they wanted to discuss about Windclan's future. The five cats soon began to eye each other as they were ready to open up their discussion.
"Ravenstar you might want to consider this idea for the better but you better let have Windclan take a chunk of Riverclan territory." Rowanstar began.
"What? Where? I hope it's nothing too big." Ravenstar mewed. Her eyes perplexed as she felt like she had to give up something in order to make the enemy happy.
"It's the swamp, we're giving up our section of that land too, the clans rarely use it except for Windclan so we might as well let them have it." Rowanstar mewed.
"Well I would say that Appeasement would work to a certain extent but I always feared that Briarstar would just keep going." Ravenstar mewed.
"Even though we often disagree on fighting, I would admit that Ravenstar is right, appeasement is a very useless strategy. Briarstar might say I want that thing and we would say you can't have that thing but she then takes it. She could have that thing but no more, then she says I want that thing again and repeat." Pebblestar mewed. His eyes were full of worry that things would begin to escalate to another war.
"I think you should try to reconsider your options before coming to a conclusion." Ravenstar mewed. "Our tensions are still at an all-time high and we don't know when this war will break out."
"You have until the next gathering to decide your final answer, please take your time with considering your options. We will hopefully meet again soon after Briarstar agrees but further action takes place such as an invasion. We don't know what she is capable of." Pebblestar mewed.
"I will, thank you for addressing this with me and I would want to want the three of us to double the patrols for the time being." Rowanstar mewed. He soon turned as he saw Featherfur helping Crowstorm to drag Tawnypaw out of the den and help her back to camp. He decided to go after them.
"Any news about what happened with your apprentice today?" Rowanstar asked as he was worried.
"We met Shadowclan cats but Tawnypaw got sick so they agreed to check up on her but we were stuck all day since the medicine cat couldn't figure out what was wrong with her." Crowstorm mewed.
"At least they were nice enough to help you out but we kind of do have bigger problems." Rowanstar mewed.
"What sort of problem?" Crowstorm asked.
"Rosepetal has been getting up to some funny business with Yewberry and Daisyflower, they took off to Windclan." Featherfur mewed.
"What? What happened?" Crowstorm mewed confused.
"Yewberry was caught with another she cat Jaypaw and we tried to catch him but they vanished to the swamp. We don't know where they went since then." Featherfur mewed as her voice was cold. Crowstorm had spent the entire day by Tawnypaw's side as they wanted to figure out what was wrong with her but they had no conclusive answers but something had to be done with their overseer's. "I'm praying that they don't go contact Briarstar as they point their sharp claws at us."
"It feels like the real kittens are in the hole." Tawnypaw mewed as she tried to muster what strength she had.
"What kittens?" Rowanstar mewed. He was confused as he was wondering what Tawnypaw was asking.
"I think she might be referring the fact she might have kits. Mudpool isn't certain." Crowstorm mewed.
"What?! She's expecting kits?" Rowanstar mewed as he was surprised. "In that case we should make Yewberry's punishment more severe."
"Once we find him that is." Featherfur mewed. They soon arrived in camp as Tawnypaw padded along as Frostcloud soon appeared as she wanted to talk to Tawnypaw.
"Tawnypaw I heard the news about what happened this morning and I would want to check out with you." Frostcloud mewed. "I'm the head of the nursery queens and I would want to see what is wrong with you."
"You sure?" Tawnypaw yawned.
"I'm sure so follow me." Frostcloud trusted her. "I've been nursery queen for many moons now and I would want to make sure that you are okay." She led her into the nursery as the scent of Frostcloud was in there as Tawnypaw lay down on the moss bed.
"So what do you want?" Tawnypaw asked. Frostcloud soon turned Tawnypaw onto her back as she exposed the apprentice's soft underbelly.
"I want to see what is wrong." Frostcloud admitted. She began running her front paws across the apprentice's belly to see what was wrong and when she finished, she finds out what was wrong and what she said caused Tawnypaw with lots of anxiety. "You have a bellyful of kits; you will make a wonderful mother someday."
"What? I want to become a warrior. I can't be sidelined with kits." Tawnypaw mewed as she was full of worry. She couldn't believe it.
"Yeah I think you will become a warrior but kits are something that helps repopulate the clan if a warrior falls or becomes too old. We need cats to keep population stable so we don't become weak." Frostcloud mewed. She had faith in Tawnypaw but she also tried to explain that there was more in life than just being a warrior. "You'll meet your special tom that shows you lots of affection and love. That's why Snowstorm is my mate."
"I feel like I have one trailing me at the moment and I can't shake him off." Tawnypaw mewed.
"Don't worry, Rowanstar will deal with Yewberry and Rosepetal himself. The two of them have been behaving oddly lately." Frostcloud mewed as she knew that Yewberry must be dealt with before Tawnypaw would receive more stalking.
Tawnypaw went back to the apprentice den as she soon fell asleep. She soon woke up to see herself on a path of black and surrounding her were 15 kits as they were all squirming, Tawnypaw began to try to save as many as possible. She picked up a kit by the scruff as she soon dashed off to the side of the black path putting the kit down at the bush. She soon ran back out as she grabbed the nearest one and she dashed back to where the other kit was as she puts it down. She dashed out wondering how many more she could save. She picked up a third kit when all of the sudden a monster came streaming down the black path. She froze like a deer in the headlights. The monster hits her as she was suddenly awoken from her sleep. What did it mean?
[A/N]: "Suddenly the book becomes one of those nightmares I have where I have fifteen kittens and they are all in the middle of the highway and every time I save two of them, one of them gets out. Anyways the real kittens are in the hole." Moonkitti, I spoil Dark River for Everybody. No wonder your keeping me happy Moonkitti, make more Frequent Fiasco videos.