Half a moon had passed of Blackfoot and Brownpelt and their prisoners hunting on land. Tigerstar had set the rest of the clans on swimming training, though constantly made excuses for himself. Silverstep had caught their first fish since their accident, it wasn't all too big, but with Brownpelt gently persuading Jaggedtooth to go on a walk, it filled Mistyfoot, Stonefur and the 'paws. The catch was particularly a feat because the river was starting to freeze over, and the first snow of leafbare covered the ground white.
Currently, all the kits were trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues. Dawnpaw and Slugpaw were playing along, while Slugpaw's indignant brother Hailpaw simply watched on. Rowankit and Cedarkit, still wobbly, often toppled over, though their spirits remained undaunted. They quickly got scooped up by Dawncloud.
The two kits were squeaking to have a badger ride, neither had figured out how to speak yet. Rolling her eyes, Dawncloud crouched down and let the two on her back. She stomped around and made an overall nuisance of herself much to the kits entertainment.
Tallpoppy purred. "Thank you, Dawncloud."
"Dawncloud!" squeaked out Cedarkit, "Dawncloud!"
Dawncloud froze, letting out a low whimper. Blackfoot, sitting not too far away, immediately hopped to her side.
"Are you alright?"
"I-" she scoffed, "I wanted to name one of my kits Cedarkit, and now-"
"Blackfoot!" Talonkit called, "Blackfoot! I want a badger ride! Please?"
"Me too!" squeaked Smokekit.
"I can't lift both of you!" Blackfoot chuckled, crouching down for one of them to climb on. The snow crunched next to him, and he looked over to see Leopardstar leaning down for Smokekit to climb on. Smokekit wasted no time, pouncing on her and royally messing up her slicked-back pelt. Tallpoppy let out a small gasp, though Leopardstar paid it no mind. The three stoped around for a while, kits squealing and laughing on their backs, Cedarkit exclaiming his first word over and over again.
Eventually, it looked like Tallpoppy's worry over what Smokekit was doing to Leopardstar's pelt got the better of her and flicked her tail for them to stop, speaking calmly. "Alright, kits, I think it's naptime."
All of the kits let out varying groans of displeasure. Slugpaw purred.
"Lighten up!" he exclaimed, "You should be thankful you still get to take naps!"
Dawnpaw nodded in agreement. The kits scampered off their backs, but not before Dawncloud could give Cedarkit a hearty nuzzle.
Blackfoot gave a light chuckle, "It'd be nice to have kits," he said, not specifically to any cat.
Leopardstar jerked her gaze away from the nursery. He hadn't meant with her- he couldn't. She shook her head. Starclan couldn't give cats feelings, could they? No, no- Starclan was leaving the decision to her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Wetfoot, Sunfish, and Heavystep. Heavystep was empty-jawed, but Sunfish held a vole and Wetfoot a fat frog. The two padded over, Wetfoot delivering the frog to the queens and Sunfish placing the vole at Leopardstar's paws with a small, cheerful nod.
She shook and stood, "I'm going to feed Mistyfoot and Stonefur."
"You can't," Boulder meowed, "Tigerstar's orders."
Leopardstar flattened her ears, forcing her fur to stay flat, swallowing back her disgust and anger.
"Fine," she muttered, half-hissing. She grabbed the vole and roughly turned around, placing it at Blackfoot's paws, crouching. "Would you like to share with me?"
Blackfoot nodded and laid down, starting to take a bite. His nose accidentally rammed into Leopardstar's. Leopardstar froze mid-chew.
"Oh, I'm sorry."
Leopardstar nodded, though didn't continue eating. She suppressed a sigh.
Starclan, she thought, Starclan tell me I'm not already falling for him.
She nodded again at Blackfoot, standing and ducking into the elder's den.
I can't be. And yet...