Chapter 25
Cloudstorm's heart thudded as he sped toward the thorn tunnel leading into camp. He didn't even look back to make sure Falconclaw and Dewleaf were following him. He shot into the tunnel and let out a yowl.
"Cloudstorm? Back already?" someone called out.
"Get Smokestar!" another cat yowled.
Cloudstorm glanced behind him and saw Dewleaf and Falconclaw skid to a stop behind him.
"Dewleaf! Falconclaw!" another cat said excitedly.
Almost instantly, all the cats of ThunderClan milled around them excitedly. Cloudstorm looked around for a soft gray pelt and light green eyes, but he only saw Hazelstep, who looked just like Lightheart.
Smokestar approached them, purring. "Dewleaf," he meowed, touching noses with the she-cat. "I'm glad you're safe." Then he flicked his tail to Cloudstorm and Falconclaw. "You two did well."
Cloudstorm barley heard. "Where's Lightheart?" he meowed to no particular cat at all.
"The nursery," someone told him.
He rushed to the familiar fern and bracken den, glancing inside. He spotted the silver fur of Feathercloud. She got up to greet him, but he barely noticed her. Further inside, Lightheart lay.
"Lightheart!" he purred, rushing toward her. The gray she-cat's eyes were hollow, and her pelt was ragged and dirty. "What happened to you?" He'd only been gone for… about half a moon.
"Cloudstorm," the she-cat croaked.
Cloudstorm nuzzled her. "What are you doing all alone in the nursery?" Before Lightheart could reply, he said, "It doesn't matter. Come on, we need to talk."
He got up and watched as the she-cat struggled. "Are you alright?"
She sighed. "Not really, but I'll manage."
Cloudstorm noticed that the she-cat was more plump. And she was much slower now…
"This way," Cloudstorm said, leading the she-cat to a secluded part of camp behind the nursery.
Lightheart sat down heavily. She had lost all the grace and beauty she'd had before.
But I still love her… Cloudstorm though, gazing at her with kind blue eyes. "Lightheart, I… I was really stunned when you told me that you loved me."
The she-cat looked away. "I know. And I understand that you don't love me. So…" Her voice was full of bitterness and regret.
"No, Lightheart! You don't understand!" Cloudstorm hissed. "Listen, I was surprised. I hadn't known you felt that way about me." He touched the she-cat's chin with his tail and lifted her head so that their eyes met. Her green eyes were hollow and dreary, with barely any emotion in them. "I'm sorry, Lightheart. I shouldn't have left you." He licked her ear, then said softly, "I love you. I really, really love you."
Cloudstorm watched as Lightheart's eyes slowly regained their pretty sparkle. She let out a throaty purr and asked, "Really?"
Cloudstorm nodded. "Really. I do, I love you." He pressed himself into Lightheart's fur, purring loudly that he was sure that the RainClan cats could hear him. He began to groom Lightheart's unkempt fur with his tongue, making it glossy again.
Lightheart winced when he began to clean her belly fur roughly with his tongue. "Watch it," she muttered.
"What's wrong?" Cloudstorm asked, worried. "Did I hurt you?"
Lightheart shook her head. "Actually, Cloudstorm, I have something to tell you, too."
"What is it?" Cloudstorm asked, searching Lightheart's face.
She gulped and went on slowly, "I wanted to tell you this before, but I wasn't sure what status our… relationship… was in. I…" Cloudstorm saw that familiar hesitant flicker in her eyes again. "I… Cloudstorm, I'm… I'm going to… I'm going to have… kits."
"Kits?"
She nodded. "Kits." After studying her mate, she asked, "Is that alright?"
Cloudstorm embraced her so wholeheartedly that he almost knocked the she-cat off her paws. "Of course that's alright! When did you find out? Why didn't you tell me?"
Lightheart shuffled her paws. "Well, I found out about the same time Smokestar told you to go and find Dewleaf. I wanted to tell you, but I didn't know if you wanted to be a father. I was… I was scared about what you'd think." Her voice, starting out bold, had been reduced to a whisper.
Cloudstorm pressed his muzzle into the she-cat's fur. "I'm so sorry I made you feel that way. I'm a mouse-brain." He growled to himself. "How could I have not noticed? All those trips to the medicine cat den, looking more well-fed than ever… I'm such a mouse-brain!"
Lightheart rolled her eyes. "You're not a mouse-brain. You're the most handsome tom I've ever laid eyes on."
He rasped his tongue over her nose, then sighed. "Well, I should probably go and see the others."
Lightheart nodded. "Yes, you should. I'll see you later."
Cloudstorm flicked his tail in reply and padded back into the clearing. Smokestar was speaking to Dewleaf and Falconclaw right inside the thorn tunnel. He strode over to them, ducking his head in embarrassment. "Um, sorry."
Smokestar turned to him, then purred, "Don't worry about it, I understand." Regaining his stiff composure, he said, "Dewleaf, I suppose you found what you were looking for?"
Cloudstorm glanced at his sister and saw that she looked hesitant. Maybe she's thinking about Stormpelt.
"Um, yes, I suppose," Dewleaf replied, glancing down at her paws.
Smokstar studied her, then nodded. "I see. I won't pry, now. Go ahead and go see your sister. She's eager to see you."
Dewleaf purred. "Okay."
"I'll go with you," Cloudstorm said, padding beside his sister. They went toward the medicine cat's den and stepped inside quietly.
***
Dewleaf hissed. "Mouse-dung!" she spat, watching the squirrel scurry out of view.
"It's okay, you'll get it net time," a ginger tom said comfortingly.
Dewleaf turned to Falconclaw. "Yeah, I suppose."
"So, Dewleaf, I know it's been a few sunrises since we got back, but… did you find what you were after?" the tom asked.
Dewleaf shrugged. "I did find answers about my parents." She glanced up at him, then mewed, "You know already, right? That Rainheart was my father?"
Falconclaw bowed his head. "I do, actually."
She sighed. "It's so hard!'
Falconclaw nodded. "I know, but you're lucky. You have Thorntail. He actually cares about you, he's like your real father."
"I don't know," Dewleaf mewed, shrugging. "You wouldn't understand, Falconclaw. You don't even know who your father is, do you?"
A look of pain flashed over the ginger tom's face. "Well… I do."
Dewleaf's eyes widened. "Really? Oh, I'm sorry…"
He sighed. "Dewleaf, I trust you, and I want to tell you. But you can't tell anyone else, okay?"
Dewleaf nodded. "Of course, Falconclaw, you're a close friend of mine."
Falconclaw let out a deep breath. "Well, Birdwing said that her mate was… Coldpelt."
"Coldpelt?" Dewleaf yelped with surprise. The image of a gray tom with hard green eyes floated into her mind. He was a ShadowClan warrior!
He nodded. "But you know what else?"
"What?" Dewleaf asked softly, noticing the hurt and pain radiating off the ginger tom.
"Birdwing's not even my mother. She said… Stonefoot and I were found as kits, near Twolegplace."
"Oh, right," Dewleaf mewed quietly. She had never thought of it before, but she now remembered. She had been a kit in the nursery when a patrol had returned with two kits, claiming that they were probably abandoned or their mother had died. "Falconclaw, I'm sorry. It must've been hard for all of that to be dumped on you."
The ginger tom looked away and murmured something that she couldn't decipher.
After a moment of silence, Dewleaf said, "Should we go back to camp now?"
He nodded, not looking up to meet her eyes.
***
Clovernight was woken by a panicked yowl. She looked up and saw Frostpool gathering herbs hurriedly. "What's wrong? It's the middle of the night!"
"Well, Feathercloud's having her kits!" Frostpool hissed as she rushed out of the den.
Clovernight's eyes widened. Not able to go back to sleep, she padded out of the medicine cat's den and spotted Thorntail sitting outside, his tail twitching with worry.
***
Dewleaf padded into the nursery quietly, facing her mother. A single golden tom kit was nestled in Feathercloud's belly, whimpering softly. Feathercloud rasped her tongue over her son, her eyes sparkling.
"Congratulations," Dewleaf said, dipping her head. She'd forgiven Feathercloud more or less nowadays.
Feathercloud looked up in surprise, then meowed, "Thank you, Dewleaf. His name is… Lionkit."
***
Cloudstorm licked Lightheart's ear, then nudged the mouse he'd brought closer. "Come on, you'll need your strength to give birth," he coaxed.
His mate purred. "Okay," she sighed, taking a bite of the mouse. Then she gulped up the rest ravenously.
"I suppose you were hungry," Cloudstorm chuckled.
Lightheart nodded. "Yes, I was." Her words came out raspy and slowly, as if it took effort to speak.
"Are you alright?" Cloudstorm asked, his head tilted to the side.
"Of course, I'm fine," Lightheart replied, panting. "Just… you know, tired."
Cloudstorm licked her ear and purred softly. "Well, get some rest, then, okay? I have to go on a patrol, but I'll be back soon."
Lightheart only nodded, then curled up.
Cloudstorm glanced at Feathercloud and Lionkit on the way out, but he didn't stop or say anything. He discovered that Berrytail, Flightfur, and Birdwing were already prepared to go. "I'm sorry I'm late," he said, dipping his head.
Berrytail flicked his tail irritably. "Come on, if we don't renew the scent markers soon, other Clans will think we're weak."
Cloudstorm nodded and followed the other cats out into the dense forest. He could scent prey all over the place now. "Can we hunt?" he asked.
Berrytail, who was leading the patrol, shrugged. "I suppose, but make it quick."
Cloudstorm muttered under his breath as he slunk underneath the undergrowth. He parted his jaws slightly and could smell vole. He looked around, swiveling his ears around as well, and saw the small animal sitting on its haunches. He crept closer, making sure his swishing tail wouldn't make any noise. When he was close enough, he leapt, trapping the vole with his outstretched claws. He gave it a final blow, and it went limp.
"Nice catch," Flightfur called out.
Cloudstorm nodded gratefully, kicking dirt over the fresh-kill, then padded after the others.
***
Cloudstorm carried the vole back into camp, dropping it at the fresh-kill pile. He flicked his ears in greeting to Forestlily, then straightened up and made toward the nursery.
He was surprised when Mosspelt shot out of the den in a frantic hurry. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"Lightheart's kits are coming!" the medicine cat panted before rushing to the medicine cat's den, apparently to get herbs.
Cloudstorm's eyes widened. "This soon? They're too early!"
He began to push into the den, but Frostpool, from inside, hissed, "Stay out!"
He flinched back, confused. As Mosspelt approached, carrying herbs, he questioned, "Aren't the kits too early? They could die, can't they?"
Mosspelt growled at him, "Get out of the way! Stay out, okay? We'll handle this!"
Cloudstorm couldn't help but notice the spark of fear behind her angry growl. Oh no! Lightheart could be in danger! I have to go in there! He paced around, worried.
As if to voice his thoughts, a loud shriek of pain erupted from the nursery walls, making him cringe and worry even more.
Dewleaf approached him warily. "What's wrong, Cloudstorm?"
"Lightheart is kitting, and it's way too early!" he cried out. "What if something goes wrong?"
"I'm sure Mosspelt and Frostpool know what to do," Dewleaf said assuringly, but even she sounded scared and worried.
After some time of gruesome waiting, Mosspelt padded out of the nursery, her tail drooping and her eyes clouded. "I'm sorry, Cloudstorm. The kits were coming way too early, and Lightheart wasn't ready. S-something went wrong."
Oh yeah, major cliffie! And the thing about Falconclaw, some of you may remember that from The Right Path 1. Well, I like twists and suspenseful cliffies! Review!