Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. For shame.

Again, slow updates and writer's block plague me... I'm sorry! (-cries and is emo-)

Chapter 14: Brook

"Are you going to be joining the nursery sometime soon?" Yellowpelt asked Stripedtail playfully.

"Yes. Soon. The same answer I gave you the last five times!" Stripedtail snapped, even though she was being playful as well.

"Soon like when?"

"You're really anxious to get me away, aren't you?" She turned to Yellowpelt and purred in amusement.

"Nooo! I just want to know what time of your pregnancy you have to go to live in the nursery!" Yellowpelt bounded after Stripedtail; they were both on their way out of the camp for a hunting trip. "I want to know about it. I've never been expecting kits! It's so fascinating!"
"Why don't you have kits of your own?" Stripedtail queried. "If you're so eager to know!"

"I don't have a mate. I don't think I want one, either!"

Stripedtail snorted as they made their way past the dead thorny bushes. "Sure, you don't have a mate!"

Yellowpelt stopped in her tracks. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Yellowpelt, you're so in love with Rattail! You shouldn't deny it anymore, because everyone can see it!"

Yellowpelt's blue eyes widened. "What?! You're jumping to conclusions!"

"Yellowpeeeellllllllt…."

"Okay! Fine! So what if I am?!" Yellowpelt behaved as if she was caught crossing territory borders.

"It isn't an accusation! Don't be defensive. So you're in love. Big deal! I am, too!"

Yellowpelt sighed. "So why does it feel like I should be defensive about this relationship for some reason?"

Stripedtail paused. She knew why, but she didn't want to stress Yellowpelt… if she told Yellowpelt that some cats might look down on the relationship due to Rattail's FlowerClan heritage, Stripedtail knew there was a good chance Yellowpelt would end the romance immediately. "Maybe… I know! You're just getting used to romance is all! Your mind isn't used to you accepting love! You just need time." Stripedtail knew she sounded a little fake, but thought Yellowpelt would accept that.

The yellow she-cat's tail flicked to the side. She knew Stripedtail well enough to know when she was hiding something, but decided not to push it. "Whatever. Believe what you wish to. I'm going to go visit R-… Redpelt. She's stressed with her apprentice."

Stripedtail snorted in amusement as she walked Yellowpelt walk away.

Crazyeyes sat alone in his den. He had just received a new message from StarClan. He had a hunch what most of meant, but the puzzle still wasn't fitting together.

Birth, love, death… all await the clan down the trail.

Birth… Stripedtail was pregnant. That was one piece. Death… could lit be… Earthbrook? No, she was recovering better than anyone had imagined, after both an illness and an injury. And love?

What the…?! Crazyeyes shook his throbbing head. How should I know about the clan's love lives? That's not my job! I guess there's nothing to do but just… open my eyes. But Crazyeyes was still slightly afraid. Death… of a cat? Of a kit? Of a CLAN?

Crazyeyes narrowed his eyes and looked up at the midnight sky. "You're not making this easy for me…" He muttered under his breath.

"Who're you talking to?" Frecklepaw asked.

Crazyeyes jumped. "Frecklepaw! Don't surprise me like that! I'm talking to… uh… no one. What is it?"

"I can't sleep," Frecklepaw stared at him, unblinking, and flicked his tail.

"As per usual…"

"Did you get a message from StarClan? Maybe I can help interpret it. Did you?" He widened his orange eyes.

"Yes… I did. And I'm worried." Crazyeyes paused. "'Birth, love, death… all await the clan down the trail'."

"Stripedtail's having kits!" Frecklepaw pointed out enthusiastically.

"Yes, but I don't have enough information on the ominous 'death' part!"

"And Earthbrook seems fine…"

"Again, yes. She will make a full recovery, I'm almost sure. Death… maybe another Shadow Den cat is sick and we don't know…?" Crazyeyes looked at the ground in confusion. "I don't know if it's one cat, or two, or a clan, or a forest! I need to know more about that part!"

"And love?" The small-sized apprentice looked up at him.

"I don't know much about the relationships between cats. I haven't a clue who's in love and who isn't. And to tell the truth, until we figure out the more serious part of that prophecy, I couldn't care less."

"Maybe I can help you out there…" Frecklepaw mumbled. "I could look around. You know, be your 'clan eyes'.

Before he could answer, his eyes popped wide open. "WAIT! The prophecy before that… something about the brook drying up…? But Earthbrook is fine!"

"Maybe there's a different brook!" Frecklepaw brightened up.

Crazyeyes took this into consideration. "Maybe… the cat doesn't necessarily have to have 'brook' in their name. Time for some critical thinking!" The brown tom's tail shot straight in determination. "Brain storm time, my apprentice!"

They both paused to think, and Frecklepaw purred (he loved brainstorming with Crazyeyes).

Frecklepaw gave a little jump. "Who lives near a brook?"

"We do," Crazyeyes shook his head. "I'd rather not think about us drying up and withering away… anything else?"

Frecklepaw sighed. He didn't have much more. "Maybe… someone with bleu eyes… like a brook?" But even Frecklepaw shook his head as soon as the words left his mouth.

Crazyeyes perked up after a short moment of silence. "I know! I have something! Who acts like a brook? Who reminds you of a river?"

"Like… rushing?" Frecklepaw put forth.

"Okay, better idea. What words make you think of a brook?"

"Rushing," Frecklepaw said again.

"Flowing…" Crazyeyes pondered.

"Light?"

"Energy? Like, water gives you energy? Energetic, maybe?"

"Bubbling?"

"Fresh?"

"Cool? Cold?" Frecklepaw was talking fast now.

Crazyeyes shut his light gray eyes for a few seconds, and then opened them. "Okay, let's go back. 'Rushing'. Good one. That's as good as anything. Who rushes? Who is always on the move?"

"Badgerpaw?" Frecklepaw thought of the young she-cat; Tawnythorn's apprentice. "And she's 'bubbling', 'fresh'. You know her… she and Tawnythorn are complete mismatches…"

"Who else?" Crazyeyes seemed uncertain on settling on the idea of the innocent, happy-go-lucky Badgerpaw.

"Spikefur? Again, he's also energetic, bubbling, fresh…"

"But 'flowing' or 'cold'?" Crazyeyes snorted.

"I'm trying!" Frecklepaw whined, clearly hurt by Crazyeyes shrugging off his ideas.

"I know, I'm sorry…" After his short apology, another silence hung around them, in the shadowed space behind the medicine cat's den.

Crazyeyes raised his head again, as if hesitating to voice his thought. "What about… Yellowpelt?"

Frecklepaw back fur rose without his realizing it. "NO! She would never dry up and wither away just like that!" He defended his friend. "You know her!"

"Exactly…" Crazyeyes said. "She fits it… rushing? She trains a lot."

"Not 'flowing'!" Frecklepaw insisted.

"Energetic, fresh… she isn't hyperactive, but you and I both know she has energy, and plenty of it. Bubbling? She's got her wit about her. 'Cool, cold'." Crazyeyes shrugged. "You know her. Don't cross Yellowpelt… she'll rip you apart." Crazyeyes chuckled.

"It's not funny!" Frecklepaw went back into the den. Crazyeyes just watched him leave.

Uh-oh. (sings-) She'll rip you apart! She'll rip you apart! EW! (-stops singing-)

Constructive criticism encouraged.