Joy! Another chapter! AND during the week! Wow, how strange.

Blueface smiled, but then frowned. He was poking around Icestar's stomach, because she had started to feel pains from there.

"Icestar, you are expecting kits." He mewed solemnly. He looked away from her, outside of the den. Sunlight poured in and made dancing shadows across their pelts.

Icestar let out a purr of delight. "Blueface, this is wonderful!" she almost jumped for joy, but she stopped, remembering to protect her young, unborn kits.

"I'm just worried, after what happened last time-" he anxiously mewed, but Icestar cut him off.

"Last time, well, that was bad. But now we have you as our medicine cat, not him."

Icestar left Blueface's den, her paws making small indents in the soft dirt. Birds sang, and the sun was about to set. She walked along, happily, to the warrior's den.

She called out, "Is Blackwing in there?" but the wind howling across the entrance to the den wasn't a suitable answer. She walked to the nursery, and laid her head down, sleep overcoming her.

---------

"Icestar," the wind seemed to whisper, "Icestar!"

Icestar opened one eye, to find herself in the clearing at StarClan. She looked around, and saw many cats, but Blizzardstar stepped forward.

"Icestar, you do realize you are not supposed to have kits," his deep, gentle voice explained, "How will you be leader?"

"Blackwing can do it. He will be leader one day!" she cried out.

The StarClan cats hesitated, but regained their stately aura. A cool wind gushed through the clearing where they now stood.

"Icestar, your kits will be great warriors one day." He whispered. The cats faded into the mist, stars sparkling.

-----

Icestar awoke with a gasp. The moon was just rising, a small sliver, against the indigo night sky. Cats crowded around, waiting for an announcement. They had started to mutter to each other, it was unusual for Icestar to be late.

"Paleflower, I wonder where your sister is!" mewed Blazeheart. She cocked her head to the side, waiting for an answer from the calico.

"I don't know! But, I'm sure she has a suitable reason. This is most unlike her." She mewed back.

Icestar slowly walked out of the nursery, and to the middle of the camp. She straightened up, waiting for the murmurs to die down. Cats looked at her, worried, and others just glared with impatience. The brown and white cat waited for attention, the moon glowing on her. Her clan stopped whispering, their mixed gazes staring at her.

Icestar sighed. "I will be moving to the nursery." She announced. Other cats exchanged glances, unsure of what she meant.

Windear stood up. "Icestar, it's okay. We don't need your protection." The queen rasped. Windear was the oldest nursery queen, and she didn't really care who the father of her kits was, just as long as the kits would be happy and healthy.

"That's not what I mean. My kits should be born around the beginning of leaf-fall. While I am there, Blackwing will be your temporary leader. He can't do ceremonies, but I won't mind doing that." She glanced at Blackwing. There was a mix of emotions on his face- happiness, surprise, worry, and love. Icestar smiled.

"Now what are we doing standing around like chattering squirrels when we could be sleeping? Let's go to bed, everyone. I expect the apprentices to train tomorrow." Icestar walked through the cats, pawing her way to the nursery.

"Oh, and Blackwing, could you come here for a moment? I wish to speak to you about your new job." Icestar gestured to the leader's den, motioning him inside.

"Okay, Icestar. Okay."

Yes, no, maybe so? I TRIED to cut down on the diolauge, but it's hard. Oh well. CLIFFIE!!!

Aneis