Heather's Lion

Author's Note: Robinpaw owns Smokekit, Tigerstar767 owns Sunkit, and Chevalier Clairvoyance owns Petalkit.

Last Update: 10/15/2012

Chapter 4

Another three moons later, Lionblaze was on his way to the abandoned Twoleg nest. He hadn't seen Heathertail in four nights and he couldn't wait to see her. It was easy for him to leave camp tonight, as always. He left through the thorn tunnel, told Whitewing who was guarding the camp that he couldn't sleep and was going for a walk. It was true he couldn't sleep so it wasn't a complete lie. He hated lying to his Clanmates so he always told them only half of the truth and left the other half out. He could never tell them the whole reason why he leaves every several nights. If they knew that he'd been meeting with Heathertail for moons and had kits with her, Firestar would punish him severely.

When Lionblaze arrived at the abandoned Twoleg nest Heathertail wasn't there yet. Lionblaze settled down in the spot where they usually met up at, which was right in front of the nest. Heathertail would be bringing the kits tonight. Lionblaze knew that because she told him last time that she would bring them to meet him for the first time. He was so excited; he waited three moons for this.

The golden tabby waited there in front of the nest for a long time and wondered if Heathertail forgot to come. He was beginning to get worried. What if she couldn't leave the camp with the kits? What if someone caught her leaving?

Lionblaze then heard several pawsteps moving towards him. He looked over in the direction of the sounds and spotted the she-cat he was waiting for through the trees. To his surprise, there was another cat walking with her. He noticed the small bodies of kits treading, tirelessly behind the two.

Lionblaze bristled when they arrived. "Heathertail, why is she here?" He demanded, glancing at the light brown tabby she-cat known as Sedgewhisker.

"It's okay, Lionblaze," Heathertail assured him. "She knows."

Lionblaze let himself relax and murmured to Sedgewhisker, "Thanks."

She nodded simply.

Sedgewhisker is a pretty decent cat. Lionblaze thought. It's no wonder Heathertail told her.

Lionblaze turned his attention to the small kits huddled under Sedgewhisker and Heathertail. They were all so tiny and beautiful in Lionblaze's eyes. Their eyes were wide in confusion and in fear. They looked up at Lionblaze for the first time and seemed alarmed.

"Hello little ones." Lionblaze purred in greetings to his kits.

"ThunderClan!" Goldenkit, the one that looked like Lionblaze, hissed. His fur stood on end and rushed out to stand right in front of Lionblaze. "Attack!" He screeched as he lunged himself onto his father's tail.

The other kits joined in on the attack. Lionblaze chuckled as they dug their tiny claws into his fur. It felt no more than a small pinch. He admired how they weren't afraid to attack a cat bigger than them. That's something he'd expect from kits that were born from him and Heathertail.

"Now stop that, kits!" Heathertail scowled.

The kits immediately stopped attacking Lionblaze and ran up to face their mother.

"But he's ThunderClan!" Sunkit protested.

"I know," Heathertail said gently. She gestured with her tail towards Lionblaze. "Kits, I'd like you to meet your father, Lionblaze."

Goldenkit was looking Lionblaze up and down with eyes round in surprise. "You look like me!" He gasped.

Shadekit stared up at Lionblaze with big eyes. "You're our father?" he asked in disbelief.

"I thought Breezepelt was our father!" Smokekit squeaked, arching her back up.

Lionblaze couldn't help but flinch at that. My kits thought that Breezepelt was their father? Lionblaze thought in surprise. Didn't Heathertail tell them about me? Then he just shrugged it off. I guess she just wanted to wait for this moment.

Heathertail shook her head. "No. Lionblaze is your father."

Sedgewhisker, who was just standing there the whole time watching the scene, dipped her head and meowed, "I'll leave you all be. I will be over here." She bounds away to somewhere in the forest.

Petalkit marched up to Lionblaze excitedly. "Wow! You're so big and strong! Stronger than Breezepelt!" she exclaims.

Lionblaze was touched by what Petalkit said. "I am the strongest cat in my Clan, little one." He told her.

"Well don't be rude," Heathertail said sternly to the kits. "Introduce yourselves."

Goldenkit stepped up to Lionblaze first, puffing out his chest. "I'm Goldenkit and I'm the strongest in my Clan!"

Lionblaze chuckled. "I'm sure you are." He touched his nose to Goldenkit's nose.

"My name is Sunkit," mewed Sunkit confidently.

Then the rest of the kits introduced themselves and Lionblaze touched noses with each of them. He felt warm inside. He was actually here, right now, with his kits and Heathertail. This just might be the best day of his life!

"They're wonderful, Heathertail!" He exclaimed, looking at her.

"I know." She purred, coming to his side to brush pelts.

They stayed close together for a few heartbeats with their eyes closed. Lionblaze suddenly felt a tug on his tail. He opens his eyes and turns his head to see Shadekit pulling at his tail with his teeth. Goldenkit marched up to Shadekit's side.

"Play with is!" Goldenkit demanded Lionblaze, as he began helping Shadekit tug on his tail.

Sunkit came to stand in front Lionblaze. "Can you play with us, father?" she asked in sweet innocence.

She called me father... Lionblaze thought, turning to look down at her. He felt warm and happiness well up inside of him. I am their father. He thought proudly.

"Of course I'll play with you." Lionblaze replied as he licks her forehead.

"Yay!" Sunkit then bounced onto one of Lionblaze's massive paws.

Lionblaze pretended to gasp in shock and fell to his side. All of the kits were on top of him in an instant. Heathertail backed away a little to observe. A huge smile was plastered on her face.

"Goldenkit, Shadekit, you take care of his tail!" Smokekit ordered. "Sunkit, Petalkit, take care of his legs. And I'll get his ears!" Smokekit began tugging at Lionblaze's ear with her teeth.

Sunkit and Petalkit went straight to attacking Lionblaze's legs. Sunkit was batting at one his legs with her paws, while Petalkit snipped on another. Lionblaze gently pushed them away with a paw, causing them to fall over. They got right back up and attacked his legs again. Lionblaze tried shaking Goldenkit and Shadekit off his tail but they were clutched onto it tightly.

Lionblaze heard Heathertail laughing.

Time seemed to pass by quickly. Lionblaze played with the kits for a long while but eventually got tired. The kits ran around in the abandoned Twoleg nest for a little longer sense they had so much energy. Then later they got tired finally and curled up in balls in between Lionblaze and Heathertail who were now resting. The whole family finally went to sleep. Sedgewhisker was long forgotten.

When Lionblaze woke up the moon was still shining brightly in the sky. He blinks and his eyes met a pair of heather eyes. His mate was wide awake and was staring into his eyes lovingly.

Lionblaze stared right back into her eyes and breathed, "You're beautiful, Heathertail…"

A smile spread on her face. "And you're handsome, Lionblaze."

"Yuck!" Goldenkit spat. He had been up the whole time and was looking at his parents in disgust.

Petalkit shoved Goldenkit a little. "It's not yuck. Father and mother love each other very much!"

"Whatever." Goldenkit rolled his eyes.

Lionblaze let out a sigh of happiness. There was nowhere else he'd rather be right now than here with his family. I don't ever want to leave them... He thought. I wish we were all in the same Clan…

He suddenly heard pawsteps approaching them. He looked up, alert, then let out a breath of relief when he saw that it was only Sedgewhisker.

Oh. I forgot she was here.

"Hey, Heathertail, I think we should go now. We don't want any cat missing us," Her voice sounded tired. She blinked sleepily at her Clanmate. "And I'm getting kind of tired." She admitted.

Heathertail sat up and looked over at Sedgewhisker. "Sorry, Sedgewhisker. Yes, we can go," She turns to look down at the kits. She nudges all of them with her nose. "We have to get home, little ones."

"What?" Shadekit, who was kneading Lionblaze's belly fur, gasped. He stared at his mother with big eyes. "Why?"

"I want to stay here with Lionblaze!" Sunkit protested.

"Yeah we want to stay here with father!" Smokekit whimpered.

"Why do we have to leave?" Petalkit asks, disappointedly.

Goldenkit didn't say anything, but only looked down at his paws.

"Because Lionblaze has to go back to his Clanmates and we have to go back to ours," Heathertail explained, gazing sadly at Lionblaze. "We'll see him again soon."

"When?" Goldenkit demanded, angrily.

"In a few nights, my son." Lionblaze promised. He moved to lick his son's head.

Goldenkit jerked away from him, climbed over Heathertail, and stomped over to Sedgewhisker. He sat down abruptly right under her. Lionblaze blinked in confusion before getting up to his paws, causing Shadekit to slide off his belly.

"Say goodbye to your father and then we can go," Heathertail told the kits.

Sunkit stood in front of Lionblaze. "Bye!" she exclaims. She reached up to touch noses with him.

Lionblaze touched his nose to hers. "Goodbye, Sunkit."

The other kits said their goodbyes and touched noses with him except for Goldenkit. The golden tabby was staying close to Sedgewhisker, avoiding his father's gaze.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye to your father?" Sedgewhisker asks, looking down at him.

"No!" Goldenkit snapped at her. "I just want to go home already!"

"Okay then." Sedgewhisker sounded amused rather than offended.

Heathertail touched her nose to Lionblaze's. "It's okay. Goldenkit is just upset that he can't stay here with you." She murmured.

"I thought so." Lionblaze purred as he licked her cheek.

"Can we meet here tomorrow?" Heathertail asks hopefully.

Lionblaze thought for a moment. It would be a risk coming here tomorrow. I've been gone for a long time tonight. Some cat is going to get suspicious. He shook his head sadly at his mate. "Our Clanmates will get suspicious and the kits will be too tired. We'll meet in twenty days."

Heathertail's features changed to shock. "Twenty days?"

Lionblaze chuckled. "I was just playing. We'll meet in six days."

Heathertail twitched her ears. She didn't seem to find his joke very funny. "Let's meet in three days instead." She suggested.

"But the kits will be too tired to trek all the way up here." Lionblaze meowed seriously. "We'll meet in five days then."

Heathertail shook her head. "Three days." She insisted.

"Five days."

"Come on, kits," Lionblaze heard Sedgewhisker murmur. She sounded a bit embarrassed for listening to their conversation. "We'll wait for Heathertail over here."

Lionblaze waited for their pawsteps to fade away before he pushed his body against Heathertail. "Don't worry," he breathed in her ear. "I'll make that day the best ever. I promise."

Heathertail still didn't seem sure. She was staring at Lionblaze with narrowed eyes. Lionblaze sighs and moves away from her. He turned to face her and licks her lips. Heathertail didn't react. Lionblaze couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated. Come on. Don't be that way. He thought. He licks her lips again but this time Heathertail returned it. The two begin lapping at each other's tongues, desperately. Lionblaze had to fight to control his excitement. He remembered what had happened one time when he and Heathertail did this. The two were alone, in the abandoned Twoleg nest, and Lionblaze let his excitement bowl over. Now that was some night. He thought.

Suddenly stopping, Lionblaze pushes himself against Heathertail one last time before she left. "I'll see you in five nights…" he murmured, breathlessly.

"Five nights…" Heathertail echoed before padding away.

He watched her through the trees as she met up with Sedgewhisker and the kits that were not too far away. "Goodbye!" he yelled to them.

"Bye!" yowled the kits, except for Goldenkit.

"Farewell, my love!" Heathertail shouts.