^^; Sorry it took so long to update. School n' stuff. :P Anyways, here's chpt 8! *grins 'cause I know something you don't know*
Suns passed and the half moon came. The thin layer of snow that once graced the ground had become a thick blanket. Tension was running high in the Thunderclan camp. Prey was getting scarce, and some of the younger toms were getting testy. Carly sat outside the nursery, peeking in on Robinwing from time to time. ((Robinwing, her mate, and kits are my charries. I own 'em! :P))
"Carly, come in. You know you're welcome here.", Robinwing purred. Carly got up and took her place beside the ginger queen.
"Hiya, Robinwing.", Carly greeted. She briefly looked at Robinwing's stomach. "How are you?"
"Fine. Though I can't say the same for Thundercry.", Robinwing replied.
"What's wrong with Thundercry?"
"He's been very worried, even though I tell hime I'm fine. He checks on me every time he leaves the camp and every time he returns.", Robinwing answered.
"Aw. . .he just cares about you, that's all.", Carly smiled.
"I know.", Robinwing agreed. "I'm really lucky to have a such a caring mate." Carly's smiled faded and she looked at her paws./Mate. There's that word again. Hmm.../ Carly had heard the word 'mate' alot ever since leaf-bare began. She knew what it meant, in both human and warrior terms. She's just never thought about what it meant for her.
"H-Hey, Robinwing? Can I ask you something?", she mewed nervously. Robinwing chuckled.
"Sure, Carly. What's on your mind? Wait. . .is it a tom?"
Carly's head shot up, giving Robinwing her answer.
"Ah, I see. What's the problem?" Carly shifted uneasily on her paws before answering.
"It's just. . .I don't know.", she admitted. "It's really weird. This. . .tom and I, we were really close, but now-" Her tail tip twitched in frustration.
"Now it's just. . .complicated! One day he'll give me the cold shoulder and I'm beating myself up about it. It's not even my fault! The next day, I can't stand him and he's trying to get closer to me. Gosh, the worst thing is I can't make up my mind about what we are!" She sighed and looked away as if she was ashamed.
"Or. . .what I want us to be.", she finished. Robinwing nodded sympathetically.
"Carly, let me tell you what my mother told me.", she said. Carly turned around and laid beside Robinwing.
"Leaf-bare is the most. . .stressful time in the Thunderclan camp. Any camp, really. Prey is scarcer and the clan relies on each other now more than ever. Bonding this way is good for the clan because our relationships grow stronger.", Robinwing explained. "That's where mates come in. Through all the hunts and all the patrols, sometimes certain she-cats and toms grow closer than the rest. Around this time, the toms want to prove themselves to the she-cats they have their eye on, so they act. . .different." Robinwing chuckled as she continued. "You may not believe it, but Thundercry wasn't exactly my first choice as a mate. We were always butting heads as apprentices."
"Really? He seems to care about you an awful lot.", Carly said. Robinwing nodded.
"As the moons passed, I guess-", she stopped mid sentence with a gasp. Carly lowered her ears.
"Robinwing, what's wro-"
"Carly, go get Leafpool."
Carly pricked her ears and got up slowly. /Her kits are coming!/, she realized. She bolted out of the nursery and ran to the medicine den. Leafpool and Jayfeather turned as they heard the brown and white she-cat enter. Carly's fur was on end.
"Leafpool, Jayfeather, come quick! Robinwing's having her kits!", she said frantically. Leafpool immediately grabbed a bundle of herbs from the corner of the den and rushed out.
"Come on, Jayfeather!", she called. Jayfeather walked out in no rush, following his mentor.
-Later-
Sam walked over to Carly, who had been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Robinwing's kits.
"Hey, Kid.", Sam greeted. "Wanna see the kits? Jayfeather says it's okay. I was just there a second ago." Carly nodded and padded off. She tip-toed into the nursery and grinned. At Robinwing's belly were four kits; a black tom, a white she-cat, a sandy brown she-cat, and a gray tabby tom. Robinwing looked up at Carly, her eyes filled with pride. Thundercry padded in soon after. He was a black tom with white paws and a strangely gray colored right ear. He smiled and touched his nose to Robinwing's ear.
They're beautiful, Robinwing.", Carly beamed. Robinwing smiled and looked at their children.
"The black one's name is Darkkit, the white one is Snowkit, the brown one is Hawkkit, and the last is Graykit.", she stated. Carly was so focused on the little one that she didn't notice Freddie pad in and sit beside her.
"Congratulations, Thundercry. Robinwing.", he said. Carly shifted uneasily beside him. Freddie noticed.
"I have to go, but I wanted to stop by.", he said, begining to walk out.
"I better go, too.", Thundercry murmured. He lovingly licked his mate's ear."But I'll be back as soon as I can." He padded out and Lionblaze appeared in the mouth of the den. Freddie stopped and looked at him for a brief moment before padding out. Lionblaze took Freddie's spot beside Carly.
"They're beautiful, aren't they?", he mewed. Carly nodded. Lionblaze sighed contently.
"Thundercry is really proud. He says he's wanted to be a father for a long time.", he informed her. Carly flicked her tail and cocked her head.
"D-Do. . .do you want kits?", she asked. Lionblaze and Robinwing focused on Carly. She felt nervous at the sudden attention.
"Er. . .whenever you find your mate, I mean. L-Later on. . .", she added quickly. Lionblaze twitched his whiskers in amusement.
"Of course. When I was an apprentice, Brambleclaw always said that he liked being a deputy, but he loved being a father. Oh, and when I'm around Dustpelt or Brackenfur, they always say things like, 'Icepaw found a trace of fox on the territory' or 'Cinderheart's doing quite well for a new warrior, don't you think?' and they always look so happy. They find so much pride in bragging about their kits. I think my father was the worst, though. . .", he purred. He paused for a moment. "Heh, watching the little ones grow up and into warriors would be fun, too."
Carly nodded, taking it in.
"I've gotta go. I'll see you later, Robinwing. Bye Lionblaze.", she mewed, stepping out.
***************
It snowed throughout the day and even more into the night. Carly and Sam were huddled up in the warriors den. Everyone else in camp was asleep.
"It's freezing!", Sam complained.
"That's 'cause it's snowing outside.", Carly chuckled. Sam shuddered.
"I know that. But this is ridiculous! The stupid snow is up to my stomach.", she whined. Carly rose suddenly. /The snow is up to her stomach.../ Sam looked at her expectantly.
"What? What is it?", she asked eagerly.
"We gotta go.", Carly mewed, making her way outside. Sam followed her. Freddie padded into camp with snow on his pelt. He saw the girls, shook the snow off, and bounded over to them. Leafpool wasn't in the medicine den when they arrived, but Jayfeather and Crow were sleeping on the ground. Carly turned to her friends.
"We have to go into the mountains. Now.", she said.
"But, don't we need to tell someone where we are?", Freddie frowned. Sam huffed and walked out.
"You act like we're kits.", she mewed. "We can take care of ourselves, besides, Leafpool and Firestar told us not to tell anyone about this, remember?" Carly smirked, following Sam; Freddie sighed and followed the girls.
*2 Hours Later*
Hollyleaf stirred in her sleep.
"Hollyleaf.", Lionblaze sighed. She woke up the warrior's den with her back paw in Lionblaze's side.
"Sorry, Blaze.", she mewed. She looked around.
"Hey. . .where'd Sam, Carly, and Freddie go?"
Lionblaze raised his head at the mention of Carly's name.
"They're not here? We should go looking for them, then.", he reasoned. Hollyleaf nodded and they padded off. Jayfeather yawned and padded outside.
/It's freezing./, he thought. He saw Hollyleaf and Lionblaze across the way and joined them. The golden and black cats turned at the scent of their brother.
"What are you doing out here, Jayfeather?", Lionblaze asked. The wind blew, sending the falling bits of ice towards the cats. It landed on their fur and the simultaneously shook it off.
"I could ask you two the same thing.", Jayfeather replied.
"Carly, Sam, and Freddie are gone.", Hollyleaf said. "We were going to look for them." The wind blew once more and it whipped the snow right in Lionblaze's face. He hissed and Hollyleaf continued.
"I thought they came back a while ago. I hope they're alright. It looks like quite a storm's ahead..." Jayfeather nodded in agreement. He sensed trouble brewing, even though he couldn't see the sight before him.
"You're right.", he mewed. He turned and walked towards the camp entrance. Lionblaze and Hollyleaf exchanged a puzzled look before padding after their litter-mate, slowed down by the thick snow.
/I hope they're alright./, Jayfeather thought.
-Hours Later-
Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf followed the ICarly gang's tracks, walking for hours. They finally rested when their paws were numb. Hollyleaf curled up beside Jayfeather.
"I wonder where they went? And why didn't they tell any cat where they were going?", she questioned. Lionblaze shook some snow off his pelt and sat beside her.
"Maybe they went back.", he said.
"Back where?"
"I don't know. Back to wherever they came from? They were loners, after all." Jayfeather sat up.
"I don't think so.", he murmured. He knew the truth about Starclan's plan for the ICarly gang and assumed they were trying to fufill it by themselves. Lionblaze sighed and shook his head.
"I can't imagine why Carly and Freddie would go out into a storm like this.", he said.
"What about Sam?", Hollyleaf asked. Lionblaze shot her a questioning look and Jayfeather flicked his tail in anger, but stayed silent. As much as he liked Sam, he could see her persuading Carly and Freddie out here. /Or at least Carly, and then Freddie followed her./Hollyleaf looked ahead.
"What's that?", she mewed. Her brothers looked, too. There were three small figures in the distance. They looked like cats. /Too bad I can't see./, Jayfeather thought. Lionblaze bolted towards them.
"What are you doing, you mousebrain?! Get back here!", Hollyleaf mewed, following him. Jayfeather let out an annoyed grunt and padded after them. /They're going to get us killed out here!/, he thought. As he got closer to his siblings, he was greeted with the familiar scent and sound of Carly, Freddie, and Sam. They were sitting down, obviously resting from their journey.
"What are you guys doing here? Shouldn't you be back in camp?", Carly asked. Lionblaze huffed.
"We could ask you three the same thing.", he replied. Carly looked to Freddie and then to Sam. Sam shrugged and Carly met Lionblaze's eyes.
"Well,", she began. "we were-" A ferocious wind stopped her mid-sentence and the cats cowered.
"This wind is fierce!", Sam shuddered. "Isn't there anywhere we can stop? Like a cave or something?" All six cats looked around, seeing nothing but thin, dead trees covered with snow.
"I know a place.", a voice said. The felines turned. Jayfeather scowled at the tom's scent. /Crow! What's he-/
"What are you doing here?", Lionblaze asked, a hint of attitude in his voice. Crow shook away a bit of snow that had fallen on his pelt.
"I saw you three leaving camp and no one was with you. I wanted to make sure you forest-foots were okay out here. Blizzards are nasty things, eh?"
"What did you call me?", Sam asked, ears back. Crow padded closer and sat beside the golden cat. Jayfeather frowned, but no one seemed to notice.
"Forest-foot. It's what we call forest cats that live below us in the valley.", he answered.
"Who's we?", Carly asked.
"Me and my Ring. Earthring, in fact. Bravest on the west side of The Water.", he replied. The six cats stared at him as if he had spoke in another language. Crow sighed.
"Let's see. . .a Ring in the mountains is just like a clan.", he explained. "There are three Rings, or clans, up there: Sunring, Earthring, and Cometring. Sunring cats are fast, but not very strong. Cometring is cunning and a bit dangerous. They can't be trusted. . ." He trailed off before continuing. "And lastly, my Ring, Earthring. We are the noblest and bravest of the three." Crow smiled as he continued. "Oh, you'd love it up there. Just about now, the waterfall is slightly frozen over. The sun makes the crystals glisten and the fish taste better cold. The-"
"If it's so great up there, why'd you leave?, Jayfeather interrupted. Crow's smile vanished and for a moment, his eyes clouded over with grief. He was about to answer, but the wind blew, sending a flurry of snow towards the seven.
"We should get out of this storm.", Crow said, avoiding the medicine-cat apprentice's question. He took a quick glance around. "I think there's a cave or an overhang or something around here . . ." Everyone, excluding Jayfeather, eagerly padded behind Crow, anxious to get out of the cold. Jayfeather hesitated before falling in behind his brother. /I wonder what happened?/, he thought. /For a moment, Crow gave off a feeling of-/
"Jayfeather, come on!", Sam called. She padded to his side and sat down.
"The cave is this way." She rose and they walked off together, pelts touching. Jayfeather inwardly smiled at the contact, but kept a straight face on the outside. They padded into a small cave and laid down beside the others, all sleeping but Crow. Sleep came easy to Sam, but Jayfeather listened out for Crow a little longer. He himself fell asleep in a matter of moments. Seeing that the clan cats were no longer awake, Crow padded outside. He looked up at the mountains. /I hope we don't run into . . . them./, he thought, scowling. He half sighed, half huffed and trudged back inside.
Me: Oooh. :D Them, eh? Review, plz. Reviews are mah Christmas present from ya'll. XD
Jayfeather: Aww...I wanted Sam to jump Crow.
Me: That's not very nice, Jayfeather . . . but it would've been funny. :P