Sorry about the wait guys…I just seem to keep forgetting about fan fiction /: I get busy, and it just slips my mind! Plus, when you guys don't review a ton it doesn't necessarily encourage me very much. But anyways, read review and enjoy!
Half a moon has passed since I last saw Robinflight. My claws are itching to see her. I'm praying to Starclan that she is alright. And I hope our unborn (or possibly newborn) kits are alright too. It is just past dawn and there is freshly-fallen snow on the ground. The dawn patrol just left (Maplewhisker, Thrushpaw, and Breezefur) and every cat has recovered from greencough. The spout of greencough is over.
"It's a beautiful sunrise," Adderfang remarked from beside me.
I nodded. The forest was all pink and yellow and above that was the pale blue of the dawn sky. On the opposite end of the sky you could still faintly see the darkness of night.
I heard a yowl come from out on the moor. It sounded like Maplewhisker. Were we being attacked again? My hackles rose.
A few minutes passed when suddenly a familiar scent passed through my nose.
"Let go of me! I'm pregnant!" a familiar cat yowled.
Breezefur came in, holding Robinflight by the scruff as he half- dragged her across camp.
"Let go of her!" I snapped.
"Please!" Thrushpaw wailed.
He snorted and let go of her scruff, but he was tense, and ready to pounce if she tried to escape. Goosestar emerged from his den.
"What is going on here?" he snapped.
"We found this pregnant Riverclan queen on our side of the border," Breezefur reported.
"Why are you here?" Goosestar asked in a stern but not fierce voice.
"I am here because I no longer want to live in Riverclan. I wish to join Windclan. Please let me explain," she said.
Breezefur opened his mouth wide in shock and stared up at Goosestar.
"Quiet Breezefur. The cat has a right to speak. Continue on," Goosestar ordered.
Breezefur snapped his mouth shut and scowled like a little kit.
"There is no one left in Riverclan for me. My mother, Snowglimmer, was killed in battle when I was an apprentice. My father, Bumblestripe, was kidnapped by Twolegs when I was a kit. I had two littermates named Brambleberry and Archclaw. Brambleberry was killed in the most recent battle against Windclan. Archclaw was exiled from Riverclan because Moonstar found out that it was he who murdered Brambleberry and Blossomkit. I have fallen in love with one of your warriors here, and it is his kits I am pregnant with," Robinflight explained.
"Who is this warrior?" Goosestar asked, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Lightningblaze," Robinflight meowed.
She said it loudly and proudly, and I flinched when she did. Now my clanmates would always judge me differently.
"Is this true?" Goosestar asked as he turned to me.
"Yes it is. Every word of it," I nodded.
"Very well. You may stay in Windclan. But you must promise me something. You must promise that you will never return to Riverclan. If you choose to leave here, your only other life choose will be to become a loner," Goosestar told her.
"I swear to Starclan and the lives of my loved ones that I will not ever rejoin Riverclan after this," Robinflight pledged.
"What are you doing?" I hissed.
"Turning my life around," she whispered back.
"Very well. I must announce your arrival to the clan," Goosestar nodded.
He leaped onto Highrock and ordered a clan meeting.
"We have a new member of Windclan. Her name is Robinflight and she has left Riverclan because there is nothing left there for her and her mate is Lightningblaze. She has already sworn her loyalty to Windclan and I want every cat to not criticize her but instead welcome her into the clan. Since she is pregnant, she will start off as a queen, but once her kits are apprentices she will join Windclan has a full warrior. And I hope you will have fully accepted her much before then," Goosestar explained.
"She doesn't belong here!" Breezefur snarled.
"She does now! Goosestar's word is the warrior code, and he told us to welcome her into the clan," I snapped to her defense.
"Yes Breezefur. She doesn't have to be your best friend, but I want all of you to introduce yourselves and get along with her and not tease or criticize her," Goosestar ordered.
Breezefur nodded, for he was too loyal to disobey the warrior code.
Goosestar dismissed the meeting, and Thrushpaw immediately came bouncing over.
"Hi Robinflight! I'm Thrushpaw, Lightningblaze's sister. He's told me all about you and I can't wait for your kits to come! Especially since they will be my kin!" she meowed.
"Well I'm glad I have at least one friend in Windclan," Robinflight smiled as she sweetly touched noses with her.
Slowly Robinflight began to meet the rest of the clan. Besides Thrushpaw, it was Birdsong, Sweetflower, Lilyfoot, and Darkpelt who fully welcomed her into the clan. According to Birdsong and Sweetflower, medicine cats did not have clan boundaries, so they were more likely to be friendly. Lilyfoot was being nice because it was this cat who was carrying her grandkits. Thrushpaw knew I would hate her if she didn't like Robinflight, but I think she also liked her for her. And Darkpelt liked Robinflight for who she was. She had clan rivalries, and she had no special friendship with me or Thrushpaw or Lilyfoot or Goosestar.
"Here Robinflight, I'll show you around!" Darkpelt offered.
Robinflight nodded and I licked the tip of her ear before she followed her.
"You love her don't you?" a voice said behind me.
I turned around and saw it was Adderfang sitting behind me.
"Of course," I replied.
"Well congratulations," he said," on destroying Windclan with half-clan blood."
I snarled at him and walked away when he put his paw on my shoulder.
"Lightningblaze, you're my best friend. And I would do anything for you. But so you don't get mad at me anymore, I'm just going to pretend in my head that Windflight is the Mother and Robinflight is just taking care of them but being a Mother to them," he said.
"I don't want that though Adderfang. I have grieved deeply for the loss of your sister, and she was a good friend, but I didn't love her. I love Robinflight, and only
Robinflight. And these are our kits. And I really want you to accept that," I told him.
I looked at Adderfang and he looked like he was in pain. His claws dug deep into the snow and his back fur was bristled and his muscles were tense and his eyes were wide and his jaw was clamped shut. Then suddenly his head did two, large twitches and he raced off and out of camp. I longed to run after him and demand what was wrong. But I fought against the urge to do so. I'd let him cool down before talking to him again.
"And lastly this is the nursery, where you will be staying," I heard Darkpelt explain to Robinflight.
"Darkpelt! We're supposed to go on a hunting patrol remember?" yowled Lilyfoot with Littlepaw and Cloudstorm at her sides.
"Oh! Right! Lightningblaze, can you introduce her to all the kits and settle her in the nursery?" she asked.
I nodded.
"Okay. See you later Robinflight!" Darkpelt yelled before leaving camp with the others.
Robinflight smiled," She's so nice. At least I'm accepted by a few cats."
"Come on, let me introduce you to our crowded nursery," I said as I nuzzled her.
We slipped into the nursery and I saw all of the kits scampering around and play-fighting. Robinflight purred.
"This is Rosefur. She's Darkpelt's sister. Her kit is Turtlekit, and her mate is Flamepelt. Turtlekit is bound to become an apprentice any time soon. His sister was Blossomkit. Sparrowtail had kits with a Thunderclan she-cat named Tawnywhisker but Swiftstar would not accept the kits. So Rosefur is taking care of Snowkit and Hawkkit until then. This is Dawnstripe. Her kits are only half a moon old or so. Her mate is Cloudstorm. Their kits are Peachkit, Rubblekit, and Jetkit," I explained.
"Hi Lightningblaze!" Jetkit meowed as he stumbled up to me.
"Why does she smell all fishy and gross?" Rubblekit asked as he looked up at Robinflight.
Robinflight flinched.
"That's because she's from Riverclan. And it is not gross Rubblekit. You are just not used to it. And in a few days she will smell just like the rest of us," Dawnstripe told him.
"Good," Hawkkit snorted," we don't need her stinking up the whole camp." I growled fiercely at him and he ducked behind Rosefur.
"Don't be rude," she snapped at him and Hawkkit nodded obediently.
I showed her to the empty nest on the edge of the den where I had once slept as a kit. She curled up in it and then stood up and padded around at the moss for a little bit. After a moment or two a clump of snow fell out, and she pushed it outside the den. I heard sniggers of giggles come from Hawkkit and Turtlekit.
"Why did you put snow in Robinflight's nest?" Rosefur asked very sternly.
"We thought it would be funny…" Turtlekit's mew trailed off at the end.
"Well it is certainly not funny. Now apologize," she snapped.
"We're sorry Robinflight," they mumbled.
"It's alright," Robinflight purred as she curled up in her nest again.
I growled at them before turning to Robinflight again.
"I still don't think you should have made this decision," I said to her.
"But I only want to be with you. There is nothing left for me in Riverclan," she said.
"What about Lionfang?" I asked.
"We had a huge fight awhile ago. When he learned I was pregnant he was overjoyed, he thought they were his kits. But I told them they were yours, and he turned furious. It turns out he only wanted me as a mate, and wasn't content with me as just a friend with another cat as my mate. He said he would have waited for all of his life until I finally realized I belonged with him. And I told him that day would never come no matter how long he lived," Robinflight explained.
I nodded, and my thoughts wandered back to Adderfang again. What was wrong with him? What had happened to my joyous, lovable best friend that had suddenly turned against me?
I was snapped out of my train of thought when I saw Robinflight wince and stretch.
"What's wrong?" I asked suddenly.
"Relax. They're just stretching," Robinflight smiled as she looked down at her bloated belly.
Why was her belly so big? I mean, I know that pregnant queens have big bellies but even Dawnstripe had not gotten this big. And Robinflight is still a half a moon away from giving birth, right?
I nodded to her, my eyes wandering back to Jetkit. He was still the runt, but he seemed to be slowly catching up with Peachkit. Rubblekit was still by far the largest of the litter.
"Lightningblaze!" I heard Quailfeather yowl from Highrock.
I slipped out of the den and raced over to her.
"Just because your Riverclan mate has just arrived in the clan doesn't mean you get to spend every waking moment with her. You're leading the dawn patrol and the mean time I want you to help Sweetflower and Birdsong with whatever they need help with. If they do not need help then get one of the apprentices and clean out the elders' den," Quailfeather ordered.
I nodded and headed over to the medicine cat den. I peered inside when I heard them talking quietly. Feeling curious, I stood outside and eavesdropped on their conversation.
"Starclan has warned me over and over again. The secret is unraveling," Birdsong hissed.
"It can't be. No secret has been kept better," Sweetflower replied.
"Echosong continuously haunts in my sleep, reminding me over and over of the mistake I have made, and that I can never take back my decision but that I can let out the truth and perhaps someday gain some respect again," Birdsong told her.
Echosong? I've never heard of her. Is she a clanmate that has fallen before me? I pondered quickly.
"Echosong was right before…" Sweetflower muttered.
"I heard that," Birdsong snapped," I do not regret my decision. Could I have been smarter? Of course. Could I not have done it? Yes I could have. But can I redo the past? No I can not. So I must be proud of what Starclan has given me to proud of. And they have given me much more then I deserve for. But it was my reckless decision that will someday save Windclan." "I suppose. But you should tell them someday. They have a right to know who their-" Sweetflower started.
"Quiet Sweetflower!" Birdsong hissed as she smacked her muzzle," We don't need anyone hearing us. I don't get why we are talking about this like we would chat at Gathering. Any cat could be hearing us right now."
I waited a minute to seem unsuspicious and then walked into the den to find the two cats sorting herbs in silence as if nothing had happened.
"Oh hello Lightningblaze. Is everything okay? Birdsong asked.
Half of my body urged to tackle her and demand to know this secret but I knew that was the wrong thing to do.
"Hello. Quailfeather told me to come and help out here," I said.
"Oh! Well…hmm…Ah! You can help us put these herbs back in the storage back there. They each have their own little slot, so just sniff out the right section and place it there," Sweetflower explained.
I nodded and grabbed a pile of marigold leaves and headed into a small crevice in the den which lead into a small cave with tons of cracks in the walls. I set down the marigold and found the crack for marigold and placed it in.
This continued for awhile as I carried bundles of herbs back and forth. We were lapsed in silence for most of the time. Then finally I couldn't stand the silence any more.
"So do medicine cats have certain rules that they have to obey? Like they lose all respect if they break them?" I asked.
"Oh of course! Medicine cats follow the warrior code like all warriors do, but they have exceptions. If a medicine cat goes onto another clan's territory with one or no warrior escorts, and they give the patrol that runs into them a logical reason to be passing through their territory then the medicine cat and the warrior escort must be allowed to pass through the territory or enter their camp. Medicine cats are also allowed to speak at Gatherings when it is their clan's turn. But they rarely do this because it defies their leader's power," Birdsong explained.
"But Birdsong has forgotten the most important rule of all. A medicine cat is forbidden to have kits. Having kits and mate distracts a medicine cat from him/her duties, and then they could mess up treatments for cats, or not treat them all. And one or two cats that are designated not to have kits will not harm our numbers. Death from injuries and disease will," Sweetflower added.
"What happens if a medicine cat does have kits?" I prodded them.
I thought they both seemed hesitant to answer but then I quickly assumed it was just them being paranoid.
"No one knows. It has not happened for seasons and seasons, so far back probably most of Starclan can not remember it," Birdsong shrugged.
I nodded, and continued my task until I was done. I left, and was immensely surprised to find that the sun was already starting to set. I had not left camp at all today, how odd.
Robinflight made her way out of the nursery, and once again I was astounded by two things. 1. How beautiful she is, and that somehow she loves me too and 2. How large her pregnant belly is!
We nuzzled and I grabbed a rabbit from the fresh-kill pile to share. We ate it quickly, and I saw how hungry she was. She ate ravenously, as if Riverclan had not been feeding her enough. But when she was done she laid on her side and let out one low moan.
"What's wrong?" I asked her softly, I was too happy to sound worried.
"These kits are getting big. It hurts sometimes when they kick or stretch," Robinflight panted as she pulled herself upright once again.
I licked her ear comfortingly and helped her get into the nursery. I settled her down in her nest and then curled up in my nest in the warriors den. I fell asleep quickly.