"Congratulations, Molepelt!" Every cat in the Clan-besides Twigfall-was congratulating Molepelt on the kits Gingerfern's belly was swollen with.
"Soon, they'll all be congratulating you," Rosepetal purred into Sootheart's ear. He nuzzled his mate affectionately and shivered, feeling hot under someone's gaze. He looked up just in time to see Bluesong's gaze flick away from him and on to another cat.
A few sunrises ago, Rosepetal had told Sootheart that she thought she may be expecting kits. He couldn't really tell since her belly hadn't swollen much, but now that he'd told her, he could notice. Soon the other she-cats would notice and then the news would spread around the camp like wildfire.
"Twigfall, aren't you going to congratulate me?" Molepelt was over harassing Sootheart's sister when he looked up.
"Fine. Congratulations on blah blah blah," she meowed in a monotone voice. The disgruntled tom barred his teeth.
"Even though things didn't work out between us doesn't mean you can't be happy for me!" Twigfall hissed and arched her back at him.
"I am happy for you! Just less happy than if it'd been me!"
"If what had been you?" Molepelt challenged. Twigfall met his harsh gaze unwaveringly and then spoke in a clear, heartless voice.
"The mother." The whole camp fell silent and shocked gazes flicked around to one another. "Yeah, I said it. I'd have loved to be the mother of those kits." Clearly Molepelt was shocked that she'd actually said it in the middle of the camp.
"Happy now?" Twigfall, mad as could be, limped out of camp, tears brimming in her eyes.
Molepelt was hot under the gaze of the whole Clan, and so he pushed back into the nursery to visit Gingerfern.
"I feel so bad for Twigfall," Rosepetal muttered. "Her heart was broken in two by that fox-heart." Sootheart pressed closer to his love. Something about her comforted him and told him that Twigfall would be okay in time.
"I know where she's coming from. I had my heart broken by a tom, too. I didn't even know it until I saw him hanging around with Rosepetal all the time." Sootheart barely picked up Bluesong's words to Cherryfrost from across the clearing. She was looking right at him with a hurt and grief-stricken gaze. At that very moment he knew he wasn't any better to his old friend than Molepelt was to his sister.
"And now she's expecting his kits." She looked away and shouldered her way into the warriors' den.
Other cats must've heard Bluesong's comment because their clanmates began to come up to Rosepetal and Sootheart to congratulate them both.
"You're going to love having kits. They may be pains for a while, but once you see them grow into fine young cats, you know that all your hard work has paid off." Squirrelflight's gaze darted to Lionblaze, who was getting ready to go on the sunhigh patrol, and Jayfeather, who was organizing herbs. Even though they weren't her own, she had raised them as if they were.
"Just like your father was always proud of you," his great-aunt whispered in Sootheart's ear. She smiled and then walked away, letting other cats have their chance to congratulate the two of them.
Bramblestar bounded over to Rosepetal, smiling.
"Congratulations on the kits. Rosepetal, I'd like you to move into the Nursery," he mewed. "Sootheart, get another cat to help you gather some supplies to make her a nest. You can get the moss from Jayfeather, but the bracken you'll need to gather from the forest."
Sootheart licked his mate on the cheek and went out to find his sister.
She wasn't very far away. He found Twigfall in the training hollow, staring at the sky.
"Twigfall? You okay?" His sister didn't reply for several heartbeats, but then she turned and looked at Sootheart.
"Yeah."
"Can you help me gather some bracken for Rosepetal? She's moving into the Nursery and she needs a nest." Twigfall's eyes lit up and she ran over to her brother.
"Oh, congratulations, Sootheart!" He smiled.
"Thanks." The two warriors gathered enough bracken to have leftovers for the next cat who needed new bracken for their nest. Together they arranged Rosepetal's nest.
"Goodnight, Sootheart." Twigfall went to the warriors' den and slipped inside while Sootheart laid his tail on Rosepetal's shoulder.
"I'll see you in the morning." He licked her forehead and went to his nest to sleep.
"Sootheart!" Thistleclaw's voice filled the gray warrior's head with fear. "How could you disgrace the Dark Forest this way? Kits will only distract you!"
Sootheart spun to face his former secret mentor.
"I no longer am one of you! I belong to ThunderClan, not the Dark Forest! How many times must I tell you this? Don't you think you should find another cat to take my place rather than waste your time trying to get me to stay here with you?" Thistleclaw narrowed his eyes.
"Fine. But just know, when the time of the Dark Forest comes, we will rise without you. And then you'll regret your choice." Thistleclaw left him to the dark that engulfed Sootheart, freeing him of the Dark Forest's grip once and for all.