Chapter 6: Work, work, and more work
It was Peak Sun before the time Rougefoot woke up. He dashed over the Shortleg's den. "Shortleg!" He panted. "Do you need any help today?"
"Not today Rougefoot, go ask Cindertail."
Rougefoot walked out and went to Cindertail's den. "Cindertail do you need anything today?"
"No young one, I'm fine, just waiting to see Hollyheart again."
"Oh yea, I have to come with you." Rougefoot meowed.
"You don't have to. We are leaving at Low Sun."
"I want to. Low Sun. Ok. Got it."
"See you then young one." Cindertail meowed.
Rougefoot dashed out of the tunnel and stalked towards the MoonClan border. It just happened Foxclaw was there with Icechest at the time. Icechest caught scent of Rougefoot and edged closer. Foxclaw followed his sister. Rougefoot popped his head out of the bushes, then dove down again once he caught the scent of a vole. He quickly stalked it, then pounced.
He came up with the plumpest vole he had seen in a while.
"Great catch Rougefoot!" Icechest meowed.
Rougefoot burst with pride. He had been noticed.
Foxclaw stared at Rougefoot in envy. "Lucky to have caught that vole Rougy," Foxclaw taunted him.
"Why do you have to be so mean to me?" Rougefoot asked in the nicest tone he could muster.
"Because you love my sister. And I don't want her hurt."
"H… How do you know?"
"I'm not stupid Rougy. I know where she goes and what she's feeling. She loves you too."
"You should let her do what she wants and love who she wants to love!" Rougefoot meowed.
"He has a point brother…" Icechest meowed. "I can love Rougefoot if I want. And I do and I always will. You cannot stop me from loving him."
"Maybe I can't… But Dogstar can…" Foxclaw threatened.
"Brother please! Don't tell Dogstar! He'd be so angry at me."
"Then stop meeting Rougy over here." He pointed his nose at Rougefoot.
"You can't make me!" Icechest wailed at her brother.
"If you want to meet go to the Meeting place at least. Dogstar is getting very curious…" Foxclaw meowed.
"You would let us meet at the Meeting place without telling anyone?" Rougefoot asked Foxclaw.
"Yes." Foxclaw meowed. "I know I cannot stop my sister and I don't want her to be depressed all the time. So I'll let you meet at the Meeting place without telling."
"You swear on your sister's life?" Rougefoot meowed, filled to the brim with worry.
"I swear on my sister's life." Foxclaw repeated.
Rougefoot and Icechest walked off, going back to hunting.
"My dead sister…" Foxclaw meowed softly as he unkinked his tail. He stalked off into the forest.
Rougefoot caught a few more pieces of prey. He brought his catch to the kill pile, where Squirreltrack and Rashthroat were eating.
"Good catch Rougefoot," Squirreltrack meowed.
"Thanks," Rougefoot meowed back to his cousin. Squirreltrack and Rashthroat were brothers, sons of Flamestone and Crowflight.
Rougefoot took the vole he caught earlier and sat down beside Rashthroat. He began tearing into it eagerly, feeling the lovely foot scraps slide down his hungry throat. When he was done polishing off the last bone he buried them and said his thanks to his ancestors. Snapstar walked out as soon as Rougefoot was done. He looked at his son with narrowed eyes. "Take some prey to Shortleg will you. He hasn't eaten all day."
"I will," Rougefoot meowed. He picked up 2 mice he also just caught. He walked into Shortleg's den, who was sorting through some strong smelling herbs.
"Shortleg I brought you two mice to eat."
He turned around. "Thank you Rougefoot. Will you mind taking these to Crowflight?" He pushed some sweeter, but still strong smelling leaves towards Rougefoot. "It's borage to help her milk come."
Rougefoot set down the two mice in front of Shortleg and picked up the borage leaves. He mumbled through the leaves, "I'll be right back." He pushed his way out of the medicine cat den and into the nursery.
Crowflight's stomach was bulging with her unborn kits that were soon to be delivered. "More borage?" She meowed.
"Unfortunately," Rougefoot meowed. He set the leaves down in front of Crowflight, who, in turn, chewed and swallowed them. She winced at the terrible taste.
"Is it really that bad?" Rougefoot asked her.
"It's terrible. You're lucky you tom cats don't have to have kits."
"But isn't it rewarding?" Rougefoot meowed, quoting Whitefoot.
"Very. It's amazing watching your kits grow up to be warriors and serve their Clan well… I heard your mother is going to have kits again." Crowflight meowed.
Rougefoot brightened up at the prospect of a brother or sister. "Really?" He meowed.
"That's what I heard," Crowflight meowed. "Whether or not it's true is a different story."
"I'll go ask her later. By the way, Flamestone is the father, right?"
"I can't really tell you," Crowflight meowed.
"Oh ok, I understand." Rougefoot meowed.
"Rougefoot…" Crowflight meowed weakly. "The father isn't your uncle… It's Cornfoot…"
Rougefoot whipped around and stared at Crowflight head on. "What!?"
"Shush! Keep your voice down!" Crowflight hissed.
"But Cornfoot? I thought he would be too proud to take a mate from another Clan."
"Obviously he isn't. I'm not truly his mate… I still love your uncle. He… He forced me to bear his kits…"
"But… but why?" Rougefoot stuttered. He bowed his head.
"He… he wanted kits. He said there was no one in his Clan for him… He just overpowered me when I was hunting on the EarthClan border…"
"Awww Crowflight, did you tell Flamestone?"
"Yes… in the next battle with EarthClan he swore he would slay Cornfoot."
"I would think…" Rougefoot meowed. He laid his nose on Crowflight's swollen stomach. "I hope they are strong kits, no matter who the father."
She licked his ear. "Thanks Rougefoot."
Flamestone entered the nursery and stared at his mate, not even realizing Rougefoot was there. "Crowflight when are the kits coming?"
"Probably in a few more sunrises. Shortleg said about one or two more."
"Well can we pretend I am the kit's father instead of Cornfoot?" Flamestone meowed.
"Yes Flamestone. They won't be as beautiful as Squirreltrack or Rashthroat but they will be our kits."
Flamestone purred. "I hope they grow up to be as fine as their mother." He rubbed her cheek.
"I hope they grow up to be as fine as both of us." Crowflight meowed.
Rougefoot silently slipped away undetected.
He walked over to Shortleg's den. "Hey Shortleg," he meowed as he pushed through the ferns covering the entrance.
"Oh hello there Rougefoot," Shortleg meowed. "Do you mind fetching Snowclaw?"
"Not a problem." Rougefoot meowed.
"Thank you." Shortleg meowed.
Rougefoot walked out of the den. He clawed his way up a tree near the entrance. It was the Warrior's Tree, where most of the warriors slept. Rougefoot heaved his way up to the upper portion of the tree, where Snowclaw was sleeping in his nest. Rougefoot lightly prodded him. "Snowclaw. Wake up."
The great white warrior opened one green eye. He shook his head and stood up. He yawned. His ferociously long, gleaming teeth showed. A weak ray of sunlight penetrated his beautifully groomed, soft white fur.
"Yes Rougefoot?" Snowclaw asked. His odd colored eyes bore into Rougefoot's skin, making him feel nervous.
"Shortleg wants to see you." Rougefoot meowed.
"Oh yes… He needs to make sure I can still here from this ear… Well at least well enough to be a warrior."
Rougefoot remembered Snowclaw was deaf in his ear above his blue eye. "Well have fun."
"I suppose so…" Snowclaw meowed. He hopped from branch to branch down the tree and landed lightly on the ground. Rougefoot scurried after the warrior, trying to muster up the courage for each branch coming down. The drop could kill a cat if he had a misstep. He latched his claws into the rough bark of the pine tree. His hair fluffed out in all directions. He took a delicate step to the next branch down. Once he found his footing he leapt gracefully down. His hind legs scrabbled for a hold. His front legs began to slip. He was free falling to the ground. He clawed at the side of the tree for a brace. The bark slowed his fall and he landed safely on the ground.
Cindertail walked up to Rougefoot, shaking his head at the reckless decision. "That was a close one young one, well it's almost time to go so if you have other things to do then you better do them now."
"I don't have anything to do," Rougefoot said. He was clearly terrified. His fur was puffed out and his eyes were wide. "Oh yea, I have to go ask my mother something." Rougefoot meowed, remembering what Crowflight had told him.
"Well hurry up young one." Cindertail meowed.
Rougefoot rushed up to his mother, who was irritably scratching her ear. "Mother are you going to have kits?" His eyes were dancing with happiness.
"Who told you that?" Leafstream meowed.
"Crowflight? Are you are you?" He said excitedly.
"Yes I am Rougefoot, now don't you have something to do with Cindertail?" She meowed.
"Oh yea! Bye mother!" Rougefoot sprinted off, wanting to run off his excess energy. His tail curled up in delight as he sprinted as fast as he could towards Cindertail. He let his claws extend as he slowed down. He came to a halt in front of Cindertail.
"You seem excited young one? What could possibly be the matter?"
"My mother is going to have kits!" Rougefoot panted.
"My goodness young one. You may be a big brother."
Rougefoot looked at Cindertail quizzically. "What do you mean 'may be'?"
"You were of your mother's second litter… Let's just say most of her kits don't survive. They always are too sickly or they have the worst luck in living past being an apprentice."
"So… I'm not the oldest…?" Rougefoot asked quietly.
"We shall talk about this later. Let's go see Hollyheart."
"Ok, how about we talk tomorrow?" Rougefoot asked the old cat.
"It is a deal young one." Cindertail meowed as he led Rougefoot towards the EarthClan border.
