To my lovely reviewers:
Snowcrystal: Thank you for the review! I'm glad you thought it was a cute chapter :D I hope you like this one as much as the last ^-^
Sierra: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it! I wanted to make their acceptance of Bluefur kind of gradual, but still certain. Also I adore Whitepaw, so you can be sure that there will be a LOT of him in this story ;) Thanks again for the review!
Also! Shouts out to those following/favoriting not only this fic, but me! You all are amazing and I hope you also continue enjoying the story!
Chapter 6
"Sunningrocks is ours, you filthy squirrel-chasers!"
Sedgenose started, looking guiltily at Bluefur, but the blue-gray queen only purred in amusement as she continued grooming the younger she-cat's slightly rounded flank. "It's a miracle Whitepaw enjoys playing with them so much," she joked lightly, "or else I'd never get any time to relax."
Sedgenose relaxed visibly. "It doesn't bother you?"
"I guess not," Bluefur shrugged. "When I decided to cross the river I made the decision to give all my loyalty and strength to RiverClan and my kits, and that's a decision I'm more and more proud of every day."
Sedgenose touched her nose to Bluefur's thick pelt. "We're all glad you did, even if not every cat says so outright." Both queens turned their eyes back to Whitepaw and the litter of kits swarming over him.
"I surrender!" The apprentice cried, laughter in his voice. "Retreat!"
"We won back Sunningrocks!" Sorrelkit cheered jubilantly, abandoning Whitepaw's tail to chase Mistykit in a circle. Soon they were tumbling in a play-fight, only to fetch up against Leopardfur's wide golden paws. They immediately broke apart, and Bluefur braced herself to intercept the warrior if she was angry. The queen was baffled when Leopardfur's eyes flashed in mild amusement at the 2-moon-old kits.
"What's this I hear about my apprentice surrendering?"
"We beat him fair and square!" Mistykit boasted fearlessly.
Sorrelkit fluffed his little tail out, "It was a close one, but we took Sunningrocks back for good this time!"
Bluefur stood quickly and trotted across the clearing. "Sorry if they're being too loud," she cuffed Sorrelkit over the ears as she saw his eyes following Leopardfur's flicking tail-tip. The golden warrior shook her head.
"No," she meowed, "they're fine. Shaping up into fine fighters by the looks of it."
"You have no idea," Whitepaw shook the loose snow from his pelt as he joined his mentor.
He's nearly bigger than her, Bluefur realized idly. His warrior ceremony can't be too far off. She corralled Stonekit with her tail before he could wander out of her sight, and Leopardfur's whiskers twitched.
"You look restless," she observed mildly. "I'm about to take the sunhigh patrol. Why don't you come along and stretch your legs?"
Bluefur blinked incredulously at the warrior. "Are you sure? These four are a pawful…"
Leopardfur shrugged. "Sedgenose needs the practice. Whitepaw, fetch Falconheart."
"Yes, Leopardfur," the apprentice hurried off to the warrior's den, leaving Bluefur standing bewilderedly with Leopardfur.
"Kits, run along to Sedgenose. Do exactly as she says or I'll hear about it." She uttered the last part as a growl, and only once all four kits were nodding obediently did she let them scuttle to the other queen's side. When they were out of ear shot, she turned back to Leopardfur. "Don't get me wrong," she began uncertainly, "I certainly need a break from watching those furballs, but… I never thought you liked me very much."
"I don't like any ThunderClan warrior very much," Leopardfur snorted pointedly. "But if you mean to be my Clan-mate, then I have a loyalty to you just as I have a loyalty to every other warrior I fight and hunt alongside. Oakheart trusts you, our leader and medicine cats have come to trust you, so I will try to trust you and your kits, as well." Her green eyes narrowed into furious slits. "Don't make me feel this loyalty is misplaced."
Bluefur tilted her chin and met Leopardfur's gaze evenly. "I won't," she promised firmly, "as long as you do the same."
Their gazes locked for a long moment, until Leopardfur dipped her head gracefully and turned towards the sedge tunnel. "It looks like Whitepaw and Falconheart are coming."
When the toms joined them, Bluefur fell in step easily behind Leopardfur, content with the talk they'd had. Despite the heavy snow, she felt warm and refreshed. If I can start to gain my Clan-mates' loyalty just by raising my kits well, just wait until they see me back in the warriors' den…! Her tail lashed eagerly at the thought.
"We'll be going down the WindClan border today," Leopardfur called over her shoulder. "When the freeze chases rabbits underground we've got to be certain they keep their scrawny paws off our land."
As they approached the WindClan border, Leopardfur slowed and beckoned Whitepaw to her side. "What can you smell?"
The apprentice sniffed obediently, parting his jaws and closing his eyes. "WindClan," he waved his tail disinterestedly towards the border. "Pretty faint, their sunhigh patrol must be on the ShadowClan border. And…" He swiped his tongue around his jaws. "Mouse."
"Mice," Bluefur corrected with a soft hiss. She crouched low to the ground and angled her ears towards a long-withered tangle of bracken. Whitepaw crouched as well, pulling himself silently forward until a mighty pounce brought him directly on top of one of the small creatures. Bluefur leapt not even a heartbeat later, snagging the fleeing mouse in her claws with a satisfied growl.
"Great catch," Falconheart's feathery tail curled. "You've got a sharp nose, Bluefur."
"Thanks," the queen found herself winded, out of shape from moons spent in the nursery. "Let's keep moving."
With a nod, Leopardfur continued down the border, pausing every so often to renew their scent markers. By the time they were headed back to camp, Bluefur was realizing just how out of shape she'd become. Her breath came in small clouds of mist around the skinny mouse she carried, but she kept her chin and tail high. It wasn't until they passed back through the sedge tunnel and into camp that she let her fatigue show. She could only flick her ears in greeting as she dropped her mouse of the fresh-kill pile.
Graypool snickered in response. "You look like you've run all the way to Highstones and back." A sigh followed her light-hearted remark. "Maybe we should all go, you had more luck than my hunting party."
"It's a rough day for hunting," Bluefur murmured. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted Mudfur slipping out of the nursery. "Is Willowbreeze okay? My kits?"
Lying nearby and picking at pitifully thin fish, Duskfall shook his head. "The nursery is fine," he meowed. "But there's whitecough in the camp, so Brambleberry sent Mudfur to give the queens and kits herbs to keep them safe from it. You should have some, too, especially after leaving camp."
Bluefur nodded. "Yes, I'll go straight to Brambleberry's den." Without delay, the blue-gray queen went to the medicine den. Brambleberry let out a relieved sigh when she saw her.
"Perfect, I was about to go looking for you."
"I heard there's whitecough in the camp…?" Bluefur obediently chewed the leaves set in front of her, completely oblivious to their bitter taste.
"Yes," Brambleberry murmured. "Ottersplash. She's been given herbs and is resting in the warrior's den. The elders all have coughs, but I've seen to them, as well. By StarClan's grace we've caught it before it had a chance to take root."
"That's good then," Bluefur tilted her head. Brambleberry seemed distant, even as she nodded.
"Yes," she mewed again. "Yes." She shook her head and turned to Bluefur, suddenly seeming like herself again. "You should rest," she mewed critically. "Leaf-bare is nowhere near done with us and your kits need all the milk you can supply."
Bluefur touched her nose to Brambleberry's flank before mewing a farewell and retreating to the nursery. Willowbreeze and Sedgenose were curled close together, sleeping soundly while Bluefur's litter nestled between their warm flanks. Knowing they would come to her when they were hungry, Bluefur curled up in her own nest, letting sleep crash over her as soon as her chin hit her paws.
It was a moon later, when the next big freeze took hold of the forest, that Willowbreeze began kitting. Though it was barely dawn, Bluefur had urged her kits awake and ushered them out of the nursery. Whitepaw—now Whiteclaw—had been sitting vigil, and watched with wide green eyes as Brambleberry and Mudfur rushed back and forth between the medicine den and nursery. Crookedstar paced. He paced in front of the great willow tree where he made his den and he paced in front of the fresh kill pile. There wasn't a patch of snow that didn't carry a trace of his wide pawsteps. After returning from the evening patrol, Oakheart relieved Whiteclaw and came to Bluefur's side.
"How is it going?" He kept his voice low, knowing that Bluefur had been checking in on Willowbreeze periodically and not wanting to cause Crookedstar any concern.
Bluefur could only shake her head. "She has greencough," she whispered. "I…" She shook her head again. "She's been saying for days now that she'd swallowed a feather and Mudfur's checked each of us for whitecough every day but… Somehow…"
Oakheart pressed his muzzle against hers. "Willowbreeze is strong," he mewed forcefully.
"Oakheart's right," Mistykit piped up from the shelter of Bluefur's front paws. "Willowbreeze is a RiverClan warrior. There's nothing she can't do."
Shiverkit nodded firmly, trembling beside her sister.
"We need to get you kits out of this cold," Bluefur sighed, watching Sorrelkit and Stonekit tussle. Their noses were wet.
"We can take them to the warriors' den. All of the patrols for the day are out." Oakheart ushered Sorrelkit and Stonekit ahead of him, and Bluefur nudged Shiverkit and Mistykit to their paws. She sent a quick prayer to StarClan as settled the kits into Oakheart's nest. Don't you take her from us, Snowfur… Her kits need her. RiverClan needs her.
Second update in one day... I'm on a roll you guys. I'm unstoppable. If I keep getting positive feedback I may even get another chapter up tonight o.o
Really you guys, thanks for reading. I'm already almost half way through chapter 7, and looking forward to what you all think of how this story is progressing :D There is some draaamaa~ coming soon ^-^ See you all next chapter!