So who liked the last chapter? This ones interesting, we get introduced to some new kits, a cute crush surfaces, and a new friendship is made.
Can anyone guess what each of them is? You'll have to read to find out ;)
Chapter 15
The smell of sweat filled the den, causing Dewpelt to gag. It was thick in the air, and it wrapped itself around the five cats in the den, winding its way through their fur and along their whiskers. The fear and anguish seemed to feed off of the stink which swarmed around them, and trickled out across each of the cays.
Deerspots moaned in pain, her eyes squeezed shut. "It hurts," she cried, her claws sheathing and unsheathing to bear the pain.
"I know," Dewpelt murmured, squeezing a wad of wet moss out onto her forehead. "Don't worry, they're almost here." She beckoned to Mosspaw who slipped some thyme onto the queen's tongue to calm her.
Addertooth watched the medicine cat work, trembling. "She'll be alright, won't she?" Speckleclaw nodded, sharing the tom's concern for his sister. "This is all normal?"
Dewpelt ignored him, simply watching the birthing queen. "They're about to come," she said, her voice strong. "I need you to push as hard as you can, alright?"
Deerspots nodded and screamed suddenly as a contraction overcame her. The first kit peeked out, a brown tabby, and Mosspaw snatched it up, biting open the sack, just as her mentor had showed her. The apprentice began to vigorously lick the kit, her warm tongue awakening the tiny cat. "Its a tom."
Addertooth glowed with pride, picking up his newborn son, and placing him next to his mother. Once more Deerspots moaned in agony, and a second kit slid out. This time Dewpelt bit open the sack and rasped her tongue along its light brown fur. The kit's flank rose up and down, and Dewpelt smiled. "Another tom," she mewed triumphantly. She placed the kit next to his mother, admiring the to of them.
"Is that all?" Addertooth asked, worriedly.
"Yes," Dewpelt said taking a deep breath. "I'll leave you two alone." The medicine cat turned and walked out of the nursery, Mosspaw trailing along behind her. She listened to the sound of laughter coming from the nursery, the glee that bubbled from the happy couple. She smiled.
"Things are going to get better," she mewed softly, gazing up at the blue sky.
The raspy coughs caught Dewpelt's attention immediately. They were hoarse and painful, the thick sound of sickness in them. Goldenfoot looked exhausted, her old amber eyes worn out, her muscles drooping. "Can you give me something for it?" asked the she-cat, her voice coarse. "I'm needed on a patrol right now, so I need something which'll work quickly."
Dewpelt snorted. "Give you something for it? Theres no way you're going on that patrol, not with that cough anyway." She picked up a bundle of catmint and pushed Goldenfoot over to a moss bed.
"But I have to go!" interjected the ginger she-cat, her tired eye narrowed.
Dewpelt simply ignored her arguments, pushing her until she lay down on the moss. "Now eat these," she order, pushing the herbs over.
Goldenfoot hesitated, glancing back towards the entrance. "But couldn't I just-"
"No," Dewpelt mewed firmly, stuffing the catmint into her mouth before she could argue. "You've got whitecough and if we don't treat that and give you some rest, it'll just get worse and become greencough. At your age, I don't want to risk that."
Goldenfoot shivered at the mention of the deadly greencough, however Dewpelt's last words made her bristle. "At my age?" she cried, her eyes narrowed. "I'm still a warrior aren't I?"
"But you're as old as an elder," Dewpelt muttered under her breath.
"What was that?" Goldenfoot snapped.
"Nothing," Dewpelt said quickly, shoving more catmint into the she-cats open mouth. "Just get some rest. You'll need it."
Squeals of happiness filled the air as the two apprentices rolled across the sandy, tussling with each other. Skypaw batted at Fawnpaw's head playfully, his nose crinkling as he laughed. The two glanced up in surprise to see Batwing and Startail standing in front of them, waiting.
Fawnpaw quickly scrambled to her paws and stood up straight, her cheeks warming. Skypaw stood up next to his sister, his whiskers still quivering with laughter.
"Ready to train?" Batwing mewed, giving her apprentice a quick wink.
Fawnpaw grinned and bobbed her head, her tortoiseshell fur rippling, excited to be training in the sandy hollow.
"I'm going to teach you a new move today," Startail mewed, gesturing to both apprentices. She darted out at Batwing, and the black warrior moved to the side to avoid her, however Startail lashed out with her paws at the last second, sweeping Batwing's legs out from under herself.
Skypaw let out an ooooohhhh and Fawnpaw gave a little bounce at the performance.
"Now lets see you do, Skypaw," Startail instructed, smiling at their reactions.
The white apprentice nodded and stared at his sister with an intent stare, focusing on her. Skypaw took a flying leap and just as Fawnpaw darted back, he hit the back of her legs, sending her plopping on the sandy ground.
Batwing smiled and nodded in praise at the tom. She watched as Fawnpaw tried out the same move on Skypaw, her movements more fluid and graceful. "Arch you back a bit more," she mewed to her apprentice, demonstrating what she meant. "And make sure that you're paws don't get tangled up with your tail."
Fawnpaw nodded vigorously, and repeated the move, sending her brother face first into the dirt. She grinned triumphantly up at Batwing and Startail, giggling softly as Skypaw got to his paws, sputtering in annoyance.
"That was great!" Startail mewed, beaming, "Why don't you try again, Skypaw." The ginger warrior glanced over at Batwing, holding her laughter. "Remember when we were like that?" she whispered, amused.
Batwing grinned back, and watched Skypaw repeat the move that he had been taught. She caught site of Cloverpaw watching them, his eyes twinkling a little smile on his face. Batwing caught his eye, and waved her tail in greeting, but the apprentice quickly ducked his head, embarrassed. He scampered off back towards the camp, his steps jerky and shy.
She glanced over at Startail in confusion, shaking her head in mild amusement. "Wonder what that was about?" she mewed, narrowing her eyes.
Startail snorted with laughter, keeping a careful eye on their apprentices. "You don't know? Its obvious he's got a little crush on you."
Batwing stared at her friend in disbelief, not sure whether to laugh or just roll her eyes. "You're kidding, right? Cloverpaw? We're not even friends!"
"Oh come on," Startail said. "You seriously haven't noticed? The tom's practically in love with you, he gets all nervous and shy whenever you get even a foxlength away!" She flicked her ears playfully, giving her friend a little wink. "Theres only a five moon age gap, it doesn't sound that ridiculous."
"Oh shut up." Batwing rolled her eyes, giving her head a little shake. However she couldn't help but smile in faint surprise and amusement at the fact that Startail's situation with Lynxfoot was nearly identical. She shook her head as her mind began to open up, knowing that she was being ridiculous. She glanced up at the sky, realizing that it was already sunhigh, and turned back to Startail, narrowing her eyes nervously. "Any chance we can cut this a bit short?" she asked, hoping that Startail wouldn't be annoyed at her.
But the she-cat just shrugged happily. "I can train both of them right now if you want."
Batwing sighed with relief, shooting a grateful look. "Theres just something I need to do. Thanks a lot."
She waved her tail at Fawnpaw and bounded out of the sandy hollow. Her long legs leapt across the ground, covering ground quickly. The wind whistled past her ears, and the route towards the thunderpath now seemed nearly pleasant. She had memorized the way, and her paws seemed to know where to go without her mind. She was simply a streak of black fur as she slipped across the thunderpath, her furs smacking the cold stone.
Once she reached the clearing, she relaxed in relief to see Dawnspirit there, waiting for her. Yet there was something wrong, something different. "Are you alright?" she asked cautiously, approaching the grey she-cat.
Dawnspirit nodded quickly, avoiding Batwing's golden eyes, now flickering with concern. "You heard about the battle?"
Batwing said nothing, knew that no words were needed. She just nodded, her expression saying everything.
"I wanted to help," Dawnspirit whispered. "I thought that perhaps if I could just save one cat it would begin to pay back the grief Shadowclan has caused. His name was Lightningheart."
"Lightningheart?" Batwing smiled at his name, however a shiver accompanied it, her mixed emotions originating from her memories. "Is he alright?"
Dawnspirit nodded. "You knew him?"
"Yes," Batwing mewed, a sudden memory flashing through her mind.
Batpaw turned to see that it was the white apprentice who had also fallen, but her stomach churn as her paws slipped from the shift of weight.
The white apprentice's face was consumed with terror as she scrabbled at the stone wall, Batpaw doing the same, as fear coursed through her.
"Dovepaw!" came a screech from Glowfoot. Batpaw watched as Dovepaw reached over, but suddenly she shrieked as the stone under her crumbled away, sending her plummeting down into the gorge. "No!" Glowfoot screamed, her eyes glazed over with shock.
Batpaw's eyes widened and she frantically looked up and saw Nightclaw standing over her. She reached out to grasp his paw, but he pulled away. Green eyes met gold and then Batpaw was falling through the air, the wind whistling by her.
Suddenly she stopped.
Pain seared through her body as teeth connected with her scruff, but she slowly felt herself pulled up by a golden cat. She lay panting on the ground, and looked up at her savior. Shock hurtled through her as she saw that it was Lightningpaw!
"I couldn't let you die with Dovepaw," he murmured, his voice thick with pain. "She was one of my best friends."
"I'm sorry," Batpaw whispered. "I'm sorry that she's dead." Grief consumed her for a second, dawdling on the apprentice that she had never known.
"I met him a long, long time ago. I'm glad you save him, he's a good cat."
However Dawnspirit did not smile at her words. "I thought it would wash away the guilt, but its still here. I can't ignore it, its tormenting me."
Batwing opened her mouth to provide comforting, however a sharp scent stopped her. "Someone's here," she hissed, frantically glancing around the small clearing. "I have to go!"
Dawnspirit brushed her tail against the black she-cat shaking her head. "I know," she said calmly. "Its okay, I invited her."
Batwing stared at her, bewildered. She began to speak, not understanding, but just then the cat appeared out of the trees, causing her black fur to bristle in surprise. The she-cat 'blueish grey fur shimmered in the sunlight, and her head drooped, a hopeful look of acceptance in her eyes.
"What is she doing here?" Batwing hissed, glaring at Blueflower in remembrance of their last meeting.
"Its alright," Dawnspirit mewed assuringly, dipping her head. "You can trust her. She doesn't like whats going in Shadowclan just as much as I don't."
Blueflower looked nervously at Batwing, taking a step back. "I know you're still upset about the battle at the border, but I can promise you that you can trust me. Its hard to be in a clan corrupted by cats, and have your loyalties torn in so many ways."
Batwing frowned, yet she begrudgingly accepted the she-cats apology. "I understand," she muttered. "It must be torture sometimes."
Blueflower padded forward, her nervousness gone. "I'm a Shadowclan cat, its who I am, I'll always be one. But right now Crookedstar is corrupting it, thats why my loyalties are torn. My clan has changed too much. Please, I'm begging you, help us go back to what we once were."
Batwing shuddered in fear at what she said, and nodded her head strongly. "I'll do everything I can." While her words were warm and reassuring, her mind was racing with terror. I'm not the one who can save you, she wanted to scream. Its Dawnspirit, not me! Without her Shadowclan will be lost forever!
Please review and tell me what you thought of this chapter!
Also, tell me what you think Cloverpaw and Brownpaw's warrior names should be. I've already decided Fawnpaw's and Skypaw's, however I'll let the last two names be the reviewers' choice. I'll choose the best names out of what you guys give me.