Hey guys! I posted another chapter. Nothing much is new, because I just posted a chapter. I've got five left! But they're kind of short. Enjoy!
Chapter Seven
Jayfeather mixed a poultice of marigold and daisy leaves. He couldn't believe what had happened to Dovewing. He had no idea why she'd been so rude. However, Jayfeather had been pleasantly surprised when Lionblaze had defended him. He picked up the mixture of herbs and padded towards the nursery.
"Hello Daisy." He muttered around the mouthful of leaves. Daisy nodded cheerfully.
"Good morning Jayfeather. How are you?" Jayfeather dipped his head.
"I'm fine. How are you? What about you Cinderheart? And Millie?" Cinderheart yawned, showing her pink tongue,
"I'm fine as well, thanks." She replied.
Jayfeather stood and sniffed her pelt. "I'm going to have to try to see how many kits your going to have now, I'm sorry if it hurts." Jayfeather pushed her belly, "I'd say around two kits."
"Sometimes I wish I wasn't going to expect kits at all!" she wailed, "It hurts a lot, and I can hardly even walk anymore." Jayfeather tried to think of something that would console her, but Cinderheart started to speak,
"When you have your kits though, it will be great. They'll probably be gray, like Graystripe." A sudden though struck Jayfeather like lightning. Graystripe? Four kits will be born the kin of gray and fire. Did Snowfur mean kin of Graystripe? He tried not to stare at Millie, was it possible her kits would be the cats in the prophecy?
Lionblaze tried to let his fur lie flat, but it was getting harder and harder as he thought about what Dovewing had said to Jayfeather. He'd wanted to shred her pelt when she'd said that. She'd got no right. How dare she? What had gotten into her? Lionblaze hadn't realized he'd stopped walking until Foxleap slammed right into him.
"Oh, sorry. Do you scent something?" Foxleap queried. Lionblaze forced himself to sheath his claws and keep walking.
"Um, no. Sorry for the sudden stop." Lionblaze sniffed the border, and not finding anything suspicious, he signaled for the patrol to turn back.
He led them back to camp. He padded stiffly past Dovewing, who was grooming herself in the fading sunlight. Lionblaze was about to find Jayfeather when Bramblestar called a clan meeting.
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey meet beneath highrock for a clan meeting!" he yowled. Lionblaze settled down next to Cinderheart. He inhaled her familiar scent,
"Hey," he meowed, she purred in greeting. "What do you suppose he's called this meeting for anyway?" Sandstorm turned around,
"Maybe if you listen, you'd find out." She mewed with amusement. Bramblestar began to speak.
"We are gathered here today for Snowkit, Amberkit and Dewkit's apprentice ceremony. Snowkit, will you please come forward?" Snowkit padded obediently up to highrock. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code with your life?" Snowkit nodded solemnly, and Bramblestar continued, "From this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Snowpaw. Ivypool, will you please come forward?" Ivypool padded forward. "Cinderheart passed down her knowledge to you, and you have made a loyal and brave young warrior, let us hope you will pass on your knowledge to Snowpaw." Ivypool touched noses with Snowpaw. Lionblaze thought she looked ecstatic.
"Dewkit, will you please step forward?" Dewkit walked confidently over to Bramblestar "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code with your life?" Dewkit nodded excitedly, and Bramblestar continued, "From this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Dewpaw. Toadstep, come forward please." Toadstep and Dewpaw touched noses as well. Finally, after Amberpaw was apprenticed to Sandstorm, Lionblaze went to sleep with the first feelings of hope he'd had in a while.
Dovewing fell asleep with her nose in her paws. She noticed Jayfeather, Ivypool and Lionblaze were avoiding her, and so was Cinderheart. She sighed, Lionblaze must've told her. Dovewing stood and stretched. Her belly scraped the sides of the entrance of the warrior den as she exited. She was beginning to realize how big she was getting. She couldn't even see her hind paws anymore. She waddled across the clearing to the fresh-kill pile. First order of business, get something to eat. Then I'll talk to Jayfeather and Lionblaze. After devouring a chaffinch and a pawful of voles, she set off to find Jayfeather. She pushed her way into the medicine den.
"Jayfeather?" Dovewing heard an unhappy grunt. "Listen, Jayfeather, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to say those things. Please forgive me. What about the things you and Ivypool were going to say? They must be important." Jayfeather paused for a moment.
"Fine. I'll forgive you; in fact, I'd forgiven you yesterday. I'm sure Ivypool is on your side, but Lionblaze is stubborn. You're going to have to ask Cinderheart to work on him. I'll put in a good word as well." Dovewing nodded.
"Meet behind the nursery at sun-high, with or without Lionblaze." Jayfeather mewed agreement, and she headed off. Dovewing hurried to the nursery. She found Cinderheart sleeping in the sun outside the nursery. Dovewing prodded her awake. Cinderheart narrowed her eyes at Dovewing. Before she could say anything, Dovewing spoke,
"Cinderheart, I didn't mean any of the things I said to Jayfeather or Ivypool or Lionblaze, you know that, right? I was just angry. Can you tell Lionblaze that I'm sorry? I have to go apologize to Ivypool." Cinderheart paused thoughtfully, then nodded.
"I know you Dovewing, and you're not a mean cat. I'll tell Lionblaze." Dovewing blinked, her eyes brimming with gratitude. She flicked her ears in a parting gesture, and hurried out of the nursery. Dovewing spotted Squirrelflight standing on highrock, giving out orders for patrols. She waved her tail.
"Yes Dovewing? I think you should be moving into the nursery soon, so maybe this could be your last patrol day?" Dovewing nodded.
"Do you know where Ivypool went? I want to do a patrol with her." Squirrelflight looked around.
"I think she's in the warriors' den. She just got back from hunting. You might not want to wake her." Dovewing shook her head.
"This is really important, it can't wait." Dovewing hurried into the warriors' den.
Kind of a boring chapter. I'm posting another one!