Alright, I know I said I wouldn't post until I got like, eleven reviews, but I couldn't help myself. I think this chapter is where it kind of starts getting interesting.
Oh, and Pumpkinfur? Do you mind if Pumpkinkit's not a maine coon cat? It would be kind of awkward if he was and the rest of his family wasn't.
R&R!
Chapter Fifteen
Jayfeather padded over to the fresh-kill pile and swiftly began sniffing the clearing for any sign of the patrol. Millie's kits, Shadekit and Fernkit, darted around the clearing, getting under every cat's paws. Jayfeather suppressed a growl as Shadekit tumbled into him from behind. They won't be kits forever. He reminded himself. Might as well let them enjoy themselves. But that didn't mean he had to stand there getting pummeled by them. Jayfeather pushed past the bramble screen and into the medicine den clearing. He grunted in frustration and turned back into the clearing when he heard Bramblestar yowl the familiar summons.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath high ledge for a Clan meeting." As soon as all the cats had assembled, Bramblestar continued.
"Surprisingly, Leaf-fall has been generous to us, and our fresh-kill pile is well stocked. After the elders eat their fill, the rest of the Clan may have as much fresh-kill as they want." Good. Thought Jayfeather. He hoped that if ThunderClan ate enough now, they wouldn't be as prone to diseases during leaf-bare. He scented Sandstorm's apprentice, Amberpaw taking a mouthful of prey into the elders' den. When the rest of the cats had all settled down with their meals, Jayfeather made his way towards the still full pile. Leaf-fall really was generous this year. He smelled a fresh vole towards the bottom of the pile and pulled it out. As he sat down, he noticed Shadekit and Fernkit digging in excitedly to their first rabbit.
"Mmm!" Fernkit exclaimed, a tuft of brown fur on her nose, "Rabbit is good!" Jayfeather twitched his whiskers and took a bite of his mouse. As he chewed, he overheard Millie and Squirrelflight's conversation.
"Do you know who the father of Daisy's kits is?" Squirrelflight asked quietly. Millie shook her head, eyes wide.
"No. I've tried asking, but she just acts like she didn't hear me, then finds an excuse to leave." She reported in a hushed voice.
"Well," said Squirrelflight, "you can bet it's not Spiderleg anymore, Daisy was pretty cross with him when Toadstep and Rosepetal were kits. Plus he's in the elder's den now." Millie mewed in agreement, and the two queens padded off, leaving Jayfeather lost in thought.
Lionblaze sniffed the gash on Cherrysky's hind leg. He decided it didn't look to deep.
"Next time, don't try to climb up a boulder that's five tail lengths high." He warned. Cherrysky shrugged, her ginger pelt was plastered to her body with water. After she'd fallen off the boulder, she'd fallen in the water. Foxleap bounded up to them. His green eyes were bright with excitement.
"Hey guys!" he exclaimed. "Seedpaw and I heard footsteps coming this way, we think it's the rest of the patrol!" As if on cue, Seedpaw came hurrying over.
"Come on," she begged, "can we please go check it out?" Lionblaze glanced around. He didn't hear or see anything, but in case it wasn't the patrol, and was something hostile, they'd have to be ready.
"Are you fit to travel?" he turned to Cherrysky. Seedpaw held her breath. Cherrysky stood up and tested her weight on her injured leg.
"I'm good." She informed him cheerfully.
"Yes!" Seedpaw bounced up and down, "Let's go, let's go, let's go! This way, come on!" Lionblaze rolled his eyes and followed Seedpaw down the narrow corridor. As they walked, Lionblaze noticed it was getting darker, and the tunnels were getting wider, turning into small caverns. He didn't want anything to surprise the apprentice, so he said,
"Seedpaw, let me lead." Seedpaw shrugged, looking a bit defeated.
"Okay." She moved aside and let him go in front of her. He followed the scent trail from the first time Seedpaw and Foxleap had come this way. As they approached the place where they heard other cats, Lionblaze could smell them. He realized that he recognized them. One scent was particularly familiar. He turned back in confusion.
"Guys," he meowed, "I don't think this is the rest of the patrol." Seedpaw looked appalled.
"Who is it then?" she demanded, "A giant evil badger?" Cherrysky shivered at the thought.
"Let's hope not," she mewed. "We should keep going though, we have to figure out who- or what it is." Lionblaze nodded, and began walking again. Suddenly, as he rounded a corner, he found himself face to face with Dovewing.
"Um, hi?" Dovewing stuttered. She laughed nervously. "Funny meeting you here, huh?" Lionblaze glared at her.
"Speaking of that," he growled, "What are you doing here?" Dovewing flinched.
"Sorry. We came looking for you guys. Cinderheart insisted." She added quickly. Lionblaze glanced behind her and rolled his eyes.
"Cinderheart would insist on something as mousebrained as that." He muttered, but Dovewing was relieved that he didn't sound as mad anymore. Cinderheart waved her tail half-heartedly,
"Hey, Lionblaze!" she murmured awkwardly. Lionblaze padded over to her.
"If I didn't love you so much, I'd probably claw you to shreds right now." He muttered jokingly. Cherrysky's eyes widened.
"Aww! That's so sweet!" she gasped. Lionblaze glared at her and she shrugged innocently.
"Come on! We should keep exploring! Who knows what could be down here!" Seedpaw called from further down the tunnel. Foxleap's whiskers twitched in amusement.
"Which is exactly why we shouldn't go exploring. We wouldn't want to get caught in a sticky situation." Foxleap began picking his way up a slope made of fragments of rock.
"This looks like where the tunnels caved in, I think we can get out this way," he pointed his tail towards a hole in the roof. Dovewing mewed in agreement, and leapt to a larger piece of rock. She glanced behind her to make sure Cinderheart was doing okay. The gray queen was going to be kitting soon, and might have a hard time keeping up. Thankfully, Cinderheart was keeping pace. Seedpaw leapt from rock to rock, exploring every crevice and crack she found.
"Hey guys, look! This rock looks kind of like Lionblaze's face when he's mad!" she cried. Lionblaze shook his head exasperatedly and kept walking. That only encouraged Seedpaw though.
"See! He looks like that right-" The end of her sentence ended in a high pitched shriek as the boulder she was standing on gave way and she almost tumbled all the way down the slope. Luckily, she managed to grab onto a thin ledge. For once, her eyes were filled with fear, not excitement.
"Help! Please!" Dovewing paced anxiously around the edge, trying to find an angle to grab her from, but she couldn't. Seedpaw scrabbled frantically, trying to pull herself up to a safer place, but the thin rock she was clinging to suddenly gave way. Lionblaze dove for her, but Cinderheart was faster, and grabbed Seedpaw before she could fall. They both landed on the rocks. Ivypool gasped and ran forward.
"Are they okay?" Dovewing wondered. Seedpaw pulled herself into a standing position. Her eyes were filled with dismay.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" She turned to Cinderheart, who was standing behind her. "Thank you so much! You saved my life!" Cinderheart's breath was coming in short gasps, and her eyes were bright with pain.
"Cinderheart?" breathed Dovewing.
Ooh! What's happening? (it's kind of obvious) ***SPOILERS***Get ready to welcome the Lionblaze and Cinderheart kitties in the next chapter!***SPOILERS**
And for those people who are still pm'ing me with kit names, I already have all the kits' names, and descriptions, and warrior names, so I don't need any help. Thanks though. R&R!