Chapter 6: Art of Conversation
"I can't believe him. Stupid tom!" Claws marred the closest birch tree. Shredding the silver-tinted bark as it fell in tatters. The tips of of of claws flaked with the tree-skin as if shaken by the wrath of the creature. Saliva dripped from it's mouth. A crazed look mirroring that over a killer solidified in it's gaze.
"Oh, don't get your tail in a twist." A voice meowed. Eyes watched from afar and at a safe distance from the enraged pelt of golden tabby fur.
The tabby snarled, green eyes igniting in another fitful rage as claws tore through the undergrowth at what little vegetation it had.
There was a audible sigh from behind a clump of ferns. "Honeyleaf, throwing another temper tantrum is not going to get you any closer to him or her farther away from you."
The golden she-cat roar-turned-shriek as she crashed into a thistle bush. Clumps of fur snagged by the prickly thorns and muzzle blood with fresh scratches. The cat with her sighed again.
"I told you," he began when Honeyleaf cut him off with another hiss of anger.
"You told me nothing I want to hear." She struggled only to force herself further into the clutches of the thorn bush. "Get me out of here!" She slashed at the tendrils wrapping around her paw but to no avail did she free herself. It took the might of another warrior to free the traped she-cat who was spitting insults all the while.
The tom shook his head has he nipped and tugged at the coiling vines. "You couldn't have got your head stuck in a fox hole? It's big enough to fit." He grumbled. He ducked, ears whistling at the sound of a limb flying overhead. He stared up at Honeyleaf eyes, reflecting the same fiery defiance that he knew too well.
"Say that again, Goldenpelt, and you'll find my claws so far up your tail end yo-"
He flicked his tail as a trickle of fear passed down his flank. "I get it. You'll cause unimaginable tortures to me. Save it for another day." He was careful not to brush past her as tension still radiated from her pelt. He shook himself to rid himself of it.
He jumped over a rotten log as it dissipated in the ground. "As I was saying before, Fireblaze is a very dedicated tom to BirchClan. You can't expect him to stop what he's doing and jump to your every beck and call. He's a warrior or have you forgotten that as well?"
Honeyleaf matched strides with the golden tom, glaring at him as he fueled her shot nerves. He made eye contact with the forest around them as it was recovering from its bout with leafbare. Tiny shoots of greenery were popping out of the icy ground. Berry patches thawed their succulent fruit, gleaming like precious stones in the sunlight. Even the bird song was a familiar tune to Goldenpelt's nicked ears. Newleaf was a season he was sure to look forward to. New life. New promise of prey. New hope. In his sense he saw it that way.
"Finished gawking over the little display of life on what we call home?" Honeyleaf chimed, kicking icicles-sheltering on a low hanging branch- right on top of him. He yowled as the broken shards of ice stung his face. He rubbed it with one paw snapping his gaze back to his sister who was challenging him to say something out of line. He lost the will to argue as he always had. He sister was a bully to him, no doubt. She was grateful for when others tried the same thing and earn a scratch to remember her by. Sometimes though she was so hard to understand.
Even now it was mind boggling why she was having trouble contemplating with her ginger mate. Sure, he had his duties to the Clan which occupied most of day, and his family which he visits quite often since both seniors retired to the elder's den, and then there was Cherrydawn's confession. Goldenpelt huffed. It was too complex for him to decipher. His own life was enough to deal with but being intertwined with his sister's dramatic flares of life was too much for him. He needed just one sunrise where he didn't have to worry about how Honeyleaf was faring with her daily life. He had his own problems like being a mentor for the first time!
The littermates ducked under a briar patch that sheltered the tiny entrance in BirchClan. Cats were already busy cleaning up the dens after the short snow storm they recently had. Leafbare wasn't officially over yet but it couldn't hurt to feel the nostalgic moments of what was to come in the near future. Honeyleaf certainly wasn't feeling any of it. She jolted her brother stalking over to the prey pile and selected a rabbit for herself. No one objected to her large claim because it was expected of a pregnant she-cat.
Goldenpelt knew he would't be offered a bite so he chose a mole for himself and sat a few mouse-lengths away from his ravenous eating sister. He took a tentative bite watching Honeyleaf wolf down the rabbit in a matter of heartbeats. Licking her chest and lips for the remains of meat chunks left behind.
He looked away to finish his own meager meal not wanting to lose his appetite before whisking away for border patrol later on.
A low growl sounded from his side. "There they are." Claws scraped the hard earth to retain any further action. Goldenpelt was nibbling on the tail as a fiery ginger pelt strode from the warrior's den followed closely by a nearly blackened she-cat. A few splotches of orange here and there but the darker of the two colors dominated her fur. Gentle golden eyes spared the tabby tom sweet admiration. It almost made Goldenpelt ponder yet again, why his sister was so envied by the not-to-bright Cherrydawn. Her looks was no where near the icy golden warrior. Her fighting skills below average. The only real talents she had was a small memory of herbs and potential growth in hunting techniques. Still, her heart was captured by the already taken Fireblaze. Gullible, he was a hard cat to say "no" to anybody.
"Talk to her," he insisted. "Maybe you two can conclude some of this unnecessary qualms. It's not good for your health Honeyeaf and I refuse for you to jeopardies mine."
The she-cat warrior just crouched, glowering as Fireblaze nuzzled his other mate's cheek as she purred resounded from her belly. They parted ways as Fireblaze went to lead a sunhigh patrol. His red striped tail disappearing into the thicket. Cherrydawn was left by herself be even so, she was quick to strike conversation with Goldenpelt.
Of all cats. He grinned from ear to ear, waving his tail in swift greeting. "Afternoon, Cherrydawn. You're looking well as ever." He heard a scoff a few pawsteps from him. He rightfully ignored it.
The small torbie gave a timid dip of her head. Her eyes glancing over to Honeyeaf he was cleaning her fur paying no mind to her. "Good day, Honeyleaf." The tabby she-cat mumbled a quick 'hello' and turned her head away completely. Cherrydawn whiskers drooped. Goldenpelt was going to give her a piece of his mind when a sudden shrill caught both cats attention.
It came from Cherrydawn her eyes aglow with determination and long fur bristling. She stared at Honeyleaf with such ferocity that he had Goldenpelt's spine prickling. She wasn't having any of this today.
The petite tortoiseshell cleared her throat. "Excuse me for that outburst but I would like to speak with you." She gave a small glance to the tom's way, "Alone."
Honeyleaf found herself walking into the ice-cloaked forest. She was expecting some sort of resentment, conflict between two she-cats and mates of the all-admiring Fireblaze. Her claws itched to uncover and rake the ground mercilessly.
"This seems like a good spot to start." Cherrydawn spoke up halting Honeyleaf's diabolical plans. The tabby flicked her tail and sat a tail-length away from her clanmate.
Cherrydawn turned around, facing the glaring she-cat. A permanent scowl creasing her features.
The she-cat took a breath. "So, let's start."
"Start what?" Honeyleaf growled softly. She was already losing interest. Her temper rising with each outspoken word.
Cherrydawn tipped her rounded head. "Why, a conversation of course. It'll be the first one ever. I mean, since the time leading up to now. Then again, you did-in a way-ignore me during our apprenticeship. Didn't really bother to play with me at all in the nursery either..."
Honeyleaf's ear folded back against her neck. "Say no more. What is you want to discuss?" She already knew the obvious. It was about Fireblaze. The discussion these days has always been about the fiery warrior. Blazing green eyes and a pelt to match. He was BirchClan's hero. Her hero. Cherryawn's hero. Her memory sour at that conclusion.
"For starters, I want to congratulate you as you're expecting," her head tipped down further seeing the smallest hints of a rounding belly. "And a quarter of a moon along, eh?"
Honeyleaf shifted her paws closer to her belly, protecting what little was in there. "Er, thanks." Her ears burned as the small tortoiseshell continued to stare at her as if expecting more. She didn't receive any.
"Have you visited Redlily and Flaresky lately?" Cherrydawn meowed.
The tabby perked up at the names. "No, are they alright?"
"'Fraid not. Flaresky is frantic about Redlily's sickness. He can't seem to stop pestering Sapfoot. The poor dear, working her tail off trying to keep the elders from worrying about each other." Cherrydawn sighed sadly.
Honeyleaf's heart clenched at the prospect. She'd forgotten all about Fireblaze's parents up to this point. Too busy with her duties and fretting about Fireblaze and Cherrydawn to have noticed Redlily's decline in health. Leafbare must have taken its toll on her immensely.
"Earth to Honeyleaf." Her clanmate waved a paw though she was far from close enough to grab her attention. The tabby swayed a bit but blinked several times before glancing at Cherrydawn. A tad of concern in her golden-green eyes.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"You look far from fine. Should I fetch Sapfoot?"
The new queen snorted. "You just said she was exhausted from working overtime."
"True," Cherrydawn admitted. "However, that shoulndn't stop her or anyone else from helping a classmate in need. Especially in your current state."
The golden she-cat groaned inwardly. She's more of a pain in the neck than I am. Secretly!
"Look, I know you're concerned about me and my well-being but I didn't live long enough to be a senior warrior for nothing." Honeyleaf saw the hesitation-not just in her look but her body language.
"You're looking at this the wrong way, Honeyleaf. I'm not just worried about you or Fireblaze's parents but our relationship in general. We need to be bonded as close as we can with FrozenClan running rampant all during the season. Also, I've always wanted to be friends with you and that's why...why I decided to take a liking toward Fireblaze. The best and only way to get your attention was to sweep your most desired distraction under your nose. It may sound conniving and awful but I'm not. I'm really a nice cat if you get the chance to know me.
"You may see me as a waste of your time but I can be apart of your life. Whether you like it or not Fireblaze sees it that way. That we can get along. To opposites side of a moss rock. Granted he isn't the most intelligent tom and I'm not one to talk. Give me a chance. Give us both; you and me a chance." She strain, eyes wide with emotion.
Honeyleaf's mouth opened and closed mere seconds after Cherrydawn's confession. It made sense to stick close even in these times, hard or not. She could not find one fault in her said words. She bowed her head, ruefully conceding what she's been avoiding all this time.
She gazed at the torbie. A sad smile moving the corners of her cheek bones and spreading a glow of relief over both she-cats.
Three tiny shapes stuck to the curb of a pale-colored belly. A warm, pink tongue brushed each snuggling body. The love washed over Honeyleaf as she stared at her most beautiful accomplishments in the Clan.
A murmur brushed the queen's ear. "They're absolutely perfect."
She chided in tune with her now closely friend, Cherrydawn.
"What are you going to name them?" Her friend pressed.
Honeyleaf looked over each bundle of joy. One a pale ginger, another with faint tabby stripes and the last a brilliant golden pelt with white paws to match. Sapfoot had announced after her kitting that she had two toms and a she-cat. More life born into the loosely woven Clan. Something Fireblaze was sure to look forward to when he returned.
"I was hoping to wait until Fireblaze came back from patrol, but I guess I can start without him." She looked at Cherrydawn, green eyes shining bright. "I have you to help."
Cherrydawn purred, crouching low enough so that her whiskers tickled the back end of the middle kit. "I think that one should be named Flamekit. He resembles so much of his father."
Honeyleaf nodded, brushing her tail tip over her little darling. "That's a perfect name."
Her eyes fell to the paler of the two. "I think Gingerkit will fit for her." The only female gave a doleful mew, nuzzling closer to her mother's soft belly fur.
"She seems to like it as well." Her clanmate mewed. There was only one left to name and the little rascal was shoving Flamekit out of the way to get a better seat at the dinner table. The tabby was left to coward under the demands of the larger kit.
"Settle down," Honeyleaf said sternly, moving the golden tom-kit from harassing his younger brother. "Hm, Lionkit. That will be his name."
Cherrydawn gave a slow, steady nod. "It fits. He'll be strong as a real lion someday."
The queen wrapped her tail around her kits just listening to the mewl and suckling for much needed milk. "Hopefully they'll have some denotes to enjoy as well."
The tortoiseshell cheeks burned and she shyly licked down her chest fur. "It's a bit early for that."
"But it's true!"
The able she-cat warrior smiled. "Perhaps, someday."
A dark shape covered what little light came into the nursery. Out of breath and wide-eyed with worry. "Are they here? Is she alright? Did I miss anything?" He puffed.
Both she-cats glanced at each other before sharing a series of giggling, waking up Gingerkit in the process.
"Not much, Cherrydawn tinkled. "We were just sharing a friendly conversation."