A/N: Thank you again to anyone who reviews or favorites or follows. Sorry that this is coming late. I've been waiting for school to start since the day after it ended and now it's within ten days, I realized that I have a lot to get done before then.
iOpenFeather: I really like Snowlake and Runningwater. I think I'd like to use one of them for one of the kits (not sure which right now though) and another for a different character (probably one of Bluemist's or Rosepool's kits), if you don't mind, that is.
Chapter 7:
Two days after the battle, Crowflight couldn't shake the silver Windclan warrior from his head. How could I be thinking about her? I don't even know her, or her name for that matter! I'm supposed to hate her.
A shower of small rocks just behind him jolted Crowflight out of his thoughts. He turned to see Darkkit in something vaguely resembling a hunter's crouch, though her tail was brushing the ground.
The black, white, and tortoiseshell she-kit sat up, frowning. "Hailpaw old me I could sneak up on you if I did that!"
"You were close," Crowflight stood and lifted her tail gently with his paw. "That's better. You don't have to worry so much in our territory because there isn't a lot of undergrowth, but it's still important to keep your tail up."
"I think I'll try it on Nightstorm," The kit's gaze wandered over to her father who was sharing tongues with Ivystem beside the nursery.
Crowflight felt a pang watching them. Once more, the Windclan cat came to mind. He banished the thoughts immediately. Surely he could find a mate in his own clan.
While Crowflight had been lost in thought, Darkkit had made her way over to the nursery.
She wriggled her haunches before pouncing on Nightstorm. The silver and black tom jumped in surprise. Ivystem flattened her ears.
Darkkit looked rather pleased with herself.
"Don't ever do that again! You're going to end up with a notch in your ear from startling some cat," Nightstorm reprimanded his daughter.
Darkkit didn't appear to be listening though. The usually sensitive she-kit was peering around Nightstorm to where one of her brothers was creeping up on him from behind.
Nightstorm yowled as Badgerkit jumped on his tail, catching a tuft of black fur in his tiny claws.
The older tom smoothed his chest fur, trying to appear composed as his clanmates all turned to look.
"Get back in the nursery now," He ordered his kits through gritted teeth. "And Starclan help you if you bother Bluemist."
Crowflight purred in amusement. Cloudpool had insisted on his mate moving to the nursery despite their litter not being due for another moon and a half.
Nightstorm watched as Darkkit and Badgerkit scampered off to the nursery. Snakekit slunk out of hiding and followed his littermates.
"Now," Nightstorm looked back to Ivystem. "Would you like to go hunting?"
"I haven't been hunting in four moons," Ivystem stretched her legs as she rose to her paws.
"Don't worry," Nightstorm twitched his whiskers. "I won't make fun of you for too long after you mess up."
Ivystem brushed her pelt against his. "Don't make me bring up how you almost failed your assessment when we were apprentices."
Nightstorm groaned. "I won't."
Crowflight hurriedly turned away, stopping awkwardly near the fresh-kill pile. He had gone a hunting patrol the night before and wasn't planing for another until the sunset patrol.
"Crowflight, come here," Hawkpelt was on the other side of camp, sitting close to Emberstar.
Crowflight could feel anxiety bubbling in his paws. What could his brother and leader possibly want from him?
"What is it?" He asked coolly as he approached.
"Emberstar is taking a patrol to Windclan to discuss tactics. You would come, wouldn't you?" Hawkpelt prompted. "Since we're going through Thunderclan, we don't want to take too many. Emberstar, Silverfern, two warriors, and myself are going."
"Sure," Crowflight agreed. Maybe I could find out that she-cat's name.
"Great," Hawkpelt seemed pleased. "I'll fetch Silverfern and if you can get Frostwing, we can go now."
"Of course," Crowflight dipped his head and scanned the clearing for the white warrior.
He spotted her sharing prey with Halfear near the elders' den, their heads close together.
"Frostwing," Crowflight trotted up to the two. "Emberstar wants you on a small patrol to Windclan."
Frostwing swiped her tongue over her jaws as she quickly finished her share of the prey. "Sure, Crowflight," She replied. "I'll have Toadpaw replace the bedding in your den tonight," She added to Halfear.
The tabby elder nodded in thanks before returning to the remains of the toad he had been eating.
"So why me?" Curiosity was obvious in her blue gaze.
"Are you ready?" Emberstar's question came before Crowflight could respond.
"As always," Frostwing answered brightly.
The trek to the lake was silent. Crowflight fell into step beside Hawkpelt, but neither said anything to the other.
"Keep to the shore," Emberstar reminded them as they reached the lake, crossing into Thunderclan territory.
Silverfern flicked her ears. "You're escorting a medicine cat."
"That's something that means little to cats in the middle of a war," Emberstar sighed. "I have no doubt that if they attacked us, we'd win, but this just isn't the time so it's better to not provoke them."
Crowflight's pelt prickled apprehensively as the bare hills drew nearer. They were almost at Windclan territory when an accusatory yowl sounded from just behind the Shadowclan cats.
He reluctantly looked back to see four Thunderclan cats: Cindertail, Willowpool, Sleekwing, and Ivystar herself.
"Well Emberstar," The Thunderclan leader chirped. "Isn't this grand? I had the pleasure of seeing Stormstar only a few days ago."
"What do you want Ivystar?" Emberstar lashed his tail impatiently.
"Me?" Ivystar snorted. "You're the one on my clan's territory."
"We're within two foxlengths of the shore," Emberstar growled.
Understanding crept into her green gaze. "You've allied with Windclan, haven't you?"
"That's none of your concern," Hawkpelt snapped.
"Emberstar, honestly?" She sounded amused now. "Windclan?"
"What does it matter to you?" Emberstar retorted.
"It doesn't. I don't give two mousetails what your clan does," Ivystar blinked. "I just find the idea of your brutish warriors fighting alongside tenuous Windclan cats humorous."
"Better than a band of kittypets," Hawkpelt huffed.
Ivystar looked Hawkpelt up and down. "Where's Redwing? Your loyal deputy?"
Crowflight saw Sleekwing cringe at the mention of his son.
"You can hear about it at the next Gathering. Now if that's all, we'll be going," Emberstar meowed finally.
"Alright Emberstar," Ivystar waved her tail. "But we'll be waiting when you come back. We wouldn't want to find you stole prey; your clan seems to have a history of that."
Emberstar didn't respond to her.
"We'll be going back through Riverclan," Emberstar muttered as soon as they were out of earshot of the Thunderclan warriors. "They can stay there until they take root."