Chapter Five

It was the next morning when Moonstar awoke, feeling refreshed from her long sleep with Blight the previous night. They had done a little more than she intended but she did not feel guilty. She deserved to be happy, and to be treated like an equal rather than a superior. The way Blight had snuggled her and cleaned her pelt while they were dozing made her feel important, even more important than being a leader to her group. Many times that night she wondered if she would even want to return to them in the morning, but she knew she must. No matter how she felt for this mysterious black tom, her love and devotion to her group was stronger.

She could feel Blight stirring in the nest next to her, since he had mushed himself into the tiny moss-lined hole with her before they had fallen asleep. She purred softly as she saw his eyes open, his soft green irises reflecting the scant light that shined into the den. "Did you sleep well," she asked softly as he stood and stretched his legs. He nodded, his massive claws digging into the soft earth of the den as he stretched his spine. Moonstar watched him, captivated. He was so huge and powerful, but she did not feel scared of his power. She felt safe, and she knew she wanted to have him with her as much as she could.

"Do you think you could come back to my camp with me," she asked thoughtfully. Blight chuckled softly, his tail whisking in the air as he turned his gaze back to her. "I can escourt you back to your camp and stay a little while but I must return to my group," he meowed, "they still need me."

Well what if I need you, she thought selfishly. At that moment, a very pretty and fluffy cream colored she-cat poked her head into the den. Her eyes burned with anger and jealousy, but her tone was calm and collected, "Blight, Shadow was wondering if he should direct the forest stalkers in where they should hunt today."

He waved his tail, "Sure, he knows what he's doing," he meowed briskly. The she-cat's blue gaze rested on Moonstar for a second before she turned and dissapeared back into the camp. "Who was that," Moonstar asked hesitantly after she was sure that she had gone.

"She bears my kits most seasons," he meowed very matter-of-factly, "I have two other she-cats that do as well but she bears very strong and powerful kits." Moonstar's fur burned in resentment of the she-cats he had mentioned but she couldn't be mad at him for doing what has been done in his group for generations.

"My father had five kit-mothers," he purred, trying to lighten her mood. Moonstar couldn't help but purr as well, thinking of how one male could possibly keep that many queens happy all the time. "We usually only take one mate for life," she meowed, "the most litters of kits any cat has had was six, and that was a long time ago when my father was still alive."

Blight gasped, "one she-cat had six litters! She must have grown very tired of caring for those whiny scraps of fur," he teased softly. Moonstar chuckled, "her name was Pearlfang and she loved caring for all of the kits in the nursery."

"How many litters have you had," he asked, sounding mildly curious. Her fur bushed up self consiouly but she held his stare, "I have yet to have any kits," she meowed. She had been busy with training while she was young and leading after her father's passing; besides, she didn't really think any of her group mates held any interest in her like that.

Blight murmmered thoughtfully, his tail tapping the den floor as he sat down. His attention turned to the den entrance for a second before he meowed, "you should probably be headed back to your group now, right?" Moonstar nodded reluctantly, standing and stretching each of her legs one at a time. He padded over to the den entrance and held back the vines with his broad shoulders as she padded out behind him. The position of the sun told her it was only a little after dawn, but the camp was already deserted.

"Everyone has already left to hunt and patrol," he commented as they walked across the camp to the entrance. She stayed quiet but was impressed with the efficiency of his group without him making the patrols for the day. She wasn't sure if any of her group mates would be confident enough to do that if she wasn't there. She usually made the patrols around this time, so she knew if they left now she would be back to her camp with enough time to send out her patrols for the day. They left the camp side by side, but Blight was keeping a pretty casual pace.

"I can come meet some of your group mates," he offered, "that would make it a little less wierd if I happen to come and visit you." She purred in agreement, wondering what Maplestripe and Berrysplash would think of her new friend. And to me he is more than a friend, but they don't need to know that, she thought. They walked a long way in silence, his sleek black tail draped over her back as they walked side-by-side.

As soon as they were close to camp, Moonstar detected a rustling in the bushes. Her fur prickled with the thought of encountering the beast that had injured Morningsun, but it was only Battlescar and Orangeleaf. The two warriors pushed past the prickly branches and were at her side in a moment.

"Oh, we found you," Orangeleaf breathed in relief as she pressed her orange tabby pelt into her side. Moonstar noticed Battlescar staring at Blight as though eyeing his prey, his claws sunken into the soft leaf mold on the jungle floor. "I got a little lost on my own last nite. Blight's son, Shadow, found me and brought me back to their camp so I wouldn't get hurt wandering home in the dark."

Battlescar shoved his muzzle into Blight's face, sniffing him all over. "So your name is Blight," he grunted in a very unfriendly tone. Moonstar stuck her paw between the two black toms, signaling to Battlescar to back off. He sat back reluctantly but kept his hard stare on Blight. Orangeleaf interrupted any other comments from the scarred, protective warrior, "Webpelt had sent us out only a little while ago to find you," she whispered in her leader's ear, "Morningsun had passed of her wounds over the night, she hunts with the Star Runners now."

Moonstar's legs buckled with sudden and powerful grief. Blight was next to her in an instant, pressing his shoulder underneath her to support her. She scarcely noticed him, she felt as though her chest was filled with hot rocks and she couldnt gather her thoughts coherently.

Blight nuzzled her gently, "is everything alright," he whispered in her other ear. Orangeleaf and Battlescar watched him, silent with discomfort and confusion. She shook her head violently, her voice lost in the powerful grips of grief and hopelessness. Orangeleaf stepped closer and waved her tail to Blight, "we will take her the rest of the way to camp," she meowed curtly, "she will need to sit vigil with us for Morningsun."

He braced himself to refuse for a moment but then took a step back, allowing them to brace their leader between them. "I will be back to visit her when she is feeling better," he called as they made slow, uneven progress into the camp. As they entered the camp, Moonstar's gaze shot directly to Morningsun's lifeless body. Her fur was already smooth and glossy with the coating of herbs that prepared her body for vigil and the following burial.

Moonstar placed her unsteady paws on the ground and wobbled over to the warrior's side, pressing her tiny pink nose into Morningsun's creamy fur and closing her eyes. She could still faintly detect her unique scent, but it was almost swamped with the scent of the sharp herbs that lathered her pelt. "Oh, my sweet warrior," she whispered, "please forgive me. We could not save you." She thought she could hear the she-cat's gentle voice on the breeze but she must have just imagined it.

Webpelt was beside her when she finally opened her eyes again. She had not heard the leaf-mender approach. "It seems as though the Star Runners were very eager to relieve her of her wounds," he meowed softly. Moonstar's throat was choked with sadness, she never thought she would feel like this with the death of one of her warriors. Webpelt settled himself beside his leader, pressing his nose into Morningsun's fur. Moonstar just rested her head on her paws, thinking terrible thoughts, as the rest of her group slowly gathered around their fallen group mate and sat vigil with her. Moonstar felt as though this was just the beginning of the sadness and torture that her group must endure.