Another chapter from me and my Beta: Ashe! We dearly hope you enjoy it!
Also: favorite, follow and review!!
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Fireheart wasn't going to be hasty this time around. The flame-pelted warrior and mother-to-be would think things over carefully this time around. So far Fireheart was following in her previous life's pawsteps. It was time that she changed that. Time to follow a new path. Strangely enough the plans brewing in her mind resembled something closer to what Tigerclaw himself might attempt to do.
But Fireheart planned to do them better.
A quarter-moon later and Fireheart was pretty sure that she had the basics planned out perfectly. Well, perfectly enough to get the job done.
Throughout the course of the quarter-moon Fireheart had waited and listened to all those around her. She had taken in what worked for the Clan and what didn't. She saw the behavior of her Clanmates and carefully witnessed how they reacted to some new ideas that essentially changed most rules of the warrior code for the Clan's by subtly bringing them up in conversation and she noticed that the older generation scuffed and sneered at the ideas as the younger generation went wide-eyed with wonder and curiosity, those in the center however were split on the matter and often clashed against one another's own views.
Fireheart didn't bring her ideas up often, just enough times to garner other cat's reactions and to see where most stood on these ideas and "what if" scenarios. So far it left Fireheart feeling hopeful. Though there was going to be a long drawn out struggle to truly make a difference.
At the moment Fireheart sat in the medicine cat's den, being checked out by the Clan's beautiful dark tortoiseshell-and-white medicine cat who wanted to monitor Fireheart's pregnancy development. It was leaf-bare after all and it was a dangerous time to be pregnant, especially with the threat of freezing snow and lack of prey.
Fireheart vividly recalled Sandstorm giving birth to their two daughters nearing the end of leaf-bare. Sandstorm had made it all seem so easy. Fireheart could only hope that this leaf-bare would be a mild one.
Spottedleaf hummed as she finished poking and probing around Fireheart's abdomen. "Pretty soon you'll be needing to start taking borage to help you produce milk for the kits later on. Though you don't have to worry about it now."
"And how do they seem to be doing?" Yellowfang called from inside the medicine cat's den. "From the sounds of it she's doing fine. Send her on her way already! We got more to look after!"
Spottedleaf and Fireheart purred at the older grumpy medicine cat. Both younger she-cat's have come to care for the former ShadowClan medicine cat a great deal. Though Yellowfang liked to complain, it was clear that there was no real bite or heat to her words.
"Here, let me walk you out." Spottedleaf meowed, truly meaning that the warm, amber eyes she-cat wanted to continue talking for just a little bit longer.
Fireheart happily accepted Spottedleaf's escort. As they slowly walked through the fern tunnel Spottedleaf spoke of the wonders of new life in the Clan, which raised a question. "Wouldn't you like any kits of your own, Spottedleaf?" Fireheart meowed, never really asking whether or not that she had ever truly wanted any in her past life.
Spottedleaf was calm, seeming to have heard the question multiple times. "No. I'm happy as I am. I'll leave the kit wrangling up to the mother."
"Did you ever wonder what it would be like though, if perhaps the warrior code did allow medicine cats to have kits?" Fireheart pushed just a little.
Spottedleaf seemed to think that question over, slowly blinking her eyes as they sparked with an answer. "The reason medicine cat's don't have kits is because in the past they had shown to be distractions from the focus on caring about sick and hurt cats. Imagine being torn from caring the needs of your kits and saving the life of a wounded and sick warrior."
"Sounds hard." Fireheart sheepishly replied.
Spottedleaf's gaze softened more than they already are as though she was seeing Fireheart and all her questions clearly for what they were. "The life of a medicine cat is a set one. We go beyond the rules of the warrior code. I knew my purpose and what that entitled and accepted it. Thank you, Fireheart. But I'm content with how my life is."
Fireheart felt a swell of admiration as the flame-colored she-cat gazed upon such a mature and wise cat.
As the paid exited the fern tunnel they found Tigerclaw sitting right outside the entrance. The giant dark brown tabby warrior was throwing around the snow that covered the ground. Batting it into piles as he cleared out a wider path than the one he made for Fireheart to get to the medicine cat's den.
The ThunderClan deputy looked up as Fireheart emerged from the fern tunnel. His pale amber eyes lit up as he hastily shook off the clinging clumps of snow from his massive paws and sped his way to Fireheart's side.
"Is everything okay?" Tigerclaw rumbled, his nose coming to press against the side of Fireheart's cheek.
"I should be fine. Don't worry." Fireheart purred back, leaning into the touch.
Beside the pair Spottedleaf's snowy-white whiskers twitched in amusement. A teasing glint in her amber eyes as she focused on Tigerclaw. "Well someone surely has our big, strong and ferocious deputy wrapped around their little paw."
Tigerclaw grumbled under his breath as he shot Spottedleaf an unimpressed look. Clearly not appreciating the medicine cat's teasing. But the mottled orange and brown marked medicine cat didn't seem to care.
"Oh yes, I can recall the many times Tigerclaw would just yammer away about how unimportant finding a mate was. How he swore he wouldn't ever have kits. All too bothersome to put up with, he would always say. Now look at him, clearing snow away so that his mate's paws won't get cold--"
"Goodbye, Spottedleaf!" Tigerclaw loudly spoke over the medicine cat, quickly ushering Fireheart away. But the Mr-ow, ow-ow sounds of amusement followed the pair clear across the camp before tapering off.
Fireheart found the whole interaction between the two amusing. Tigerclaw's generation seems so close, or at least close enough to tease one another and get away with it. Fireheart was aware that for Tigerclaw, he seems to be closest to Whitestorm and Spottedleaf, they had grown up together and appeared to be around the same age.
Fireheart wondered if Tigerclaw, Whitestorm and Spottedleaf's friendship were the equivalent of Ravenpaw, Graystripe and Fireheart's own friendships. Had they been closer in their apprentices days? Would Fireheart and Graystripe friendship one day resemble theirs? How had they managed to remain so close? How could Fireheart regain that sort of closeness with Graystripe.
"Have you visited Cloudkit today?" Tigerclaw asked, bringing Fireheart out of her thoughts. Truthfully, Fireheart had been neglecting her nephew lately and that made the flame-pelted she-cat feel guilty. Cloudkit was her nephew and she should be there for him.
Fireheart shook her head so Tigerclaw steered them towards the nursery. Inside it was warm and had the scent of creamy milk in the air.
From Brindleface's nest, came three pairs of eyes. A pair of dark blue, pale leaf-green and lastly a set of regular blue eyes that were shining with excitement.
"Hi Fireheart!"
"Hi Tigerclaw!"
"FIREHEART! TIGERCLAW!" Cloudkit fell all over himself as he scrambled out of the nest. Over-eager to come and greet his maternal aunt and uncle. Fireheart braced herself as Cloudkit came barreling towards her, but she hadn't any fear as Tigerclaw softly batted the fluffy snowy-white kit back a few steps before he could reach her.
"Be careful, Cloudkit." Tigerclaw told him sternly. "You shouldn't be jumping on Fireheart at the moment."
"That's right, Cloudkit. Fireheart is carrying your cousins at the moment and we need to be mindful and careful when around her."
"Carrying my cousins?" Cloudkit meowed, his kit tail waving in the air. "But you never told me how they got there in the first place. Did she eat them? Will she have to vomit them back up later?"
Brindleface shot Fireheart a hopeless look over the kits heads.
Fireheart purred at her nephew's antics. "No, Cloudkit."
The white puffball of a kit looked at Fireheart in wonder. "But then how?"
The flame-pelted she-cat laid down, tucking her paws under her. Tigerclaw and Cloudkit followed her lead. "When a she-cat and tom love each other very much, StarClan decides to bless them with kits so that the Clan's can stay alive." She decided to go with, until Cloudkit was old enough to actually know.
Brindleface nodded at the story, clearly accepting it. Fernkit and Ashkit stared at their own mother in amazement.
"Is that true?" Fernkit gasped. Brindleface looked at her daughter, her whiskers twitching in amusement.
"Quite true," she responded.
If it was even possible, it seemed that the kit's eyes got even wider.
Brindleface, Fireheart, and Tigerclaw all shared an amused look. "How many kits did StarClan send you?" Cloudkit asked, his bright blue eyes wide with wonder.
Fireheart thought that was a good question. Just how many kits were they supposed to expect? Tigerclaw had told her that he was the only survivor out of a litter of three, his sisters too weak and frail to survive, and Fireheart's own mother had a litter of five. Princess herself had also had a litter of five, one being Cloudkit. The possibility of having a large litter is there but so is the chance of having only one survivor.
Fireheart looked back down at her nephew. "Hopefully no more than we can handle."
Cloudkit seemed to accept his aunt's answer. Then the fluffy kit began frolicking around Tigerclaw's massive paws, his unusually long claws thankfully sheathed, crooning about how much he will teach his cousins about moss ball and hunting. It was endearing to watch.
Both Fireheart and Tigerclaw continued to spend time with Cloudkit and the other kits, talking with the other queens and gaining future advice for when they had their own kits. It wasn't until the kits became tired and it was time for their naps that Fireheart and Tigerclaw said their goodbyes. When they left the nursery the sun had risen above the trees.
"Do you want to go out hunting together?" Tigerclaw asked, eyeing Fireheart closely. Fireheart looked into his pale amber eyes.
"I would love that, but don't you have deputy duties to do?" She asked.
He shook his massively broad head in response. "I made all the patrols this morning, but just in case, Whitestorm has promised to keep an eye on things while I'm away." He suddenly started running out towards the ravine. "Though hopefully you can keep up!"
Her meows of utter joy followed as she raced after her mate.
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They had both done well hunting, by leaf-bare standards, at the least. They both had two pieces of prey that now lay abandoned under a bit of snow at Sunningrocks as Tigerclaw and Fireheart laid side by side on the slope of rocks, tails intertwined.
"A rare day of sunshine!" Fireheart purred to Tigerclaw, feeling her sleek flame-colored pelt glow in the weak morning sun. The stone felt comfortingly warm and smooth after the ice cold forest floor.
They rested at the top, where the far side fell away steeply to the forest. Fireheart stretched out, enjoying the warmth of the rock beneath her and the soft heat of the sun on her pelt. She closed
her eyes, feeling proud to be lying here, a place where generations of ThunderClan cats had come to warm themselves, and which they had battled hard to keep.
Fireheart was glad that Tigerclaw was there to enjoy it with her.
"I love you, Tigerclaw." Fireheart purred, leaning into him more.
A rumbling sound rose from deep within the dark brown tabbies broad chest as he also leaned into Fireheart. "I love you too." Tigerclaw's tongue began rasping over Fireheart's ears with rough strokes, but it was in a loving manner so Fireheart didn't mind the powerful swipes. It actually made Fireheart purr louder in response. This is how Fireheart viewed Tigerclaw. Not as a monster but as a loving mate.
"We're going to have the most amazing kits the Clan's have ever seen." Fireheart commented, staring up into Tigerclaw's amber eyes that were practically glowing with pride.
"Of course we will," Tigerclaw stated boldly. "They'll be taking after their mother."
"Oh I don't know, maybe one or two might be taking after their father too." Fireheart teased back.
Tigerclaw fixed her with a playful glare. Untangling their tails to gently swipe his across her nose. Fireheart pulled back and gave a harsh sneeze and shook her head roughly, ears flopping wildly. Tigerclaw watched this with a look of amusement on his face.
"I wish everyday could be like this," Fireheart meowed, slowly blinking up at Tigerclaw. "No trials and tribulations, just the two of us."
"Not for long." Tigerclaw rumbled in his throat, his tail trailing down Fireheart's stomach. "Pretty sure we'll have more time dedicated to them."
Fireheart nodded in agreement. "I never want our kits to have to go through the things we have. I wish we could give them what we're experiencing now, forever."
Tigerclaw solemnly nodded. Then the deputy's gaze flickered towards the river, or more precisely, RiverClan.
"We could all be friends, you know," Fireheart muttered.
Tigerclaw looked quizzly at her, deciding to humor his mate once again. "Sure it is."
"No, I mean it." The flame-pelted she-cat mewed. "If we join together for the same cause, it could be possible."
"But think of the resources, territory, the warriors' time that we'd be needing to give up?!" Tigerclaw countered with a huff. "What would ThunderClan get out of it?"
Fireheart shook her head. "I thought it would've been obvious? We all join together and share the territories. The Clan's could still stay in their primary territories, but we could find prey if we're short and help other Clan's. There's other threats out there that aren't the Clans."
Fireheart could think of countless instances and problems that ThunderClan could have solved if they hadn't gone at it alone; foxes, badgers, dogs, rogues and loners, and plenty more that she doesn't want to remember.
"Such as?" Tigerclaw asked.
Fireheart almost scoffed. "I need to remind you? Brokenstar! That problem could've been dealt with a lot sooner if we could all get past our differences and pride."
Fireheart tried to think of other instances in her current lifetime that could've been helped with the other Clan's help.
"We also could've avoided RiverClan and ShadowClan joining forces to drive WindClan out again, and also avoid all the drama between the never ending battle over Sunningrocks." She added.
Tigerclaw seemed unconvinced, and Fireheart scrambled to figure out a more convincing argument to prove her point. "What about the Twolegs?" Tigerclaw looked confused, so she elaborated. "I've heard stories from RiverClan at the Gathering's that the Twolegs have been poisoning their river, and thus the fish. While this isn't a huge problem for us, it could be. If Twolegs have been damaging their environment, who's to say they won't damage ours? We already have the Treecut place in our territory, who's to say they won't expand their territory? If the Clan's joined together, we could help each other when it gets to that point!"
The brown tabby fur began to rise as his sharp claws scrapped the rocks. "You say this as if you know it's going to happen."
"I've lived with Twolegs long enough, while hearing stories from Princess. It probably will, it's just a matter of when."
The deputy looked into the distance, perhaps pondering her words. But Fireheart decided that was enough "what if's" for the night. She didn't want this getting back to Bluestar. "But that's just my piece of prey for the fresh-kill pile." the expecting mother waved off. "It's a nice thing to think about, but like you said, it's probably not going to happen. Especially with how the Warrior Code is now."
Tigerclaw hummed in response, but the jade-eyed warrior didn't know what he meant by it. She decided to ignore it.
"Should we get back to camp with our prey before the Clan starts wondering where their wonderful deputy went?" Fireheart asked.
Tigerclaw looked at her with amusement shining in his eyes. "I suppose we should." He stood up, and Fireheart stood up with him.
"Let's go then!" Fireheart mewed, already grabbing her prey, Tigerclaw followed her lead. "Shall we race home?" She asked, already racing towards camp.
"That's cheating!" Tigerclaw called after her.
"Not if you have shorter legs than your opponent!"
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Enjoy the fluff while you can, you probably sleep-deprived fan! (/lh we love all the support we can get!) -Ashe
Fun Facts:
I wanted cute fluffy Fire x Tiger moments so I did it!!!
I wanted funny yet adorable Cloudkit moments so that happened!!!
I wanted Fireheart planting the seeds of change in Tigerclaw's head and therefore we both did!!!
If Fireheart ends up committing some things like murder herself…well that is yet to be seen!!!
