"That's awesome," Brambleheart meowed. Berry scrambled to his feet; a piece of hay clamped in his jaws. He dropped it in front of the warriors.
"Yeah, and-and I was fighting with Beechkit earlier and I got her pinned down so quick!" Brambleheart could feel Stormfur purring against him. He was silent.
Since his talk with Firestar last night, all he felt was numb. They had been ordered to stay in camp, though he did not believe the rest of the Clan knew what had happened. Tornear had been with Firestar for most of the day. He doubted those orders would hold for long.
"I'm sure every cat in TigerClan will be terrified when you become a warrior," Stormfur said. Brambleheart mewed his agreement and Berry puffed out his chest.
"Berry!" The three toms turned at Whitetail's voice. She came up, scooping the tom-kit against her. "You're not supposed to be out here, you're going to frighten your mother!"
"I wanted to show Brambleheart how I can hunt!" Stormfur nudged the tabby.
"Well, you can ask first." The queen added to the warriors, "If he comes over again, send him back. Daisy's terrified. If he disappears on us, she might leave."
"We'll send him back," Brambleheart promised. He had not realized how much this had scared the former loner. Whitetail picked the kitten up and the tomcat watched after them.
As Brambleheart turned back, he realized Stormfur was staring at him. The other tom rested his head on his shoulder.
"He likes you."
"I think he just remembers I was the one who carried him back," Brambleheart muttered. Stormfur hummed, licking the warrior's scruff a few times.
"Do you want kits?" Brambleheart looked at Stormfur, surprised. "You're good with them – as long as they're not named Squirrelkit." Brambleheart scoffed.
"I was an apprentice," he muttered. "And she didn't understand the concept of 'no'."
"She was still a kit," Stormfur replied. "What it is is you're both stubborn – have always been." The tabby shot him a look.
"I'm not stubborn."
"Yes, you are."
"I'm not –" he cut himself off as Stormfur gave him a pointed look.
"You, in particular, get stuck on things." The gray tom asked, "Have you guys apologized to each other yet?"
They had not. They had yet to talk to one another without one of them snapping. Brambleheart rested his head down.
"I understand." Stormfur jabbed him.
"Don't talk to me like that," he said. "I'm not some senior warrior doling out advice." Brambleheart shoved against the other cat. That numbness was starting to crack.
"Certainly not," he replied. "After all, I'm the one that's older." Stormfur scoffed.
"Hardly."
"it's enough to count." Stormfur swatted at him and a voice filled the other tom's head. The numbness returned. His limbs felt heavy. He should just take it.
But Stormfur was looking at him with bright eyes. That wasn't what he wanted. He forced himself to grab the other cat with his forepaws. Teeth hit his shoulder as he kicked the other tom's belly before rolling on top of him.
His head felt light when they broke apart. It had been a long time since they had wrestled. Brambleheart settled down and Stormfur rolled back onto his belly. "Not right now," Brambleheart meowed. Certainly not right now. "But I'd like kits – I want to be a father." The gray tom mewed his agreement.
"Not right now. We could talk to Feathertail at some point," Stormfur shifted, licking his paw. "I'm sure she would be willing to help us." He swiped it over his face.
Brambleheart did not respond. Stormfur tilted his head. "What is it?"
"I don't think I'd want them to share my blood," the warrior's confession came out low. "Anyway, can she have kits? I mean – the placement of her injuries." He did not want to hurt her.
"I don't believe Barkface ever mentioned anything," Stormfur replied. "She certainly didn't tell me anything. But if that's what you want, we'll figure something else out." Brambleheart nodded. There was no rush.
His talk with Firestar about Stormfur came back to him. Brambleheart blurted out, "I love you." Stormfur eyed him.
"I love you, too."
"I…want you to be my mate." A voice was filling Brambleheart's head. He ignored it.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." Stormfur was beginning to purr.
"Good," He pressed his nose against the brown warrior's neck. "I want you to be mine." Brambleheart licked his ear.
"You have me." This could be one good thing.
"You haven't noticed?" Leafdawn asked. Petalnose looked puzzled.
"I know she still doesn't talk much but she communicates with the other kits fine," The queen began. "She knows some words. We communicate."
"She grew up with her siblings," The medicine cat replied, watching the kits tumble outside the nursery. "Daisy's kits have copied them. She can see and feel, she knows we're speaking." Petalnose looked more troubled. Leafdawn blinked at her.
"This isn't a bad thing," Her voice was gentle. "She can be a warrior. We just need to make sure she has the support she needs." Petalnose slowly nodded, heading over to the kits.
Goosekit remained with the queen as Beechkit and Frostkit were sent off, heading over to Daisy's kits. The white she-kit looked up at her mother, her tail raised high.
"Goosekit," Leafdawn called out. Petalnose remained still, giving no indication that the medicine cat had spoken. The kit gave no response as Leafdawn called again. "Petalnose, you can move," Leafdawn finally said. The queen looked over to her and Goosekit followed her gaze.
"Goosekit, come here." The kit scrambled over, following an ushering paw. Bright blue eyes looked up at the medicine cat and the kit mewled. Leafdawn blinked at her. A troubled look was across Petalnose's face as she approached.
"I hate to put this on you right now –"
"Ignoring it isn't going to stop her from being deaf. She follows your movements," Leafdawn meowed, looking up. "I'll talk with Brightheart and Brambleheart – we'll further develop signing." The queen nodded, licking the kit as she pulled her close. "Pay attention to how the others interact with her. We might be able to expand with what they're doing."
"Thank you," Petalnose responded. "I'll talk to Daisy and Whitetail – Rainfur, too." The medicine cat nodded.
"Good."
They separated, Leafdawn heading toward the Tallrock. Tornear and Firestar had been talking. She knew Firestar was still upset after last night. She paused, grabbing a vole from the fresh-kill pile before continuing.
"Why not?" Firestar's ears were flattened as she stepped into the den. The leader sat in his nest, Sandstorm at his side and Tornear in front of them.
"Because that's unfair," Sandstorm replied. "You can wait." Leafdawn set the vole down, ears pricked. Who were they talking about?
"How much longer until he's back?"
"It was a hunting patrol," Tornear put in. "It could be a while and we need to be discussing TigerClan, not Brambleheart." Oh. He was in camp. Leafdawn said nothing. Firestar shifted.
"I'm not working with any TigerClan warrior," his voice was low. "Especially not Tigerstar's daughter and you still aren't listening to orders." The deputy shifted.
"Because he's busy and we have no reason to include him." Tornear continued, "An attack on TigerClan without support from the inside is suicide." Firestar rose to his paws.
"We cannot let them get away with murdering our medicine cat!" He exclaimed, tail lashing. "There is going to be a war – there was going to be one before he did this, anyway. It's either we have the advantage of starting –"
"Leafdawn's here," Sandstorm interrupted. "Or one of us could get Squirrelflight." The tom turned, surprise lighting up his gaze as he caught sight of his daughter.
"No." Firestar asked, "Why are you in here?" Leafdawn gestured to the vole.
"You haven't eaten today," she said. "I brought you this." He grimaced.
"Leave." He was beginning to pace.
"Firestar," Sandstorm stepped between them.
"I said leave!" Leafdawn backed out of the den. His words stung.
She started away when Sandstorm called out to her. The medicine cat turned as she padded up. They stepped to the side. "He loves you, Leafdawn. He loves you all equally."
"Which is why he only wants Brambleheart." The warrior sighed.
"Their relationship is…different. There's no other way I can describe it. With you and Squirrelflight, he does not want you to see him like that. Brambleheart was with him when this was fresh." Sandstorm repeated, "It's different." The medicine cat was quiet for a moment.
"It might…placate him," She meowed. "Enough where he might be willing to listen to Tornear's explanation." Sandstorm's ears went back.
"This is more than just Firestar," She answered. "What might be good for one isn't necessarily good for the other." Leafdawn slowly nodded. After last night, she could understand that. Barkface had always been the one to deal with this. She still did not know a lot.
Sandstorm rested her muzzle on her daughter's head for a moment before stepping back toward the leader's den.
Squirrelflight blinked.
"Okay," She agreed. Feathertail pushed herself to her paws, they were tingling.
"Do you want to do it here?" The younger she-cat asked. They were near the Tallrock.
"It's as open as the rest of camp," Feathertail replied. Squirrelflight nodded, taking a few steps back.
She needed to get good at fighting again. No matter who started it, there was a battle dawning. Leafdawn had told her she could start on this, she just needed to practice.
The warriors slowly began to circle each other. The lack of leg was increasingly obvious as Feathertail lowered herself. She was doing exactly what she would do normally while sparring yet it felt wrong. This was different than hunting, she did not need to be quiet.
Feathertail shook it off. She had gotten used to walking without it. She had hunted! She could do this. Squirrelflight sprang.
Feathertail turned, raising one forepaw as she made to grab at the smaller cat. Squirrelflight hit her flank and the silver tabby wrapped her front legs around the younger cat. Teeth bit her side and they kicked at each other as they rolled. As she got on top, Feathertail jumped back.
A few cats had begun to watch as they circled each other again. Feathertail's heart beat against her chest.
She needed to get Squirrelflight pinned.
This time Feathertail jumped. Squirrelflight darted to the side and the older warrior stumbled, falling onto the sandy ground.
"Are you alright?" Squirrelflight gave her a concerned look. Feathertail ignored the frustration that wanted to arise. She shook out her pelt as she forced herself to her feet.
"Let's go again."
Yowls of support rose as another wrestling match began. Squirrelflight had her pinned and Feathertail gritted her teeth. She shifted her leg kicking roughly at the other cat's underbelly. She wrapped her forelegs around the other cat's shoulders, pulling her front end to Feathertail's chest.
Squirrelflight yelped as she was rolled over. The black and silver she-cat was panting as she got the other warrior down. Her heart slammed against her chest. She had done it.
"Great job, Feathertail!" Bounceheart called. She stepped off of Squirrelflight and the ginger cat scrambled to her feet.
"Do you want to go against someone else?" Squirrelflight asked. After a moment of thought, the warrior nodded. She was completely out of form but she needed to prove she could fight.
Hawktalon bared his teeth, snarling. Tawnyclaw slammed into him.
The tortoiseshell growled as they tussled, pinning her brother to the stone ground. He let out a hiss. Tawnyclaw's tail raised before she stepped off the other warrior. She looked at the kits.
"And that's how you do it – why don't you two try with each other?" She suggested. Excited meows rose as Falconkit sprang at his sister. Mothwing's attention remained on her siblings as Tawnyclaw turned back to Hawktalon. The tomcat glared at her.
"Lighten up," Tawnyclaw shoved her shoulder into him, causing him to stumble. "It's just a demonstration – they enjoyed it."
"Sure," Hawktalon responded. Tawnyclaw scoffed.
"You'll get better," She assured. "Just maybe spend some more time down in the training hollow?" Hawktalon's tail flicked but Tawnyclaw looked away as a patrol entered. She started across camp.
"She's just teasing you," Mothwing said as Hawktalon moved to her side. The tom snorted.
"Sure."
"She's our sister, she doesn't mean anything bad." Kin was as important to Tawnyclaw as it was to any of them.
"Which is why she's siding with Leopardstar," He muttered. "Against us and against our brother." Mothwing glanced at him. She did not know much of what was going on between the leaders nor among the Clan but she knew Tigerstar and Leopardstar were unhappy with each other. Warriors were on edge.
"She's allowed to have her own opinion." The tom scoffed.
"She's spoiled," Hawktalon responded. "If either one of us had done what she has? We'd be gone." The queen's fur bristled at the thought. She glanced at the kits. "Which is why we need to keep supporting Tigerstar." Blue eyes looked at her, "Three against two. It might get Tawnyclaw to back down. She's not stupid." Mothwing was quiet for a moment. That was what Hawktalon wanted her to do.
"Leopardstar's our leader," She answered, not looking at the kits. "And Tawnyclaw's our sister. They deserve respect." Surprise lit up Hawktalon's face.
"You want to put us on the line, then?"
"I did not say that," She began. Hawktalon hissed rising to his paws.
"What would happen to them," He gestured to the kits, who had moved a bit away from the littermates. "If we got banished?" There was a pause before Mothwing spoke.
"Tigerstar wanted them," She answered. "They'd be safe here." She shook her head, "We're not getting banished, Hawktalon!"
"You don't know that." He meowed, "If they succeed – the only reason we are here is because of Tigerstar!"
"Tawnyclaw loves us," She answered slowly. "And Leopardstar does care about us." She trusted both of their opinions. They might be different than Tigerstar's but there was no reason not to trust them. She knew Tawnyclaw was doing what she thought was best for her Clan.
"If either of them truly cared, they wouldn't have thrown Bramblepaw back to those traitors!" He hissed. Mothwing was surprised, Hawktalon was beginning to look hurt. "Even Tigerstar acts like that's an issue to be dealt with later – it's not!"
"We're talking about our Clan right now," She meowed slowly.
"You're not doing this to me." Mothwing's ears folded.
"Hawk –" He turned away abruptly, heading quickly toward the camp entrance. Mothwing stared after him. What had happened to her brother?
