HeatherClan Book: Chapter 12

Chapter 12: New Kits

Fernleaf was doing fine, though Willowshine often saw her slip out to meet Sparrowtalon. She was also aware that Berrypaw was keeping a very close watch on Fernleaf.

Once, Willowpaw caught up Fernleaf and hissed, "You've got to be more careful! At least five warriors saw you leave, and so did Dovepaw and Berrypaw! They all know that Spottedpelt told you to stay in the camp."

"I'll just tell them that I was stretching my legs," she meowed indifferently.

"All the way to the border?" meowed Willowshine, raising her voice incredulously.

Suddenly, Graynose appeared from a bush with a squirrel and a pigeon.

He dropped his fresh kill and mewed,"Willowshine's right." He lowered his voice. "I think Berrypaw knows something."

"What's it mean to you?" meowed Fernleaf suspiciously.

"Fernleaf!" mewed Graynose, shocked. "I'm supposed to be your mate!"

Fernleaf just shrugged. "You're only supposed to be. My real mate is Sparrowtalon."

"You know," meowed Graynose in a rough voice Willowshine and Fernleaf both hadn't heard before. "I could tell Silverstar if I wanted."

Willowshine sprang to her feet. "You can't!" she gasped.

"Oh yes, I can," he meowed. "Just watch me." He started to pad away.

"I'm sorry," meowed Fernleaf. She sighed and hung her head. "I guess I just haven't been myself since I started meeting Sparrowtalon."

Graynose came back and nudged her gently. "It's alright," he mewed softly. "Even though your mate is Sparrowtalon, I will always love you."

He licked her flank, picked up his fresh kill, and padded away.

Fernleaf stared after him.

"Shall we go back?" asked Willowshine.

Fernleaf nodded silently.

Then, pelts brushing, the two friends headed back toward camp.

A few weeks later...

"Fernleaf, can you come here for a moment?" asked Spottedleaf.

"Of course," replied Fernleaf, whose belly had grown quite large over the days.

"I just want to give you some thyme because I know you must be very worried about your kits," said Spottedleaf.

"Alright," mewed Fernleaf. "Thanks!"

"I also want to let you know that your kits will come in about a week. You'll have to be ready."

"Okay!" Fernleaf padded over to the fresh kill pile to share a thrush with Willowshine.

Then she headed to the nursery, where she shared tongues with Graynose, who was waiting for her there.

She did not notice that Berrypaw was watching her with his eyes narrowed. She did not see him turn and pad toward the leader's den...

The next week...

Swanfeather walked into the nursery to check on her kits.

When she arrived she found Fernleaf on the floor next to Spottedpelt, Graynose and three small kits.

"Aren't they adorable?" asked Fernleaf.

"Yes, they're beautiful," purred Moonflower.

"What are their names?" asked Swanfeather.

"Smallkit, Sweetkit and Riverkit." Fernleaf answered. "Two she-cats and a tom."

"We aren't the youngest anymore!" squeaked Harekit.

"When will we become apprentices?" asked Thistlekit.

"You're only three moons old!" scoffed Honeykit.

"Yeah, we're already six moons old." chimed Foxkit. Goldenfur and Willowshine bounded in.

"You've got to be more careful!" scolded Spottedpelt when Goldenfur almost stepped on Riverkit's tail.

"Sorry," she meowed apologetically.

"Wow! They're so cute!" exclaimed Willlowshine.

"They'll make great warriors," purred Goldenfur. Fernleaf swept Smallkit, who was trying to escape, closer to her with her tail.

"And to think, you're barely a warrior yourself!" Graynose let out an amused purr.

"You know, your first kits could become apprentices now," meowed Moonflower thoughtfully, addressing Goldenfur.

"They are already six moons old," agreed Swanfeather.

"Hmmm..." meowed Goldenfur. "I'll go ask Silverstar." Just as Goldenfur was about to leave, Silverstar ran into the nursery with Berrypaw on her tail. Goldenfur meowed,"Silverstar, I was just about to ask you..."

She was cut off as Silverstar meowed, "Not now. I need to speak to Fernleaf. Moonflower, Swanfeather, and Goldenfur, take your kits and go out into the clearing. Spottedpelt, Jaywing, you may stay. You too, Graynose."

"Can't I stay?" begged Willowshine. She wanted to know what was going on, and why Berrypaw was sneering like he had won a battle all by himself and was taunting the other warriors. Silverstar thought for a moment.

"Okay," she finally meowed. Then she turned to Fernleaf. "Is it true that you've mated with a StormClan cat?"

Willowshine willed Fernleaf to not give herself away.

"No," she meowed with a note of disbelief in her voice. "Why would I mate with a StormClan cat? My mate is Graynose!"

Graynose, however, gasped, giving himself away.

Then, hurriedly, he meowed,"Fernleaf! You mated with a StormClan cat? Not me?" He sounded shocked.

"Of course not!" meowed Fernleaf crossly. "Who gave you that idea?" she added, turning to Silverstar.

"I saw you telling Graynose!" accused Berrypaw. "I saw you telling him that you wanted him to pretend that he was your mate, while your real mate is Sparrowtalon!"

"That's enough," meowed Silverstar. "Berrypaw, you may leave." He left with a scowl. Then Silverstar turned back to Fernleaf. "It's alright," she meowed. "I already know."

Graynose's eyes widened. "What...How? But..But then why didn't you banish us from the Clan?" he stammered.

"Because Silverstar is kind," meowed Jaywing, sounding stunned.

"I will keep a close watch on Berrypaw, and make sure he does not tell anyone else," promised Silverstar. "But you have to stop meeting Sparrowtalon, Fernleaf." Then she added, "You know, I think that I'm going to have kits soon. Their father will be Moonrain." Spottedpelt nodded briskly. Silverstar turned around and left, leaving Willowshine, Fernleaf, and Graynose's mouth's hanging wide open in shock.

"Well," meowed Spottedpelt. "At least that's settled. Would you like some poppy seed to relieve the pain?" she asked Fernleaf.

Fernleaf closed her mouth. "Well...um, sure!" Spottedpelt busied herself doing that, and Graynose and Willowshine left the nursery.

"You can go back in now," Graynose told the queens. All three cats ushered their kits into the nursery.

Then, Goldenfur came out again and asked,"What was that about?"

Graynose shrugged. "I can't tell you," he meowed steadily.

Then he turned toward the camp entrance. "I'm going hunting!" he called over his shoulder.

Goldenfur stared after him, bewildered.

Meanwhile, Willowshine curled up in the warriors den.

At least that's settled, she repeated Spottedpelt's words in her mind. At least that's settled.