Tough Times

[Ki]

Smokepaw carried a piece of fresh-kill into the nursery. He'd caught a rabbit while he was out, and decided to bring it back to Mousepaw. He'd been waiting on her ever since she moved into the nursery. This had not gone unnoticed. Many of the cats were whispering that he was paying his friend too much attention than was normal. Perhaps they'd expected him to be ashamed of her, like many cats. But instead he went and saw her multiple times a day. He brought her fresh-kill and cleaned her nest for her without having to be asked. He also kept her nest in the apprentices' den nice and tidy for when she returned. But that wouldn't be for another six moons, he knew.

Smokepaw padded into the nursery and looked around before moving over to Mousepaw's nest and setting down the rabbit silently. The tom sat down and curled his tail over his paws, watching her quietly. The last moon or so had been difficult for her. And for him, too. Though Smokepaw preferred to suffer in silence. Who was he to complain when Mousepaw was so upset? Finding out she was having kits had been a shock to him. Then, almost right after, he felt a bunch of emotions he'd never felt before. Betrayal. Jealousy. A bit of anger. Shocked at himself, he batted those emotions away. No matter how much he felt for Mousepaw, he wasn't going to make things worse by becoming mad at her. Sometimes he felt he was her only friend at this point. Cats had already suggested it was bad for his reputation to hang around with her. But these claims had been met with a silent shrugs and thoughts of disapproval. No one was going to make him abandon his friend. Not when she needed him the most.

Deep down inside of him, there was also fear. Horrible fear. Mousepaw was young and small. Her body wasn't meant to bare kits at this age. She was too tiny. All Smokepaw could think of was his own mother. During her pregnancy she'd been perfectly healthy. She was a tall, young, strong she-cat. And yet birthing her kits had killed her. If birthing could do that to his perfectly healthy mother, what would it do for Mousepaw? Smokepaw would be devastated if he lost her. She was his best friend.

[spike]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true]

[atrb=background,http://i470.photobucket.com/albums/rr67/Goldenwolf35953/Mousepaw2.jpg] The nursery. It didn’t feel like enough time had passed for her to be here again. Not when she should’ve been out there with Smallnose training. The she-cat twisted into a tighter ball, wondering where her life was heading. Despite her small size, she still didn’t show nearly as much as some of the other queens did in comparison when they were as far along as her. Her sides were nicely rounded, like she had a full meal rather than carrying kits. She could’ve hidden it longer, so she thought. But the time came when she needed to break free and tell them the truth. If sadly the truth wasn’t so horrid. Mousepaw pressed her face into her paws, considering everything that had resulted her in being where she was now. She wanted her revenge against Alfa, but it’d never come. Neither would her warrior name. Six moons. Six bloody moons of having to watch some kits grow up even if they were tained with such nasty blood from that father. Though her bitter thoughts gave way to sorrow when Mousepaw was forced to remember that growing up without a father figure would not be what the kits deserved. She wanted to give them everything even if they stole everything in return. Every last heartstring, in fact. The tabby sighed, thinking about the nests around her where Mintleaf, her sister, would sleep and then the many kits. Sandtail, Rivermist, they’d have their rest too in these nests. Despite having nice material to place below her swollen body, it felt more uncomfortable here than anywhere else. These queens were at least full grown cats, at least had their warrior names before they entered the nursery. And she was going to be left behind a great deal because of whatever rested in her womb. Her body stiffened some when her acute ears caught sound only to relax instantly, recognizing the soft yet well-placed way of Smokepaw’s movement. If anybody would be coming to see her anyways, it was Smokepaw, The she-cat glanced his direction, expression blank for a moment before lighting up with admiration and love. He would always be her closest friend, he’d always take care of her. And he brought prey. Despite everything, he still came to her rescue when her mind was ready to have its fill of angst and worries. Mousepaw heavily stood up, quickly turning towards the rabbit and snatching it up. Sometimes when one was in such a position as her, eating was the only vice left. Smokepaw was quiet as ever, not speaking a word though his presence there hollered a monologue of concern. She had been eating quickly, trying to just make herself eat only to find that something else wanted to happen. Mousepaw hesitated over the half eaten rabbit as she turned towards the still-apprentice-ranked gray male. "I'm sorry," she muttered, gazing at him for a split second before shame forced her to glance away. "I mean... sorry you have to take care of me like this. And what the others say. I already hear the rumors spreading."

[/color] Her ears pinned back as she looked down at the prey she was starting to forget finishing. He didn't have to say anything. She felt awful as it was that Smokepaw had to do anything for her. He was her best friend. Not her mate or anything. It wasn't his job.

Besides, she didn't deserve it.

--------------------

Word Count;; 570 words
Character Used;; Mousepaw
Purpose of Thread;; Mousepaw is down and out after having moved into the nursery, so here comes Smokepaw to the rescue!
Tagged;; Smokepaw/Ki
Notes;; Happy? You got your post so don’t kill me! D8
[/size][/blockquote]
[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

[Ki]

Mousepaw began to eat the rabbit quickly. He'd noticed her appetite had increased drastically. But that was probably normal. She was carrying kits inside of her, after all. They needed to eat too. Her litter was estimated to be a relatively small one, from what he'd heard. Maybe one or two kits at the most. Smokepaw supposed that was all for the best. The fewer the kits, the lesser the chance her body would give out during the birth. Mousepaw dying during the birth had been his biggest fear since he found out she was pregnant. He'd even started having nightmares about at. At least...Smokepaw hoped they were nightmares and not messages from StarClan. What would he do without Mousepaw? He had no other kin, no other real friends. He treated his mentor with the same distance as he treated everyone else. There would be nothing left for him in WindClan. Except perhaps the kits. Or would he be able to treat them kindly, since they cost their mother her life? Perhaps that's why he didn't know his own father. Smokepaw had cost his mother her life, and his father had decided not to be in his life.

Suddenly Mousepaw spoke. He turned his ears forward, attentive and silent as she spoke. After she finished speaking, Smokepaw did not answer right away. As was his custom. A few long moments passed. Then Smokepaw mewed, "I know. I do it because I want to." It was the least he could do for his friend. She needed him right now. And he would stand by her, no matter what the cost.

[spike]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true]

[atrb=background,http://i470.photobucket.com/albums/rr67/Goldenwolf35953/Mousepaw2.jpg] He was insane, she thought. He was stupid, she thought. He was just utterly mousebrained to stick with her even when she was the biggest crime in WindClan’s history. But she never felt more attached than ever to him. Smokepaw was already carrying a warrior’s heart. She sighed a heavy breath of sorrow, pushing her prey away when her stomach went sour at the thoughts of the horrid problems he probably suffered by being with her. Just being her friend was bad enough, wasn’t it? Let alone being a good guy and feeding her. (Some other warriors in the Clan might not’ve done so had it not been a requirement.) ”What would I do without you?” she whispered so quietly, perhaps it wasn’t heard. But then she lifted her head and gazed right into his light green eyes, for once finding the comfort she hadn’t had in nearly two moons. He provided her with that much. Mousepaw reached out and brushed her cheek against his. His fur was soft… ”Thank you, but why? It’s not like I’m worth it. I’ve already gone and ruined a ton of things.”

[/color] She sat there for a second, her cheek pressed to his warm neck fur, just gazing out into some unseen land beyond this, thinking of the future and what it held. Her muscles tightened with dread when she thought about a few kits romping around her paws, but then knowing she would stand there alone with them. Her silence seemed to equal Smokepaw’s for a moment before she pulled away from him and his warmth.

”This is awful. Just think about it. Not only am I too young for kits, it makes WindClan look bad. And… and these kits… imagine having to raise them. If they ever ask where their father is. What do I say? What do I do? I’m not cut out for this. I can’t raise kits. I can’t… I can’t do this, Smokepaw.”[/color] It washed over her in one great tidal wave, her fears so true as the day drew only closer. Her gray eyes closed tight as she fought emotions. No, she couldn’t do this. Without a mate, without their father, she’d never be able to give them what they deserved. She had doomed everybody, even the kits that had been produced from her mistakes.

--------------------

Word Count;; 388 words
Character Used;; Mousepaw
Notes;; Happy? You got your post so don’t kill me! D8 Again!
[/size][/blockquote]
[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

[Ki]

Smokepaw sat there, watching her eat with light green eyes. Amazing how fast things could change in two moons. He'd grown a lot in the past two moons. Physically and emotionally. Somewhere along the line he'd hit a growth spurt and grown in height. And, thanks to more training, he had the lean muscle to go with his new height. It was probably going to be one of his last growth spurts. But he was growing into an impressive, regal-looking young tom. He had already begun to hope that his warrior ceremony would be soon. It rested on Doveclaw and Ravenstar to decide when they thought he was ready. And the harder he worked, the quicker he could get his warrior name and be a full-fledged member of the Clan.

Suddenly Mousepaw reached up and pressed her cheek against his. Smokepaw stiffened slightly, then returned with a slight nudge of his own. It saddened him, much more than he would admit, when she pulled away. There was a long silence between the two of them. Uncannily long for when he was with Mousepaw. Usually she filled the air with chatter so that he didn't have to speak at all. But for a moment, she was silent. Smokepaw made no reply to her question. Even as the silence lengthened. Suddenly the silence was broken as Mousepaw spoke again. Smokepaw replied, "Of course you can do this. You're a strong she-cat. You can do anything." He honestly believed that. Mousepaw was strong-willed, intelligent, and tough as nails. If any she-cat as young as her could give birth and raise kits, it was her.