Post by Ki on Feb 20, 2010 21:25:51 GMT -6
Teehee.
It had to be said.
The ShadowClan medicine cat was pacing around her den. There was no way around it. She'd only told three cats so far. Two had taken her mate out of camp on a hunting patrol, so he wouldn't find out until after the verdict was passed. The other cat was her younger sister, Thistlefur. Her sister was not part of the plan. Feathercloud had simply told her to get it off of her chest. But now the guilt and fear wouldn't let her be. If she didn't confess, she would be found out. Leafbare was approaching. Someone was bound to notice how plump she'd become. Her fur could only cover it for so long. In her belly, her secret stirred. It was as if they felt their mother's distress and were trying to comfort her. They were her shame and her pride at the same time. Feathercloud licked her bulging stomach. She could feel their life, and it gave her courage. With a deep breath she padded out of her den. The camp was a flurry of activity. Ever since the war against ThunderClan had started patrols seemed to go out more and more frequently. Tawnypaw, her apprentice, was out gathering herbs. Feathercloud had purposefully sent her away as well.
"Ah, Feathercloud. There you are." Specklestar padded right up to her. "I've been meaning to talk to you. Have you received any signs from StarClan?"
Feathercloud's heart was pounding in her chest. She couldn't tell her here! Not in front of the whole Clan! But what choice did she have? It was now or never. "N-No, Specklestar. But I need to speak with you. It's...it's very urgent."
Specklestar's ears went up in alarm. "Is there something wrong?" Her eyes instinctivly flickered towards the medicine cat den. Ah, of course she thought this was over an injured warrior or apprentice. There were surely enough of them. "What's happened?"
"It's not about a warrior or apprentice." Feathercloud mewed quietly. She was almost certain Specklestar hadn't heard her. But then she saw that her leader seemed to be waiting. Feathercoud felt herself begin to tremble. It started in her paws and spread through her body. Feathercloud's voice dropped to a low whisper. She ducked her head and said, "Specklestar, I am having kits." For a moment, the noise of the camp rose above them. Once again it was as if Specklestar had not heard her.
When suddenly Specklestar's furious yowl ripped through the camp. Her paws slammed against Feathercloud's shoulder and knocked her on to her side. Feathercloud let out a startled mew, but didn't dare rise to her paws. All movement and conversation within the camp stopped. Each pair of eyes turned slowly towards the two she-cats. Specklestar's eyes were ablaze with fire as she looked at Feathercloud's bulging stomach. There were a few tense moments of complete silence. The other cats could practically feel their leader's fury coming off of her in waves. Confusion rippled through them and they exchanged glances, wondering what their tiny, sweet medicine cat could have possibly said or done to put Specklestar into such a state of terrible anger.
"You're banished!" Specklestar hissed.
The Clan took in a collective gasp. Feathercloud's eyes widened in shock and horror.
"Don't just lay there and stare at me! Get up! Get up and get out!" Specklestar continued. Her fur began to bristle and she pulled back her lips in a vicious snarl. "And if I or any other cat catch you here again, Feathercloud, may StarClan have mercy on you!" The furious leader watched as the frightened she-cat hurriedly rose to her paws. "LEAVE!"
Feathercloud began to back away. The other cats moved away from her cautiously. Some hissed at her tentatively, as if they weren't sure to act hostile at her or not. Finally the she-cat said quietly, "I'm sorry." With that she turned and streaked out of camp with her head down.
"Specklestar what was her crime?" Runningfrost demanded. "ShadowClan can not afford to lose her! Not now!"
"A nursing queen is of no use to us when there are cats to be healed!" Specklestar shot back. Eyes widened and a wave of shock rippled through the Clan. Specklestar looked them over icily, until her eyes fell on a fluffy dark grey apprentice. She was sitting as solid and still as a stone. "Duskpaw! Go find your sister and bring her back to camp!" She turned and began to stalk into her den. "It is time for her to become a full medicine cat."
Feathercloud ran until her legs couldn't support her any longer. She ended up at Four Trees. The former medicine cat was careful to move away from ShadowClan's tree, in case someone came by. Instead the she-cat curled up under ThunderClan's tree for the night. What was she to do now? The guilt that had clenched her heart was no longer there. Instead it had been replaced by fear. Horrible gut-wrenching fear. Here she was, all alone, with leafbare approaching fast. How would she ever be able to feed herself and her kits? Feathercloud had estimated there to be three or four in the litter. She would never be able to feed them all on her own! Despair flooded through her. Why had she told? Now she'd doomed her poor kits! Feathercloud put one of her paws over her muzzled to hide her eyes from the world. What would she do? What could she do? Feathercloud would have to do what was best for her kits.
I might have to abandon them. Feathercloud thought in despair. She couldn't leave them in ShadowClan. And if she left them in ThunderClan they could be in danger still. But WindClan and RiverClan already had enough kits...
Feathercloud couldn't sleep. All she could think about was what she was going to do for her kits. When, suddenly, she ehard paw steps. Slowly the former medicine cat raised her head. A small tom emerged from the shadows. The she-cat rose to her paws slowly, trying to catch her breath. What was he doing here?! For a moment the two simply stared at each other, her amber orbs meeting his light green. Finally he took a few more cautious steps forward and mewed, "Why didn't you tell me?"
His tone wasn't harsh, or angry, or cold. But immense shame coursed through her body again. She dipped her head. "I-I'm sorry...I was just...I was just so frightened."
Her mate moved forward and brushed his fur against hers. "We could have thought something up together. You didn't have to put yourself through...through that."
Suddenly fear pierced through her heart. "Twistedclaw...you didn't...you didn't say they were yours, did you?!"
A low growl came from deep within Twistedclaw's through. "No. I didn't get a chance to. As soon as I heard you'd been banished for carrying kits, Snaketail and Lizardeye forced me into the warriors' den." He seemed to see the relief flood through her, and his ears went up in a sudden realization. "You them before you told me?!" Twistedclaw looked genuinely hurt. "Why?!"
"I'm...I'm sorry." Feathercloud murmured. "I told them to take you out of camp just in case things...took a turn for the worst." If Specklestar, StarClan forbid, had passed a harsher punishment, Feathercloud hadn't wanted Twistedclaw to jump up and defend her. Or claim her unborn kits as his own. Because then he would surely be banished as well. "I want you to stay with ShadowClan. You'll be safe there."
"And let you run off to who knows where, by yourself?!" Twistedclaw demanded.
Will write more later.
It had to be said.
The ShadowClan medicine cat was pacing around her den. There was no way around it. She'd only told three cats so far. Two had taken her mate out of camp on a hunting patrol, so he wouldn't find out until after the verdict was passed. The other cat was her younger sister, Thistlefur. Her sister was not part of the plan. Feathercloud had simply told her to get it off of her chest. But now the guilt and fear wouldn't let her be. If she didn't confess, she would be found out. Leafbare was approaching. Someone was bound to notice how plump she'd become. Her fur could only cover it for so long. In her belly, her secret stirred. It was as if they felt their mother's distress and were trying to comfort her. They were her shame and her pride at the same time. Feathercloud licked her bulging stomach. She could feel their life, and it gave her courage. With a deep breath she padded out of her den. The camp was a flurry of activity. Ever since the war against ThunderClan had started patrols seemed to go out more and more frequently. Tawnypaw, her apprentice, was out gathering herbs. Feathercloud had purposefully sent her away as well.
"Ah, Feathercloud. There you are." Specklestar padded right up to her. "I've been meaning to talk to you. Have you received any signs from StarClan?"
Feathercloud's heart was pounding in her chest. She couldn't tell her here! Not in front of the whole Clan! But what choice did she have? It was now or never. "N-No, Specklestar. But I need to speak with you. It's...it's very urgent."
Specklestar's ears went up in alarm. "Is there something wrong?" Her eyes instinctivly flickered towards the medicine cat den. Ah, of course she thought this was over an injured warrior or apprentice. There were surely enough of them. "What's happened?"
"It's not about a warrior or apprentice." Feathercloud mewed quietly. She was almost certain Specklestar hadn't heard her. But then she saw that her leader seemed to be waiting. Feathercoud felt herself begin to tremble. It started in her paws and spread through her body. Feathercloud's voice dropped to a low whisper. She ducked her head and said, "Specklestar, I am having kits." For a moment, the noise of the camp rose above them. Once again it was as if Specklestar had not heard her.
When suddenly Specklestar's furious yowl ripped through the camp. Her paws slammed against Feathercloud's shoulder and knocked her on to her side. Feathercloud let out a startled mew, but didn't dare rise to her paws. All movement and conversation within the camp stopped. Each pair of eyes turned slowly towards the two she-cats. Specklestar's eyes were ablaze with fire as she looked at Feathercloud's bulging stomach. There were a few tense moments of complete silence. The other cats could practically feel their leader's fury coming off of her in waves. Confusion rippled through them and they exchanged glances, wondering what their tiny, sweet medicine cat could have possibly said or done to put Specklestar into such a state of terrible anger.
"You're banished!" Specklestar hissed.
The Clan took in a collective gasp. Feathercloud's eyes widened in shock and horror.
"Don't just lay there and stare at me! Get up! Get up and get out!" Specklestar continued. Her fur began to bristle and she pulled back her lips in a vicious snarl. "And if I or any other cat catch you here again, Feathercloud, may StarClan have mercy on you!" The furious leader watched as the frightened she-cat hurriedly rose to her paws. "LEAVE!"
Feathercloud began to back away. The other cats moved away from her cautiously. Some hissed at her tentatively, as if they weren't sure to act hostile at her or not. Finally the she-cat said quietly, "I'm sorry." With that she turned and streaked out of camp with her head down.
"Specklestar what was her crime?" Runningfrost demanded. "ShadowClan can not afford to lose her! Not now!"
"A nursing queen is of no use to us when there are cats to be healed!" Specklestar shot back. Eyes widened and a wave of shock rippled through the Clan. Specklestar looked them over icily, until her eyes fell on a fluffy dark grey apprentice. She was sitting as solid and still as a stone. "Duskpaw! Go find your sister and bring her back to camp!" She turned and began to stalk into her den. "It is time for her to become a full medicine cat."
Feathercloud ran until her legs couldn't support her any longer. She ended up at Four Trees. The former medicine cat was careful to move away from ShadowClan's tree, in case someone came by. Instead the she-cat curled up under ThunderClan's tree for the night. What was she to do now? The guilt that had clenched her heart was no longer there. Instead it had been replaced by fear. Horrible gut-wrenching fear. Here she was, all alone, with leafbare approaching fast. How would she ever be able to feed herself and her kits? Feathercloud had estimated there to be three or four in the litter. She would never be able to feed them all on her own! Despair flooded through her. Why had she told? Now she'd doomed her poor kits! Feathercloud put one of her paws over her muzzled to hide her eyes from the world. What would she do? What could she do? Feathercloud would have to do what was best for her kits.
I might have to abandon them. Feathercloud thought in despair. She couldn't leave them in ShadowClan. And if she left them in ThunderClan they could be in danger still. But WindClan and RiverClan already had enough kits...
Feathercloud couldn't sleep. All she could think about was what she was going to do for her kits. When, suddenly, she ehard paw steps. Slowly the former medicine cat raised her head. A small tom emerged from the shadows. The she-cat rose to her paws slowly, trying to catch her breath. What was he doing here?! For a moment the two simply stared at each other, her amber orbs meeting his light green. Finally he took a few more cautious steps forward and mewed, "Why didn't you tell me?"
His tone wasn't harsh, or angry, or cold. But immense shame coursed through her body again. She dipped her head. "I-I'm sorry...I was just...I was just so frightened."
Her mate moved forward and brushed his fur against hers. "We could have thought something up together. You didn't have to put yourself through...through that."
Suddenly fear pierced through her heart. "Twistedclaw...you didn't...you didn't say they were yours, did you?!"
A low growl came from deep within Twistedclaw's through. "No. I didn't get a chance to. As soon as I heard you'd been banished for carrying kits, Snaketail and Lizardeye forced me into the warriors' den." He seemed to see the relief flood through her, and his ears went up in a sudden realization. "You them before you told me?!" Twistedclaw looked genuinely hurt. "Why?!"
"I'm...I'm sorry." Feathercloud murmured. "I told them to take you out of camp just in case things...took a turn for the worst." If Specklestar, StarClan forbid, had passed a harsher punishment, Feathercloud hadn't wanted Twistedclaw to jump up and defend her. Or claim her unborn kits as his own. Because then he would surely be banished as well. "I want you to stay with ShadowClan. You'll be safe there."
"And let you run off to who knows where, by yourself?!" Twistedclaw demanded.
Will write more later.