Wolf and Moon

Chapter 6: Hawkfeather

  Hawkfeather awoke next to Hollyfrost at his side. He felt cold most of the night, and he didn't know why. When Hollyfrost finally woke up, she looked around in confusion.

"Everything is alright," Hawkfeather laughed.

"Oh... Yeah, sorry. I just had a bad dream," she didn't look convinced. She looked on the other side of her to find Mooncross snoring softly. She quickly whipped her head back around and had a grim look on her face.

"I'm guessing Mooncross was in it?" He asked quietly.

"What? Oh, no, he wasn't. I was just seeing what that sound was."

"Care to tell me what the dream was? It seems to really make you paranoid over something," he asked worriedly.

"No, I'm fine. It just really seemed real."

"Alright, whatever you say. How about you go and get some air with me? Maybe that'll help," he motioned her over to the fresh-kill pile. She got up slowly, and when they reached the pile, she just stared at it.

"I'm not really feeling that hungry right now. How about we just go on a walk?" She looked unusually tired.

"Are you sure? You look awfully worn out," he rested his tail on her shoulder.

"Yes, I'm alright, Hawkfeather," she smiled. But the smile quickly faded. She ran over behind some bushes and vomited.

"Hollyfrost, no your not. You are going to see Earthpoppy and Diamondshine," he helped her walk over to the Healer's den. When they had arrived, the two jumped up.

"Get over here, Hollyfrost. I can already tell that something is wrong. Come and lay on your side," Diamondshine commanded. He watched as Hollyfrost weakly got down as Diamondshine said. Earthpoppy crouched down beside her and checked her ears, eyes, and throat. Lastly, he put a paw on her belly, and waited a moment, as Hawkfeather waited for an answer for why she was feeling this way.

But he just looked up at him and smiled. "Congratulations, Hawkfeather and Hollyfrost," he looked down at Hollyfrost. "You're expecting kits."

Hawkfeather felt a smile spread across his whole face.

"What...?" Hollyfrost's voice was filled with fear.

"Don't worry, everything is alright. Your fit for having kits. I see these things happen all the time," Earthpoppy told her reassuringly. He let her get up and exit the den. "Better start preparing for the nursery!"

He and Hollyfrost were just speechless. My mate is going to have my kits! I've waited for this for a while now. He laughed to himself.

"There's nothing to be worried about," Diamondshine lightly brushed her tail over Hollyfrost's back.

"Sorry, it's just that I wasn't prepared for this," she had a blank expression on her face.

"I know. Crosswind wasn't either. I remember when she told me she was expecting the first time. She was freaking out," Diamondshine said to Hollyfrost, trying to calm her down. "Plus, she is in the nursery with another litter on the way. I'm sure she'll help you. Thunderstorm too."

"Yeah, that's true. Thanks, Diamondshine." Hawkfeather said as he and Hollyfrost walked away towards the nursery. When they approached the nursery, Crosswind was laying in her nest.

"Oh, hey, Hollyfrost and Hawkfeather. I can already tell that something's wrong," Crosswind laughed.

"Im...expecting kits," she showed no emotion.

"That's great news! We have to get everything ready for the nursery! It has been lonely in here lately. Choose where you want to sleep and stuff; Lavenderwhisper and I will take care of everything else," her tail was fluffed out with excitement.

"I'll just stay in the corner over there," her tail pointed over to a dark corner in the den.

"Are you sure? There's lots of room in here for you to sleep wherever you want."

"The corner is fine," she looked around the camp behind her. "Shadowpaw! Go out into the forest and find some moss for bedding."

His ears perked up from his place beside Breezepaw, and dashed out of the camp with Breezepaw following.

"I'm glad that Shadowpaw likes Breezepaw; she's a good cat. She's gonna need the comfort-" Crosswind was interrupted by a screech coming from outside of camp, followed by a panicking Shadowpaw and Breezepaw. Cats from around the camp gathered around in suspicion and worry.

"Its Boneshadow and Wolftail! Earthpoppy and Diamondshine, hurry!" Breezepaw cried. All it took was one look between he and Hollyfrost, and they were already out of camp, followed by Crosswind, a little slower behind. She was a fast cat, but the weight of her kits starting to grow inside of her was weighing her down. Shadowpaw and Breezepaw were in the lead, showing them where the scene was.

"Here!" Shadowpaw whispered behind some bushes with Breezepaw, his tail pointing at two figures on the ground. Wolftail was crouched over Boneshadow, who laid limp on the ground. Wolftail's face was covered in blood, and Boneshadow had a huge gash on her back leg, which looked distorted.

"Brother! What are you doing?" Hollyfrost cried out to Wolftail. Before he could answer, she saw a flash of orange dart towards him. She recognized the pelt. Tigertooth? What is he doing?? He's gonna get himself killed! It started to pour with flashes of lightning and the loud roar of thunder not long after. And now Spiritclan is angry! He watched as Tigertooth and Wolftail battled with each other in a mix of soaking orange and gray. Hawkfeather darted to the fighting cats and tried to break them up.

"Stop, please!!" he yelled at them, grabbing Wolftail by the scruff of his neck and pulling him away from Tigertooth, but the two still fought with teeth and claws, blood splattering over all three. Thunderstorm sprinted to them and grabbed Tigertooth, helping Hawkfeather split them. Before they parted, Tigertooth reached over to Wolftail and gave him one last blow with his paw, knocking Wolftail out. Hawkfeather felt him grow limp in his mouth. He softly laid Wolftail on the ground while Thunderstorm made sure that Tigertooth was nowhere near Wolftail. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hollyfrost crouched over Hawkfeather's sister.

"She's barely breathing! Someone help her!" Hollyfrost cried out to the staring crowd. Earthpoppy was next to Hollyfrost in the blink of an eye, scanning Boneshadow. Tigertooth quickly scrambled over to Boneshadow, standing behind the two.

"Will she be alright?" his voice was barely audible.

Earthpoppy hesitated a moment. "She's unconscious, and her leg is broken. But she's in good health and should recover quickly. Help me carry her back to camp."

"What do we do with Wolftail?" Hollyfrost asked Earthpoppy.

"Take him to camp, too. I'm going to check over him," he responded calmly with a mouth full of fur.

"Thunderstorm and I can do that," Hawkfeather stepped up. Thunderstorm picked up Wolftail by the scruff of his neck again and dragged him while Hawkfeather made sure that nothing got caught on Wolftail's body. He watched how Thunderstorm was carrying Wolftail without a problem, like he weighed nothing. I haven't ever seen him this strong. I guess I've just never paid attention.

When they got back to camp, the rest of the cats surrounded them. Hawkfeather heard gasps and murmurs full of sadness. Tigertooth and Earthpoppy softly put Boneshadow on a bed of moss while Hawkfeather helped Thunderstorm lay Wolftail on the other side of the den, even though Thunderstorm didn't need the help. Tigertooth crouched beside Boneshadow's body once more, licking her ears. Irispaw and Breezepaw stood just outside the den entrance.

"Will her leg fully heal?" Tigertooth looked up at Earthpoppy with a somber expression while Diamondshine tended to Wolftail.

"Not fully. It will be hard for her to walk with that leg," Earthpoppy announced, slathering something onto Boneshadow's wound.

Hawkfeather looked behind his back at the rest of the camp to see the whole clan staring into the Healer's den with faces of confusion and fear.