Brambleberry's Path

Chapter 35:

More moons had passed, Riverpaw had become Riverheart, and Pebblefang had joined his rightful clan. His mother was happy. Icewing had been taken by a vulture and Sandclan had attacked while they were vulnerable. Their clan was covered in snow. A new cat had come to the clan, and the cats learned it was Blazecloud's brother, Ivel. They also learned that he was the father of Gingerfoot's kits. Blazekit, Minnowkit, and Leafkit had become apprentices. Blazepaw had died trying to get help to dig the apprentices' den out of the snow. Riverheart and Rainwind had become mates and she was now in the nursery, expecting kits. Amberkit and Emberkit had become apprentices, and Gingerfoot had given birth to Sunkit and Spottedkit.

And now we are in the present.

Hawkwing padded into the medicine cat's den and sat down, eyeing Birdsong warily. She had learned a moon ago that she was expecting Fernfeather's kits, and had tried to conceal it. As far as the clan knew, Hawkwing didn't have a mate. It would raise suspicion if she suddenly said she was expecting. And she could tell Birdsong knew something was up with her.

"So, who's the father?" She asked casually. Hawkwing's blood ran cold and she stared up at Birdsong with wide eyes.

"How did you-" she started.

"I'm a medicine cat, I can tell when a she-cat is expecting. It's Fernfeather, isn't it?" She kept on mewing.

"Wha- how did you-?!" She stared at Birdsong with wide emerald eyes. Bridsong looked at her with amusement.

"Starclan gave me an omen." She mewed. Hawkwing looked down at her paws.

"So much for keeping it a secret." She muttered. Birdsong looked over at her and lashed her tail.

"How long have you been pregnant?" She asked. Hawkwing looked at her paws and scuffed at the dirt below them.

"A moon." She murmured.

"A MOON?! You should've been in the nursery! Hawkwing, you could've been seriously injured. Or worse, you could've lost your kits!" Birdsong hissed, flattening her ears against her head. Hawkwing flattened her ears and tried to shrink.

"What was I supposed to do?! Say that I'm expecting Fernfeather's, a tom from another clan, kits?! Yeah, that would go well." She rolled her eyes. Birdsong blinked her eyes and stared at Hawkwing.

"I won't tell anyone, just as long as you move into the nursery. Is that understood?" Birdsong mewed as she stared her friend in the eyes. Hawkwing sighed but nodded her head.

"Good. You may go." The medicine cat mewed as she turned away from the brown she-cat. Hawkwing trudged out of the den slowly and let out a sigh as she almost reached the camp entrance. She stopped in her tracks when she spotted Brambleberry glance over at her from his spot beside Ivel and say something to the rust colored and orange spotted cat before he started to pad towards her.

"Going hunting?" He asked, his amber eyes lighting up with hope. Hawkwing growled and lashed her tail.

"No, I just-" she froze before she spoke again, careful to choose her next words.

"I just need to clear my head." She mewed, padding past him and out of the camp. Once she was out, she glanced behind her and kept padding towards her next destination. She needed to tell Fernfeather. As she turned back around, she almost bumped into a soaking wet Blazecloud, who held a large trout in his jaws. They both stared at each other with wide eyes before Blazecloud dropped the fish from his mouth.

"H-hey. Are you g-going hunting?" He asked her with confusion. Hawkwing blinked and looked at her paws.

"N-not really. I just need to clear my head." She mewed. Blazecloud blinked and tilted his head, his emerald eyes growing concerned.

"Are y-you ok?" He asked, occasionally twitching. Hawkwing blinked up at him and nodded her head, standing taller and faking a smile, hoping she appeared to be feeling better. Blazecloud saw through it, though he didn't say anything about it.

"Well, be c-careful. S-Sandclan could attack at any moment." He mewed. Hawkwing blinked up at him and purred.

"I'll be fine." She mewed, head-butting the dark ginger and white blotched tom on the shoulder with her head. He rolled his eyes and watched her pad away.

"You know if you aren't careful, you'll have as big of an ego as Brambleberry!" He called after her, chuckling when she turned back towards him with narrowed eyes before she turned around with a giant smile on her face.

"Alright, enough fooling around. I need to find Fernfeather and tell him." Hawkwing mewed to herself, bracing herself to swim away from the island.

She was just glad they had arranged to meet that day.