Brambleberry's Path

Chapter 34:

Moons had passed since Brightstar had become leader. Dawnfur had a second litter of kits, they were called Amberkit and Emberkit. Lilyfoot had three, Minnowkit, Blazekit, and Leafkit. Everything was peaceful in the clan, and nothing was awry.

Hawkwing yawned and stretched as she padded out of the Warriors' den and padded over to the fresh-kill pile. She picked up a medium fish and padded to the medicine den with it hanging from her jaws. She dropped it at Birdsong's paws and the ginger and white she-cat.

"Here you go." She mewed. Birdsong took a bite and thanked Hawkwing and the she-cat padded out of the den. Brightstar padded up to her friend and the brown she-cat looked at her with confusion.

"Looking forward to the next gathering?" She asked her deputy, and Hawkwing nodded. She was looking forward to see Fernfeather again. Over the last moons they had become closer to each other.

"I wonder how Darkheart and Owlsong are doing. Their kits should be well out of the nursery by now." Hawkwing mewed. She hadn't seen them for a long time, and also looked forward to seeing them so she could learn more about their kits. Brightstar hummed and stared at her clanmates as they wandered around camp.

"It won't be long until we go." She mewed.

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"Darkheart! How are you? How's Owlsong?" Hawkwing mewed as she padded up to him. There was a small dappled tom accompanied by a ginger tom with brown specks and a white she-cat with black ears and paws. Darkheart looked at his paws sadly.

"Owlsong is in Starclan now." He mewed softly, and Hawkwing gasped, her ears flattening against her head and her eyes wide and sad. She looked at the three apprentices to his side and looked back at him.

"Your kits?" She asked him. Darkheart nodded and stared at them.

"They're the only things I have left of her. Duskpaw, Robinpaw, and Fallowpaw, this is Waterclan's deputy, Hawkwing. She is my best friend." He mewed to them. Hawkwing smiled down at them as they stared up at her with wide eyes. Duskpaw nodded his head to the Waterclan cat respectfully.

"Hello." He mewed in a small voice. Hawkwing mewed greeting to him and looked back at Darkheart.

"Are you sure you're going to be ok?" She asked him. He nodded his head at her.

"Alright. I'm here for you if you need me." She mewed before she padded away, her thoughts swirling like dark storm clouds in her head. She felt a tail brush her side and looked up into the ice blue eyes of Fernfeather.

"Are you ok?" He asked her. Hawkwing nodded her head at him and he shuffled his paws.

"Can I talk to you? Privately?" He asked her. Hawkwing tilted her head to the side and nodded. They padded away from the Gathering Clearing and into the cover of some trees. Fernfeather sat down and stared at his paws while Hawkwing stood and faced him.

"What's wrong, Fernfeather?" She asked him. He looked up at her and let out a sigh.

"It's just that... you know how we've been growing closer these past few moons?" He asked her, and she gave him a strange look.

"Yeah, why?" She asked. He took a deep breath and stared at his paws.

"Well... I think I should tell you that..." He looked up at her and then back at his paws.

"I love you. More than I know I should. I-I know its against the code, but I don't want to follow it if it means I have to fight against you instead of fighting with you, by your side." He mewed, and Hawkwing's eyes widened. She didn't think that he would feel the same way.

"Fernfeather." She called his name softly. He looked up at her with worried ice blue eyes.

"I love you too." She mewed before she rubbed her cheek against his, purring. Fernfeather was frozen with shock before he purred and licked her forehead affectionately. There was a deep mew close to where they were and Hawkwing looked back with annoyed emerald eyes.

"What does that arrogant fish-brain want now?!" She groaned with exasperation. Fernfeather sighed and nudged her cheek with his nose.

"Can we meet up again? This time outside of the gathering?" He asked her softly. Hawkwing nodded her head.

"Wait for me here tomorrow night." She mewed before she gave his cheek a goodbye lick and she trudged out of the trees. She almost ran into Brambleberry and he stared at her with confused amber eyes.

"What were you doing in there?" He asked. An excuse popped in her head and she went with it.

"I heard a noise and went to go check it out. It was just a squirrel." She mewed, flicking her tail. Brambleberry blinked before he led Hawkwing away from the trees. She glanced back and saw Fernfeather poke his head out of the trees, staring at her with shimmering ice blue eyes.

She was looking forward to seeing him again soon.