Warriors - The Leopard's Apprentice

-Chapter 9 - Go-

"Cats of Forestclan! I want everyone gathered underneath the Oaktree this meeting includes all except for the kits." Sprucestar said his voice stern. Leopardwillow padded over to the Oaktree looking up at Timberheart on one of the lower branches with a smile. He blushed and turned away to face Sprucestar. "As of today we are taking Flamestar's threat very seriously if a war is to be upon us than we will be ready, mentors train your apprentices harder, warriors will receive extra training and battle practice to be prepared, and queens make sure your kits don't leave camp this goes for elders as well. Medicine cats will stay in camp as well unless accompanied by a warrior. Meeting dismissed." Sprucestar said jumping down from the Oaktree. Dovesong walked towards the nursery as soon as the meeting was adjourned; a bit after birth Daykit and Nightkit had not been feeling so well and had gotten very weak, Dovesong and Ivyspirit had to work hard to care for them but nothing really seemed to be working.

Leopardwillow padded towards the nursery out of curiosity. "I'm sorry Foxbristle but I'm afraid their gone." Leopardwillow heard Dovesong say with sadness. Foxbristle looked towards her own living kits and sighed "I'll tell Fallenbranch when he gets here." she said with a nod. Dovesong opened her mouth to say something but quickly shut it and muttered "I'll leave you to grieve." Leopardwillow padded into the den and looked at Foxbristle with sympathy "I'm sorry for your loss it was just too many kits I suppose." Foxbristle nodded sadly "At least they'll be happy in Starclan, you know I was always afraid of a big litter- at least I tried to distance myself from them just a little bit. Sliverkit and Rustkit need me and I'm going to be there for them- it's what Nightkit and Daykit would have wanted." Leopardwillow nodded and put her tail on her sister's back in sympathy.

"So did you see Patchkit, Silverkit, and Thunderkit recently?" Timberheart asked; two days after Daykit and Nightkit had died. "You know you can see them right?" Leopardwillow asked. "I know how you feel about Lilypad's mate but she's your little sister- if you want to see her kits you should think about apologizing." she said her tail intertwined with his. Timberheart shuffled his paws a little and turned away "Leopardwillow, I can't apologize to her. Not now, anyway I just was looking forward to seeing my nieces and nephew. Afterall Dovesong took over Pearleaf and became a medicine cat- and I was really looking forward to seeing them." "If you really don't wanna see her then fine, you can see our kits when we have them." she said lovingly resting her head on his pelt.

"So, how are you doing with the extra training?" he asked quickly changing the subject. Leopardwillow gave him a look but didn't say anything, "It's going fine I can't imagine how the warriors with apprentices feel double the training for apprentices and double the training for them as well." She pointed out. "I know but I guess Sprucestar wanted us to be extra safe- although I can see why some don't like it." he said. As they were talking Thunderkit ran towards them laughing as Patchkit chased her. "I'm gonna get you Thunder!" he laughed "No way! I'm way faster one day I'm gonna be the best leader of Forestclan, but because I'm nice you can be my deputy- oof!" she said as she bumped into Timberheart. Timberheart looked at Thunderkit in disbelief for a second before laughing "Hey, first time out of the nursery?" Thunderkit nodded and Patchkit walked towards the two mates and stood next to his sister. "You look kinda like us do we know you?" he asked. Timberheart looked crestfallen, "I-i'm your uncle your mom probably didn't tell you that though." he said sadly. "And I'm your aunt in-law." Leopardwillow said with a smile. "Yeah our mom told us that your her best friend." Patchkit answered, "but she didn't tell us she had a brother-" Thunderkit put in, "well that's because she- well she- we don't get along well but I'm happy to be here for you kits if you need anything." "Hey your the deputy right?" Patchkit asked.

Timberheart chuckled "yep!" "wow!" The kits said in unison. "Patchkit! Thunderkit!" The two cats turned towards the direction of the nursery once they heard Lilypad's voice. "Bye, Timberheart! Bye Leopardwillow!" the kits squeaked before bounding towards their mother and went inside the nursery after she scolded them for a second, and then she turned towards Timberheart her eyes blazing. "Timber stay away from my kits!" she snarled before turning tail into the nursery. Leopardwillow looked towards Timberheart his face unreadable. "I'm sorry." she murmured. "Don't be. If my fox-dung excuse of a sister doesn't want to talk to me anymore that's her fault but she's an even more of a mouse-brain if she thinks I'm not going to see my nieces and nephew." he said coldly. Leopardwillow opened her mouth to speak but quickly shut it, she knew this was coming.

Leopardwillow cleared her throat, "I'm going to go see my niece and nephew now, if you don't mind." Timberheart made a grumbling noise but didn't stop her. "Leopardwillow! What a pleasant surprise!" Foxbristle said with a smile as Rustkit and Sliverkit squeaked and ran towards their aunt. "How are they?" Leopardwillow winced as Sliverkit bit down on her tail. Foxbristle chuckled "sorry" she said stifling a laugh, "Don't be, I can't wait to meet mine." Foxbristle nodded "I bet Timberheart's thrilled after- well y'know." she answered motioning towards Lilypad who was sleeping beside her kits. Leopardwillow sucked in her breath "Timber's pretty mad right now... he finally met Patchkit and Thunderkit this morning when he finally realized he missed them. I feel bad but I know this is going to cause further erm splits in his relationship with his family." she answered with a frown. "I hope she can get over whatever grudge she's been holding against him I mean she's her older brother. I know it's hard with your best friend and your mate in such shallow water." Leopardwillow shifted uncomfortably, "Timber told me not to tell anyone but... Lily never did tell you who the father of her kits was did she?" she asked. Foxbristle straightened and shook her head "come to think of it no, not ever I thought it was weird that they had black fur-" she trailed off. Leopardwillow's voice was hardly more audible than a whisper when she spoke. "That's because her mate is from Lakeclan..." "What?!" Foxbristle snarled her fur going up.

"Sshh!" Leopardwillow hissed, forcing her sister to sit down. Sliverkit and Rustkit looked up at their mother curious as to why she got up. "How could she have just- her mother was murdered by those pieces of fox-dung!" she growled. "Foxbristle for the last time lower your voice she's going to hear you!" Leopardwillow whispered angrily, "sorry I just- how could she betray her clan like that." Foxbristle grumbled. "That's why Timber has a 'grudge' against her in the first place." Leopardwillow mumbled. "I could rip my claws into the lying badger-heart." Foxbristle growled. "Momma why are you mad?" Sliverkit asked her mother in wonder. Foxbristle gently licked her she-kit's head, "it's nothing dear it's getting late why don't you get some sleep." Sliverkit looked at Foxbristle questioningly but didn't say anything and curled around Rustkit before going to sleep.

"Go." Leopardwillow heard the eerily familiar voice before she had time to turn around, Lakeclan cats streamed out of the bushes yowling their claws fully unsheathed. "Sprucestar!" Leopardwillow screeched. Cats leapt out of the warrior's den and apprentices' den. Foxbristle and Lilypad looked in terror from the nursery. "Stay there!" Leopardwillow growled turning towards the Lakeclan warriors. Flamestar sat behind the ambush with an amused expression on her face her eyes meeting Leopardwillow's they seemed to say I told you I'd be back, Leopardwillow growled and remembered the prophecy it isn't the flames you should fear but the smoke that lies within. Before she could react Smokedusk jumped onto Leopardwillow's back snarling. "Smokedusk, why!" Leopardwillow demanded trying and failing to push him off of her, "I've never pleased many cats I can at least please my mother and do what she wants me to do."

My mother

And then it clicked, it all started to make sense why Smokedusk was always sneaking out of camp, not paying attention to ceremonies, that smirk that looked eerily familiar, his impenetrable fiery eyes, and how he always fought so well. Flamestar was Smokedusk's mother- Leopardwillow felt her body crushed by weight and then before she could open her eyes everything went dark.